AudioCircle
Other Stuff => Archived Manufacturer Circles => Abbingdon Music Research / iFi => Topic started by: rollo on 10 Feb 2017, 05:20 pm
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Well, well, well. If you use a DAC give this device a hardy try. Out of the box was not impressed. This baby needs some break in time. You will NOT hear the benefits of this device until a minimum of 200 playing hours are on it.
Main digital source is a Lector 7TL CDP as a transport, a Mad Scientist carbon fiber digital cable [ HDC+] and the VU JADE DHT DAC with 101D output tubes. Quite a set up with proper tonality and harmonics.
To be honest the Vu Jade manf. and myself were quite skeptical as to the insertion of the ifi Purifier. To put it bluntly the result was an eye opener. Focus, sound stage, separation of instruments, depth were all improved. It was a rocky round though until the putifier had hours on it. BTW noise you thought you did not have is gone. Transparency without lean sound. Brilliant !!
I can understand if others found a different outcome. If you do not have the time or are unwilling to break this device in stay away however if you do you are making a huge mistake.
It just sounds right. No digital artifacts. Just music with a natural warm glow of ease and grace. No hyped up sound here. I can on all day with those fancy "audiophile" phrases about performance but I will not. Just try one.
One of my customers uses a CEC 01 transport and Weiss Medea DAC. Now using the Purifier and not taking it out. I am NOT a iFi dealer just enamored over this reclocking wonder.
From inexpensive to mega buck digital set ups the ipurifier will make an improvement for the good. Most highly recommended.
charles
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I've had one of these little wonder-gizmos in my system since mid October and I agree .. it just sounds right. It's funny, I liked what I heard almost from the moment I inserted it into my system but it wasn't until I removed it that I really understood what it brings to the table. I wouldn't be without one for a SPDIF connection.
FWIW, I also have a Wyred 4 Sound bLINK re-clocker which re-samples everything to 24/96 regardless of what it's fed and is one reason I gave the iFi a spin. Unlike the W4S, the signal remains bit-perfect with the SPDIF iPurifier and yes, I do hear a difference. Icing on the cake .. the price of the iFi device is significantly less than the W4S.
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What size is the optical out on this device? Mini toslink?
Thanks.
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What size is the optical out on this device? Mini toslink?
Thanks.
Yes, mini. Adaptors are included btw.
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Charles,
Thanks for the tip. I have a VU JADE DHT DAC (that is if I ever get it back from Peter) and I'm using a W4S Remedy with good results. I just ordered an iPurifier. It will be interesting to hear the difference. I like that it plugs right in to the SPDIF with no extra cable necessary like the Remedy.
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Should clarify that there is the iPurifier and iPurifier 2. Not sure if the former is still avalailable; last I knew the iP2 was being sold for only a few bucks more. And yes, the iP2 definitely works as advertised.
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Should clarify that there is the iPurifier and iPurifier 2. Not sure if the former is still avalailable; last I knew the iP2 was being sold for only a few bucks more. And yes, the iP2 definitely works as advertised.
Are you saying there is a spdif ipurifier 2 or are you referring to the just ipurifier 2 that's USB B? Looks like there's also a ipurifier 2 USB 3.0. Ifi has been busy...
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Are you saying there is a spdif ipurifier 2 or are you referring to the just ipurifier 2 that's USB B? Looks like there's also a ipurifier 2 USB 3.0. Ifi has been busy...
Whoops that's true, the spdif doesn't have a v2. Got them mixed up.
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Whoops that's true, the spdif doesn't have a v2. Got them mixed up.
With Ifi's track record, it seems inevitable there will be a spdif ipurifier 2. I'm on the tour for itube 2 so I'll see if it is indeed better the second time around.
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I actually heard results imediately with the SPDF ipurifier . I will have to try removing it and see if I hear the difference
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I actually heard results imediately with the SPDF ipurifier . I will have to try removing it and see if I hear the difference
Update please! :D
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Is Vu Jade Audio in business? Website non existent.
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Is Vu Jade Audio in business? Website non existent.
http://www.vujadeaudio.com/ (http://www.vujadeaudio.com/)
Edit: Just realized this is Abbingdon Music Research / iFi industry circle. Delete if not appropriate.
