[Bat4ery]

I received the nano iGalvanic and Gemini/ Mercury cables today and added them between my laptop and the micro iUSB 3.0.
I am not used to describe how something 'sounds' but would like to share some quick impressions and comparisons:

1. Laptop > Mercury > micro iUSB 3.0 > DAC
This is my original setup. Compared to direct output, the iUSB improves clarity, soundstage and separation, offering a fast and crisp sound. With some old DACs it dramatically widens the soundstage as well (on my Sony UDA-1). The Mercury cable offers better separation and clarity than the stock USB cable that came with the iUSB.
However, the drawback here is that this setup sounds flat and harsh, with the vocals and bass kind of losing their 'focus' and all the sounds drawn back away from my ears. It is a kind of artificial sound signature that lacks focus and smoothness. For these reasons, it often became dull with annoying trebles, especially for long-time listening.

2. Laptop > Gemini > iGalvanic > Mercury > micro iUSB 3.0 > DAC
Simply great.
The artificialness of the previous setup is significantly reduced by the addition of nano iGalvanic. The focus of vocals and lows are back. Together they make a rich, holographic sound with more depth. Trebles might still be slightly harsh though.
The power head of the Gemini cable was connected to iUSB's power port and the data head to the computer usb port.

3. Laptop > Gemini > iGalvanic > DAC
It's pretty much like setup 2 minus setup 1, a natural and rich sound just slightly muffled, lacking the clarity brought by the iUSB. (clearer than direct connection though)


Issues: (@iFi audio )
1. With my setup, only using the Gemini cable to connect the iGalvanic to host laptop and the ground switch on the lower position will work --- with Mercury cable or other positions the audio always drops out after a few seconds of playback and never returns before reconnection. This might be that my DAC is USB powered, as the AC powered Sony DAC (previously mentioned) doesn't seem to have a problem.

2.Due to the terrible flexibility of the Mercury 3.0 cable I have to place the iGalvanic up side down upon the iUSB like this...... (with a piece of rubber in the middle, probably an accessory of micro iDSD BL) Would that be a problem to worry about?


Personally I consider the iUSB as a boost of clarity and separation, and the iGalvanic to offer cleaner power to achieve natural, non-fatigue sound with depth. They work best as a combo for me. If I can only get one of the two, soundwise I would get the iGalvanic, but the micro iUSB also act as a USB hub which is very convenient.

 

[technobear]

I received the nano iGalvanic and Gemini/ Mercury cables today and added them between my laptop and the micro iUSB 3.0.
I am not used to describe how something 'sounds' but would like to share some quick impressions and comparisons:

1. Laptop > Mercury > micro iUSB 3.0 > DAC
This is my original setup. Compared to direct output, the iUSB improves clarity, soundstage and separation, offering a fast and crisp sound. With some old DACs it dramatically widens the soundstage as well (on my Sony UDA-1). The Mercury cable offers better separation and clarity than the stock USB cable that came with the iUSB.
However, the drawback here is that this setup sounds flat and harsh, with the vocals and bass kind of losing their 'focus' and all the sounds drawn back away from my ears. It is a kind of artificial sound signature that lacks focus and smoothness. For these reasons, it often became dull with annoying trebles, especially for long-time listening.

2. Laptop > Gemini > iGalvanic > Mercury > micro iUSB 3.0 > DAC
Simply great.
The artificialness of the previous setup is significantly reduced by the addition of nano iGalvanic. The focus of vocals and lows are back. Together they make a rich, holographic sound with more depth. Trebles might still be slightly harsh though.
The power head of the Gemini cable was connected to iUSB's power port and the data head to the computer usb port.

3. Laptop > Gemini > iGalvanic > DAC
It's pretty much like setup 2 minus setup 1, a natural and rich sound just slightly muffled, lacking the clarity brought by the iUSB. (clearer than direct connection though)


Issues: (@iFi audio )
1. With my setup, only using the Gemini cable to connect the iGalvanic to host laptop and the ground switch on the lower position will work --- with Mercury cable or other positions the audio always drops out after a few seconds of playback and never returns before reconnection. This might be that my DAC is USB powered, as the AC powered Sony DAC (previously mentioned) doesn't seem to have a problem.

2.Due to the terrible flexibility of the Mercury 3.0 cable I have to place the iGalvanic up side down upon the iUSB like this...... (with a piece of rubber in the middle, probably an accessory of micro iDSD BL) Would that be a problem to worry about?


Personally I consider the iUSB as a boost of clarity and separation, and the iGalvanic to offer cleaner power to achieve natural, non-fatigue sound with depth. They work best as a combo for me. If I can only get one of the two, soundwise I would get the iGalvanic, but the micro iUSB also act as a USB hub which is very convenient.

Good grief, what have you done. That photo is all wrong. Looks like you have mixed up what are inputs and what are outputs. Not surprised it doesn't work. Read the manuals.

- or am I seeing multiple Mercury cables there?

In any case, the Gemini should be going from the iUSB3.0 to the DAC. That's what it is for.

 

[Bat4ery]

Good grief, what have you done. That photo is all wrong. Looks like you have mixed up what are inputs and what are outputs. Not surprised it doesn't work. Read the manuals.

- or am I seeing multiple Mercury cables there?

In any case, the Gemini should be going from the iUSB3.0 to the DAC. That's what it is for.

