I'd be interested in comparisons between the jitterbug and the iFi iPurifier. |
Hi Ozzy - just ordered one from Music Direct. Planning to use it for headphone listening (Macbook USB>Jitterbug>Dragonfly v1.2>Asgard 2>Senn 600). Should be pretty easy to tell if there is a benefit. |
Ghosthouse, I think you will like them.
Jc4659, I had the iFi Purifier and it did not mate well with the Regen so I sold it.
But, the Jitterbug and the iFi Purifier are attached at opposite ends on the usb so it may be something to try. |
Ozzy, not sure if you were suggesting trying them simultaneously but Audioquest did not recommend using the jitterbug and the iPurifier though they probably meant at opposite ends of the same USB cable. The jitterbug can be added to an unused USB port but i don't know what effect that would have, if any. Sounds like you preferred the Regen in any event. It will be interesting to hear from others. |
Jc4659, Yea, I think the Regen is very good.
I just ordered the Schiit Audio Wyrd. So, I will be able to try all 3 together. |
Ozzy:
I have a new Regen which I like a lot, and two Jitterbugs. I stuck the two JBs in my MacMini and liked them right away in terms of better clarity all round, but is there just ever so slightly less bass, or is it just cleaner bass? Am curious what you decide about the Jitterbugs yourself eventually.
Thanks
|
Agriculturist, I think just like all other things in Audio there is a breakin period. So, give the Jitterbugs time to settle, perhaps a few days.
But, on to your question, no, I do not think there is less bass. But, the bass quality did tighten up a bit. |
Received the Schiit Wyrd yesterday. Right now I have the Wyrd going into the Regen and I am still using the 2 Jitterbugs.
Wow, am I getting a deep soundstage!
I also found a used Regen for sale at a good price and I bought it. That one should arrive tomorrow.
Now all I have to figure out is the placement order.
Any suggestions? |
Ok, I now have 2 Regens, 2 Audioquest Jitterbugs and a Schiit Wyrd.
The Regens are powered by a Linear power supply with a y adapter and are using the USB hard adapter.
While the Schiit Wyrd is using a .5 Pangea AG USB and is then plugged into the first Regen.
I'll give them a few days with them together before I provide my impressions. |
Here is my conclusion with the Schiit Wyrd, Regen, and the Jitterbugs in my system.
First off, I tried every single configurations with these units.
The 2 Regens plugged together using the hard USB connection and the 2 Jitterbugs plugged into my Bryston BDP-2 provided the best overall sound quality. And boy does it sound great! Very deep soundstage, but also very natural sounding throughout.
Funny, I found out with all the gyrations that I made, was that my linear power that I use to power the Regens is sensitive to power cords. I ended up using a Mad Scientist power cord that was plugged into a Bybee power purifier.
The Schiit Wyrd just wasn't as good as the Regens or perhaps it just wasn't synergistic with the Regens. Every time the Wyrd was in the chain the soundstage became out of focus. Vocals that were centered became all over the left, center, and right.
I even tried the Wyrd in front of my external hard drive and I still didn't like the result.
So, the Wyrd goes back for a refund. I would have kept it if it showed it's worth somewhere in my system. |
I have been using an iPurifier for almost two years. I remember when I first tried it, I immediately noticed an improvement in musicality that made it easier to listen to computer audio via usb. I recently received a Jitterbug and placed it in an unused usb port on my Mac. The music was clearer but there was a slight but perceptible loss of loudness and bass. Then I tried the jitterbug alone between my Mac and usb cable (i.e. no iPurifier at the dac end of the usb cable) and the sound opened up, the stage was noticeably deeper, and more detail became apparent. There still may be some shortfall in bass but I'm not sure about this yet. There was no change in loudness so that would appear to be due to the combination of the two devices. Very different from the iFI iPurifier which now sounds like it is filtering a little more than it should. I have not tried the Jitterbug and the iPurifier together on opposite ends of the usb cable though. Btw, Audioquest does not recommend doing this. I ordered a second jitterbug just to see what affect, if any, it may have when used in an open usb port on my mac with the first jitterbug on the usb cable. I have not tried the Regen. I refuse to go crazy with all kinds of band aids for usb audio. Think I am at the point where it's just not worth it. I'd rather futz with my turntable. |
Ozzy et al - had the Jitterbug a couple of nights now...maybe 16 hrs or so on it. Have to say, so far, I'm not hearing any improvement with it. Set up is exactly as described in my 8/15 post above. Will give it some more time before deciding whether or not to return it to Music Direct - but out of the box, "nada". I should comment that I don't leave it plugged into the MBA 24/7. I put it in when I'm going to listen to music with headphones. Headphone listening can go 2-3 hours. Glad for all for whom it works. |
Just an update.
I had the iFi Purifier and the iFi USB power supply.
I found that they did not work well with the Regen.
To me the Regen is the best overall improvement for Audio. Adding another Regen adds another layer of depth. And then adding the Jitterbugs improved upon that.
