Anyone try this out:
SPDIF iPurifier2 by iFi audio | Digital Optical and Coax Audio Signal Optimiser (ifi-audio.com)
I suspect the value is very system dependent - making more of a difference in some than others. I’m curious to hear anyone’s experience. I’m considering trying one with my Chromecast Audio to see if it makes any significant difference in the sound.
thanks!
It’s a cheap reclocker, so it will depend how good your sources clock is, whether it’s a win or not.
When I was out there researching SPDIF reclokers, this one is cheap and it does reclock but apparently it may introduce some noise/artifacts in the process which is what you’re trying to avoid in the first place. With reclocking it all depends on how good your signal is to begin with and the quality of the DAC you’re plugging into.
I saw a huge improvement when I switched from my motherboard Toslink out to USB from my motherboard to a quality reclocker.
What would you recommend as a “quality” reclocker?
I use the USB iPurifier. It clearly works, no hoax.
Matrix Audio get good praise, it’s not expensive but I wasn’t about to buy it new and you can’t find any of them in the used market. I bought an LKS Audio for around $100 bucks on eBay.
So I had to try it!
It came in the mail today. I’m honestly surprised how big of a difference it made. I’m streaming through a Chromecast Audio into my Topping E30 DAC (yes, this gadget cost more than my DAC). With just the CCA and E30 I’ve had no issues, and to my ears sounded great. Adding this little guy between the CCA and E30 has opened up the sound stage and created a greater sense of depth and instrument separation. I don’t feel like there’s a wall of music in front of me so much, but more of a separated sound stage. Needless to say, I didn’t expect this at all (bought it through Amazon so there was an easy return policy). But today I’ve gone through my headphone wall and been very surprised how much more I’m enjoying my music. I’ve listened through many songs today that usually I skip through.
My experience here says more to me about how bad the CCA is as a network streamer, rather than how great this iFi gadget is. I was on the train that CCA is a great streamer, why spend more? But I think I’m starting to understand the impact of transport on the quality of sound. Time to go shopping for a better streamer… and I think I’ll keep this little guy… really impressed!
I’m glad it worked out. DAC is first and foremost about accuracy in the clock signal. Glad it worked out for you. It means the output of that Chromecast thinngie was pretty piss poor.
I have one for USB for the DAC - works very well, def improvement with my long and shitty USB cable
For toslink I have Delock 63276, HDMI into video card, USB for power 0.5A, it sounds way more detailed/grain free/tight compared to the toslink of my motherboard Asus C6H.
And it sounds better than using USB on my Chord Hugo 2. Upgraded USB to a $10 one with double shielding and it made a big difference so maybe a way more expensive USB + reclockers + filters + other crap can outperform this HDMI extractor, but I don’t have the money to invest in tons of these solutions. It’s my ears and my impression, don’t take it as a fact.