The gemini can be used from PC to iGalvanic as stated by @iFi audio

Yes, it makes sense to use a better cable in a setup sooner. This rule of a thumb applies to regular stereo setups too. Having two different RCA cables, I'd use the better one in-between DAC and preamp, and the other in-between a preamp and power amp, not the other way around. Your best USB setup scenario confirms this nicely.

In this photo, everything's working fine except that I have to put the iGalvanic up side down since the Mercury cable on the back is way too stiff.

 

[technobear]

The gemini can be used from PC to iGalvanic as stated by @iFi audio

Yes it's a USB cable. You can use it anywhere there are two ports available. That is not the point!

The Gemini is specifically designed to keep USB data and USB power separated. It is designed to connect the separate data and power outputs of the iUSB3.0 to the DAC.

I can't see what USB cable you have used from the iUSB3.0 to the DAC. Is it a better cable than the Gemini? This connection should be using your best USB cable.

 

[Bat4ery]

Thanks for your advice.

The Gemini is specifically designed to keep USB data and USB power separated. It is designed to connect the separate data and power outputs of the iUSB3.0 to the DAC.

For this, please read the full post of the second quote from @iFi audio in my previous reply. I think @iFi audio expressed consensus on @zorilon 's idea to use Gemini sooner (PC to iGalvanic) rather than later (iUSB to DAC).
Sadly, I am not able to compare these 2 configuration because my DAC uses a USB-C port instead of a USB-B one.

I can't see what USB cable you have used from the iUSB3.0 to the DAC. Is it a better cable than the Gemini?

For the same reason I have to use an Audioquest Carbon usb cable which is much cheaper than the Gemini.

 

[iFi audio]

This connection should be using your best USB cable.

As it is the case with many other cables, not only digital ones, the idea of having the best USB cable used as soon as possible is also good. Putting Gemini in-between a laptop/PC and iGalvanic3.0, and comparing this with Gemini in-between iUSB3.0 and a DAC, is something I would try for sure and go with what works best.

For @zorilon the former scenario worked the best and I'm not that surprised by it really

Would that be a problem to worry about?

I had my iGalvanic3.0 upside down due to the same reason and it works as intended, so I wouldn't worry.

This might be that my DAC is USB powered, as the AC powered Sony DAC (previously mentioned) doesn't seem to have a problem.

Most likely. That's the nature of galvanic isolation. If you found one knob setting on iGalvanic3.0 that works without dropouts, that's good.

 

[fallooffie]

Hello all. I’m interested in using the ifi iUsb 3.0 micro with my chord mojo. My question is can I plug into the micro usb data port on the mojo from the power/data usb on the ifi iUsb 3.0 micro? Will the 5v Input hurt the mojo going into the data port?

 

[theveterans]

Hello all. I’m interested in using the ifi iUsb 3.0 micro with my chord mojo. My question is can I plug into the micro usb data port on the mojo from the power/data usb on the ifi iUsb 3.0 micro? Will the 5v Input hurt the mojo going into the data port?

No harm plugging both as long as you don’t use the same bank slots. Plug-in the DAC data on the data side and the other on the power side on the separate bank (not the on the same power side next to the data port but on the other power only slot from the next set)

 

[iFi audio]

No harm plugging both as long as you don’t use the same bank slots. Plug-in the DAC data on the data side and the other on the power side on the separate bank (not the on the same power side next to the data port but on the other power only slot from the next set)

This

 

[Yoram Diamand]

Hi I thought of buying a fanless computer and combine it with the iFi audio micro iUSB3.0 to get a silent USB system. Now using the nano, but my Dac will become more costly so I thought iFi might grow with it. There is Lumin and Auralic, but they are not focussed on USB and costly. Did anyone compare them??? Best wishes Yoram

 

[iFi audio]

my Dac will become more costly so I thought iFi might grow with it.

Most likely it will. I haven't yet seen a report about micro iUSB3.0 that wouldn't make a difference or would decrease sound quality.

There is Lumin and Auralic, but they are not focussed on USB and costly.

Both companies have very solid reputation to my knowledge, so you should be positively surprised regardless of your choice.

 

[zorilon]

As it is the case with many other cables, not only digital ones, the idea of having the best USB cable used as soon as possible is also good. Putting Gemini in-between a laptop/PC and iGalvanic3.0, and comparing this with Gemini in-between iUSB3.0 and a DAC, is something I would try for sure and go with what works best.

For @zorilon the former scenario worked the best and I'm not that surprised by it really



I had my iGalvanic3.0 upside down due to the same reason and it works as intended, so I wouldn't worry.



Most likely. That's the nature of galvanic isolation. If you found one knob setting on iGalvanic3.0 that works without dropouts, that's good.

This is how it looks when you go all in with Gemini!

 

[iFi audio]

This is how it looks when you go all in with Gemini!

That's quite crazy

Let me ask where these cables lead

 

[stuck limo]

@iFi audio was there ever a response to the measurements that the owner of an alternate measurement based site posted that stated the Micro did nothing that was advertised and that the Micro potentially made things worse?

 

[zorilon]

That's quite crazy

Let me ask where these cables lead

The cables from left are going to my Holo Spring KTE, one cable in the right near the laptop is feeding data from the Macbook, and the cable from the right up corner is just making a curve around the bottle it is going from the iGalvanic to Ifi Micro Power. It is like the signal is going in a reverse S form from bottom to top.