USB Gremlins exposed!

[Purité Audio]

http://www.audiostream.com/content/...eyond-1s-and-0s-ifi-audio#3894MVvQWoHLhYq3.97
Courtesy of Audio stream.

Archimago's riposte.
http://archimago.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/musings-usb-audio-gremlins-exposed.html#more



Keith.

 

[amirm]

How disappointing. They create a lot of FUD on what could go wrong with USB but don't provide a single data point to back it? I mean if bits get corrupted, it doesn't get easier than that to measure and demonstrate it. They make USB dacs for heaven's sake. So they can easily change its firmware to turn on an LED to say it got a corrupted bit. Yet there is not one shred of instrumentation to back all the theories they put forward.

It is the classic theories of issues which they hope just logically translates into someone's mind to go and buy expensive cables. Just because things can go wrong, it doesn't mean they do.

They hugely expose themselves to criticism by going after bit corruption. That dog simply don't hunt as we would have had countless measurements of it happening by now. If they want to point to issues, they should go after timing, noise, etc., not outright bit corruptions in the typically short cables we use to connect our DACs.

We must all be awfully deaf to not hear outright bit corruption. I mean imagine one of the high order bits in a data sample going from 1 to 0. This could result in a very audible click and pop as there is such sudden voltage drop at the output of the DAC. Where are such reports? None that I know of except in malfunctioning systems.

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

Yup. audiostream/Lavorgna continues his role as a numbskull audio shill by posting iFi's blatant marketing hype without comment. I love it when they allude to measurements, even to their sophisticated measuring gear, then they do not show us the measurements anywhere. It is also fascinating to see in the comments how many computer audiophiles nod their heads in condemnation of USB connectivity to their DACs. To paraphrase Meredith Wilson's old musical, The Music Man, we got trouble right here in River City, and its name is USB. Not to worry, iFi has a solution for you that will make it all better.

Archimago has it right, as usual.

 

[Thomas savage]

How disappointing. They create a lot of FUD on what could go wrong with USB but don't provide a single data point to back it? I mean if bits get corrupted, it doesn't get easier than that to measure and demonstrate it. They make USB dacs for heaven's sake. So they can easily change its firmware to turn on an LED to say it got a corrupted bit. Yet there is not one shred of instrumentation to back all the theories they put forward.

It is the classic theories of issues which they hope just logically translates into someone's mind to go and buy expensive cables. Just because things can go wrong, it doesn't mean they do.

They hugely expose themselves to criticism by going after bit corruption. That dog simply don't hunt as we would have had countless measurements of it happening by now. If they want to point to issues, they should go after timing, noise, etc., not outright bit corruptions in the typically short cables we use to connect our DACs.

We must all be awfully deaf to not hear outright bit corruption. I mean imagine one of the high order bits in a data sample going from 1 to 0. This could result in a very audible click and pop as there is such sudden voltage drop at the output of the DAC. Where are such reports? None that I know of except in malfunctioning systems.

Yes it's like sports drink market, you first have to make the disease up in that case dehydration then sell the cure... Special sport drink when water is fine. Pinch of salt and sugar in your drink when at the gym if you want but the rest is nonsense.

The audiophile market is full of this kind of marketing, they promote the fake disease then you go out and buy the 'Cure'

 

[amirm]

BTW, one of the iFi filters came for free as part of the iFi DAC that I bought. I tested it and it did nothing. And the test was done with ordinary cheap/free cables that come with myriad of equipment.

 

[Mivera]

Everything has gremlins when designed poorly.

 

[AJ Soundfield]

The title might as well be Audiophile disorder exposed...again.
Or "Santa and gremlins proven to be audible!!"

 

[amirm]

Everything has gremlins when designed poorly.

Yeh, that is why I avoid anything that has had your finger in it Big Dog!

 

[AJ Soundfield]

Everything has gremlins when designed poorly.

True, only limited by imagination.

 

[Thomas savage]

The title might as well be Audiophile disorder exposed...again.
Or "Santa and gremlins proven to be audible!!"

That's a movie ' Santa vs gremlins '

 

[AJ Soundfield]

Good reason never to spill water on your audiophile components!!

 

[Mivera]

Yeh, that is why I avoid anything that has had your finger in it Big Dog!

