# Review of Audioquest JitterBug - USB Data & Power Noise Filter.



## twister6

This is a review of Audioquest JitterBug - USB Data & Power Noise Filter.  http://www.audioquest.com/jitterbug/jitterbug .  Big Thanks to Audioquest for providing me with a review sample.
  
 Some of you are familiar with Audioquest as a company behind a popular DragonFly usb DAC, while others probably know Audioquest as a company behind various analog and digital cables.  Recently AQ expanded their product line with a release of NightHawk headphones, but in this review I will focus on something brand new – a compact usb noise filter that cleans and enhances the performance of a signal transmitted over USB bus.  Considering their focus on quality usb cables and usb DAC, It makes a perfect sense for AQ to release a product that cleans up a digital signal before sending it to external usb DAC device where it gets decoded to analog audio signal.
  
 Before I go any further, I can imagine that some of you might have a question: isn’t digital signal just 0s and 1s?  How can a wire or a filter make a difference in this case?  From my previous cable reviews, I’m well aware that some people strongly believe it’s a snake oil because they “read” about it somewhere on-line, mostly referencing a single source of some old sound engineer who ran a debunking seminar.  When it comes to cables (analog or digital) I only trust my ears, and I have a firsthand experience with cables while testing my audio gear.  Yes, I’m a cable believer because I can hear a difference, not because I read about it somewhere else.  But for those who would like a simple explanation: digital audio data transfer includes both the data and the timing info.  Degradation of a signal due to a lower quality cable will cause skew in the analog square edges of “digital” pulse (1s are just analog square pulses when you look on the scope) which results in a timing inaccuracy that will cause jitter and packet errors.
  
 If you think about USB cable design, you are dealing with a pair of data wires and a pair of power wires (5V vbus and ground).  Digital data and power from your PC/laptop usb port inevitably going to have some noise as well as being susceptible to EMI and RFI.  The attached portable USB audio device is relying on getting its power from USB port, and this “dirty” power reference is used in D/A conversion to extract analog signal.  Noisy power reference will cause errors during decoding and consequently will raise a noise floor.  That is a reason why all standalone desktop DACs/amps use a massive power supply to provide a clean internal power source independent of the power from a digital cable.
  
 The main function of JitterBug, while utilizing its dual discrete noise dissipation circuit, is to reduce the noise on the data and the power lines of usb cable, to improve the data flow by reducing the jitter and packet errors, and to shield your external DAC from EMI, RFI, and other high frequency noise coming from your PC/laptop usb port.  Plugging JitterBug directly into usb port helps with the later one, and its dual filter (discrete analog circuit) takes care of the actual filtering.  I assume it filters out a content of the high frequency noise and conditions the edges of data pulses.  It’s impossible to get rid of noise completely, but it’s quite feasible to reduce/attenuate it to the point where you can hear an improvement in sound.
  
 Since I didn’t receive JitterBug in its final manufacturing packaging, I can only describe how product looks by itself, but from unboxing experience of other Audioquest products I have no doubt it will be a colorful box with a lot of info about the product.  Out-of-the-box it looks like a small plain usb stick.  It’s a simple discrete filtering device that should operate transparently without any requirements to select or to configure anything – just a simple plug’n’play.
  
_Design details._
  

  

  

  
 I don’t expect everybody to hear the same results using this little device, but the difference will be more apparent using higher end audio equipment (quality usb DAC or standalone DAC and less colored high res headphones) playing higher resolution lossless audio.
  
_With DragonFly (next to DragonTail usb extension cable)._
  
  
  
 With DragonFly and JitterBug in comparison to DragonFly alone I found a sound to be a little bit louder, noise floor to be lower which improves SNR thus having a louder sound perception.  Overall sound is a little tighter, faster, and a bit crispier.  Without JitterBug a sound from DragonFly is a bit smoother, slower, and background is not as black.
  
_With GeekOut 450 (next to DragonTail usb extension cable)._
  

  
 With GeekOut 450 and JitterBug in comparison to GO450 alone I found a sound level to be nearly the same, noise floor was a touch lower and sound was a bit tighter.  In comparison the change was very subtle, perhaps GO does its own internal filtering?
  
_With Schiit FULLA (next to DragonTail usb extension cable)._
  

  
 With FULLA and JitterBug in comparison to FULLA alone I hear the same improvement as with DragonFly (a little louder, lower noise floor, improved S/N), black background, faster attack, a bit crispier.  I found the improvement to be more noticeable than GO450, but not as much as with DragonFly, probably somewhere in-between.
  
*Conclusion.*
  
 I can see for sure that a lot of JitterBug testing and fine-tuning was done around DragonFly usb DAC since it yielded the best improvement in reduction/lowering of the noise floor.  The results are very noticeable when you hear a pitch black background with a clean and clear transient of notes, especially in more instrumental and less complicated music compositions where sound has a room to breathe.  The improvements are also noticeable with other usb DAC devices, but to a different degree.  In my opinion, for under $50 (JitterBug price) this will be a very valuable upgrade for anybody who has an external usb audio interface.  USB cable upgrade is something that you have to think about due to a price spread over different cable grades and diminishing returns as you go up in price, but JitterBug is really a no-brainer even if you continue to use your stock usb cables or usb cable extensions.
  
_Connected to ThinkPad T430s (Win7) with DragonTail/JitterBug/DragonFly/EL-8C_


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## volly

Thanks Twist,
  
 I'm looking forward to grabbing a few to try out, I'm glad you've notice a difference and thanks for the review!
  
 Subbed.


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## Joeybgood

Would someone be kind enough to explain what they(Audioquest) is referring to when they talk about using a 2nd Jitterbug in "parallel configuration' to clean things up even more?


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## Krutsch

joeybgood said:


> Would someone be kind enough to explain what they(Audioquest) is referring to when they talk about using a 2nd Jitterbug in "parallel configuration' to clean things up even more?


 
  
 In many cases, USB ports share a common physical controller, so filtering electrical noise via one port will remove it for all ports. I guess...


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## AGB100

The reviewer states: "I don’t expect everybody to hear the same results using this little device, but the difference will be more apparent using higher end audio equipment (quality usb DAC or standalone DAC and less colored high res headphones) playing higher resolution lossless audio."

The last being conjecture at best,I could not find any reference to the device having been tested using higher end DACs. I saw run of the mill cheap DACs having been the only DUTs tested. Have I missed anything, and could owners of higher end DACs glean anything from this review? 

Put another way, if an auto magazine tested WVW Beetles and Fiats, can the owner of a Lotus or Ferrari make sense of such a review?


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## castleofargh

on the website I read


> Improves dynamic contrast, warmth and resolution


 
 and can't help but facepalm.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 let's pretend the noise floor goes down or something(maybe that stuff is a 50$ ferrite bead, it's been seen to improve specs in some cases). so I might admit the dynamic and resolution claim on the basis that if the noise floor goes even 0.000001db down, technically it's true. ok for that part.
 but warmth thanks to a usb plug???????????????????? what the frog?????? now it's changing the digital signal so that after the DAC has converted it to analog, it's warmer? the nonsense marketing claim is over 9000.
  my opinion is done on the product and the marketing thanks to one sentence.
  
  
 Quote:


twister6 said:


> I don’t expect everybody to hear the same results using this little device, *but the difference will be more apparent using higher end audio equipment* (quality usb DAC or standalone DAC and less colored high res headphones) *playing higher resolution lossless audio.*


 
 sorry but that too makes zero sense. sure I read the usual "if you don't hear it it's because you don't have a good enough system or good enough ears, lol you poor 99%", that is over used in audio but doesn't actually apply as often as you'd think. but let's pretend the little gizmo lowers the noise and stuff. then shouldn't common sense make you say the exact opposite?
 it's going to benefit the bad gears a lot more than the good one no? if I have a high end system and it doesn't already deal very well with jitter and noise, then how is it a high end system? any improbable improvement from the jitterbug would be minimalistic and thus hard to notice.
  
 so how about removing that claim?


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## kawaivpc1

interesting.....


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## twister6

Calm down guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Being a headphone guy, not DAC/amp guy, I mostly deal with usb dacs and relative to my "collection" I consider DragonFly/FULLA/GO to be "higher end".  Jitterbug not going to polish a turd (but you will hear the improvement), that's what I was trying to say.  I'm just describing what I'm hearing, that's all...  Now, carry on ladies and gentlemen with more bashing


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## Mediahound

Do they include the cable? Because I would certainly not want something like this hanging off my usb port (from Audioquest's Instagram):
  
  
  

  
  
 If they actually intend this setup, it seems like a total design fail.


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## Mediahound

joeybgood said:


> Would someone be kind enough to explain what they(Audioquest) is referring to when they talk about using a 2nd Jitterbug in "parallel configuration' to clean things up even more?


 

 For that, they mean buying 2 and setting it up like this:


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## twister6

mediahound said:


> Do they include the cable? Because I would certainly not want something like this hanging off my usb port (from Audioquest's Instagram):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Agree, it works better with DragonTail or any usb port extension cable, like I showed in the last picture of the review.


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## Mediahound

twister6 said:


> Agree, it works better with DragonTail or any usb port extension cable, like I showed in the last picture of the review.


 

  
 They should include the DragonTail then, since it's needed, instead of trying to sell you another additional cable...


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## twister6

mediahound said:


> twister6 said:
> 
> 
> > Agree, it works better with DragonTail or any usb port extension cable, like I showed in the last picture of the review.
> ...


 
  
 Definitely a good idea, to have one AQ package with JB and DT, and another package with DragonFly and JB/DT, and discount the pricing when you buy in a bundle.  I have compared dragontail to the extension cable offered with GeekOut and some of my other $1 cables from ebay, and you can hear a marginal improvement, plus build quality is top notch.
  
 Btw, I'm not hyping AQ or any other products.  Could care less if you buy it or don't buy it or if you are convinced it's a snake oil cr@p.  I write reviews (you can check out index in my profile) to share with you what manufacturers send to me for testing, and to offer my opinion about what I like and don't like about the product.  I'm not expecting people to agree with my reviews, and I certainly would LOVE to hear other people's opinion about testing the same products and sharing with head-fi community if they agree or disagree with me.  Every opinion is welcome, that's what we come here for


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## Joeybgood

mediahound said:


> For that, they mean buying 2 and setting it up like this:


 
 So  one merely inserts the 2nd JB into an adjacent USB port(with no device etc inserted into it) and just by virtue of being connected there will clean up noise even further. Am I understanding this correctly? If so, does anyone feel that the improvement would be audible enough to warrant purchasing another unit and doing this?  Did you (twister6) have a chance to utilize this combo during your testing/review?


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## Mediahound

joeybgood said:


> So  one merely inserts the 2nd JB into an adjacent USB port(with no device etc inserted into it) and just by virtue of being connected there will clean up noise even further. Am I understanding this correctly? If so, does anyone feel that the improvement would be audible enough to warrant purchasing another unit and doing this?  Did you (twister6) have a chance to utilize this combo during your testing/review?


 

 According to Audiquest that is correct. They also say you can put it on things like wireless routers, streaming devices, etc... 
  
 I think they are just trying to get you to buy more of them. 
  
 I would be interested to hear how it compares to the Schiit Wyrd, which I'm quite happy with so far. It seems to have more robust components and functionality.


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## twister6

joeybgood said:


> mediahound said:
> 
> 
> > For that, they mean buying 2 and setting it up like this:
> ...


 
  
 My usb ports are too close to each other, couldn't try it.  But I will contact AQ to find out more about it.  In theory it should work because any exposed port is like an antenna radiating noise.  The same way how your device picks up noise.  So if you have one port transmitting data, you can in theory attenuate emitting noise from another adjacent port.


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## Joeybgood

twister6 said:


> My usb ports are too close to each other, couldn't try it.  But I will contact AQ to find out more about it.  In theory it should work because any exposed port is like an antenna radiating noise.  The same way how your device picks up noise.  So if you have one port transmitting data, you can in theory attenuate emitting noise from another adjacent port.


 
 That does make sense. I look forward to AQs response. Tks Twister!


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## vapman

twister6 said:


> Before I go any further, I can imagine that some of you might have a question: isn’t digital signal just 0s and 1s?  How can a wire or a filter make a difference in this case?  From my previous cable reviews, I’m well aware that some people strongly believe it’s a snake oil because they “read” about it somewhere on-line, mostly referencing a single source of some old sound engineer who ran a debunking seminar.


 
 I stopped reading here. I have designed several reliable and efficient USB based devices. What they are doesn't matter (unless you're into very niche video games) but the point is this sentence right here proves your entire review is meaningless to me. Yes, sorry to tell you, but USB signals are just 1's and 0's. Trust your ears all you want, but it's not like I just "read somewhere" how USB works or what exactly the signals that flow thru a USB cable are.
  
 I'm sorry, but just because you believe a separate device can reduce USB jitter or packet errors indicates to me you have no idea how USB works and you took it on complete faith that this device does what it says it does, and on top of that you've convinced yourself it works. Let me just tell you that unless it's an uninterrupted passthru it could only _increase_ jitter or packet errors.
  
 If you have a device that's noisier on one machine or port than another, that's an issue with your computer. Lots of computers are not designed with audio clarity in mind and will let interference get thru. But if you have a noisy machine, a little USB dongle isn't gonna magically make all that noise go away. Your computer is still just as noisy. Your concern should be finding a more well-built motherboard that gives off less interference if USB port noise is that big of a deal to you.
  
 If you care that much, power it from a USB wall charger or better yet cut the cable open and wire your device to a 5V regulated linear PSU. That'll get rid of your noise way better than... whatever this is.
  
 It also should be a bad sign that upon linking this to a bunch of fellow hardware engineers, every single one couldn't figure out what this unit actually could possibly do.
  
 But, believe your ears above all else, including how computers work!


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## Bansaku

$50?! I am sold!
  
 While I am sure it does nothing more than what a high quality shielded USB cable with a large ferrite-core choke does, it's size and price point make it incredibly attractive. Not to mention that it fits seamlessly with any stick-style USB DAC!
  