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Thanks,
Search just brought up links that would not work (maybe they were down for awhile). I see the Vu Jade DAC is now listed as $12,500. I guess you first guys got the deal. I don't think I will be buying one soon.....he he. I bet it is killer. I am going to order one of the SPDIF iPurifiers tomorrow. Nothing but raves on this thing, so far.
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Gents do try reversing the power supply as the plug is not polarized. It will sound different when reversed. Will you like it ? Depends on your system so give it a go.
Experiment where you plug it in as well. Some prefer no power conditioner while others do. I did not like it plugged into my PIAudio Digibuss which is plugged into an Uberbuss. Liked it into the Uber only. Please experiment, ya never know until you try.
charles
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Gents do try reversing the power supply as the plug is not polarized. It will sound different when reversed. Will you like it ? Depends on your system so give it a go.
Experiment where you plug it in as well. Some prefer no power conditioner while others do. I did not like it plugged into my PIAudio Digibuss which is plugged into an Uberbuss. Liked it into the Uber only. Please experiment, ya never know until you try.
charles
Do you think that DC iPurifier could benefit from a linear PS such as the Acopian unit with their very low o.25 mVRMS ripple. ?
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Do you think that DC iPurifier could benefit from a linear PS such as the Acopian unit with their very low o.25 mVRMS ripple. ?
Only one way to find out. Personally I found the ipower made high pitched noise so I'm not confident it can compete with a decent linear.
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Got one of these babies in and after you damp all connections with EARSD40AL (both in and out and all power)......this thing rocks. Without damping it is OK. You must damp all connections. I also removed the toslink connector and heard more air....but this is for advanced tweakers. Never heard this level of detail before......simply incredible what the damping does........damp or distortion....which would you choose?
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Got one of these babies in and after you damp all connections with EARSD40AL (both in and out and all power)......this thing rocks. Without damping it is OK. You must damp all connections. I also removed the toslink connector and heard more air....but this is for advanced tweakers. Never heard this level of detail before......simply incredible what the damping does........damp or distortion....which would you choose?
How do you damp rca connections with EARSD40?
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You must get this right....it is not EARSD40......it is EARSD40AL......a world of difference. The AL stands for aluminum....there is a 5 mil thick layer on top....the stuff without the aluminum sounds like polymer (plastic like).
You cut and stick on. It has sticky backing. You run it between all surfaces....for instance along the IFI body and bend it right angle and run it on to the power connector. You wrap the ground part of the rca connector with it....well, it does not bend very well but even just wrapping as far as you can will do the job.
EARSD40AL available from Michael Percy Audio....no where else that I know of.
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You must get this right....it is not EARSD40......it is EARSD40AL......a world of difference. The AL stands for aluminum....there is a 5 mil thick layer on top....the stuff without the aluminum sounds like polymer (plastic like).
You cut and stick on. It has sticky backing. You run it between all surfaces....for instance along the IFI body and bend it right angle and run it on to the power connector. You wrap the ground part of the rca connector with it....well, it does not bend very well but even just wrapping as far as you can will do the job.
EARSD40AL available from Michael Percy Audio....no where else that I know of.
Gotcha, thanks for the explanation.
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You must get this right....it is not EARSD40......it is EARSD40AL......a world of difference. The AL stands for aluminum....there is a 5 mil thick layer on top....the stuff without the aluminum sounds like polymer (plastic like).
You cut and stick on. It has sticky backing. You run it between all surfaces....for instance along the IFI body and bend it right angle and run it on to the power connector. You wrap the ground part of the rca connector with it....well, it does not bend very well but even just wrapping as far as you can will do the job.
Thanks for that! A quick search using just EARSD40 didn't yield much. Maybe not having the AL on the end didn't help. :duh:
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Any more feedback on this device? The long break-in period kinda puts me off. If I got one I'd probably try to find something aside from my audio rig for the burn in.
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Only one person has commented about long burn in. I found it OK right away and after mods was outrageously good.....no burn in at all in either case. If it sounds better after 200 hours than OMG>>>>>OMFG!!!! Mods always trump burn in. But burn in does exist.
