Review of Audioquest JitterBug - USB Data & Power Noise Filter.

[Loneract]

If the USB signal is so dirty, why don't USB DAC makers include cleanup circuitry in their products?

 

[headfry]

For some reason many posters feel the need to put down the JB, but to my ears
it's staying in my system, a nice improvement in my audio chain for not much!

 

[Mediahound]

For some reason many posters feel the need to put down the JB, but to my ears
it's staying in my system, a nice improvement in my audio chain for not much!

Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:

 

[Loneract]

Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:

Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:

Yeah, I'm not saying they aren't needed. I'm considering one for my Dragonfly. Even NWAVGuy complained about USB port quality.

But you'd think you'd at least see a few USB DAC makers building the feature into their products if they thought it made their product sound better. (Maybe some have and I just haven't seen it.)

 

[Arniesb]

Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:

Thats because you like highly colored sound and not transparent sound... purists will not like it.

 

[Mediahound]

Thats because you like highly colored sound and not transparent sound... purists will not like it.

A usb product such as this that appears to make the sound a bit smoother or darker is actually more transparent, not less. This is from Rob Watts DAC designer from Chord Electronics, as well as Gordan Rankin the inventor of asynchronous USB audio and co designer of the Jitterbug. People have become accustomed to hearing digital jitter and noise and thinking that’s correct however reduction in the digital noise is actually closer to the analog signal and more pure.

 

[Arniesb]

A usb product such as this that appears to make the sound a bit smoother or darker is actually more transparent, not less. This is from Rob Watts DAC designer from Chord Electronics, as well as Gordan Rankin the inventor of asynchronous USB audio and co designer of the Jitterbug. People have become accustomed to hearing digital jitter and noise and thinking that’s correct however reduction in the digital noise is actually closer to the analog signal and more pure.

Maybe youre right in some extent, but to me it adds something like cloud or yellow tint. I dont think in real life bass and lower mids is much more than the rest fr...

 

[RiseFall123]

Thats because you like highly colored sound and not transparent sound... purists will not like it.

I like them too in my chain.

Although we are speaking about a small effect to then sound.

 

[drtechno]

If the USB signal is so dirty, why don't USB DAC makers include cleanup circuitry in their products?

Well most do, and this device doesn't do anything on those. One aspect since this is consumer audio is the way the analog ground is treated when the outputs are unbalanced rca connections. In the pro world, we addressed this with signal transformer. This is one of the humble pro offerings I used to isolate a radio station's computer to a stereo VCA broadcast console (Sandies Dynamix). https://peavey.com/products/index.cfm/item/875/117099 . so this device addresses most of the issues but if your DAC is designed well, and you use a good usb shielded cable, you should be ok. In rooms that there is a lot of RF trash in the room (due to other devices like cc machines, rf transmitters, etc) , you might have to add a ferrite bead to the usb cord even though all isolation methods are applied.

 

[Whazzzup]

I do agree that jitterbug for noisy computers or lower quality dacs, does smooth out the sound some. It’s cheap but realistically in sq and price is 5% of what a quality music server provides. I found that a max of 2 jitterbugs per iMac, as the 3rd causes power drain and lower volumes.

 

[DEANO2]

I had always used one in the USB port of my Nas drive and one inline with my USB cord feeding my Uptone Regen . However since getting a new Nas I try it adjacent to my USB cord in my laptop laptop it's own and wouldn't be without one.

 

[timb5881]

If the USB signal is so dirty, why don't USB DAC makers include cleanup circuitry in their products?

Some do. Schiit has one in some of their DAC's

 

[Loneract]

Some do. Schiit has one in some of their DAC's

Thanks!

 

[timb5881]

The JitterBug works great if you have a USB power source ie. a usb wall wart, plug the JB into that and the power USB cable into the JB.

 

[DEANO2]

I think for those who have basic play back equipment it offers a readily easy improvement sound wise.