Going Digital!

[Kt77]

Hi Oscar, I am using two matching Pagea pure Silver USB cables in my setup. One running between the PC to the input on the iUSB and the other from the iUSB's output to the input on the iDSD DAC. I do hear a difference for the better using matching cables in this setup. On the inside of the iUSB you have four pins on the USB connectors. One pin is +5 volts, one is Ground and the other two are your Data lines. On the iUSB's circuit board there are two long Gold plated circuit traces that are the Data lines that run from the input USB connector to the output USB connector. The power lines from the input are not used since the iUSB supplies its own clean 5 volts to power the iDSD or other DACs that use USB power to operate.

I keep seeing that many folks feel that the iDSD holds its own with the Hugo. One other thing they have in common is that they both have a multi-colored LED that changes color depending on what kind of signal it is processing at the time. There is one thing about the Hugo is that its USB input is using Android micro type connector instead of a USB A type which is more common. Using that micro connector kind of limits you on what is available out there cable wise. The only higher end cable I have been able to find is a Kimber at about $50. The rest are generally low quality cables made to charge cell phones.

Good evening Lee Harvey,

Thanks for sharing your insight into the possibilities of using the same brand of USBs between all inputs, as I tend to believe that something better then the stock cables/USBs should always be amongst the first items to be replaced followed by the AC cord and proper isolation feet/platforms, but then again I'm more into getting every little nuance from any given component that enters our home or system.

As far as the Hugo goes........, I'm inclined to stay where I'm based upon what I'm hearing with the sound of these devices just connected to my iPad via the CCK playing standard downloads in my iTunes Music Library so I can only imagine going DSD is going to be enough for me to just enjoy the sonics as is.

I see quite a few USB which are type A to mini B type connectors at the source end at the Cable Company, as I believe most brands ofter you a choice of either type A to type B, or said micro B which simply have to be selected while ordering them.

Thanks again for chiming in......

 

[livestrong]

I think you should be fine with that MacBook Air seeing that it has 4GB of ram and is a core i5. I have done some streaming over WiFi before but not anything faster than a 44.1KHz type recording. I would prefer to use a 1GB ethernet connection if I was trying high rez recordings for playback.

Ok, thanks! I'll be giving this a whirl when the iFi goodies get back - and I should be able to do 1GB Ethernet

 

[Kt77]

Still following along here but with the swing towards in-depth wire & mac discussion, I don’t have much to share (and I even use a different DAC! ). My experience with the Concero HD is limited to a few generic USB cables, one highly regarded (FWIW) USB cable - Wireworld Starlight 7 - and various DAC to pre-amp interconnects.

My approach is quite different from what I’m reading here but our end game seems to be the same. Streaming (all) digital files as DSD128 to a good DSD DAC has elevated digital to the point where it’s knocking on the performance door of my turntable and sometimes, surpassing it. The cool part is that it’s at a price point about 1/6 of what I have in vinyl playback, I am using cheaper, easier to obtain media and it is way more user-friendly & convenient.

If I try to quantify the improvements I’ve realized over the last few years with digital though, wire goes way down at the bottom of the list and I just confirmed that over the last few weeks by living without the Wireworld USB cable (I loaned it out for another opinion). Yes, I think I lost a little of the black background I had where instruments and vocals seemed to stand-out with a touch more clarity and detail but the effect is damn subtle to me – worth the $100 that cable costs but I’d want to carefully audition anything higher up the food chain. I just think there are better ways to spend your $ here, at least based on what I’ve heard so far.

The BIG payoff – that decent DSD DAC & feeding it well with DSD128 - and there are other options besides iFi (although I can’t think of any I’d consider at $500). Next on my list would be software (assuming a capable streaming machine) and IMO there is one piece that stands out from an outright sound perspective and it’s absolutely worth all of its $200 price tag.

Next would be separating & isolating the noisy (electrically & physically) hi performance player pc from the streaming appliance and getting the noise out of the room. There are certainly cheaper ways to do this but I like proven and simple so I bought a SOtM SMS-100 mini server to go next to the DAC which comes pre-loaded with (and works beautifully with) my chosen software - $450.

Then I would worry about the power supply feeding that low price DAC or in my case – both the streamer and DAC. DAC power supplies are where I think a lot of the money goes as you move up in price and the iFi is pretty cool in that the $200 iUSB supply is affordable and even has the option of being fed by another outboard linear – something that might be interesting to experiment with.

Now that I’ve spent $1350 (if using the iFi products), I might think about a little icing on the cake – wires. My personal limit is pretty low here before I’d go back through all the above; I just think my limited budget gets better mileage elsewhere. I believe much of the wire ‘advantages’ are aimed at trying to chip away at some of the stuff addressed (more effectively?) above like better USB interfaces, galvanic isolation, cleaner power transmission, etc.

