ifi - nano-iUSB3.0

Started by Elantric, March 24, 2016, 03:27:15 PM

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Elantric

http://miyaji-parec.jugem.jp/?eid=1836

$425
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-iFi-Audio-Japan-nano-iUSB-3-0-for-PC-Audio-Sound-Music-AC100V-240V-F-S-EMS-/162016683545?hash=item25b8f26619:g:taQAAOSwYlJW6Mr6



http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/nano-iusb3-0/






Since its introduction in 2012, the original micro iUSB changed what was considered attainable from computer audio by supplying regenerated USB power. The recently launched flagship micro iUSB3.0 aimed at top-tier dacs (+$5000), is another leap for computer audio.

The all-new nano iUSB3.0 is the 'Baby Bentley' of the flagship micro iUSB3.0. For $500 to $5000 dacs, it retains the lion's share of the micro iUSB3.0's features – USB3.0 chipset at the heart, IsoPort®, Active Noise Cancellation®, REgenerate/REclock/REbalance® and more.


Exclusive AMR trickle-down technology

nano iUSB3-07.71

The all-new nano iUSB3.0 features all-original, cutting-edge USB audio technology including Active Noise Cancellation® from AMR. The latest REclock®; REbalance® work their magic while the original REgenerate® which was at the heart of the success of its predecessor. All combined the nano iUSB3.0 has some serious USB technology.

Fed by the iPOWER, the noise floor of the nano iUSB3.0 at 0.5uV (or 0.0000005V) is only bettered by the flagship micro iUSB3.0.



Active Noise Cancellation® drawn from military radar technology

ANC

Drawing from the military field (specifically the Thales Spectra radar cancellation system deployed in the French Dassault Rafale jet fighter), iFi adapted this technology to exclusively introduce the Active Noise Cancellation® (ANC®) audio power system. ANC® technology is now a cornerstone of the iFi USB technology range.
An air defence radar is transmitting at a certain frequency; when the signal bounces off the aircraft, a receiver on board the aircraft picks up the signal and a computer analyses its base frequency/modulations and an identical, but out-of-phase signal is then generated to cancel out the enemy radar signal.

By generating a signal identical to the noise signal but in the exact opposite phase, it completely cancels all the incoming noise. ANC® is the perfect 'antidote' for power supply noise; the bane of USB audio.

ANC+(3)

With ANC® the power line is filtered for RF noise. The measured noise floor of 0.5uV (0.0000005V) is at the measurement limit of the Audio Precision equipment.

The background and inner resolution to recordings is no longer hidden. Sonics are much smoother, just like how good analogue should be.


A whole new signal: REclock® /REgenerate®

RE2

The nano iUSB 3.0 re-clocks/re-generates/repeats USB audio datastream. For any and every downstream DAC, REgenerate® actually 'regenerates' an all-new USB signal via a precision master clock with the REclock® technology to eliminate computer jitter. Music just flows better; is cleaner, more accurate, just like the real thing.



Recover the unbalanced USB signal: REbalance®

REbalance

The USB signal is inherently a 'balanced' signal, however most USB signals become 'unbalanced' to some degree and contaminated by noise. By removing the DC offset and 're-balancing' the USB audio signal, it is now perfectly balanced and noise-free.

The graph on the left shows a typical USB signal that is poor. Virtually everything about the signal is out of kilter. The graph on the right shows how EACH different feature of the iUSB3.0 corrects the USB audio signal. All combined, the signal is brought back to a near 'perfect' form. This shows the importance of having each and every REclock®/REgenerate®/REbalance® feature to fully restore the eye pattern.

Eye Pattern_Ver.9


The future is here: USB3.0® ultra-speed 5.0 Gbps

5.0gbps

iFi products are at the cutting-edge yet also look to the future. The nano iUSB3.0 is USB3.0 standard and is backwards compatible with USB2.0. There is also the added sonic benefit from the USB3.0 platform which mandates better connectors, higher-quality cables etc. Looking ahead, as audio transmission standards improve, with an ultra-speed bandwidth of 5.0Gbps, USB3.0 is future-proofed. It is 10x that of 480Mbps on USB2.0.



USB Power 'On' for less stress

Unless the normal power up/down sequence is followed, the computer may 'lose' the DAC connection. The nano iUSB3.0 has an 'Auto/On' switch where the 'On' setting ensures USB power is constantly supplied to the PC so it always 'sees' the DAC to enhance user enjoyment.



USB Dual-Ports® for Gemini Dual-Headed cable

niusb3.012

Retaining the Dual-Port topology, the nano iUSB3.0 operates as a computer audiophile-grade USB power supply. The data and power lines are totally separate which eliminates any cross contamination.

BC1.2-2.1A_V1
With modern power-hungry devices, the nano iUSB3.0 is also Bus Charge 1.2 compliant – able to fast-charge phones, tablets and even its siblings, the nano iDSD and micro iDSD.