I have also noticed an improvement in my UHD 85" Samsung with a couple of the Jitterbugs installed in the open USB's.
The picture becomes even more 3D like. |
I haven't heard the Schiit Wyrd, but I really like the USB Regen and two Jitterbugs I am using. I am going to try what Jc4659 suggested - i.e., try taking the JB out of the path to my USB converter. |
Just to clarify my experiences so far, using a JB in an unused usb port on my mac with an iFi iPurifier between the usb cable and dac seemed to lower the loudness and also diminish the bass. Used alone, the JB resulted in more detail, depth, and openness. I haven't listened long enough to definitively say I like the change as it is more detail than I am used to hearing. But compared to using nothing, i.e. computer to usb cable to dac, it's much better (less glare). I'd like to try 2 JB's- one on the cable and one in an unused slot but have not received the 2nd JB yet. |
I see. Yes, I misunderstood you Jc4659 or just misread your post.
I have two JBs. My MacMini has 4 USB outlets - 2 each from two USB buses - one is a high speed USB bus and the other is a standard speed USB bus. What I have found after experimenting is that I like best having the USB cable run out of the JB into my USB converter. And for this the regular speed bus seems best. I have the other JB in the high speed bus which seems to do better either not being used or being used for my external drive. |
Ghosthouse, hear any differences with the JB yet? Interesting bugs, these little devices are. |
Hey Jc. Thanks for asking. No, nothing yet. I continue to run it with the Dragonfly every evening listening to headphones. I'll go with it for a couple of weeks, then pull it out and see if I "miss" anything. Sometimes for me that's been the best way to hear if a component made an improvement. Maybe the MBA USB port is already pretty quiet? Would the fact it uses a flash drive and not spinning mechanical hard drive contribute to less USB port noise?? |
Beware of trying out the Schiit Wyrd. There 15 day money back guarantee resulted in a cost of almost 50% to return it. I only had it for 4 days. This is due to the cost of shipping both ways and there "restocking fee".
No wonder they picked that name. |
Direct Stream DAC is a piece of shi* that produce degraded sound if there is any input jitter, even $100 AV receiver perform better than that $6000 DAC. |
Wow! Coli, that's some response. The Direct Stream is the best performing Dac I have tried, especially with the latest Yale upgrade.
Why don't you list your system? |
There goes Coli (aka iloc) again, trashing and bad-mouthing the DS at every possible opportunity. This includes slandering Ps Audio on another forum, which is a really low-budget move on his/her part.
I'm not sure when this little hissy-fit will end. Likely no time soon, I fear.
To keep things on topic, I have a DS DAC and my Regen arrives tomorrow. I can't wait to hear if the Regen takes the already stellar DS to a new level. I'll post results when available.
Ozzy, now that I've mentioned the DS, I saw this recently:
"Just stumbled upon Anthony Cordesman's review of the $25,000 Burmester MC151 Music Center in this month's Absolute Sound. I'd like to share this passage:
"PS Audio's new DirectStream DAC is far more competitive with the Burmester, particularly with its firmware upgrades. It does cost $5999, but there are many more expensive units that don't sound as good—and there are solid reasons for paying for this quality of player. I do prefer a *slightly* warmer acoustic in both recordings and concert halls than the Direct Stream provides. I'm a mid-hall listener when it comes to live music; I don't want the kind of nearfield or immersive sound that I feel hardens the upper midrange of strings, brass, woodwinds or voice. The DirectStream has, however, gotten steadily better in all of these areas with firmware upgrades. It now pushes the envelope in digital sound quality…..I'd still pick the Burmester for bass detail and energy, and for the musical realism of strings, brass, woodwinds and female voice on the best recordings. The margin, however, is not great. Both do very well with low-level musical information, and massed strings, choral music, soundstage detail.""
This from a reviewer's reviewer, and it is suspected that due to the lead time of the review cycle, he was likely listening to Pikes Peak and not Yale Final OS, with Yale being a significant improvement in the minds of most.
Coli, please end your little tirades against the DS. It makes you look like a hormonal teenager. |
Rhanson739, Thanks for your very informative post. |
Ozzy: Here is a suggestion or request - depending on how you see it. Please try sticking one of your SR ECTs on the flat top of your Regen and another ECT on the flat plastic top of the male-male USB A/B solid adapter plug which goes out of the Regen and into your DAC (or converter if you are using one). I am curious if you hear the same step change in overall clarity that I believe I am hearing from this change. I did also move around some of the ECTs I had inside my DAC and pulled a couple out to use with the Regen but I doubt those changes made the difference I am hearing. Of course perhaps you are already doing this or something better. Anyway, I'd be curious...
Thanks |
Agriculturist, Thanks! I will try it. |
Gents - Sent mine back to Music Direct today. After a bit more than a month of almost nightly use as described above, when I pulled it out, I could hear no difference. Glad for those it's helping, just figured I could use the $50 bucks for something else (maybe some Auric Illuminator ... or, better, just more music). |
