[tgx78]

  I don't have to cut my cable. As I said my Metrum Hex draws only data from the computer. It has its own internal 5v supply for its USB input. The Jitterbug still improved the sound.
Also the Regen I amusing is being powered by an external linear power supply.
Alan

 
Where did you place the jitterbug in your system chain?
In front of the Regen or right behind it?

 

[ahendler]

The jitterbug is at the output of my MacBook. The regen is at the input of the dac.
So the USB cable is in-between the two devices. This is the recommended placements
Alan

 

[bixby]

Maybe the folks that say USB cables cannot affect the sound of audio should take some quiet time and have a good read.  Cable construction is as important as the circuit layout in your devices.  If I had to guess what might be in the little noise reducing stick, I would guess, and only a guess, is perhaps some little ferrites, maybe a a resistor and or perhaps very small caps.  I know some folks using resistors, I think on the ground leg, and claim good results.  Have not heard those myself.
 
As for getting powered usb hubs as the solution to all your woes.  I think you still may run into issues, especially with rfi and shielding and the fact that in most cases with a hub you now have
another.......... well made or not so well made .......cable you just added to the equation.
 
http://www.ti.com/sc/docs/apps/msp/intrface/usb/emitest.pdf
 
I like the pics in the next one.  Who knows how well our cables are made?  And please don't get all caught up in the fact that this document is about usb 3, because a lot of the construction details still matter.
 
http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/whitepapers/USB_SuperSpeed_CabCon_Whitepaper.pdf
 
 
Oh, and for the record, the Wyrd did not help when used with one of my usb powered dacs, it actually audibly compressed and rolled the highs.  YMMV.

 

[Mediahound]

  Oh, and for the record, the Wyrd did not help when used with one of my usb powered dacs, it actually audibly compressed and rolled the highs.  YMMV.

 
Maybe you were getting distorted highs before and it cleaned them up making you think it rolled them off. 

 

[bixby]

   
Maybe you were getting distorted highs before and it cleaned them up making you think it rolled them off. 

no, I think I have a grasp on what cymbals sound like.  It did help the Modi2 Uber though.

 

[landroni]

I have a Cozoy Astrapi and I notice very clear (even if subtle, and most of the times irrelevant) USB interference when paired with a Grado SR225i and connected to a laptop. The laptop is of questionable build quality, it must be said, and the Grados are notoriously (for me) sensitive, sometimes more so than IEMs. The interference is independent of sound level, so louder volume covers it all completely, but muting volume will make you notice the interference. For most music and normal sound levels this interference is mostly irrelevant and unnoticeable, but if you put very low volume levels and e.g. at night, then the interference will get more noticeable. Also, this affects more when listening to genres like classical or jazz music, where silent moments abound.

I suspect JitterBug has been specifically designed to alleviate such issues, which probably affect battery-less DACs like Astrapi, Aegis or Centrance DACport more than other devices (as they all rely entirely on the USB port for drawing power). So far the only suggestions I heard was try different USB port or longer USB cable, or better build computer. The use of the JitterBug is that it allows you to keep the stack mobile (as in able to move from one room to the other easily), whereas the Wyrd while probably more effective is also more bulky and probably less adapted (usage-wise) for DACs that want to be "on the go".

As of now I'm on the fence whether to get one of these, as the price could have been smaller, but I have a sneaky feeling it might actually help things, notwithstanding what the naysayers are saying...

 

[Mediahound]

Every time I hear "Jitterbug" I think of this and I don't know if that's a good thing 

 

 

[sheldaze]

  Every time I hear "Jitterbug" I think of this and I don't know if that's a good thing 

 

I wanted to give you the thumbs-up!
But I think my body went into a temporary shock, while the video was playing 

 

[Jwm48324]

Stereophile's John Atkinson just reviewed this product in the new Sept. issue. He even shows the inside of the unit. Long story short is that the measurements with and without the Audioquest are the same. He says it improved the sound of three of his dac's, but can't explain why as far as measurements are concerned. A hearty recommendation.

 

[XLR8]

Stereophile's John Atkinson just reviewed this product in the new Sept. issue. He even shows the inside of the unit. Long story short is that the measurements with and without the Audioquest are the same. He says it improved the sound of three of his dac's, but can't explain why as far as measurements are concerned. A hearty recommendation.

 


LoL.
Stereophile should be called eliteophile. If I had a penny for all the hyped up garbage reviews I have read in that magazine I'd be a rich man.

 

[hifimanrookie]

After reading all these pages here i am wondering..what if a MB maker would come up with a MB who does most of this already (usb wise)?

- Isolating the individual USB 3 ports, so noise and stuff will interfere less. Check
- switch off the powersignal in the usb port from inside the bios and only let the zero and ones go to the dac...Check!!!!!
- and what if its usb ports would be powered by its own dedicated ' clean' power source also. Check

What u think about these usb gizmos mentioned in this thread then?