For further reading on the nano iUSB3.0 and technical aspects on other iFi products:
https://www.facebook.com/iFiAudio/notes

Elantric

#1
iFi Gemini Dual Headed USB Cable
December 30, 2012 at 10:18am



Features
Dual-headed (Gemini) connection USB transmission design
Triple RF silencers (adjustable) to tune cable to environment*
Asymmetric Ground return and power line design (4x lower resistance)*
'FINAL' USB machined Aluminium Alloy connectors
Heavy OFHC continues cast copper (up to 5A)
Double shields with different effective ranges
Custom Polyethylene insulation for lowest triboelectric discharges
*: iFi exclusive, world first.


Design
What's wrong with the current USB cable design for audio use?




As standard USB cables combine power and data into a single cable, and each interferes
with the other (1).

iFi Solution:
The key of course is the "twin connection" design. It separates the signal ground from power ground and shields the signal and power connections from each other. Power and Audio signals are individually transferred and no interference between them is possible.




Connectors
What's wrong with the connectors on the common USB cable?

Most USB Cables use moulded plastic covered connections. Of course, this plastic cannot shield the high frequencies present in the USB Data link, so noise radiated out. Durability is also compromised.

iFi Solution:



The FINAL USB machined connectors provides impeccable RF shielding from end to end, being entirely made from solid Aluminium. Goldplated connections make for the best conductivity over the long-term.





RF filtering
What's wrong with the RF filtering on the common USB cable?



Often RF filtering is non-existent, even if filters are fitted, working over too narrow a range, too few are fitted and common RFI filtering is placed at the ends of the cables, leaving the whole length of the cable to act as effective antennae (5).

iFi Solution:
The RF3 system.


We fit three custom made metal oxide ceramic RF noise silencers with different effective ranges, thus broadening greatly the range over which RF noise is silenced. Further the middle filter may be adjusted (moved along the whole length), to "detune" the antennae formed by the cable, depending on the conditions and requirements in the system. The other two silencers are left to be located at each end.

Shielding
What's wrong with the shielding on the common USB cable?

Often only one shield is used; aluminum metalized foil is commonly used instead of copper shield.

iFi Solution:
Dual heavy shielding, use of both aluminum foil and copper braid shields, each work for different frequency range to produce the best shielding ever.

We also employed custom-designed metal connectors (not just for looks) to provide impeccable shielding from end-to-end.


Conductors
What's wrong with the conductors inside with the common USB cable?

The cables used are thin (common are 28 Gauge / 0.08mm2 for signal and 26 Gauge / 0.13mm2 for ground and power). Further, power and signal grounds are combined into a single conductor with low cross-section, causing poor ground connections. Generic coppers or steel cored wires lower conductivity increases resistance and noise.

Many cables suffer from poor impedance matching and this makes operation at the USB speeds needed for high sample rates unreliable (1, 2).

iFi Solution:
The signal connections use OFHC continuous cast copper, with much larger cross-section for the signals and 0.41mm2  for the signal ground. The geometry is then adjusted to keep the correct impedance. We also have very stringent requirements for impedance tolerance, much narrower than the USB 2.0 standard allows.

For power ground and power lines we have totally separate 0.5 mm2 connections offering 4 times less resistance in the power connection than common and providing the advantages of star grounding.

Keeping cable resistances low allows for excellent power delivery to the USB audio device from our iUSB Power. The iFi Gemini Dual-Headed USB Cable cuts power supply resistance in the USB link threefold compared to "textbook spec" cable!


Insulation
What's wrong with the insulation used within the common USB cable?

Common cables use PVC insulation. PVC not only has poor dielectric behaviour, the softeners in the plastic can also cause the copper in the cable to oxidise (and may be toxic!)... PVC is very cheap to make though.

Some claim that Teflon® insulation is the non plus ultra of isolators. Yet combined with the metal conductors in cables it causes triboelectric discharges often into the tens of millivolts creating high frequency interference (3,4).




iFi Solution:
Instead we combined PE insulation with the copper conductors; PE and copper combine to produce some of the lowest triboelectric discharges in cables available today. (3)

Final words
All this means our Gemini Dual-Headed USB Cable objectively produces much improved results for power and data transmission via USB.

How does it sound?
Well, once you try such an optimised and proper USB  cable design (i.e. iFi Gemini Dual Headed USB cable), you realise just how much compromise generic and other so-called audiophile USB cables bring to the system.

Perfect match with the iUSB Power



The iFi iUSB Power's Super-Regulator not only has super low-noise, but also super low output impedance (around 0.00015 Ohm at 1KHz, as low as 0.00003Ohm at 100Hz to DC !).

It would be a shame to degrade this with generic cables, the iFi Gemini Dual-Headed USB Cable cuts power supply resistance in the USB link threefold! This allows as much as possible of the extremely low output impedance of the iUSB Power to be delivered to your USB audio device, rather than being degraded by sub-standard wire.


References:
Universal Serial Bus Specification (http://www.gaw.ru/pdf/interface/usb/usb_2.0_english.pdf)
Sound on Sound - Solving Computer Audio Problems (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov04/articles/computerproblems.htm)
The TriboElectric Series – AlphaLab Inc. (http://www.trifield.com/content/tribo-electric-series/)
Micro Discharges of the Interface – Dr. Pierre Henri Raymond Johannet EDF – Presentation Notes (personal archive)
RFI, Unintentional Antennas and Ferrites (http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFIHamNCCC.pdf)