 This will be my next purchase!


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## Mediahound

vapman said:


> I stopped reading here. I have designed several reliable and efficient USB based devices. What they are doesn't matter (unless you're into very niche video games) but the point is this sentence right here proves your entire review is meaningless to me. Yes, sorry to tell you, but USB signals are just 1's and 0's. Trust your ears all you want, but it's not like I just "read somewhere" how USB works or what exactly the signals that flow thru a USB cable are.
> 
> I'm sorry, but just because you believe a separate device can reduce USB jitter or packet errors indicates to me you have no idea how USB works and you took it on complete faith that this device does what it says it does, and on top of that you've convinced yourself it works. Let me just tell you that unless it's an uninterrupted passthru it could only _increase_ jitter or packet errors.
> 
> ...


 

 I don't believe any USB device could increase the sound quality either however, if there are dropouts or micro dropouts from things like power interference that may translate to noise and even noise that you can barely perceive,  then a device that cleans this up can yield an improvement in sound quality. 
  
 I have the Schiit Wyrd (which seems like a better device in that it actively separates out the power from the usb signal), and it has definitely given a bit more clarity to my audio. But I'm also running  a long 10 ft USB cable from my Mac to the DAC. And, I did have some noise issues before getting the Wyrd. If my setup was optimal (like with a short USB cable), I probably would not have noticed any improvement.


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## Krutsch

vapman said:


> I stopped reading here.
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


 
  
 ^^ This +1,000,000.
  
 Take the time to find a USB port on your PC/Mac that isn't shared with any other devices and plug your DAC into that port. Then, you won't here any clicks/pops/drop-outs. Problem solved.
  
 Your hard drives, SSD drives, thumb drives, et al. can go into the other ones - they are not sensitive to noise and are capable of handling way more than the 1.5 Mbps stream you are sending to your DAC, without errors or packet loss of any kind.


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## vapman

twister6 said:


> My usb ports are too close to each other, couldn't try it.  But I will contact AQ to find out more about it.  In theory it should work because any exposed port is like an antenna radiating noise.  The same way how your device picks up noise.  So if you have one port transmitting data, you can in theory attenuate emitting noise from another adjacent port.


 

 This is not at all how any of this works. Please refer to my previous post, and then spend your money on something that will actually make your audio sound better.
  
 Makes sense that the "but it's so pretty and might actually work" crowd is gonna go for it.
  
  
  
 Quote:


mediahound said:


> I don't believe any USB device could increase the sound quality either however, if there are dropouts or micro dropouts from things like power interference that may translate to noise and even noise that you can barely perceive,  then a device that cleans this up can yield an improvement in sound quality.
> 
> I have the Schiit Wyrd (which seems like a better device in that it actively separates out the power from the usb signal), and it has definitely given a bit more clarity to my audio.


 
  
 IMO i am MUCH less wary of the Schlit Wyrd. Take a look at the PCB. Giant caps everywhere.
 Take a look at this. What could you possibly fit in this tiny enclosure that would filter anything?
 The entire reason the Wyrd works is because it's insanely heavily buffered AND externally powered.
 If you're going to drop money on any sort of "USB signal cleaner" at least get the one with the specs to back up its asking price.
 You could build a Wyrd for $15 in parts probably, but it'd at least _do_ something.


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## Mediahound

vapman said:


> IMO i am MUCH less wary of the Schlit Wyrd. Take a look at the PCB. Giant caps everywhere.
> Take a look at this. What could you possibly fit in this tiny enclosure that would filter anything?
> The entire reason the Wyrd works is because it's insanely heavily buffered AND externally powered.
> If you're going to drop money on any sort of "USB signal cleaner" at least get the one with the specs to back up its asking price.
> You could build a Wyrd for $15 in parts probably, but it'd at least _do_ something.


 

 Yeah, this is why I commented above that I thought the Wyrd was a better built and designed product.


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## twister6

vapman said:


> twister6 said:
> 
> 
> > Before I go any further, I can imagine that some of you might have a question: isn’t digital signal just 0s and 1s?  How can a wire or a filter make a difference in this case?  From my previous cable reviews, I’m well aware that some people strongly believe it’s a snake oil because they “read” about it somewhere on-line, mostly referencing a single source of some old sound engineer who ran a debunking seminar.
> ...


 
  
 and that is a point, you stopped reading and didn't get to the important part of power filtering.  If you have designed usb devices (anything related to audio, perhaps?), you would know that internal DAC of any device will use 5V power (or whatever derived voltage) as a reference source to convert digital to analog, whatever the bus is 8bit/16bit/32bit converted to analog voltage.  Of course you know this, right? the principle of any D/A conversion where your max bit resolution set to some high voltage value and analog value is converted relative to that.  So, if you have a noisy power source, your D/A conversion will be inaccurate.  I'm obviously not stating anything new you wouldn't know, right?  And, that is a reason why desktop amps cost so much money because they have dedicated clean power supplies with a main goal is to provide a clean voltage reference for D/A conversion...  Portable usb DAC doesn't have that luxury, they don't even have room for sufficient filtering caps and rely purely on voltage extracted from usb power.


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## Bansaku

vapman said:


> I stopped reading here. I have designed several reliable and efficient USB based devices. What they are doesn't matter (unless you're into very niche video games) but the point is this sentence right here proves your entire review is meaningless to me. Yes, sorry to tell you, but USB signals are just 1's and 0's. Trust your ears all you want, but it's not like I just "read somewhere" how USB works or what exactly the signals that flow thru a USB cable are.
> 
> I'm sorry, but just because you believe a separate device can reduce USB jitter or packet errors indicates to me you have no idea how USB works and you took it on complete faith that this device does what it says it does, and on top of that you've convinced yourself it works. Let me just tell you that unless it's an uninterrupted passthru it could only _increase_ jitter or packet errors.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Have you ever compared a cheap Dollar Store USB cable to one that costs $100 that is (hyper) shielded? BIG difference! While you are correct in what you state, and I do not disagree with you, at the same time you over-analyzed the review.
  
 Personally, while calling the device the 'Jitter Bug' is cute and punny, it is misleading. I agree, a cable or device will not get rid of jitter, but it is sure as hell able to filter out EMI and RFI which is quite prevalent in PCs, especially notebooks. A GOOD quality powered USB hub will do the exact same thing as the JitterBug, but you are looking at a greater cost. Using an external USB power supply is beneficial, but what can you do for say a Dragonfly, U3, or D3?
  
 For less than the price of a quality cable and USB hub the JitterBug with it's small form factor and what I call disposable price, you can't go wrong!


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## twister6

vapman said:


> twister6 said:
> 
> 
> > My usb ports are too close to each other, couldn't try it.  But I will contact AQ to find out more about it.  In theory it should work because any exposed port is like an antenna radiating noise.  The same way how your device picks up noise.  So if you have one port transmitting data, you can in theory attenuate emitting noise from another adjacent port.
> ...


 
  
 Take it easy bud, I mean I can see that your profile says "you hate everything" except for playing predator vs alien games, and you're quite vocal that you know about everything.  Too bad that in 9 years of being a member of this fine audio community you didn't have a chance to share your knowledge with us, just your hate.  Peace and love my friend, peace and love!!!


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## Mediahound

bansaku said:


> For less than the price of a quality cable and USB hub the JitterBug with it's small form factor and what I call disposable price, you can't go wrong!


 
  
 Well, they really expect that you will buy many of them and plug them in everywhere. Reading their site, they list all kinds of scenarios where you would want to plug these in everywhere, like connecting one to your router (seriously?). I'm surprised they don't tell you to put one inline with your printer too.


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## vapman

twister6 said:


> and that is a point, you stopped reading and didn't get to the important part of power filtering.  If you have designed usb devices (anything related to audio, perhaps?), you would know that internal DAC of any device will use 5V power (or whatever derived voltage) as a reference source to convert digital to analog, whatever the bus is 8bit/16bit/32bit converted to analog voltage.  Of course you know this, right? the principle of any D/A conversion where your max bit resolution set to some high voltage value and analog value is converted relative to that.  So, if you have a noisy power source, your D/A conversion will be inaccurate.  I'm obviously not stating anything new you wouldn't know, right?  And, that is a reason why desktop amps cost so much money because they have dedicated clean power supplies with a main goal is to provide a clean voltage reference for D/A conversion...  Portable usb DAC doesn't have that luxury, they don't even have room for sufficient filtering caps and rely purely on voltage extracted from usb power.


 

 Great, but that doesn't answer how this little Jitterbug guy does anything of worth at all. Yes, I know any DAC will use 5V, that's why I said if you want the cleanest signal you should have it isolated from your computer and run regulated, linear 5V into it, instead of taking 5V from your computer's PSU.
  
 No, you're not stating anything new I don't already know. Yes, you're correct that dirty USB power will make a portable USB DAC sound worse. No, you are wrong in thinking that a non-externally powered solution could improve anything. Perhaps it could act as a slight filter to roll off some of the more egregious interference that's easier to catch but That is why if you have a high-end enough setup where dirty USB power can factor into your overall setup's sound quality. you should invest in something like the Wyrd instead of this.
  
 If you are a Macbook user who absolutely MUST have your portable DAC and can't be bothered to find an outlet for it at all times, then fine, go ahead and Jitterbug your way to happiness. Personally, if I need to clean up my USB's power source, I'd just use a DAC that already is powered externally (eliminating the need for this) or a Wyrd (if I for some reason needed to power something that took bus power cleanly) but IMO the Jitterbug is the worst of both worlds. Anyone who actually wants or needs to clean up their USB power signal has better options than this or should consider staying closer to a power outlet.
  


twister6 said:


> Take it easy bud, I mean I can see that your profile says "you hate everything" except for playing predator vs alien games, and you're quite vocal that you know about everything.  Too bad that in 9 years of being a member of this fine audio community you didn't have a chance to share your knowledge with us, just your hate.  Peace and love my friend, peace and love!!!


 
  
 Sorry bud, maybe I have more negative posts than positive ones, but I hope if you comb thru my post history there's a lot of quite positive material in there. I'm sorry you think I stormed into your thread bringing hate, but you implied that there's more to USB audio than 1's and 0's and 5V power in your OP, which is what I referred to in my initial post in this thread. In fact, I hope my posting in this thread was positive because I perhaps made some people who would have thought this was a good idea for their setup realize the Wyrd was better or maybe they just need a new motherboard. No hate at all, just peace and love and truth and honesty. Sorry, but I've been called "brutally honest" a lot, I try to be honest with people but I try to be clear too! This is a review thread where you're posting your opinions about a new product, so I'm posting my reaction to it. If the company themselves posted what you said I would have posted just the same things I did.


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## twister6

^ not a MAC user, I have apple-free household, but I do agree with your point that it's a perfect solution for a portable application.  I didn't get a chance to try it, but will definitely test it next with my Galaxy Note 4, usb otg adapter, JB, and GO450.  GO450 takes a toll on your phone battery, but it would be an interesting experiment because phones are noisy as hell due to all the radios, no filtering, cramped layout of components, etc...  I would have tried it with HA-2, but it has micro-usb to micro-usb otg cable, just didn't feel like going through all those cable links.
  
 Wyrd looks cool too for a desktop setup.  I might ask Jason to send me a review sample.
  
 The whole point of this thread is to bring up to people's attention about a new product.  It worked for me, I'm happy with the results, and wanted to share with all of you (just like I do with hundreds of my other reviews)..  If it would be a crap, I wouldn't even waste my time writing about it.  And apparently Head-fi admins chose to feature this review on the front of their page.  I know, cables and jitter talk is highly controversial on head-fi, so I'm not surprised to read these replies.  What I would have loved to see is someone else chiming in, sharing their experience about this device or other similar devices.


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## vapman

I just think that if you're an at-home user, why would you get this over the Wyrd, when it's not that much more money and has so many advantages over this I assumed audiophiles would be very excited over. I'll be interested to hear how the Jitterbug fares with your phone - although I figure the type of person who is willing to go outside on a walk with a separate source, DAC and amp in their pocket is willing to add something like this to their portable setup too (as opposed to say, PortaPros driven straight out of your phone's headphone jack).


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## twister6

vapman said:


> I just think that if you're an at-home user, why would you get this over the Wyrd, when it's not that much more money and has so many advantages over this I assumed audiophiles would be very excited over. I'll be interested to hear how the Jitterbug fares with your phone - although I figure the type of person who is willing to go outside on a walk with a separate source, DAC and amp in their pocket is willing to add something like this to their portable setup too (as opposed to say, PortaPros driven straight out of your phone's headphone jack).


 
  
 I'm a portable audio user, so can see an advantage.  Plus, at home when I listen to music or work on some music production on my laptop, I'm usually on a couch anyway.  I hate stack ups as well.  Btw, just remember that I was able to get DragonFly to work with Note 4, though only using USB Audio Player Pro app.  That would be another interesting pair up for comparison.
  

  
 The pic is from my DF review, 4 months ago.  So if I use usb otg adapter with a right angle micro-usb connector (to cut down on cable bulge) and just extend this chain with another "usb stick" link for JB, it would be a very compact setup to keep it in your pocket to drive planar magnetic cans (EL-8C or PM-3) to their full potential 
  
 Got a queue with about half a dozen of headphone/amp reviews I'm working on now, so once I'm done - will update this post with my impressions about smartphone use.


----------



## conquerator2

So a mini Wyrd?


----------



## XLR8

Thnx op for the review. 
Any chance you can open it up and let us see what's on the inside? Photos, etc. 

I feel devices like this take away the top end of music but claim to offer a better sound.

Also if you can get access to a cro we can compare the 5v output Sinewave from usb port with and without this device attached.


----------



## thomascrown

vapman said:


> The entire reason the Wyrd works is because it's insanely heavily buffered AND externally powered.


----------



## XLR8

thomascrown said:


> vapman said:
> 
> 
> > The entire reason the Wyrd works is because it's insanely heavily buffered AND externally powered.
> ...