But who knows, I may hear a cable that proves otherwise so I’m all ears – that’s how I got on this DSD train in the first place.

Good evening Billfort,

I'd like to say thank you as well for chiming in, as well as adding your insight on these matters as they relate to said products as well as cabling. But as I'm the avid researcher type I've come across various options for PSU for both Mac Mini's ( TeraDak,Welborne Labs, Mojo Audio, and Core Technologies ) as well as one mentioned for the iFi iUSB Power ( HDPlex ), and do intend of taking my devices further as time and budget permits - as it only has to be done one, I say then....., why not go all the way.

Yet in all honesty I've to say that I see/hear said iDSD Micro DAC and yours as has having somewhat different signatures, much like I generally heard in turntables when I worked retail - their are differences between say a table from the likes of say Sota Industries and VPI as compared to the voicing of ones made from companies like Roksan or Townshend Audio, and in the end users ears they must decide which sounds/feels right, as all things audio do have different flavors or otherwise we'd all be listening to systems for say Ratshack and be content - yet life in itself is about diversity, and I've always been the out of the box sort whom loved change or being different - so when it comes to means of enhancing any given component - I tend to go through various mades/signatures of cablings as a means of unlocking the hidden beauty within said component, and personally I find very much to adore about the sonics offered by said iFi devices in tandem with the lonely WW Starlight so much so, that I'm having the WW Platinum Starlight - Acoustic Revive 1.0 USB - LP - Stereolab 808 Digital USB and Synergistic Research Active USB SE cables sent out next Tuesday to audition, as in my mind if said Starlight USB is performing this well in my system!, then I'd love to know for myself just how much further USBs priced between $500 - $700 will take me?.

But as I've told Byron on many occasions, one has to be willing to venture outwards as a way of finding out the truth for themselves, lest one never knows just how much more fidelity is being overlooked because we tend to budget ourselves when it comes to items like cables or isolation devices and power cords, yet have invested like $2.500 - $5.000 on our amplification, and then are to cheap to spend over $800 on the combination of an IC - LS Cables and AC Cord and then expect to hear these components at their best..........., it isn't so.

Each component deseves to be heard at its best, and simply limiting oneself to a $100 IC or USB isn't fair in the least, but as always it varied according to ones priorities I'd guess?, for I of firm belief that it's best to invest ones time and effort in extracting every ounce of performance from any given component before moving onto another - as the variables are to great, and could prove costly in merely moving laterally at best.

The properly matched cabling loom makes for all the difference in the world, all that to say I believe in them, and hear differences within 1 - 3 tracks, not needing weeks and months of burn in, as the initial traits don't change that dramatically over the course of upwards of 6 months, yes tones appear to balance out somewhat, but one can easily tell within a hour if something has potential or not?, I've found I'm able to do this with cables and tubes within 3 - 5 tracks, it doesn't take days to know what works, and what doesn't - it's based upon how it reaches ones core emotionally as well as sonically.

But as I'm trying to avoid writing a book here, allow me to refocus my energies upon said topic by adding - everything once again that's audio related matters.

Be thee well,
scar

 

[Lee Harvey]

Are you sure - I have found that many are not - jes saying. My Router connected to my cable connection said the same thing - NOPE!! Your connection scales to the lowest denominator (for wired - what I have seen). My router is both wired and wireless - so my wireless is faster than my wired.

I have been in the Corporate IT game for the past 20+ years. I know how to check my network connections and see what speed they are running at on the device. I just in the past month replaced my WiFi router with a NEW dual band AC unit. To replace the dual band one I bought last year. Stupid thing stopped handing out IP address on the 2.4GHz radio but the 5GHz would hand out new IP's but its range was not as good as the 2.4GHz side. Go figure????

 

[livestrong]

Well, I'm excited to share that iFi is back in the house - and this time around they're planted much more firmly into my 2 channel rig I am absolutely over the moon thrilled with what Mike over at AVC came up with for the iFi Micro iDSD and iUSB Power combo. As some of you know, I wasn't thrilled with the iRack so I decided to think outside the box and after some discussions with Mike, I decided to pack up my iDSD, iUSB Power, and Gemini and send it to him so he could design and build a rack that was more stable and offered better isolation. After a couple of weeks of prototyping, he came up with something that far exceeded my expectations - I have to say that I'm blown away!

Forgive the slight mess, I still have some work to do in my room, but I wanted to provide a quick update because I'm so excited

iDSD Stack, meet AVC's IRACK...






And just in case you have more to stack I think he'll have an option for that...

 

[whell]

Hells bells that is sweet looking!

 

[livestrong]

Hells bells that is sweet looking!

Thanks - like I said, I'm thrilled with how it turned out! I love the red, but it isn't for everyone so I'm pretty sure he'll have them available in navy, black, and tan as well. I'll try to see if I can post up a pic...