Well...next week i am going to buy one such a MB for my new to built 'audio pc' ..i got tipped by a guy who builts 'audiophile' pc's As a hobby.

could it be the first 'audiophile' (if that ever exist) motherboard to exist to help us poor audio nutters in our search for better audio? Its mini-itx also..so u can put it in the smallest case possible, for instand a cooler master elite 110.

Am not goin to mention or advertise the MB here as ii respect the thread rules..its about the Jitterbug of audioquest here...

But if anyone is curious...pm me..

 

[Bazza13]

I have owned a pair of these Jitterbugs for 3 days and would like to share my impressions; I initially installed them on the input (USB thumbdrive) and output (Wireworld Platinum 7 cable) of my Auralic Aries Streamer that feeds a PS Audio DirectStream DAC.  My expectation for improvement was not high considering that the Platinum 7 cable is world class and isolates the power cable from the digital signal cables.  I played a very familiar 24/96 track that I use when testing the sonic changes from new gear.  I was immediately struck by a significant improvement to the relaxation of the music.  This was similar to my remembrance of putting an Original Cable Jacket on the ground wire of my turntable many years ago.  I attributed the smoothness to reduced digital jitter and noise (so much for "bits are bits").  I also turned the volume up which I attribute to the lower line noise rather than a reduce gain.
 
After about an hour of listening I felt that I was losing my engagement; the music sounded too soft and lacking dynamics so I removed both Jitterbugs and listened again.  Things sounded too edgy, although dynamic, and I felt that there was no going back to this.  I read in another review that too many "Bugs" in a system could make it sound syrupy so I began experimenting with only one.  To make the long story short I ended up with one Jitterbug from the output of the streamer and the Platinum 7 cable plugged into it.  
 
I now have a dynamic yet relaxed sound with an increased width and depth to the soundstage.  There is an increase in detail along with increased harmonics.  Usually I find that an increase in detail strips acoustic harmonics.  Ironically the $59 is a bit less than the Cable Jacket was in its time.  This is a no-brainer purchase for USB digital transmission.

 

[JamesBr]

 
 
They should include the DragonTail then, since it's needed, instead of trying to sell you another additional cable...

Depends who is paying the most

 

[vapman]

After reading all these pages here i am wondering..what if a MB maker would come up with a MB who does most of this already (usb wise)?

- Isolating the individual USB 3 ports, so noise and stuff will interfere less. Check
- switch off the powersignal in the usb port from inside the bios and only let the zero and ones go to the dac...Check!!!!!
- and what if its usb ports would be powered by its own dedicated ' clean' power source also. Check

What u think about these usb gizmos mentioned in this thread then?

Well...next week i am going to buy one such a MB for my new to built 'audio pc' ..i got tipped by a guy who builts 'audiophile' pc's As a hobby.

could it be the first 'audiophile' (if that ever exist) motherboard to exist to help us poor audio nutters in our search for better audio? Its mini-itx also..so u can put it in the smallest case possible, for instand a cooler master elite 110.

Am not goin to mention or advertise the MB here as ii respect the thread rules..its about the Jitterbug of audioquest here...

But if anyone is curious...pm me..

he probably is just gonna buy a higher end itx board with high quality components designed to reduce noise & interference and a nice high quality psu... or maybe it'll just be a normal computer
if the audio is built into the motherboard it's still going to be whatever realtek DAC that costs 10 cents to buy probably.
 
 

  Stereophile's John Atkinson just reviewed this product in the new Sept. issue. He even shows the inside of the unit. Long story short is that the measurements with and without the Audioquest are the same. He says it improved the sound of three of his dac's, but can't explain why as far as measurements are concerned. A hearty recommendation.

 
lol, there you have it. measurements prove it has no real effect on anything so it gets a recommendation. did anyone post pics of the insides of one? i feel like its gonna be a usb pass thru with the equivalent of a ball of foil in there to shield it from noise.

 

[hifimanrookie]

he probably is just gonna buy a higher end itx board with high quality components designed to reduce noise & interference and a nice high quality psu... or maybe it'll just be a normal computer
if the audio is built into the motherboard it's still going to be whatever realtek DAC that costs 10 cents to buy probably.

First...No expensive rediculusly costing high end board...it costs less then 100euro according to last pricing..but its a basic board..no stuff u dont need anyway..so they could concentrate on quality of the features that matter...and yeah..its a quality brand making those..

And about the PSU..it will be an external .linear PSU..and this pc will only be used to play music coming from the NAS through CAT7 ethernet cables with a metal enclosured smart switch in between them in a dedicate mini network..just for my beloved audio gear.

Second...why u think i would use the onboard soundcard anyway? Lolz..which u can switch off by the way
If u check my reviews under my posts and my profile about what i own u will see i dont mind spending money on unique high quality stuff, but only when i believe it actually works...but also dont like throwing my money away for stuff that doesnt work..this board is different..oh well..soon i will hear if its true what my friend told me..lolz

and yeah..i admit i was deeply surprised a premium brand came up with such a board..normally its a niche brand who does that with the according extremely HIGH pricing.... Lolz

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