----------



## Mediahound

> > > The funny thing is that schitt say Schiit specifically says they make no claims this will improve the sound of your system yet this jitterbug says it will.
> > > Who do you believe?


 
  
 Schiit for sure. They rather let you decide if you hear improvements with their stuff rather than try to convince you that you will when it can really depend on a number of factors including things like ones setup, and ones own ears/hearing. 
  
 Bill Low, the owner of Audioquest even states that simply making a change in your system, even if it makes it sound worse, is something he likes in this video:
  
 https://youtu.be/mo-MjUuxTUI?t=4m23s


----------



## twister6

xlr8 said:


> Thnx op for the review.
> Any chance you can open it up and let us see what's on the inside? Photos, etc.
> 
> I feel devices like this take away the top end of music but claim to offer a better sound.
> ...


 
  
 Very tempting to crack it open 
  
 I might take some measurements soon, at my work in the lab (I have access to a number of different high speed Agilent oscilloscopes).  I'm curios to see if there is any noise ripple on usb power bus before and after JB.
  
 Btw, just tested GO450 and DragonFly with USB Audio Player Pro app on my Note 4 with and w/o JB, and the effect is the same as when tested with my laptop.  As I said before, you get a much darker background with a sharper note transition, definitely improved SNR.  Just using my ears and PM-3 cans.  I can't say sound is better, this is a very subjective matter.  Sound is more refined would be more like it.  Improvement is definitely there, I can hear it.  But I can't guarantee everyone will hear the same level of improvement.  Just like some people don't hear a difference using stock ofc cable and pure silver IEM/CIEM cables...


----------



## Wyd4

Trying to find a price amongst all teh rage 
  
 I currently have the Cozoy Aegis and I am picking up some noise from the USB ports on my work laptop.
 If I can clean that up I would be stoked.

 Funnily enough it is quiet from my Note 4, just my laptop introducing noise.


----------



## DeeKay10

> on the website I read
> 
> 
> > Improves dynamic contrast, warmth and resolution
> ...


 
  
 Exactly what I was going to say. The Schiit Wyrd has a more down to earth description.
 The only thing both of them do is isolate bad current that might (or might not) create a little bit of noise while listening. Now, these days most hardware (motherboards, laptops) actually have pretty good isolation behind their USB ports and I can't recall having this problem since an old computer I owned in 2005. On top of that, a lot of DACs handle jumpy current as well (to a degree), so these "noise-reducing" USB isolators have a very situational use and they certainly won't make you music sound better if you didn't have noise, or had very little of it.


----------



## Maelob

You can probably connect it to the Wyrd too!!!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Genius marketing, connect it to whatever you want, buy 5 of them and your system will sound better. Joking aside I will probably buy one LOL


----------



## Ultrainferno

Just read from post one to the last post: Oh I love Head-Fi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I should be getting this device pretty soon. I have no problem with my USB ports, I hardly believe this thing will improve my gear's sound but they insisted I'd give it a listen. So who knows


----------



## ahendler

vapman said:


> Great, but that doesn't answer how this little Jitterbug guy does anything of worth at all. Yes, I know any DAC will use 5V, that's why I said if you want the cleanest signal you should have it isolated from your computer and run regulated, linear 5V into it, instead of taking 5V from your computer's PSU.
> 
> No, you're not stating anything new I don't already know. Yes, you're correct that dirty USB power will make a portable USB DAC sound worse. No, you are wrong in thinking that a non-externally powered solution could improve anything. Perhaps it could act as a slight filter to roll off some of the more egregious interference that's easier to catch but That is why if you have a high-end enough setup where dirty USB power can factor into your overall setup's sound quality. you should invest in something like the Wyrd instead of this.
> 
> ...


 
 Have you heard the Jitterbug. I have one in a pretty good system and it improved the sound for me. More overall clarity
 I am streaming from a MacBook pro running Yosemite over a Light Harmonic lightspeed 10g USB cable into an Uptone Audio Regen feeding a metrum Hex dac or a Tereda Chamelion Dac. The device works. Learned long ago concerning audio, bits is bits is nonsense.  The USB signal over your usb cable is an analog cable subject to noise and rfi and impedance mismatching.
 My Metrum Hex has its own 5v supply and the jitterbug still improved the sound
 Alan


----------



## vapman

ahendler said:


> Have you heard the Jitterbug. I have one in a pretty good system and it improved the sound for me. More overall clarity
> I am streaming from a MacBook pro running Yosemite over a Light Harmonic lightspeed 10g USB cable into an Uptone Audio Regen feeding a metrum Hex dac or a Tereda Chamelion Dac. The device works. Learned long ago concerning audio, bits is bits is nonsense.  The USB signal over your usb cable is an analog cable subject to noise and rfi and impedance mismatching.
> My Metrum Hex has its own 5v supply and the jitterbug still improved the sound
> Alan


 

 I have not heard it but you're exactly the target audience I was talking about - People with Apple gear as the center of their setup. I don't need to hear it to know what it is capable of doing though. I'm sure it does make some difference, but have you tried a Wyrd instead of the Jitterbug? You're not going to replace the PSU inside an Apple product with a less noisy one. Get a bench supply putting out regulated linear 5V, cut open the end of a cheapo USB cable (not your Light Harmonic) and wire the 5V and ground to the bench supply. Do not use the Jitterbug and tell me if the signal sounds better. I'll bet you real  money that it will sound better than the cable getting computer power and running thru the Jitterbug, but it would require you to hack up a cable. If you're up to the task, give it a shot and let me know which sounds better. Also, bits can still be bits if interference runs thru the power line, you know.


----------



## ahendler

vapman said:


> I have not heard it but you're exactly the target audience I was talking about - People with Apple gear as the center of their setup. I don't need to hear it to know what it is capable of doing though. I'm sure it does make some difference, but have you tried a Wyrd instead of the Jitterbug? You're not going to replace the PSU inside an Apple product with a less noisy one. Get a bench supply putting out regulated linear 5V, cut open the end of a cheapo USB cable (not your Light Harmonic) and wire the 5V and ground to the bench supply. Do not use the Jitterbug and tell me if the signal sounds better. I'll bet you real  money that it will sound better than the cable getting computer power and running thru the Jitterbug, but it would require you to hack up a cable. If you're up to the task, give it a shot and let me know which sounds better. Also, bits can still be bits if interference runs thru the power line, you know.


 
 I don't have to cut my cable. As I said my Metrum Hex draws only data from the computer. It has its own internal 5v supply for its USB input. The Jitterbug still improved the sound.
 Also the Regen I amusing is being powered by an external linear power supply.
 Alan


----------



## twister6

ultrainferno said:


> Just read from post one to the last post: Oh I love Head-Fi
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Looking forward to your impression, bud!


----------



## tgx78

ahendler said:


> I don't have to cut my cable. As I said my Metrum Hex draws only data from the computer. It has its own internal 5v supply for its USB input. The Jitterbug still improved the sound.
> Also the Regen I amusing is being powered by an external linear power supply.
> Alan


 
  
 Where did you place the jitterbug in your system chain?
 In front of the Regen or right behind it?


----------



## ahendler

The jitterbug is at the output of my MacBook. The regen is at the input of the dac.
 So the USB cable is in-between the two devices. This is the recommended placements
 Alan


----------



## bixby

Maybe the folks that say USB cables cannot affect the sound of audio should take some quiet time and have a good read.  Cable construction is as important as the circuit layout in your devices.  If I had to guess what might be in the little noise reducing stick, I would guess, and only a guess, is perhaps some little ferrites, maybe a a resistor and or perhaps very small caps.  I know some folks using resistors, I think on the ground leg, and claim good results.  Have not heard those myself.
  
 As for getting powered usb hubs as the solution to all your woes.  I think you still may run into issues, especially with rfi and shielding and the fact that in most cases with a hub you now have
 another.......... well made or not so well made .......cable you just added to the equation.
  
 http://www.ti.com/sc/docs/apps/msp/intrface/usb/emitest.pdf
  
 I like the pics in the next one.  Who knows how well our cables are made?  And please don't get all caught up in the fact that this document is about usb 3, because a lot of the construction details still matter.
  
 http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/whitepapers/USB_SuperSpeed_CabCon_Whitepaper.pdf
  
  
 Oh, and for the record, the Wyrd did not help when used with one of my usb powered dacs, it actually audibly compressed and rolled the highs.  YMMV.


----------



## Mediahound

bixby said:


> Oh, and for the record, the Wyrd did not help when used with one of my usb powered dacs, it actually audibly compressed and rolled the highs.  YMMV.


 
  
 Maybe you were getting distorted highs before and it cleaned them up making you think it rolled them off.


----------



## bixby

mediahound said:


> Maybe you were getting distorted highs before and it cleaned them up making you think it rolled them off.


 
 no, I think I have a grasp on what cymbals sound like.  It did help the Modi2 Uber though.


----------



## landroni

I have a Cozoy Astrapi and I notice very clear (even if subtle, and most of the times irrelevant) USB interference when paired with a Grado SR225i and connected to a laptop. The laptop is of questionable build quality, it must be said, and the Grados are notoriously (for me) sensitive, sometimes more so than IEMs. The interference is independent of sound level, so louder volume covers it all completely, but muting volume will make you notice the interference. For most music and normal sound levels this interference is mostly irrelevant and unnoticeable, but if you put very low volume levels and e.g. at night, then the interference will get more noticeable. Also, this affects more when listening to genres like classical or jazz music, where silent moments abound. 

I suspect JitterBug has been specifically designed to alleviate such issues, which probably affect battery-less DACs like Astrapi, Aegis or Centrance DACport more than other devices (as they all rely entirely on the USB port for drawing power). So far the only suggestions I heard was try different USB port or longer USB cable, or better build computer. The use of the JitterBug is that it allows you to keep the stack mobile (as in able to move from one room to the other easily), whereas the Wyrd while probably more effective is also more bulky and probably less adapted (usage-wise) for DACs that want to be "on the go". 

As of now I'm on the fence whether to get one of these, as the price could have been smaller, but I have a sneaky feeling it might actually help things, notwithstanding what the naysayers are saying...


----------



## Mediahound

Every time I hear "Jitterbug" I think of this and I don't know if that's a good thing


----------



## sheldaze

mediahound said:


> Every time I hear "Jitterbug" I think of this and I don't know if that's a good thing




 I wanted to give you the thumbs-up!
 But I think my body went into a temporary shock, while the video was playing


----------



## Jwm48324

Stereophile's John Atkinson just reviewed this product in the new Sept. issue. He even shows the inside of the unit. Long story short is that the measurements with and without the Audioquest are the same. He says it improved the sound of three of his dac's, but can't explain why as far as measurements are concerned. A hearty recommendation.


----------



## XLR8

jwm48324 said:


> Stereophile's John Atkinson just reviewed this product in the new Sept. issue. He even shows the inside of the unit. Long story short is that the measurements with and without the Audioquest are the same. He says it improved the sound of three of his dac's, but can't explain why as far as measurements are concerned. A hearty recommendation.



 


LoL.
Stereophile should be called eliteophile. If I had a penny for all the hyped up garbage reviews I have read in that magazine I'd be a rich man.


----------



## hifimanrookie

After reading all these pages here i am wondering..what if a MB maker would come up with a MB who does most of this already (usb wise)?

- Isolating the individual USB 3 ports, so noise and stuff will interfere less. Check
- switch off the powersignal in the usb port from inside the bios and only let the zero and ones go to the dac...Check!!!!!
- and what if its usb ports would be powered by its own dedicated ' clean' power source also. Check

What u think about these usb gizmos mentioned in this thread then?

 Well...next week i am going to buy one such a MB for my new to built 'audio pc' ..i got tipped by a guy who builts 'audiophile' pc's As a hobby.

could it be the first 'audiophile' (if that ever exist) motherboard to exist to help us poor audio nutters in our search for better audio? Its mini-itx also..so u can put it in the smallest case possible, for instand a cooler master elite 110. 

Am not goin to mention or advertise the MB here as ii respect the thread rules..its about the Jitterbug of audioquest here...

But if anyone is curious...pm me..


----------



## Bazza13

I have owned a pair of these Jitterbugs for 3 days and would like to share my impressions; I initially installed them on the input (USB thumbdrive) and output (Wireworld Platinum 7 cable) of my Auralic Aries Streamer that feeds a PS Audio DirectStream DAC.  My expectation for improvement was not high considering that the Platinum 7 cable is world class and isolates the power cable from the digital signal cables.  I played a very familiar 24/96 track that I use when testing the sonic changes from new gear.  I was immediately struck by a significant improvement to the relaxation of the music.  This was similar to my remembrance of putting an Original Cable Jacket on the ground wire of my turntable many years ago.  I attributed the smoothness to reduced digital jitter and noise (so much for "bits are bits").  I also turned the volume up which I attribute to the lower line noise rather than a reduce gain.
  
 After about an hour of listening I felt that I was losing my engagement; the music sounded too soft and lacking dynamics so I removed both Jitterbugs and listened again.  Things sounded too edgy, although dynamic, and I felt that there was no going back to this.  I read in another review that too many "Bugs" in a system could make it sound syrupy so I began experimenting with only one.  To make the long story short I ended up with one Jitterbug from the output of the streamer and the Platinum 7 cable plugged into it.  
  
 I now have a dynamic yet relaxed sound with an increased width and depth to the soundstage.  There is an increase in detail along with increased harmonics.  Usually I find that an increase in detail strips acoustic harmonics.  Ironically the $59 is a bit less than the Cable Jacket was in its time.  This is a no-brainer purchase for USB digital transmission.


----------



## JamesBr

mediahound said:


> They should include the DragonTail then, since it's needed, instead of trying to sell you another additional cable...


 
 Depends who is paying the most


----------



## vapman

hifimanrookie said:


> After reading all these pages here i am wondering..what if a MB maker would come up with a MB who does most of this already (usb wise)?
> 
> - Isolating the individual USB 3 ports, so noise and stuff will interfere less. Check
> - switch off the powersignal in the usb port from inside the bios and only let the zero and ones go to the dac...Check!!!!!
> ...


