[PureViewer4t1]

Hey guys. I have a iFi Nano iDSD as my only source. I used to use it with Foobar2000 on my laptop. But today I connected it to my android tablet and used Onkyo HF Player and noticed that the audio sounds slightly cleaner and more detailed, and have better bass response.
I use "DSD : ASIO : iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio" as the output device in Foobar2000. And don't use any equalizers.
Am I missing something on my laptop setup? Why the audio is better on my tablet?

 

[PureViewer4t1]

Well the difference is so subtle that sometimes I can't hear it but it's there. The sound from my laptop is "softer". I have two theories:
1. Onkyo HF Player alters the sound for better (more live);
2. The micro USB port on my tablet is cleaner than the ports on my laptop.
Any ideas?

 

[technobear]

The second option is the more likely.

The cure is the iPurifier2.

 

[PureViewer4t1]

The second option is the more likely.

The cure is the iPurifier2.

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to buy iFi Micro iDSD BL. Is it worth buying iPurifier2, too? As the BL has iPurifier (first generation I think) built-in.

 

[technobear]

Is it worth buying iPurifier2, too?

Yes.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi...s-and-discussion-thread.784983/#post-12003630

 

[PureViewer4t1]

If I want to use iPurifier2 with Nano iDSD, it would be straightforward. I connect the supplied cable of Nano iDSD to the laptop's USB port, then I connect the iPurifier and then it would go straight into Nano iDSD. But Micro iDSD BL doesn't have the same USB type B female as Nano, it has a USB type A male port as the digital input. iFi suggests that I should place the iPurifier at the end of the chain. But in this case I will need a rare USB type B male to type A female cable to connect the iPurifier to the BL. Wouldn't that cause a degradation?
___________________________________
Edit: I checked iFi's website and it seems that iPurifier2 has 4 models: type A, B, C and micro. I can simply use the type A model for connecting it straight into Micro BL.

 

[technobear]

If I want to use iPurifier2 with Nano iDSD, it would be straightforward. I connect the supplied cable of Nano iDSD to the laptop's USB port, then I connect the iPurifier and then it would go straight into Nano iDSD. But Micro iDSD BL doesn't have the same USB type B female as Nano, it has a USB type A male port as the digital input. iFi suggests that I should place the iPurifier at the end of the chain. But in this case I will need a rare USB type B male to type A female cable to connect the iPurifier to the BL. Wouldn't that cause a degradation?
___________________________________
Edit: I checked iFi's website and it seems that iPurifier2 has 4 models: type A, B, C and micro. I can simply use the type A model for connecting it straight into Micro BL.

Yes. The Type C and Type micro B have never quite made it into production for some reason but the Type A is available.

 

[PureViewer4t1]

I contacted the iFi retailer in Iran and he explained that there's a USB A female > USB B female connector supplied with the Micro BL. So you don't necessarily need the Type A version of the iPurifier to connect it into the BL. But we encountered a problem: to connect the iPurifier to the laptop, you need a USB Type A male > USB Type B male cable, which is not supplied with iPurifier2 nor the Micro BL. I can still use the cable of the Nano iDSD but that's USB 2 not 3. Yet, better than nothing.
I can also buy the Gemini. How much difference will that make compared to the Nano iDSD's original cable?

 

[PureViewer4t1]

Just realized I should also add the iUSB3.0 instead of the iPurifier to the Gemini. It's getting expensive, man!

 

[technobear]

My personal experience is that at this level, the iPurifier2 is all you need. Gemini won't add anything except when the iPurifier2 is cold (it likes 20 minutes to warm up but then so does the iDSD).

 

[PureViewer4t1]

My personal experience is that at this level, the iPurifier2 is all you need. Gemini won't add anything except when the iPurifier2 is cold (it likes 20 minutes to warm up but then so does the iDSD).

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. Means a lot to me

 

[PureViewer4t1]

It's been 2 years since I started this thread. My setup has changed a lot (check my signature), but the difference between my laptop and tablet has persisted. Since I'm having better gears now, I can hear the difference more clearly. And I finally found out the reason: my laptop charger introduces lots of noise, which sucks the air out of the music, therefore it sounds shallow and soft. Plugging it out immediately broadens the sound (especially in height). I thought inserting only the data plug of Gemini into the laptop and feeding the power plug with micro iUSB3.0 can eliminate the noise but it cannot, because as long as I'm using the charger it's going to alter the music data signal before reaching the USB port. So I think the best solution is feeding the laptop with clean power (or just unplugging it; but its battery dies quickly).