AudioQuest Jitterbug

easyrider · 24 Dec 2016 at 12:29

Anyone tried one?

deFiniLoGy · 24 Dec 2016 at 13:26

It doesn't work the same for different system / different listeners.

If you can't hear background noise then it wouldn't do you much good, IMO most people don't really need one.

easyrider · 24 Dec 2016 at 13:28

deFiniLoGy said:
It doesn't work the same for different system / different listeners.

If you can't hear background noise then it wouldn't do you much good, IMO most people don't really need one.

I'm getting noise from my x7 output to my powered monitors...

Not from headphones though...

Rroff · 24 Dec 2016 at 13:44

Seems a bit overkill to me - especially when they are suggesting additionally filtering other local devices. A lot of digital ICs, etc. won't really be effected by it and largely a simple 100nf ceramic capacitor will do most of the same thing and if you wanted a bit of ground loop elimination, etc. its possible to build something a lot cheaper than those cost.

Marsman · 24 Dec 2016 at 13:49

Possibly a ground loop between the speakers and the X7 then, rather than PC to the X7. If the noise were coming from the PC, then you'd surely hear that with headphones as well as speakers.

The jitterbug would likely make no difference if the noise is not coming from the PC.

Try a ground loop isolator between the RCA cables from X7 to the speakers.

easyrider · 24 Dec 2016 at 13:52

Rroff said:
Seems a bit overkill to me - especially when they are suggesting additionally filtering other local devices. A lot of digital ICs, etc. won't really be effected by it and largely a simple 100nf ceramic capacitor will do most of the same thing and if you wanted a bit of ground loop elimination, etc. its possible to build something a lot cheaper than those cost.

Build me something and I'll PayPal you the money

Marsman said:
Possibly a ground loop between the speakers and the X7 then, rather than PC to the X7. If the noise were coming from the PC, then you'd surely hear that with headphones as well as speakers.

The jitterbug would likely make no difference if the noise is not coming from the PC.

Try a ground loop isolator between the RCA cables from X7 to the speakers.

I tested with the line out from my oppo ha2 to powered monitors and got the same noise.

Unplug the USB the noise goes away.

I isolated the power from the monitors and x7 from pc using one of these

I have three in my studio they are brilliant...the noise was reduced but the noise is definitely USB related using the powered monitors either by output from x7 or oppo ha2

easyrider · 24 Dec 2016 at 15:45

Fixed it

Took this out my car to test and all noise gone...

I'll get another one ordered.

Rroff · 24 Dec 2016 at 15:53

Cool - so often seems with PC stuff to be ground loop related.

mistersprinkles · 24 Dec 2016 at 17:24

I bought my friend a Jitterbug for his digital music system (which is pretty high end) last year. Difference in transparency of sound is very noticeable.

easyrider · 24 Dec 2016 at 20:45

mistersprinkles said:
I bought my friend a Jitterbug for his digital music system (which is pretty high end) last year. Difference in transparency of sound is very noticeable.

Interesting.

mistersprinkles · 25 Dec 2016 at 13:38

easyrider said:
Interesting.

Yup. We both noticed it within seconds so the jitterbug is not snake oil, that's for sure.

We're talking about $2500 worth of equipment he's got though so I wouldn't buy the jitterbug for your average low end studio monitor+ low end DAC setup, for example.

There is also a product called an UpTone Audio USB Regen, which the audiophiles are all quite crazy about, to a much greater extent than the jitterbug. It's more expensive though.

easyrider · 25 Dec 2016 at 13:39

mistersprinkles said:
Yup. We both noticed it within seconds so the jitterbug is not snake oil, that's for sure.

We're talking about $2500 worth of equipment he's got though so I wouldn't buy the jitterbug for your average low end studio monitor+ low end DAC setup, for example.

Hey I wouldn't call my oppo HA2 low end ! :eek:

Rroff · 25 Dec 2016 at 13:49

mistersprinkles said:
Yup. We both noticed it within seconds so the jitterbug is not snake oil, that's for sure.

We're talking about $2500 worth of equipment he's got though so I wouldn't buy the jitterbug for your average low end studio monitor+ low end DAC setup, for example.

There is also a product called an UpTone Audio USB Regen, which the audiophiles are all quite crazy about, to a much greater extent than the jitterbug. It's more expensive though.

One thing that can really help with DACs - even sometimes the high end ones - is providing the analog section with properly regulated voltage - often, surprisingly even with high end devices, they skip the recommendation in the datasheet to use separate power conditioning

for the digital stage it doesn't make that much odds especially if the DAC has semi decent clock recovery system or external clock generation - some older higher regarded DACs do lack in terms of dealing with jitter, etc. so I guess the UpTone would be quite noticeable with those.