 

 he probably is just gonna buy a higher end itx board with high quality components designed to reduce noise & interference and a nice high quality psu... or maybe it'll just be a normal computer
 if the audio is built into the motherboard it's still going to be whatever realtek DAC that costs 10 cents to buy probably.
  
  


jwm48324 said:


> Stereophile's John Atkinson just reviewed this product in the new Sept. issue. He even shows the inside of the unit. Long story short is that the measurements with and without the Audioquest are the same. He says it improved the sound of three of his dac's, but can't explain why as far as measurements are concerned. A hearty recommendation.


 
  
 lol, there you have it. measurements prove it has no real effect on anything so it gets a recommendation. did anyone post pics of the insides of one? i feel like its gonna be a usb pass thru with the equivalent of a ball of foil in there to shield it from noise.


----------



## hifimanrookie

vapman said:


> he probably is just gonna buy a higher end itx board with high quality components designed to reduce noise & interference and a nice high quality psu... or maybe it'll just be a normal computer
> if the audio is built into the motherboard it's still going to be whatever realtek DAC that costs 10 cents to buy probably.




First...No expensive rediculusly costing high end board...it costs less then 100euro according to last pricing..but its a basic board..no stuff u dont need anyway..so they could concentrate on quality of the features that matter...and yeah..its a quality brand making those..

And about the PSU..it will be an external .linear PSU..and this pc will only be used to play music coming from the NAS through CAT7 ethernet cables with a metal enclosured smart switch in between them in a dedicate mini network..just for my beloved audio gear.

Second...why u think i would use the onboard soundcard anyway? Lolz..which u can switch off by the way
 If u check my reviews under my posts and my profile about what i own u will see i dont mind spending money on unique high quality stuff, but only when i believe it actually works...but also dont like throwing my money away for stuff that doesnt work..this board is different..oh well..soon i will hear if its true what my friend told me..lolz

and yeah..i admit i was deeply surprised a premium brand came up with such a board..normally its a niche brand who does that with the according extremely HIGH pricing.... Lolz

Back to the jitterbug


----------



## Hi Rez

twister6,
  
 Thanks for the review.  Your impressions are consistent with a number of other folk's experience with the Jitterbug.  Seems that this is another of some pretty cost effective USB tweaks that have just recently become available.
  
 Looks like I'll find out just how effective later this week.


----------



## vapman

hifimanrookie said:


> First...No expensive rediculusly costing high end board...it costs less then 100euro according to last pricing..but its a basic board..no stuff u dont need anyway..so they could concentrate on quality of the features that matter...and yeah..its a quality brand making those..
> 
> And about the PSU..it will be an external .linear PSU..and this pc will only be used to play music coming from the NAS through CAT7 ethernet cables with a metal enclosured smart switch in between them in a dedicate mini network..just for my beloved audio gear.
> 
> ...


 

 I was just confused what you meant by audiophile motherboard. was imagining some guy replacing all the caps on a pc mobo with audiophile grade ones or something crazy like that.


----------



## IBPhoenix09

Over the weekend I got a chance to play around with a pair of Jitterbugs. The A/V installation and retail shop I work for got our first order of Jitterbugs on Friday. Prior to receiving this we met with our AudioQuest rep to discuss the product and listen to it. From that meeting there were a few claims made I wanted to test. The first was that the Jitterbug works with both USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports. I found this to be this case. I tested the Jitterbug between my 3.0 2TB hard drive where my FLAC files are located and the 3.0 ports on my computer. The lower noise floor, which has been one of the most commonly referenced improvements, was audible in this configuration. 
  
 Next I tested the Jitterbug using a Studio master file located on my computer's(windows 7) internal hard drive. This time i had the jitterbugs plugged into the open USB ports on the front of the computer. The improvements to clarity and noise floor reduction were incremental. AudioQuest recommends limiting the Jitterbugs to 2 per USB bus. 
  
 My third test was more geared towards my current system and the claim that Jitterbug should work best with any device with a USB port. I used my Playstation 3 as a CD player, Audio out analog to a set of powered inexpensive 5.1 logitec speakers. The Playstation 3 has 2 powered USB ports on the front panel to charge the controllers and I wondered if closing those ports, even though they aren't in the signal path would improve the sound. What I noticed was that blocking both ports with Jitterbug yielded better improvements that blocking only a single one. That said the improvements here were noticeable.
  
 My last test was in a 7.2 living room system using a Marantz 6009 receiver powering 5 klipsch speakers and two in ceiling speakers (not sure of manufacturer) with 2 subs. The source was a NAS drive accessed through a Sonos Connect. We used Christopher Tin's "Baba Yetu" as a test track. The Marantz has a USB port on the front for diagnostics and firmware updates so we tested to see if the Jitterbug would improve the sound in that port. What we heard was an improved clarity in some of the softer sounds/instruments and again a lower noise floor. 
  
 Sorry if this is too much information, but hopefully my observations will help those of you still making up your minds about the Jitterbug. I think the best thing to do is listen to it and make up your own mind. Many shops like the one i work for will set up demos for interested customers.


----------



## Rocko1




----------



## Bazza13

Rocko1, unless a system is extremely low resolution it would be difficult not to hear a difference using the Jitterbug.  You may not like what it does in your system but it does affect the digital signal that has an audible outcome.
  
 Do all power amps and tubes sound the same?  Does lamp cord sound the same as Synergistic Research cable? Does power conditioning reduce noise?


----------



## twister6

bazza13 said:


> Rocko1, unless a system is extremely low resolution it would be difficult not to hear a difference using the Jitterbug.  You may not like what it does in your system but it does affect the digital signal that has an audible outcome.
> 
> Do all power amps and tubes sound the same?  Does lamp cord sound the same as Synergistic Research cable? Does power conditioning reduce noise?


 
  
 There is no point to argue with someone who is trolling the thread and doesn't even have jitterbug to offer his opinion about the product based on his personal experience of using it.  Just a pity, cause I bet his monoprice and skullcandy headphones would sound fabulous with a fine snake oil of jitterbug enhancement


----------



## PhoenixG

bazza13 said:


> Do all power amps and tubes sound the same?  Does lamp cord sound the same as Synergistic Research cable? Does power conditioning reduce noise?


 
 Short answer - No, sometimes, sometimes.
 Amps sound different. The search is half the fun right? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I hate to be contrary, but when a cable is the right size, it is indistinguishable from any other cable the right thickness. Many high end cables goose up the capacitance to get sharper leading edges which can definitely make the sound be "crisp" or whatever the advertisers say. That'll change the sound fersure. It might even sound nice with the right setup. Some other cables are really nicely shielded and well built. That's worth a few extra sheckels and I'm willing to dish it. You can get those for a few bucks a foot at an electrical supply shop and they're pretty good stuff. Under a few feet for a passive speaker, it doesn't make a lick of difference what fortune you blow on cables. If upstream isn't up to snuff, the cable isn't going to fix it. If you really want your system to sound the best it ever will, solder your cables in. That or just keep everything molecularly clean and re-clean it every few years with the right deoxit. And keep your runs as short as possible. When you go long, you gotta spend the dough on heavy duty wire.
  
 Power conditioning helps if one of 3 conditions is met - 1 - you have a lot of motors on your circuit (transformer on down). Brushed motors are the worst. Think cheap power tools, old fans, etc.
 2 - your system has a minimum sized power supply.  Minimal power supplies are endemic, so you would know better than I about yours.
 3 -  Your system has wall referenced voltages. This is really common in older units that were built before voltage regulators were made small (think tubes), DIY units, and cheap units.
 If you have a lot of noise on the power line but a beefy supply and no reference voltages, then you don't need conditioning. Your P/S will do it for you.
  
 I'm an electrical engineer and I work on audio electronics. I'm not just some crank who doesn't know what he's saying.


----------



## robertsong

phoenixg said:


> Short answer - No, sometimes, sometimes.
> Amps sound different. The search is half the fun right?
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 I flat out diasgree with most of what you said, but it's completely off topic. All Bazza13 was trying to do was draw some parallels, and you went off on some wild tangent with it. The topic here is concerns the "Jitterbug" which you most likely have not tried.


----------



## robertsong

hifimanrookie said:


> After reading all these pages here i am wondering..what if a MB maker would come up with a MB who does most of this already (usb wise)?
> 
> - Isolating the individual USB 3 ports, so noise and stuff will interfere less. Check
> - switch off the powersignal in the usb port from inside the bios and only let the zero and ones go to the dac...Check!!!!!
> - and what if its usb ports would be powered by its own dedicated ' clean' power source also. Check


 
  
 I'm not aware of any motherboards that filter noise, but there are several USB cards that do just that - SOTM, Paul Pang, JCAT.
  
 I use the JCAT card and was (and of course, still am) very pleased with the difference. I have a Jitterbug on the way and I'm very curious if it will make further improvement. I'll report back after a week of break-in (whether or not it needs it).


----------



## PhoenixG

robertsong said:


> I flat out diasgree with most of what you said, but it's completely off topic. All Bazza13 was trying to do was draw some parallels, and you went off on some wild tangent with it. The topic here is concerns the "Jitterbug" which you most likely have not tried.


 
 Sorry man, peace and love.
 It's just a pet peeve when people make glittering generalities like they are gospel about things that are not so cut and dried. If you like your music a certain way, then rock on bud.


----------



## twister6




----------



## hifimanrookie

robertsong said:


> I'm not aware of any motherboards that filter noise, but there are several USB cards that do just that - SOTM, Paul Pang, JCAT.
> 
> I use the JCAT card and was (and of course, still am) very pleased with the difference. I have a Jitterbug on the way and I'm very curious if it will make further improvement. I'll report back after a week of break-in (whether or not it needs it).



http://www.gigabyte.co.nl/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4911#ov

Check for urself... This mb is unique.. And thats why i will buy it next week. And u can switch off the power comin out of usb ports to selfpowered dacs.. So again less interference.. And its almost as cheap as the jitterbug.. Lolz
 i will compare it to my game laptop i used until now for playing lossless 24bit music from my NAS.. And yes.. My rig is higher end so it ruthlessly shows when a component is not on par with whats said about it. Maybe i also will try a jitterbug.. Although i am a bit cautious.
Back to jitterbug


----------



## Mediahound

Of note:
  
 "AudioQuest’s Steve Silberman, orchestrator of the JitterBug, told me in Berlin that he can no longer listen to his home system without Schiit’s Wyrd USB de-crapifier in the chain."
  
from: http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/06/t-h-e-show-newport-2015-multi-bit-from-multi-schiit/


----------



## musiclvr

I own the Schitt Wyrd USB Decrapifier(SWUD) and find that it improves my audio chain: Apple Mac>Audirvana+>SWUD>Peach Tree Audio Dac-Itx>Schiit Asgard 2. I am really curious as to whether the AQ Jitterbug might further improve my audio chain before the SWUD? I am waiting for my Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon amp to ship so hopefully with the upgraded amp I will be able to retrieve even more detail from my hi-res recordings and discern whether or not the AQ Jitterbug is of any use in addition to the SWUD.


----------



## Music Path

So this pairs well with usb regen? Anybody tested it?


----------



## Music Path

twister6 said:


>


 
 LOL


----------



## sheldaze

I plan to bring this to a headphone meet, taking place nearby in a week. Upon initial listen, to my ears it is not a subtle change. I cannot describe in much detail the change (only listened to a few songs), however I like the sound. But what frequencies are added/subtracted/etc. I am not yet comfortable to say. Here is the chain:
  
 MacBook > Audirvana+ > JitterBug > USB 2.0 > Bifrost Uber > Pyst > Element > Headphones
  
 I really hope to get some feedback from other people's ears, and post it here in about a week, along with any thoughts I have as I listen to this over the course of the week.


----------



## castleofargh

can't any of you just loop the sound with on ok-ish soundcard and record a piece of song(same piece and short for copyright reasons) with and without?
 I always wonder why there are no such things done for all those gizmos. I'm very sure that just like the wyrd and other magic boxes, the effect can go from bad, to nothing in the vast majority of cases, to actual improvement with a few badly designed DAC usb inputs.
 if people did this, we would have incentives to use it with some DACs more than with others, and find out when it's just pure snake oil and people's placebo.


----------



## sheldaze

castleofargh said:


> can't any of you just loop the sound with on ok-ish soundcard and record a piece of song(same piece and short for copyright reasons) with and without?
> I always wonder why there are no such things done for all those gizmos. I'm very sure that just like the wyrd and other magic boxes, the effect can go from bad, to nothing in the vast majority of cases, to actual improvement with a few badly designed DAC usb inputs.
> if people did this, we would have incentives to use it with some DACs more than with others, and find out when it's just pure snake oil and people's placebo.


 
 I would not use the word "placebo" to describe what I heard. Instead I would characterize it as a "delta", which may or may not be called "pleasant" or "better" (or "worse") based upon the source material and the DAC. To me, there was definitely an alteration. Now this alteration may be recordable, but I still would not think it helpful - unless one recorded every type of music available (not even sure what that means).
  
 So I chose more to focus on the alteration. Which way that alteration goes, I have yet to characterize. And I thought it would be helpful to have a group, rather than just my ears, to listen and provide feedback. Not scientific - nope. But I don't think this is the science thread, so it's the best I could provide


----------



## Krutsch

castleofargh said:


> can't any of you just loop the sound with on ok-ish soundcard and record a piece of song(same piece and short for copyright reasons) with and without?
> I always wonder why there are no such things done for all those gizmos. I'm very sure that just like the wyrd and other magic boxes, the effect can go from bad, to nothing in the vast majority of cases, to actual improvement with a few badly designed DAC usb inputs.
> if people did this, we would have incentives to use it with some DACs more than with others, and find out when it's just pure snake oil and people's placebo.


 

 Here's the part that I find amazing: if you look back to a previous post in this thread, JA from Stereophile runs measured, objective tests with the Jitterbug and found no deltas. So, if you think the JA knows what he is doing (and I do), then the results are in: it's snake oil.
  