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It sounds VG out of the box. However just better after 200 hours. More open. Rick like the dampening idea. Rick could you post a picture of your efforts ?
charles
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I will have pics on my website on how to damp them soon. I am also offering to mod them by removing the toslink connector and the LED that shows lock/frequency and hardwiring the power supply to the cable going into the Ipurifier (these plus the damping = major/significant improvements). You can alternatively damp the extra power connector for better sound....but no connector sounds even better. Damping makes the most difference and it does not void the warrantee.....so I will have close up pics on exactly what to do.
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I will have pics on my website on how to damp them soon. I am also offering to mod them by removing the toslink connector and the LED that shows lock/frequency and hardwiring the power supply to the cable going into the Ipurifier (these plus the damping = major/significant improvements). You can alternatively damp the extra power connector for better sound....but no connector sounds even better. Damping makes the most difference and it does not void the warrantee.....so I will have close up pics on exactly what to do.
Gee wiz what a surprise. :roll: :lol: Just knew it was coming. Good find however, thanks.
charles
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Picked up an SPDIF Purifier and Uptone Audio LPS-1 and posted about it here:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=148907.msg1631137#msg1631137
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/looking-for-better-jitter-reduction-in-a-dac/post?postid=1463152#1463152
Chris
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Hey!
OK, this is an old news for most here. But! I just learned about this little device a few months ago. Well, I've been out of the audio loop for awhile, I don't check out audio magazine or audio sites much these days, including this site.
I don't remembered where I first learned about this thingy. Well, it had been out for what? 3 years now? Anyway, after some research I found that there is an iFi circle here! I've read all the posts here and was fascinated by it, this reminded me of the Genesis Digital Lens... remember that one?
A little over a weeks ago I picked one up, used in like new condition with all accessories . So, what do I think of it? Well, I gave it a listen and yes I noticed some changes but I was mixed about it at the end. Since I got it used I have no idea how long it had been used so I have been burning it in with CD in repeat non stop for almost a week now.
Anyway, I haven't listen to it again yet. I'll do so soon and I can write more in detail, maybe start a new review post or should I write it here?
Buddy
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This is a great product for use with home theater. It reduces jitter of the Dolby Digital and DTS signals, unlike most reclockers. I actually use two in series and its better than just one. I use my Dynamo LPS to power it. Great for the Blu-Ray, Cable box or Smart TV.
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This is a great product for use with home theater. It reduces jitter of the Dolby Digital and DTS signals, unlike most reclockers. I actually use two in series and its better than just one. I use my Dynamo LPS to power it. Great for the Blu-Ray, Cable box or Smart TV.
Hey!
Hmmm... two of them piggybacked. That's interesting, wonder what 3 three will do. I'm using the supplied power supply, but I though about running it off the batteries since my DAC is running off batteries, but I'll have to built a voltage regulator for it.
Anyway, after a week of breaking in I listened to it again in my system for a few hours, but casually this time though. With all the great reviews I've seen on this little thingy, I had high hope and expectation. Even after break in I'm still not sure what to think of it, but will do a more serious listening soon.
Buddy
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Folks, just an update:
Our SPDIF iPurifier2 just launched!
For more details, please go here:
https://ifi-audio.com/products/spdif-ipurifier2/
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Folks, just an update:
Our SPDIF iPurifier2 just launched!
For more details, please go here:
https://ifi-audio.com/products/spdif-ipurifier2/
I would have been so much more excited about this if it came with full-size toslink jacks, not the mini-toslink ones :cry:
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I would have been so much more excited about this if it came with full-size toslink jacks, not the mini-toslink ones :cry:
I hear you, if we could accommodate a full-sized toslink socket, we would. But in spite of it, SPDIF iPurifier2 is quite the piece of work considering its tiny enclosure :wink:
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I just found out there’s a new version. Will def pick up the “2” for my other DAC. I use one with an AppleTV for casual daytime streaming of SiriusXM and it is essential for better quality sound out the Apple.