They don't call me big dog for nothing

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Buying cures for the immeasurable without verified audibility is bad enough. We actually have people buying cures to problems that can easily be measured but have not been? That should easily be heard but have not been? Audiophiles amaze.

Tim

 

[Thomas savage]

 

[NorthSky]

So, what is all that means in a clear USB language? Is this only in this particular use or is it widespread?

How should we all be concerned with our USB connections? Is it better to use fiber optic instead?
But what if our laptops and computers don't have digital coaxial and optical connections (mine have zero of those)?
USB connections, that yes, tons of them, versions 2.0 and 3.0
And regular mini stereo jacks for a mic and a pair of headphones or mini powered speakers.
And a wired Ethernet jack, plus an HDMI output, plus a wireless jack connector (Wi-Fi).

But USB connections I use all the time with all free USB cables that come with all devices. ...Adaptors and chargers and all.
Them USB cables are so small that I am amazed @ all the zeros and ones and bits they can transfer; hi-res moving pics and hi-res multichannel audio.
How can such a small USB cable can transmit all that info, beats me man.

* Did you guys ever look @ a fiber optic cable...inside? ...That miniature tube from which the light travels in?
It is the size of one of your head's hair! ...The fraction of a millimeter! And that tiny hair brings high speed internet to your home with high definition moving pictures and high resolution multichannel audio and up to 1,000 MBps downloads! ...Some of the fastest speeds in the world today, and I bet it will get into the millions one day...like 1,000,000 MBps speed! Good enough to download a 4D holographic 64K movie with Auro-3D in five seconds sharp!
Sure, I extrapolated just a little, but not by very much because it will evventually be feasible...for the elite...those guys in white satin pyjamas from Dubai's highest golden penthouses. ...With anti-wind and and sand-free unbreakable windows.

Honestly, tell me one daily use where one of those USB connections is required by some of us to perform accurate performance, thank you very much as I am not familiar with iFi.

 

[DannyBoyNYC]

Blogger took the article down due to complaints from the publisher. I wouldn't mind reading it as I simply adore this kind of read.

Anyone have any idea where I might find a mirror'd copy?

 

[NorthSky]

http://www.audiostream.com/content/...eyond-1s-and-0s-ifi-audio#3894MVvQWoHLhYq3.97
Courtesy of Audio stream.

Archimago's riposte.
http://archimago.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/musings-usb-audio-gremlins-exposed.html#more

Keith.

Yup. audiostream/Lavorgna continues his role as a numbskull audio shill by posting iFi's blatant marketing hype without comment. I love it when they allude to measurements, even to their sophisticated measuring gear, then they do not show us the measurements anywhere. It is also fascinating to see in the comments how many computer audiophiles nod their heads in condemnation of USB connectivity to their DACs. To paraphrase Meredith Wilson's old musical, The Music Man, we got trouble right here in River City, and its name is USB. Not to worry, iFi has a solution for you that will make it all better.

Archimago has it right, as usual.

That second link (Keith's above quote - archimago) is no more.
• http://www.trendstorydeal.com/content/archimago’s-musings-“usb-audio-gremlins-exposed-beyond-1s-and-0s-ifi-audio”-–-analysis
• http://www.mcelhearn.com/archimagos...0s-by-ifi-audio-analysis-of-industry-content/

 

[NorthSky]

Blogger took the article down due to complaints from the publisher.
I wouldn't mind reading it as I simply adore this kind of read.
Anyone have any idea where I might find a mirror'd copy?

Yeah, same here.

 

[amirm]

Blogger took the article down due to complaints from the publisher. I wouldn't mind reading it as I simply adore this kind of read.

Anyone have any idea where I might find a mirror'd copy?

I looked everywhere but unfortunately it is no longer around. What a shame. http://archimago.blogspot.com/2016/04/set-up-low-power-linux-audio-player.html

"Addendum: I see that Blogger took down my April 1st post on "USB Audio Gremlins" and the FUD they're perpetuating referring to my take on the iFi sponsored post on AudioStream yet again despite changes I made to not directly quote much from the ridiculous article... Fine. You can still find it cached for the time being."

Welcome to the forum by the way .

 

[NorthSky]

Now, who's got the cache...from April 1st?