 And, yet, JA goes on to say he hears a delta and anoints it as recommended. Huh?
  
 I can play the subjectivist with the best of them, but I am baffled by this whole discussion. How can you improve electrical noise issues emanating from a USB's power supply without an external power supply?


----------



## castleofargh

> Originally Posted by *sheldaze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I would not use the word "placebo" to describe what I heard. Instead I would characterize it as a "delta", which may or may not be called "pleasant" or "better" (or "worse") based upon the source material and the DAC. To me, there was definitely an alteration. Now this alteration may be recordable, but I still would not think it helpful - unless one recorded every type of music available (not even sure what that means).
> 
> So I chose more to focus on the alteration. Which way that alteration goes, I have yet to characterize. And I thought it would be helpful to have a group, rather than just my ears, to listen and provide feedback. Not scientific - nope. But I don't think this is the science thread, so it's the best I could provide


 
 and there is nothing wrong with that. if anything, you're a consumer, it shouldn't be up to you to prove or disprove anything. but as the manufacturers rely on marketing instead of transparency, because being honest isn't making enough money nowadays, the consumer is often the only one that can  check things. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 now about appreciation and deciding if a change is a good change, here is what I think. when I buy a piece of art or some music, I'm fine using my subjectivity to evaluate the goods. now when it's about an electrical device that claims to improve signal and make a digital signal warmer(I really can't get over this)...  then I do like to see proof of the claims, as they are very easy to measure and have nothing to do with taste or subjectivity. again it should be the job of the manufacturer to provide evidence for their own claims, I'm not trying to blame the users here.
  
 if you take the same idea with the wyrd, they did clearly say that they didn't make any claim of improvement. so if we get some, great, if we don't, well they didn't lie. it's still a magic box, but at least the marketing is honest.
  
  here the website writes


> measurably reduces unwanted noise currents and parasitic resonances. It also reduces jitter and packet errors


 
 well if it's measurable, where are the measurements? under what particular condition?
  
 claims without evidence! each time they occur, my spider alarm goes off.  even if the product ends up doing what it claims to do, it's really poor practice to make claims without backing them up.


----------



## Hi Rez

music path said:


> So this pairs well with usb regen? Anybody tested it?


 
 Just received the Jitterbugs yesterday - yes, and yes.  
  
 For me the Jitterbug was additive.  Adding the Regen wasn't a subtle change.  The Jitterbugs lowered the background noise further, but were more subtle.  This was in both my home system (2 Regen x 2 Jitterbug) and my work transportable system (1 Regen x 1 Jitterbug).  
  
 For me it was easier to observe the change in my work system as the Jitterbug could be quickly swapped in and out.  I actually believe they made a larger effect on my home rig, but the time required to swap them in and out makes it harder to positively confirm.


----------



## mks100

Apologize in advance for skimming through and not seeing this if someone already posted.  Can it be placed on the DragonTail downstream?  I thought it was intended to be placed at the PC's USB port?  Thanks in advance.


----------



## mks100

Contacted AudioQuest this afternoon.  Either configuration works.


----------



## porridgecup

My desktop PC has 10 USB ports. Obviously I'm not going to buy 10 of these things to stuff every port. Should I only put one in the port horizontally touching the port I use to connect my DAC as well as one for the DAC itself?


----------



## Mediahound

porridgecup said:


> My desktop PC has 10 USB ports. Obviously I'm not going to buy 10 of these things to stuff every port. Should I only put one in the port horizontally touching the port I use to connect my DAC as well as one for the DAC itself?


 

 If it's up to Audioquest, they would have you put one in every USB slot, including your wifi router: https://instagram.com/p/6iMC-rqHcA/?taken-by=_audioquest_


----------



## Krutsch

mediahound said:


> If it's up to Audioquest, they would have you put one in every USB slot, including your wifi router: https://instagram.com/p/6iMC-rqHcA/?taken-by=_audioquest_


 

 No kidding... I enjoy being a subjectivist, sometimes, but this thing is ridiculous.
  
 Bill Low is truly a genius. He understands that if its *only* $49.00 US, people will have to try one and their expectation bias does all the work. But don't stop there; put another one in an unused port - hear the magic?


----------



## Mediahound

krutsch said:


> No kidding... I enjoy being a subjectivist, sometimes, but this thing is ridiculous.
> 
> Bill Low is truly a genius. He understands that if its *only* $49.00 US, people will have to try one and their expectation bias does all the work. But don't stop there; put another one in an unused port - hear the magic?


 

 Exactly. He believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing:  https://youtu.be/mo-MjUuxTUI?t=4m23s


----------



## Krutsch

mediahound said:


> Exactly. He believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing:  https://youtu.be/mo-MjUuxTUI?t=4m23s


 

 Wow... every audiophile on earth should listen to that interview. He's a real salesman.
 Head-Fi'ers on this thread should ensure they have their Jitterbugs plugged in while they watch and listen to Bill tell it like it is...


----------



## IBPhoenix09

porridgecup said:


> My desktop PC has 10 USB ports. Obviously I'm not going to buy 10 of these things to stuff every port. Should I only put one in the port horizontally touching the port I use to connect my DAC as well as one for the DAC itself?


 
  That configuration would work certainly. I'm not sure if, aside from having the first one in signal path, if the placement of the second matters as much. Might be an interesting experiment. Which DAC do you use and are your usb ports all on the same bus(are they all grouped together)? Since the limit is two per bus if your usb ports are on different buses you could theoretically have more than two.


----------



## sheldaze

krutsch said:


> Wow... every audiophile on earth should listen to that interview. He's a real salesman.
> Head-Fi'ers on this thread should ensure they have their Jitterbugs plugged in while they watch and listen to Bill tell it like it is...


 

 I've already unplugged mine, but I do plan to bring it for show-and-tell to a headphone meet


----------



## tgx78

running out of space between my DAC and laptop now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I just got two jitterbugs so no in-depth impressions, but I noticed they lowered the noise floor. 
  
 My Magnepans used to have somewhat greyish background.
 Now with Uptone regen & AQ jitterbugs, my system has blacker background (deeper sound-stage).


----------



## zilch0md

mediahound said:


> Exactly. He believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing:  https://youtu.be/mo-MjUuxTUI?t=4m23s


 
  
 You are grossly misquoting the video for which you provided a link.   LOL


----------



## Mediahound

zilch0md said:


> You are grossly misquoting the video for which you provided a link.   LOL


 

 I dunno, watch the video, make your own decisions about it. Do you think he doesn't believe what he is saying or something?


----------



## zilch0md

Mediahound, 
  


mediahound said:


> I dunno, watch the video, make your own decisions about it. Do you think he doesn't believe what he is saying or something?


 
  
 Previously, you wrote...
  


> He believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing:


 
  
 There is no indication in the video that he believes this.
  
 This is what he actually said, starting at 4m 28s into the video:
  


> Sometimes people buy products that are not as good as what they had before, especially with power filters -most power filters don't sound as good as plugging straight into the wall. Some are better and it does depend on how bad the current is from the wall.
> 
> Some power filters are like a bandage. If you have a wound, a bandage is a good thing. If you don't have a wound, a bandage is a bad thing.
> 
> Uhh, so... A lot of power filters make the sound worse, but it makes a change. So, if the attitude is "change is good," then yes, somebody might put in this thing that makes it sound worse, but in that moment, the change is the permission to stay up all night, rediscovering your music, because the relationship is new. Then, a year later, they take out the filter and they say, "Oh, how could I ever live with that?"


 
  
 In my opinion, he's making an excellent point.
  
 He's certainly _not _saying that "he believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing."
  
 Mike


----------



## Mediahound

zilch0md said:


> In my opinion, he's making an excellent point.
> 
> He's certainly _not _saying that "he believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing."
> 
> Mike


 
  
*"somebody might put in this thing that makes it sound worse, but in that moment, the change is the permission to stay up all night, rediscovering your music, because the relationship is new. Then, a year later, they take out the filter and they say, "Oh, how could I ever live with that?""*
  
 This is pretty much what his entire business is based on. I'm pretty sure he believes this is to be true or he would not have said it.


----------



## castleofargh

mediahound said:


> zilch0md said:
> 
> 
> > In my opinion, he's making an excellent point.
> ...


 
  
 to me the very reason not to buy any of those magic boxes is very much what he said about bandage. if you have no problem it will make things worse. and if there is a problem, people should focus on finding out what it is and change the device that causes it, adding a bandage is never the answer.
  
 that said and me clearly disliking all those stuff pretending to improve sound disregarding what it is plugged into(as if there were cheap universal solutions to improve sound that aren't already in all devices...), what you quoted is just him saying that people's bias can make them happy even when they ruin their sound. he's just stating how things are. and while I'm always trying to get rid of my own biases, it is true that any idea that sound has changed is enough for us to spend the night paying attention to changes and noticing stuff in the music we never noticed before. the difference is us and our mindset, not the sound, but it can indeed be a happy experience. the "I rediscovered my music" thing.^_^
 can't count all the times I set up an EQ, listen to it all night thinking I found the perfect sound, feeling thrilled about it. then next day I wake up, play music and want to puke from how bad my EQ really is ^_^. so I can only agree with him on that part of people.
 as a business, he couldn't ignore such a fact and not try to make money of it. he's not to blame at all, it's his job.
 now I still want to know how a usb crap is supposed to makes the sound warmer without dsp? because that is a false claim or I really missed something.


----------



## zilch0md

mediahound said:


> *"somebody might put in this thing that makes it sound worse, but in that moment, the change is the permission to stay up all night, rediscovering your music, because the relationship is new. Then, a year later, they take out the filter and they say, "Oh, how could I ever live with that?""*
> 
> This is pretty much what his entire business is based on. I'm pretty sure he believes this is to be true or he would not have said it.




Fine, but are you pretty sure, "he believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing?"


----------



## Mediahound

zilch0md said:


> Fine, but are you pretty sure, "he believes even if the product makes your sound worse, it's a good thing?"


 

 Yes, that's exactly what he is saying. IE., put in something that makes your sound worse, and you will enjoy the change and stay up all night listening.


----------



## zilch0md

mediahound said:


> *Yes*, that's exactly what he is saying. IE., put in something that makes your sound worse, and you will enjoy the change and stay up all night listening.




OK, so going on the audio and a transcript of the audio, you're standing by your original statement that "he believes even if the product makes your sound worse, *it's a good thing.*"

I'm done.


----------



## dapla

This thread at AA--
  
 http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=150696
  
 --reports JB measurements taken by HiFi News (no link to test/article cited in the AA post).
  
 There is also some interesting commentary (to me) from AQ and Gordon Rankin regarding design credits.
  
 Measurements taken (per the post) in bold text below: 
  
  
*With a 'standard' 2m usb cable in their rig, rise time was reduced from 22 to 15 nS, with jitter being reduced on the Dragonfly from 220 to 165 pS. Before and after, the square shapes showed the effects of band limiting due to filtration.

 The jitter spectra also showed the differences before and after.*


----------



## Ultrainferno

I just PM'ed Twister but I figure I'd ask here as well. How the heck do I get Jitterbug working if my laptop doesn't even recognize the device.
 I have to say I have a perfectly dead silent, black background when using Jitterbug for the moment though


----------



## Mediahound

ultrainferno said:


> I just PM'ed Twister but I figure I'd ask here as well. How the heck do I get Jitterbug working if my laptop doesn't even recognize the device.
> I have to say I have a perfectly dead silent, black background when using Jitterbug for the moment though


 

 By 'device' do you mean the Jitterbug itself? I don't know the details but perhaps it's transparent and not supposed to be recognized as a device.


----------



## Ultrainferno

mediahound said:


> By 'device' do you mean the Jitterbug itself? I don't know the details but perhaps it's transparent and not supposed to be recognized as a device.


 
  
 The Resonessence labs HERUS is connected to it of course. Should have mentioned that, sorry


----------



## Krutsch

ultrainferno said:


> I just PM'ed Twister but I figure I'd ask here as well. How the heck do I get Jitterbug working if my laptop doesn't even recognize the device.
> I have to say I have a perfectly dead silent, black background when using Jitterbug for the moment though


 
  
 It's pass-through, like a Schitt Wyrd or an iFi iUSBPower. The DAC on the other end is what your laptop "sees".


----------



## Ultrainferno

krutsch said:


> It's pass-through, like a Schitt Wyrd or an iFi iUSBPower. The DAC on the other end is what your laptop "sees".


 
  
 Thanks. That's what I figured, yet with the JB in between it doesn't see my DACs


----------



## magicalmouse

i had this problem using my beresford dac - when the jitterbug was in line the dac would not accept the input, i asked stanley beresford and he said i was using a reclocking chip in the dac (it is the latest firmware) and this was casuing issues as the jitterbug was also reclocking. I have now put the jitterbug in one of the other usb outputs on my laptop.
  
 No problem using the jitterbud with the dragonfly though.


----------



## Ultrainferno

It does work with the Fiio E10K, for a few seconds, then it crashes 
 But I don't even use the Fiio normally
 Oh boy


----------



## Krutsch

magicalmouse said:


> i had this problem using my beresford dac - when the jitterbug was in line the dac would not accept the input, i asked stanley beresford and he said i was using a reclocking chip in the dac (it is the latest firmware) and this was casuing issues *as the jitterbug was also reclocking*. I have now put the jitterbug in one of the other usb outputs on my laptop.
> 
> No problem using the jitterbud with the dragonfly though.


 
  
 I thought all the JitterBug did was provide a filter on the 5v line. It's "re-clocking" the USB data? What does that even mean for async data transfer?


----------



## Mediahound

If it's removing a DAC in the bus from being recognized by the computer, that's no good.


----------



## volly

magicalmouse said:


> i had this problem using my beresford dac - when the jitterbug was in line the dac would not accept the input, i asked stanley beresford and he said i was using a reclocking chip in the dac (it is the latest firmware) and this was casuing issues as the jitterbug was also reclocking. I have now put the jitterbug in one of the other usb outputs on my laptop.
> 
> No problem using the jitterbud with the dragonfly though.