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I have to admit I really like this product, as well. The tv I have in my main 2channel system only has an optical out. Adding the iPurifier2 before the DAC seems to have made an audible difference. Vocals are super crisp, and the overall dynamics have improved. I only use this connection for tv and movies, so I wasnt sure the cost would be justified, but I plan on keeping it.
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I just found out there’s a new version. Will def pick up the “2” for my other DAC. I use one with an AppleTV for casual daytime streaming of SiriusXM and it is essential for better quality sound out the Apple.
Thanks for your feedback!
I have to admit I really like this product, as well. The tv I have in my main 2channel system only has an optical out. Adding the iPurifier2 before the DAC seems to have made an audible difference. Vocals are super crisp, and the overall dynamics have improved. I only use this connection for tv and movies, so I wasnt sure the cost would be justified, but I plan on keeping it.
Good to know, enjoy :)
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I read a DAC review in Stereophile a month or two ago, and the reviewer just casually mentioned that he was using an iFi SPDIF purifier and thought it was indispensable. Considering the nature of the products he was reviewing (expensive) and the relative price of the iFi unit my curiosity was piqued. After doing a little reading here I decided to pull the trigger and try out the Purifier 2. I have a large CD collection and listen to them via an Oppo BDP 103 transport feeding a mildly tweaked MHDT Havana DAC (NOS dual mono Burr Brown PCM 256P DAC chips and a tube output stage). This set up has been the most musical sounding affordable combo I’ve found. When I added the iFi to the mix, everything got better… and not just a little better… significantly better.
Issues or problems that I thought were just endemic to CD listening vanished or were greatly diminished. Let me be more specific:
The congestion I’ve always noticed during loud dynamic peaks, particularly with large orchestral or big band sized groups playing is darn near gone now.
The sizzle or grit that seems to get added to cymbals and bells has been erased and replaced with a beautiful natural sounding shimmer. Cymbals sound like brass again.
The screech that often accompanies violins and trumpets in their upper ranges has been replaced with natural tones. Same story for piccolos and flutes.
The transient attack of pretty much everything (from snare drums to organs) is cleaned up and more precisely articulated. Dynamic swings and PRAT seem more obvious or clear.
The sustain or harmonic overtones of notes from instruments of all sorts seems to decay more gradually and naturally.
Images are not more precisely placed in the soundstage, but seem to have a more corporal character. The differences among studio, live, and carefully mic’d recordings are clearer too.
Bass seems more extended, less murky, and has more visceral impact.
Highs seem more ethereal and also more extended.
Instruments sound more realistic… more like how they sound at a live concert.
Lastly, the level of overall improvement isn’t subtle, barely perceptible, or a hit-or-miss mix of pros and cons. Adding the iFi is comparable to a significant system/component upgrade, well beyond a cable change or bypass cap tweak. I can’t believe it can do all this for peanuts. And the improvements were clear and obvious right out of the box. Don’t know if it will get better with break in, but if it does, Holy S**T!
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great, thanks for the review! i've been curious, and make take the plunge, having money back guarantee's help, too!
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Original vs 2
I will only be using the spdif in and out. What's the difference between the two?
The original is going for a cheaper cost.
Thanks
Don
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In short, more effective noise-celaning tech is the main difference between old and new iPurifiers.
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A note of caution about the flimsy manufacture and product quality.
I was using this SPDIF iPurifier. It was OK while plugged in but the power to the unit kept intermittently being interrupted on and off. I found turning the orientation of the connection would affect this.
I pretty much left it alone.
However, I bought a new coaxial cable and while unplugging the existing one, the internal power connector was dislodged.
It could not be fixed and I ended up with a useless gadget. This is by iFi's own admission.
They offered me a slight discount on the SPDIF iPurifier 2 but I had lost my job then owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The discount with shipping amounted to paying more than full price for a new unit.
I saved up enough for a new unit and contacted them again recently after some time as there was now a distributor in my country and I could save on shipping but was told to buy a new one from Amazon.
Only buy their products if you have money to throw away on what could likely be a useless item that you will have to write off.
I mentioned to customer service that I would relate what happened with the item and the response I received from them.
YMMV.
They will most likely delete this post as they have others telling the sad truth about their poor product quality and customer service.
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=230461)
(https://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=230462)