 

[Kt77]

Well, I'm excited to share that iFi is back in the house - and this time around they're planted much more firmly into my 2 channel rig I am absolutely over the moon thrilled with what Mike over at AVC came up with for the iFi Micro iDSD and iUSB Power combo. As some of you know, I wasn't thrilled with the iRack so I decided to think outside the box and after some discussions with Mike, I decided to pack up my iDSD, iUSB Power, and Gemini and send it to him so he could design and build a rack that was more stable and offered better isolation. After a couple of weeks of prototyping, he came up with something that far exceeded my expectations - I have to say that I'm blown away!

Forgive the slight mess, I still have some work to do in my room, but I wanted to provide a quick update because I'm so excited

iDSD Stack, meet AVC's IRACK...






And just in case you have more to stack I think he'll have an option for that...

Wayyyyyyyyyyyyy, beautiful.

And Mike did an excellent job, as I was waiting to see what you both would agree upon, and I'm loving it. Very unique concept indeed, and your room looks tidy to me, and quite peaceful at that I should add.

Beautifully done livestrong.

:tears:_oh

 

[frankbooth]

Looks really nice.
When did you get that Esoteric gear?

 

[livestrong]

Looks really nice.
When did you get that Esoteric gear?

Thanks! I actually really like the MacBook Air / iFi combo - sounds great and super easy to unplug and use for other things when needed.

Not to get this thread off topic, but I got that Esoteric within the past month or so along with the Wharfedale's (which UPS destroyed ) I'm working on writing a few new chapters for my journey thread. For that purposes of this thread, I'm glad Byron and the others pushed me off the fence on Going Digital and more specifically with iFi. The iDSD Stack as I'm calling it (Micro iDSD and iUSB Power combo) has far exceeded my expectations and I'm having so much fun with it! The AVC IRACK is the icing on the cake for me - perfect!

 

[slippers-on]

Yeah...I see the IVC iRack in my near future! The Esoteric Gear is also a great brand. I wonder if many know it's the big brother to the TEAC gear?

 

[Lee Harvey]

Really nice setup for your iFI gear Livestrong! Also the rest of your setup is super clean!

 

[Lee Harvey]

I did not have the time or the equipment to run Ethernet cable through 3 stories of my home (cable modem on 2nd floor - I am in the basement currently). This was the easiest of all.

avatar = ancient Chinese secret

I had to get creative running some Cat6 between floors. I also have AC grade WiFi with a repeater running too. Dude, its not fair for you to hoard those great pics.

 

[livestrong]

Wayyyyyyyyyyyyy, beautiful.
And Mike did an excellent job, as I was waiting to see what you both would agree upon, and I'm loving it. Very unique concept indeed, and your room looks tidy to me, and quite peaceful at that I should add.
Beautifully done livestrong.
:tears:_oh

Yeah...I see the AVC iRack in my near future! The Esoteric Gear is also a great brand. I wonder if many know it's the big brother to the TEAC gear?

Really nice setup for your iFI gear Livestrong! Also the rest of your setup is super clean!

Thanks, fellas - Mike at Audiophile Vibration Control is the one that deserves the credit though Here is a pic of the different color options that I mentioned since I know red probably isn't for everyone

 

[marantzfan]

Just pulled the trigger on an idsd micro. Later on I'll probably spring for the iusb and Gemini cabłe. For now, this was all that was left in the piggy bank.

 

[Billfort]

Good stuff Anthony! I think you are in for a very fun ride now - I know a little of how this DSD thing goes with Altec co-axes and SETs.

 

[tomlinmgt]

Just pulled the trigger on an idsd micro. Later on I'll probably spring for the iusb and Gemini cabłe. For now, this was all that was left in the piggy bank.

Excellent!

Hey, I almost forgot....where are you with the room treatments? I"ll go bump the "bear" thread.

 

[Kt77]

Just pulled the trigger on an idsd micro. Later on I'll probably spring for the iusb and Gemini cabłe. For now, this was all that was left in the piggy bank.

And while some elsewhere might think I'm insensitive to others, I'm not. And have to say you've chosen well - as it's an excellent start.

 

[livestrong]

I thought I’d give the group here a heads up that the AVC IRACK officially went up last night with your choice of 4 different color options and heights. It looks like Mike is offering free shipping for IRACK orders in Feb as an introductory offer! You know it gets my stamp of approval

Sorry for the phone pic – on the run today…

 

[Lee Harvey]

I have an iFI Rack suppose to be showing up tomorrow. I am thinking about using the Rack hardware and making new shelves from Bamboo? IKEA has small bamboo cutting boards that are $4.99 each that could be drilled out and shaped to fit the iFI Rack hardware. There is an article over on The Audio Beat about using these inexpensive bamboo cutting boards from IKEA.

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/ikea_aptitlig.htm

The IRACK pictures that you have posted look really cool.