 
 I'll jump in here and say that I'm experience the same issues here, I have my Halide Devilsound dac plugged in to the jitterbug and I've now experienced the issue quite a few times now. A simple restart seems to fix this but sometimes a complete uninstall of the usb driver had to be done. 
  
 I've also experienced the same thing with a similar product from Hifimediy! 
  
 When it's working, I do enjoy the sound much better than without the jitterbug, it becomes that little more pleasurable to listen to than without. Could I do without a jitterbug, sure, but I really like what I hear.
  
 I wonder if people have similar issues with the wyrd or regen?


----------



## bixby

krutsch said:


> I thought all the JitterBug did was provide a filter on the 5v line. It's "re-clocking" the USB data? What does that even mean for async data transfer?


 
 If it works like a hub, there there are at least two clocking schemes involved, one for the usb packet data in the hub and one again in the usb device (in our case a dac).  It is complicated for me to understand all of it and try to explain it.  
  
 So I will stop there, but a trip to the USB org site shows just how freaking complex USB is.  The fact that we get really good sounding audio is amazing.


----------



## Ultrainferno

Just put it in between the ALO CDM and my laptop, and for the first time it works like a charm. Not sure if it sounds better yet, but at least it's working for the first time


----------



## stuartmc

I got my bug today and boy is it buggy in my system. I have a Lenovo ThinkPad as a dedicated music server playing either Tidal or flac files through JRM20. The jitterbug is plugged into the tablets only USB port and the cable runs to a Tanly USB-DDC and then on to my Gustard X20 dac via I2S. Most of the time I get no sound at all. Playing around with resetting things will get it to pass the signal when using Tidal, but it's hit or miss. When I use JRiver I always get sound but it freaks it out - skipping from one song to the next and shutting off and on in a few second intervals. I'm really wondering if I got a defective unit. I can't fathom this level of incompatibility if it is functioning properly.


----------



## zilch0md

Hey Stuart!  
  
 Long time no interface. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I just got my Jitterbug today, too.  
  
 Early on, I was convinced that it was DOA, but despite being an allegedly "passive" device - as Audioquest states on their FAQ page - it did not want me to use my 3-wire, "data only" USB 2.0 cable between itself and the DAC. 
  
 The Jitterbug was a lump of coal, no matter where I tried to use it (multiple ports on two laptops, a desktop PC, or my iPad 3) until I replaced my "data only" USB cable with a "normal" four-conductor USB cable. It's not as passive as they claim, perhaps.
  
 And it still refuses to work with my iPad 3 > CCK.  I think this "passive" device pulls more power than the iPad can deliver. I'll try testing it with a USB Y-cable later, supplying power to the input of the Jitterbug with a 5V LPS, while data comes from the iPad 3 > CCK.
  
 I think that's what you'll have to try to use the Jitterbug with your tablet.  Their FAQ page talks about tying a powered USB hub, if it's misbehaving.  The Jitterbug may be "passive," but it's at least a little bit sensitive to what's upstream as well as what's downstream, or it can lie down and play dead - or have tantrums, as you're seeing.  
  
 To be fair, Audioquest's use of the word "passive" appears to be limited to the context that it doesn't need any special drivers.
  




  
 Mike


----------



## Deftone

mediahound said:


> Do they include the cable? Because I would certainly not want something like this hanging off my usb port (from Audioquest's Instagram):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 this is when audioquest should develop an all in 1 filter,dac and amp because i can see the daisy chain thats going on getting damaged easy.


----------



## stuartmc

Mike, you're like my audio savant! You nailed it again for me with a very cogent post. I was using an uber expensive Audience AU24 dual lead USB cable and apparently it was causing most if not all the problems. I went back to my more conventional Oyaide Neo class S cable and the jitterbug is now working as advertised. This is really weird. The AU24 only separates the power and data into separate jackets, but they are attached conventionally to single connectors at both ends. How the heck does this freak out the jitterbug?

I'm not real happy about it because as much as I hate to admit it, the Audience cable sounds superb compared to the Oyaide-the latter having a flattened stage and more strident treble. I don't know whether the jitterbug will provide enough improvement to overcome the cable difference. I will let it burn in for a few days before I decide. 

I'm getting a Regen in a week or so and maybe that will act like the powered hub AQ mentions. I'll be thrilled if it solves the jitterbug cable problem and yields some audible improvements of its own.


----------



## castleofargh

reading you guys, it seems to be even worst than what I was expecting. and my expectations where somewhere between ferrite bead and snake oil.


----------



## stuartmc

castleofargh said:


> reading you guys, it seems to be even worst than what I was expecting. and my expectations where somewhere between ferrite bead and snake oil.




The jury is still out for me. I need to let it burn in and then do some critical listening. Up until an hour ago I would have placed it between a hardened turd and a paper weight, lol.


----------



## dmbr

Is this essentially the same as the Schiit USB Decrapifier?


----------



## sheldaze

dmbr said:


> Is this essentially the same as the Schiit USB Decrapifier?


 
 No.


----------



## zilch0md

stuartmc said:


> The jury is still out for me. I need to let it burn in and then do some critical listening. Up until an hour ago I would have placed it between a hardened turd and a paper weight, lol.




For me as well. I'm willing to put up with intallation ideosyncracies if the end results are positive. I'm butning it in for comparison with my UpTone Audio USB Regen and in combination with the USB Regen.

I'm glad you got it going, Stuart. 



dmbr said:


> Is this essentially the same as the Schiit USB Decrapifier?




They perform different roles. Audioquest's FAQ page actually recommends using the Jitterbug in combination with the Schiit Wyrd, in some circumstances. See Michael Lavorgna's excellent comparison review: 

http://www.audiostream.com/content/usb-accessory-roundup-uptone-audio-usb-regen-audioquest-jitterbug-schiit-wyrd

Mike


----------



## castleofargh

plz not lavorgna. the guy makes a living of writing about any silly controversies he can think of, in the most out of context ways he can muster to try and make it sensational.
 I would never advise anybody to read that blog seriously.


----------



## Krutsch

castleofargh said:


> plz not lavorgna. the guy makes a living of writing about any silly controversies he can think of, in the most out of context ways he can muster to try and make it sensational.
> I would never advise anybody to read that blog seriously.


 
  
 Agreed. There has to be a balance between "enjoying the hobby" and calling out snake oil; at least, demanding something remotely objective.
  
 This article was one thing, but the previously referenced one from JA really pushed me over the edge: saying that he can't measure any differences, but recommends the product because he can hear the difference. And, this is a guy that has access to TOTL analytical equipment and has the skills to use it. Lavorgna is a complete shill.


----------



## stuartmc

zilch0md said:


> For me as well. I'm willing to put up with intallation ideosyncracies if the end results are positive. I'm butning it in for comparison with my UpTone Audio USB Regen and in combination with the USB Regen.
> 
> I'm glad you got it going, Stuart.




Mike, I just read your comments over on computeraudiophile and we're right on the same page. My preliminary impressions are that the jitterbug makes the whole presentation darker/warmer than before and it sounds an awful lot like the very top end treble has been shelved off. I will have to do more serious listening to determine whether I'm really losing information up there. The bug is still acting like a petulant child in my system, causing frequent dropouts when I use the dual lead Audience USB cable. When it's working, I find the sound to be full bodied and relaxed...rather pleasant, but again, the air and sense of the acoustic environment has apparently diminished.


----------



## XLR8

dmbr said:


> Is this essentially the same as the Schiit USB Decrapifier?



The Schitt claims it will do nothing whilst the jitterbug claims it will do something.
You be the judge.


----------



## Ultrainferno

xlr8 said:


> The Schitt claims it will do nothing whilst the jitterbug claims it will do something.
> You be the judge.


 
  
 What if they both do nothing to me?


----------



## sheldaze

If audio enthusiasts ruled the world:
  

All computers would be fan-less.
All hard drives would be solid state.
USB implementation would be a priority.
  
 The JitterBug and Wyrd _should_ do nothing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 But on a more realistic note, I am thinking of upgrading my MacBook from 2008 (vintage) to something more modern. Is there a site or a thread that specifically talks about the voltage, noise characteristics, etc. of the modern Mac computers? I'd be more inclined to get a Pro over an Air or plain MacBook, if I could be assured of a more stable, clean USB output. Otherwise I'd get the plain MacBook simply to get rid of the fan


----------



## zilch0md

stuartmc said:


> Mike, I just read your comments over on computeraudiophile and we're right on the same page. My preliminary impressions are that the jitterbug makes the whole presentation darker/warmer than before and it sounds an awful lot like the very top end treble has been shelved off. I will have to do more serious listening to determine whether I'm really losing information up there. The bug is still acting like a petulant child in my system, causing frequent dropouts when I use the dual lead Audience USB cable. When it's working, I find the sound to be full bodied and relaxed...rather pleasant, but again, the air and sense of the acoustic environment has apparently diminished.


 
  
 Hi Stuart,
  
 I'm glad you saw what I wrote at computeraudiophile - and that you concur.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 I was headed here this morning to cross-post my impressions.  
  
  Quoting:  http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/uptone-audio-regen-listening-impressions-24078/index65.html#post464014
  


> A quick note regarding the Audioquest Jitterbug in combination with the USB Regen:
> 
> My strongest initial impression, after only 12 hours of burn-in, after inserting the Audiquest Jitterbug into my chain...
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have to add, however, that *after 48 hours of burn-in, I think it's not as bad at shelving the highs as it was just 12 hours in.*  
  
*Even at it worst it wasn't horrible, but when using my HD800 rig, it doesn't improve anything - it only degrades the listening experience by sucking the air out of the highest treble region.*_  _
  
 I've tried it with my LCD-2, which itself is known for having shelved highs and less than stellar resolution - I can say that I don't hear any difference there, at all.
  
 So, as some others have just commented in this thread, it seems the Jitterbug isn't necessary if you have a decently noise-free source.  
  
 My cleanest source, with the lowest noise floor, is my iPad 3 > CCK. Given how the Jitterbug is trying to fix something that doesn't need fixing when I use my laptop as a source, I would consider it to have even less of a role to play with my iPad 3.   So, I've decided to not even bother trying a USB Y-cable and a 5V LPS to see if I can jump-start the Jitterbug on the iPad 3 - where it is otherwise incompatible.
  
  Quoting Michael Lavorgna's earlier Jitterbug review, at http://www.audiostream.com/content/audioquest-jitterbug-usb-data-power-noise-filter#2Jy2cEK87ADvL98F.99 
  


> What we can see is a multi-layered printed circuit board with some resistors, capacitors, inductors, and chokes.
> 
> I did ask for some further information and *received this reply from AQ*:
> 
> ...


 
  
 Re-reading this, I have to say two things:
  
 1) Given how the Jitterbug (doesn't) sound with my HD800, I have to give Audioquest a thumb's up for how transparent it is! Seriously. So far as I can tell, it's extremely benign, overall. And that's a good thing.
  
 2) It might _actually_ be filtering some small amount of noise from my laptop's VBUS, and improving data flow with my USB Regen / DAC, and shielding the USB Regen / DAC from EMI, RFI, and other high-frequency noise. I can tell it's up to _something_ or I wouldn't hear any difference at all. That's pitiful, but true. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Thus, I'm beginning to cut it some slack and will consider keeping it for use on my laptop, to darken my most sibilant recordings, reducing potential HD800 fatigue, if nothing else, but in terms of bang-for-the-buck, it _*feels like*_ a near total loss at the moment - like the air bags in my car - I just don't need them (until I need them).
  
 Mike


----------



## zilch0md

sheldaze said:


> If audio enthusiasts ruled the world:
> 
> 
> All computers would be fan-less.
> ...


 
  
 Hi shldaze,
  
 The Music Servers Forum at computeraudiophile has many more threads discussing the use of a Mac Mini as a music server, but I highly recommend you check them out.  
  
 I don't know if this link will work for you, but I did an Advanced Search for Music Server Forum threads having "macbook" in the title:
  
 http://www.computeraudiophile.com/search.php?searchid=3401844
  
 Mike


----------



## sheldaze

zilch0md said:


> Hi shldaze,
> 
> The Music Servers Forum at computeraudiophile has many more threads discussing the use of a Mac Mini as a music server, but I highly recommend you check them out.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks!
 I was just reading your previous post and will check out more at the link.


----------



## Youth

I can literally hear no improvements with the Jitterbug. I _am _using a DAC with external power though so maybe it only works with USB powered DACs? Either way I'm returning it. Well at least now I can say I have tried it.


----------



## zilch0md

youth said:


> I can literally hear no improvements with the Jitterbug. I _am _using a DAC with external power though so maybe it only works with USB powered DACs? Either way I'm returning it. Well at least now I can say I have tried it.


 
  
 You apparently have a low-noise source. Congrats!  
  
 Your decision to return the Jitterbug has me on the fence again. Thanks for the encouragement. Fifty bucks is fifty bucks.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Mike


----------



## Youth

zilch0md said:


> You apparently have a low-noise source. Congrats!
> 
> *Your decision to return the Jitterbug has me on the fence again. Thanks for the encouragement.* Fifty bucks is fifty bucks.
> 
> ...


 
  
 English is not my native language, can you try and rephrase it so I can better understand?


----------



## zilch0md

youth said:


> English is not my native language, can you try and rephrase it so I can better understand?


 
  
 OK  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 You do not need the Jitterbug.
  
 I am happy for you.
  
 I am thinking about returning my Jitterbug, too.
  
 $50 is a lot of money.
  
 Thank you!
  
 Mike
  
 ("on the fence" = still trying to decide which way to go)


----------



## Music Path

youth said:


> I can literally hear no improvements with the Jitterbug. I _am _using a DAC with external power though so maybe it only works with USB powered DACs? Either way I'm returning it. Well at least now I can say I have tried it.


 
 So indeed you have good usb ports...  You where insecure about it, not long ago. What pc model are you using? Maybie i dont need one of these filters either.


