Next is something I am especially pleased with. Two things actually.
and
iFi Audio SPDIF iPurifier 2
Though both devices are for entirely different applications, my experience is that they both yield a similar improvement in sound. The
SPDIF iPurifier 2 works to reduce jitter and has a function of reclocking and galvanic isolation for your RCA coax (AKA SPDIF) cable. More details on
their website. It requires 5v external power via its USB-C port, and comes with an iFi iPower which is a super high quality AC to DC 'wall wart' that can be considered as an LPS, to deliver clean power. Because purity of power signal makes a difference. Something that also makes this thing extremely useful is its' Toslink optical converter!
More below.
The
DC iPurifier 2 employs a special noise canceling technology effective on an ultra-wide bandwidth and has internal shielding along with special resistors and capacitors. More
here.
Though my initial plan was to use the DC purifier to power the receiving side of my USB-optical-USB cable, I found an even better use case for it - combining the DC and SPDIF purifiers together! Being I faced a compatibility issue using the DC iPurifier on the 5v input of my USB optical cable (probably due to the 3rd party DC barrel to USB micro adapter I was using), I went ahead and connected it to the USB-C power port of the SPDIF iPurifier using one of the provided adapters.
Already just with the SPDIF iPurifier (powered with its iFi iPower) I was getting just the improvement I was expecting! Better sense of vibrancy and detail, fuller 'picture', perhaps... Actually it's a bit of a blur because that's history! Because the next thing I did was the crown jewel moment for my hi-fi rig. This is when I took advantage of the Optical Output of the SPDIF iPurifier 2. Having a Chord Electronics DAC, I was pleased to finally be able to use the fiber optical connection.
NOW, THE BIG DIFFERENCE! Coming from a sound that was already downright amazing - very highly resolving, detailed, with ultra-wide FR, hard hitting dynamics, lifelike detail, etc., Now things were upped a notch or two more! This Toslink (mini to normal optical) connection had the uncanny ability to increase sense of true-to-life vibrancy, further smooth out the highs, add very desirable amount of heft to the bass and PRaT, all without sacrificing a single iota! That's right, the sound signature and tonality were kept intact but everything I could have ever dreamed were now in full force. To me this is a truly magnificent sound. Thow oldschool acoustic jazz or soul at it, and you feel like you're with the band back in the days - throw electronic and pop music at it, you feel like you're in the mastering chair and can't help but to smile!
shown connected to an aftermarket RCA coax cable from my DI20 DDC that is externally shielded with copper foil tape and suspended in the air at present due to length of cables.
Do note the above major improvement was after I connected the SPDIF iPurifier 2 to the DC iPurifier 2 for power, and using its optical output. I actually have a slight preference for the DC iPurifier when connected to my custom made 5V DC LPS, and so I'm using the iFi iPower with my DAC. The final tweak was to add some
Faraday Fabric Tape to the end of the DC iPurifier. I got improved results when covering only the input connection side as shown above, vs. covering the entire unit which I also tried. Instantly when sealing this tape it seemed as if the soundstage and treble had come slightly more into focus. For the SPDIF iPurifier, it seemed to already have sufficient shielding to not need anything more.
Also a side note is I would advise against leaving both the RCA coax and optical connections simultaneously connected to your DAC, which for me introduced a sporadic popping sound. It's another reason when I currently have the SPDIF iPurifier 2 suspended in the air rather than connected directly.
This is by no means the only application for the DC iPurifier 2. It in fact works on any device from 5v-24v and comes with many adapters, and can also be used after an LPS like how I have mine. Although I am truly receiving world class sound and have absolutely zero gripes (apart from maybe a minor resonance from my HEDD Audio HEDDphone themselves which is its' own fault), I am also on track for upgrading to aftermarket Toslink and DC cables to see if that makes any further difference with these two devices.
Giving a shout out to a few friends here that may be interested in the above
@UntilThen @OctavianH @BIG POPPA @mordy @JazzVinyl @Evshrug @801evan @RONJA MESCO @rsbrsvp @Triode User @senseitedj @Zachik @HumanMedia
Also you may be interested to follow
this thread. We got some amazing DIY things going on there.