----------



## Mediahound

Interesting that Audioquest recommends using the Schiit Wyrd in conjunction with the Jitterbug. I've read a review that also says the combo is  better than each just by itself. 
  
  


> "One last piece of advice: There is a burgeoning market for high-performance USB hubs. Schiit Audio makes an active USB hub called the WYRD. We have found that the WYRD offers sonic results above and beyond that of the ordinary USB hub."


 
  
 from: http://www.audioquest.com/jitterbug/faqs


----------



## Krutsch

mediahound said:


> Interesting that Audioquest recommends* using the Schiit Wyrd in conjunction with the Jitterbug*. I've read a review that also says the combo is  better than each just by itself.
> 
> from: http://www.audioquest.com/jitterbug/faqs


 
  
 Why would that be?
  
 If the Wyrd (I have one) is all about replacing the 5v power line with linear, regulated power, what would the Jitterbug (I've ordered one) and its power filtering add to that?
  
 I am going to try this, to satisfy the tinkerer in me, but I'm extremely skeptical...


----------



## Mediahound

krutsch said:


> Why would that be?
> 
> If the Wyrd (I have one) is all about replacing the 5v power line with linear, regulated power, what would the Jitterbug (I've ordered one) and its power filtering add to that?
> 
> I am going to try this, to satisfy the tinkerer in me, but I'm extremely skeptical...


 

 I have no idea really . Maybe the Jitterbug is a filter and the wyrd is a cleaner so perhaps they do different things and work well together.


----------



## zilch0md

*Audioquest told Michael Lavorgna that the Jitterbug was designed to do the following:*
  
  Quoting  http://www.audiostream.com/content/audioquest-jitterbug-usb-data-power-noise-filter#2Jy2cEK87ADvL98F.99 
  


> I did ask for some further information and *received this reply from AQ*:
> 
> 
> > > > We had three primary design goals for JitterBug:
> ...


 
  
  
*Schiit Audio says the Wyrd was designed to do the following:*
  
  Quoting http://schiit.com/products/wyrd
  


> Simply put,* it cleans up the USB connection to your DAC, repeating the packets with precision clocking and providing pure, clean 5V power from a 100% linear power supply.*


 
  
 So, yes, there does seem to be a lot of overlap, and yet...
  
*Audioquest recommends the Wyrd as a solution for Jitterbug owners who are having this problem, as discussed in the Jitterbug FAQ:*
  


> *If your DAC doesn’t enumerate (visibly appear in the OS settings), or if you experience severe and obvious levels of distortion, adding an active USB hub will more than likely repair the issue.* Active USB hubs have an active hub controller. This hub controller buffers and often reclocks the bi-directional communication between host (computer) and peripheral (DAC). This controller will rectify any communication issues that may be preventing your DAC from working with a JitterBug/computer combination. Here is an example of an excellent active USB hub: CLICK HERE.
> 
> On the surface, adding a USB hub may seem like a hassle, but it can also be seen as an additional opportunity to upgrade the overall performance of a computer-audio system. Many customers have reported that adding an active USB hub improved the sound of their system, with the only drawback being the need for an additional USB cable. In the event that you need to add a hub, be sure to add a USB cable that is identical to the one already in your system, thus ensuring signal continuity and optimal performance. Also keep in mind that, in general, for this particular application, shorter cables will offer better performance.
> 
> *One last piece of advice: There is a burgeoning market for high-performance USB hubs. Schiit Audio makes an active USB hub called the WYRD. We have found that the WYRD offers sonic results above and beyond that of the ordinary USB hub. For more information on this product,* CLICK HERE.


 
  
 It's as if Audioquest only sees value in the Wyrd acting as an active USB hub.  
  
*The larger point, however, is that Audioquest doesn't appear to be recommending the Wyrd for use with the Jitterbug, unless your DAC is failing to appear in the OS settings, where many active hubs might do the trick, but they find the Wyrd to be particularly good.*
  
 Mike


----------



## Mediahound

zilch0md said:


> *The larger point, however, is that Audioquest doesn't appear to be recommending the Wyrd for use with the Jitterbug, unless your DAC is failing to appear in the OS settings, where many active hubs might do the trick, but they find the Wyrd to be particularly good.*
> 
> Mike


 
  
 Actually,
  


mediahound said:


> "AudioQuest’s Steve Silberman, orchestrator of the JitterBug, told me in Berlin that he can no longer listen to his home system without Schiit’s Wyrd USB de-crapifier in the chain."
> 
> from: http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/06/t-h-e-show-newport-2015-multi-bit-from-multi-schiit/


 
  
 I'm assuming he probably also uses a Jitterbug but can't be certain of that. It is certain that he uses a Wyrd though.


----------



## Krutsch

^^ That's helpful, Thanks!


----------



## sheldaze

Okay, so this is a pairing I've got to hear!
 Is it JitterBug into Wyrd, or Wyrd into JitterBug. I want to make sure I get the optimal setup


----------



## zilch0md

sheldaze said:


> Okay, so this is a pairing I've got to hear!
> Is it JitterBug into Wyrd, or Wyrd into JitterBug. I want to make sure I get the optimal setup


 
  
 I'm not endorsing this - just answering your question...  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 USB Source > Wyrd > Jitterbug > DAC
  
 And while you're experimenting...
  
 USB Source > Wyrd > Jitterbug > USB Regen > DAC


----------



## zilch0md

mediahound said:


> Of note:
> 
> "AudioQuest’s Steve Silberman, orchestrator of the JitterBug, told me in Berlin that he can no longer listen to his home system without Schiit’s Wyrd USB de-crapifier in the chain."
> 
> from: http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/06/t-h-e-show-newport-2015-multi-bit-from-multi-schiit/


 
  
 Audioquest and Schiit should both put that on their FAQ pages.  (They seem to have a handshake going...)


----------



## sheldaze

zilch0md said:


> I'm not endorsing this - just answering your question...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Unfortunately your suggestion is producing a much more listenable sound than straight from *USB Source > Jitterbug > DAC*. Perhaps my poor 2008 MacBook source was not providing enough "oomph" to deal with, well, whatever additional load the Jitterbug was placing on the digital pathway? I'll have to sit and stew on this sound for a few, perhaps try a few different DAC to see how each reacts. Hmm...
  
 Jitterbug still sounds like just a frequency filter of some sort, to my ears. The clap sounds are less crisp.
  
 EDIT: Nevermind - the second DAC refused to "boot". The lights on my Geek Out V2 never started. That is, not even trying to connect to my laptop, the Wyrd, which has two lights on the front indicating that USB is connected in and out. But with the GOv2, the second light did not show until I removed the Jitterbug. Jitterbug goes back into the closet.


----------



## stuartmc

sheldaze said:


> Unfortunately your suggestion is producing a much more listenable sound than straight from *USB Source > Jitterbug > DAC*. Perhaps my poor 2008 MacBook source was not providing enough "oomph" to deal with, well, whatever additional load the Jitterbug was placing on the digital pathway? I'll have to sit and stew on this sound for a few, perhaps try a few different DAC to see how each reacts. Hmm...
> 
> Jitterbug still sounds like just a frequency filter of some sort, to my ears. The clap sounds are less crisp.




And mine keeps acting like the redheaded step child. Sometimes works, sometimes not at all. I got my Regen today and I was hoping that the jitterbug would settle down in combination with it.....nope, still a stinker.


----------



## sheldaze

stuartmc said:


> And mine keeps acting like the redheaded step child. Sometimes works, sometimes not at all. I got my Regen today and I was hoping that the jitterbug would settle down in combination with it.....nope, still a stinker.


 
 Yeah, I was in edit mode. Jitterbug failed on my 2nd DAC selection


----------



## Mediahound

sheldaze said:


> Jitterbug still sounds like just a frequency filter of some sort, to my ears. The clap sounds are less crisp.


 
  
 Hmm, that doesn't sound good if it's just filtering out information.


----------



## bixby

sheldaze said:


> Unfortunately your suggestion is producing a much more listenable sound than straight from *USB Source > Jitterbug > DAC*. Perhaps my poor 2008 MacBook source was not providing enough "oomph" to deal with, well, whatever additional load the Jitterbug was placing on the digital pathway? I'll have to sit and stew on this sound for a few, perhaps try a few different DAC to see how each reacts. Hmm...
> 
> Jitterbug still sounds like just a frequency filter of some sort, to my ears. The clap sounds are less crisp.
> 
> EDIT: Nevermind - the second DAC refused to "boot". The lights on my Geek Out V2 never started. That is, not even trying to connect to my laptop, the Wyrd, which has two lights on the front indicating that USB is connected in and out. But with the GOv2, the second light did not show until I removed the Jitterbug. Jitterbug goes back into the closet.


 
 Actually you may be pleasantly surprised at the sound upgrade and not need all that stuff in the usb chain if you move up to a Mac mini.  I thought there would not be much difference but to me it was a fairly decent surprise.
  
 Back to tinkering................


----------



## castleofargh

so now it's come to the point where the more you plug, the merrier... because we all know about that famous electronic law that says, "add more components the noise will go down".
 soon you'll have some guys telling you all about how using a usb to optical then optical to spdif then back to usb with 2 or 3 hubs added to regen+wyrd+jitterbug is the only way to get good usb sound.
  
 and meanwhile nobody really knows what it's actually doing to the signal(except apparently messing with it enough or changing the voltage for some DACs to have trouble talking to the computer). marvelous!


----------



## sheldaze

bixby said:


> Actually you may be pleasantly surprised at the sound upgrade and not need all that stuff in the usb chain if you move up to a Mac mini.  I thought there would not be much difference but to me it was a fairly decent surprise.
> 
> Back to tinkering................


 
 I agree, 100%. In my living room setup, what do I have - Apple Mac mini and GMB. And how do I connect these - Amazon Basics USB cable 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Back to tinkering with my portable play stuff...


----------



## mrscotchguy

zilch0md said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




...or the value of now requiring you to purchase two high-end cables :evil:


----------



## zilch0md

In the interest of demystifying things...
  
 Here's UpTone Audio's Alex Crespi explaining what the USB Regen does:
  
  Quoting http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/uptone-audio-regen-listening-impressions-24078/index68.html#post465160
  


> Just as reminder to those just joining, the REGEN performs 2 completely separate functions:
> 
> 1) For the data it produces a entirely new USB signal of high integrity (that's rise-time, amplitude, edge-jitter, noise, etc.--all the stuff seen with an eye-pattern test) and proper impedance match--right at the input of the DAC so that the DAC's own USB input PHY chip and processor stay "calm" and generate less ground-plane and packet-noise INSIDE the DAC. This is the big thing that differentiates the REGEN from all other current devices.
> 
> 2) For the USB power side we completely ignore the 5V coming in on pin 1 of the USB cable and use the best-in-class 1A ultra-low-noise regulator, the TI TPS7A4700 along with a ultra-low-ESR 220uF capacitor, etc. to provide clean 5VDC to DACs that require it.


 
  
 Mike


----------



## Mediahound

Received the Jitterbug today.
  
 1. First hooked it up to the Schiit Wyrd output going to my Schiit Gungnir Multibit.
  
 Not much difference at all. Vocals a little bit cleaner/louder. Bass and highs literally no difference but mids seem a bit brighter/louder.  
  
 2. Then moved the Jitterbug  and plugged it directly into the the Mac USB port (which then goes in to the Wyrd).  Still not a major difference, sounds about the same. 
  
 So as near as I can tell at least initially, the Jitterbug slightly improves vocals, by making them sound a little bit cleaner and more pronounced in my system  
  
 If I had to choose just one, the Jitterbug or the Schiit Wyrd,  it would definitely be the Wyrd as that made more of a noticeable improvement to me in terms of cleaning up the sound versus just straight USB into the DAC.
  
 The main take away is that it seems to have increased vocal clarity in my system. 
  
 To make sure I wasn't just hearing things. I tried removing the Jitterbug and changing nothing else. Vocals then sounded a bit more hushed and relaxed. 
  
 I can't necessarily say it sounds worse without the Jitterbug but can say I do hear the vocals a bit clearer with it. 
  
 Note, I have not tried the Jitterbug just by itself and don't plan to.


----------



## kman1211

mediahound said:


> Received the Jitterbug today.
> 
> 1. First hooked it up to the Schiit Wyrd output going to my Schiit Gungnir Multibit.
> 
> ...


 
 Similar to my initial impressions thought I find the differences are not subtle, I found it really brings vocals to life. I personally find there is also an increase of dynamics and things are  a bit fuller overall. Need to spend more time with it.


----------



## dmbr

zilch0md said:


> For me as well. I'm willing to put up with intallation ideosyncracies if the end results are positive. I'm butning it in for comparison with my UpTone Audio USB Regen and in combination with the USB Regen.
> 
> I'm glad you got it going, Stuart.
> They perform different roles. Audioquest's FAQ page actually recommends using the Jitterbug in combination with the Schiit Wyrd, in some circumstances. See Michael Lavorgna's excellent comparison review:
> ...


 thanks


----------



## ADD

I bought a Jitterbug yesterday on a whim. I thought even at $79 here in Australia, I wouldn't be jumping out of a window if it made no difference. Furthermore, I don't use a USB DAC and I had planned to simply stick the thing in - of all places - the USB port I use for my mouse on my PC! So not in any audio or "data" path at all!
  
 After installing it inline with the mouse USB port - and doing absolutely nothing else, I was still expecting it to make absolutely no difference whatsoever. After all, I've been pretty careful building up this PC to work extremely well with music.
  
 Well blow me away it did make a difference - and a noticeable one. Not a big difference but definitely a worthwhile one and one that would likely be noticeable even to a less critical listener (I was listening via my Xonar ST soundcard via headphones).
  
 The most noticeable difference was that I was able to get the same enjoyment and clarity listening at a lower volume - subjectively around 2 - 3 dB lower than without the jitterbug installed. The sound is clearer and more sharply defined but without any side effects. There is just no need to turn the volume up anymore and that takes some getting used to in itself. This especially welcome given I listen to 99% classical where the dynamic range is extremely high and you need to hear everything from a string being struck on a harp 40 feet away to an orchestra playing absolutely flat out.
  
 The other bonus is that the differences between my high resolution 24 bit material and my CD standard material, though still easily noticeable, is not as big as it was before. By that I mean the CD standard material is much more pleasant than it was before - improving more than the 24 bit stuff (which still improves).
  
 I will likely just use the one Jitterbug even though my PC has two USB buses. In any case, unless I start using extension cables the Jitterbug is too large (thick) to be used on a port that is vertically adjacent to another.
  
 So I'm totally and pleasantly surprised by this little gadget. It makes me worry that if things like this can improve the sound of a setup that I have already gone to considerable pains to be as noise-free as possible right from the wall socket, what else is there to tweak...This is certainly by far the most cost-effective tweak I've ever bought.


----------



## IBPhoenix09

add said:


> I bought a Jitterbug yesterday on a whim. I thought even at $79 here in Australia, I wouldn't be jumping out of a window if it made no difference. Furthermore, I don't use a USB DAC and I had planned to simply stick the thing in - of all places - the USB port I use for my mouse on my PC! So not in any audio or "data" path at all!
> 
> After installing it inline with the mouse USB port - and doing absolutely nothing else, I was still expecting it to make absolutely no difference whatsoever. After all, I've been pretty careful building up this PC to work extremely well with music.
> 
> ...


 
 My observations have been similar, Jitterbug has a knack for making a difference in unexpected places. I haven't tested it in a router yet but AudioQuest claims it will make a difference there as well. I take it your mouse draws power from the USB line rather than battery?


----------



## Mediahound

Question - when using the Jitterbug between an iPhone and a car USB (or any other usb for that matter), will the iPhone still charge?
  
 Edit- I tried it, it does charge.


----------



## kman1211

mediahound said:


> Question - when using the Jitterbug between an iPhone and a car USB (or any other usb for that matter), will the iPhone still charge?


 
 It says it does in the instructions and I have found my devices still charge with the jitterbug in-line.


----------



## IBPhoenix09

kman1211 said:


> It says it does in the instructions and I have found my devices still charge with the jitterbug in-line.


 
  
 Confirmed.


----------



## ADD

ibphoenix09 said:


> My observations have been similar, Jitterbug has a knack for making a difference in unexpected places. I haven't tested it in a router yet but AudioQuest claims it will make a difference there as well. I take it your mouse draws power from the USB line rather than battery?


 
  
 Yes, the mouse draws power from the USB only but I am not sure that it matters  if it does draw power or doesn't (at least in my case). The reason is that I also tried it on a different USB port - the USB port I am using for an externally-powered hard drive - and the result was exactly the same as using it in the mouse USB port. So in my case it did not matter if the device connected to the port is self-powered or not.
  
 The only reason I actually picked the mouse port for the Jitterbug was that my mainboard USB layout is such that this is the only port where the Jitterbug will actually fit. I had to temporarily remove a second, identical externally-powered hard drive to the original one even to test it on a different USB port because they are spaced too closely together vertically at the back of the mainboard. So in other words, when all the ports are used in normal use, there is only one left that will accommodate the Jitterbug simply due to the physical layout of the ports at the back of the mainboard together with the dimensions of the Jitterbug.
  
 I suppose that given most people will likely use the Jitterbug on a laptop, the thickness is not so much an issue as the width - and it can fit next to another used port that is horizontally spaced so it doesn't really matter in that situation. But many if not most desktop ATX mainboards have the USB ports stacked vertically as well as horizontally and it is going to depend how heavily utilised those ports are. On my setup, every single USB port on the rear panel is used up bar one - there are eight ports and I have seven of them in permanent use.


----------



## sarora

Two quick measurements with the Jitterbug - both are scope FFT's probed from the output of a JDSLabs C5D Amp/DAC. The wave is a pure 1900 Hz square wave. 
  
*JDSLabs C5D Amp/DAC alone (1900 Hz, Square Wave - FFT, 0-30KHz, Linear Scale):*
  
 http://pitt.edu/~sha57/C5D-1900%20Hz%20Square%20Wave%20-%20FFT%20%5B0-30KHz%2C%20Linear%20Scale%5D.pdf
  
*JDSLabs C5D Amp/DAC with JitterBug (1900 Hz, Square Wave - FFT, 0-30KHz, Linear Scale):*
  
 http://pitt.edu/~sha57/C5D%20%26%20JitterBug%20-%201900%20Hz%20Square%20Wave%20-%20FFT%20%5B0-30KHz%2C%20Linear%20Scale%5D.pdf


----------



## Krutsch

sarora said:


> Two quick measurements with the Jitterbug - both are scope FFT's probed from the output of a JDSLabs C5D Amp/DAC. The wave is a pure 1900 Hz square wave.
> 
> *JDSLabs C5D Amp/DAC alone (1900 Hz, Square Wave - FFT, 0-30KHz, Linear Scale):*
> 
> ...


 

 That's dramatic. Maybe you should share your findings with John Atkinson from Stereophile, who was unable to measure any differences with/without the Jitterbug.


----------



## sarora

krutsch said:


> That's dramatic. Maybe you should share your findings with John Atkinson from Stereophile, who was unable to measure any differences with/without the Jitterbug.


 
 I checked a bit into it - looks like the JitterBug isn't directly compatible with the C5D. With my MacBook which normally recognizes it natively, the JitterBug causes the audio input to (sometimes) depending on - I suspect power usage - to appear as "Bravo-X Audio" which is the controller inside the DAC/AMP. Most of the time, however, it shows up as IO GENERIC BUS and that's what that output FFT (second graph, first is normal) was, hence the odd pattern and unrecognizable waveform. AudioQuest says this is a known issue on "a *few* DAC's" -- however, I tried two controller boards that have built in DAC's (my DDJ-SX2 and a Traktor S4 MK2) -- both were not recognized with the JitterBug. I guess anything that requires power at the USB hub gets kicked by the filters in this device. Already don't like the vibe with it because it seems so artificial for a passive device.
  
 That second FFT graph (I listened to the output just to see what it'd sound like and it sounded like gargled microphonics) is the result of the IO GENERIC BUS output. They recommend using a powered hub in this case, which I have but have not tried. Nevertheless, from what I can find online, it just seems to be a common-mode choke and maybe a low pass filter; it's sort of suspect with their usage recommendations IMO. I have yet to see any improvement, mainly because my DAC's don't work out of the box with this. But I will plug in my powered hub and see how it goes and re-run the FFT's from the scope.


----------



## Mediahound

FYI- I posted my review/impressions of the Jitterbug here:
  
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/audioquest-jitterbug-usb-filter/reviews/14053


----------



## castleofargh

obviously after 2 days you had all the knowledge, understanding and experience needed to write a proper review...


----------



## Mediahound

castleofargh said:


> obviously after 2 days you had all the knowledge, understanding and experience needed to write a proper review...


 

 After just 2 minutes actually. The difference is noticeable right away when you plug it in, and then when you unplug it.


----------



## Youth

mediahound said:


> After just 2 minutes actually. The difference is noticeable right away when you plug it in, and then when you unplug it.


 
  
 Does GMB have external powersupply or is it USB powered?


----------



## Mediahound

youth said:


> Does GMB have external powersupply or is it USB powered?


 

 External. According to the Schiit website: " two transformers (one for digital supplies, one for analog supplies) with 8 stages of regulation, including separate local supplies for critical digital and analog sections."


----------



## Youth

mediahound said:


> External. According to the Schiit website: " two transformers (one for digital supplies, one for analog supplies) with 8 stages of regulation, including separate local supplies for critical digital and analog sections."


 
  
 Interesting. I tried it on my Audio-gd DAC 19 which also has external power supply and didn't notice any difference at all.


----------



## zilch0md

youth said:


> Interesting. I tried it on my Audio-gd DAC 19 which also has external power supply and didn't notice any difference at all.




I've returned my Jitterbug, but I still believe it could do a lot of good in a system that needs it.


----------



## stuartmc

zilch0md said:


> I've returned my Jitterbug, but I still believe it could do a lot of good in a system that needs it.


 
 Mike, I'm still struggling with the Jitterbug used with the Regen connected with hard adapter to my Tanly USB-DDC.  It does slightly effect the sound, but I'm still not sure it is all good.  It seems to be a little quieter/blacker around and behind images, but this may come at the expense of hearing some of the atmosphere - the subtle higher frequency soundscape cues.  It is difficult to tell if these "cues" are real or a high frequency haze or distortion artifact.   Changes in USB cables seem to dwarf the effect of the Jitterbug and my preferred cable, the Audience AU24, doesn't play well with the Jitterbug at all.  I actually prefer the sound of the Au24 Cable, sans Jitterbug, to the sound of the Supra cable with Jitterbug. I have a Forza Audioworks cable coming that is very similar to the AU24 in construction. I will wait and try the Forza with the Jitterbug before I make a final decision.   Geesh, who  have thought this little device was so finicky.


----------



## zilch0md

stuartmc said:


> Mike, I'm still struggling with the Jitterbug used with the Regen connected with hard adapter to my Tanly USB-DDC.  It does slightly effect the sound, but I'm still not sure it is all good.  It seems to be a little quieter/blacker around and behind images, but this may come at the expense of hearing some of the atmosphere - the subtle higher frequency soundscape cues.  It is difficult to tell if these "cues" are real or a high frequency haze or distortion artifact.   Changes in USB cables seem to dwarf the effect of the Jitterbug and my preferred cable, the Audience AU24, doesn't play well with the Jitterbug at all.  I actually prefer the sound of the Au24 Cable, sans Jitterbug, to the sound of the Supra cable with Jitterbug. I have a Forza Audioworks cable coming that is very similar to the AU24 in construction. I will wait and try the Forza with the Jitterbug before I make a final decision.   Geesh, who  have thought this little device was so finicky.


 
  
 Hey Stuart,
  
 You sound as frustrated as I was. Good for you on being so tenacious with giving it chance to prove itself. 
  
 There's a lot to be said for judging a subtle component like the Jitterbug in various combinations with other gear. I tried it "every which way" to no avail. On someone's recommendation, I even tried plugging the Jitterbug into an empty USB port on my TiVo DVR and again, into an available USB port on my smart TV - to no advantage that I could see - despite the other party having seen a big improvement in picture quality. 
  
 In the end, at a cost of $50, it wouldn't take much of an improvement to justify keeping the Jitterbug, but *everyone who is in the least bit curious should ignore what other people are saying about its efficacy in their systems.  Get a Jitterbug and try it in your own system.*  It could actually do some good. Then again, it might not, in which case you can return it or sell it.  It did nothing advantageous for me, no matter where I tried it.  
  
 Mike


----------



## bikutoru

If it somehow it does not work in your setup, you forgot to use a drop of: http://goo.gl/App7PI
 It will most definitely help! It will help even more if you use a drop in each of your ear or any other part of your body you choose.


----------



## conquerator2

And people say it's not a thing!


----------



## Mediahound

My Jitterbug is going back.
  
 While this does seem to improve vocal clarity a bit, I also noticed it slightly decreased overall dynamics and bass impact. If you don't have any issues with your current USB audio, or have another device already such as the Schiit Wyrd which is cleaning up your USB, I would skip this.

 On the plus side, if you don't have anything cleaning your USB yet, the cost of entry of this is low so you can see if it makes any improvement for you without too much risk.
  
 Overall, it just made the sound a bit unnatural and not necessarily as musical with some types of music such as heavy metal/hard rock.


----------



## DEANO2

mediahound said:


> My Jitterbug is going back.
> 
> While this does seem to improve vocal clarity a bit, I also noticed it slightly decreased overall dynamics and bass impact. If you don't have any issues with your current USB audio, or have another device already such as the Schiit Wyrd which is cleaning up your USB, I would skip this.
> 
> ...


----------



## DEANO2

So it would cure people from listening to heavy metal music, usually played at insane levels with the resulting hearing loss in later life. That is a good thing, I'll buy two and give one to my 14 year old neighbour. If it stops him playing that garbage at 12 o'clock at night the rest of the neighbourhood will give me a medal.


----------



## dmbr

Sorry if this has been covered, but when using the Wyrd and Jitterbug together, should the Jitterbug insert into the Wyrd or vice versa?


----------



## sheldaze

dmbr said:


> Sorry if this has been covered, but when using the Wyrd and Jitterbug together, should the Jitterbug insert into the Wyrd or vice versa?


 
 It was posted in post #144. I asked the same question.


----------



## dmbr

Well, bummer. The JB sounds better preceding the Wyrd rather than having it between the Wyrd and DAC...so I guess that means it's only hurting the sound.

The most noticeable thing the Jitterbug seems to do is diminish the richness of the bass.

Using with an Asus Xonar Essence One + Wyrd and Auioquest Forest USB cables.


----------



## DEANO2

zilch0md said:


> Hey Stuart,
> 
> You sound as frustrated as I was. Good for you on being so tenacious with giving it chance to prove itself.
> 
> ...


----------



## zilch0md

deano2 said:


> > Well mine arrives today. I'm going to try it from my computer's USB port to supra 5 m cable to a Regen Amber to my NAD M51 and see what happens. If that proves to be unhappy I'm then going to try it on my Nas empty USB port. And I'm going to give it a try on my AUNE t2 dac/headphone amp. All will be given a long session to allow for burn in. It's a 50 buck item so if doesn't do anything miraculous I won't be screaming the house down or burning it the stake.


 
  
 Good one!  
  
 Yeah, as long as you can return it if necessary, buy and try is the best way to go.


----------



## jcn3

Received my AQJB today. Count me in the group that noticed a significant benefit from this little device.

Noticeable increase in clarity, more precise imaging, deeper soundstage. Haven't tried a Regen or Wyrd, but this is a nice surprise.

Didn't know my little CAPS server was so noisy.


----------



## DEANO2

jcn3 said:


> Received my AQJB today. Count me in the group that noticed a significant benefit from this little device.
> 
> Noticeable increase in clarity, more precise imaging, deeper soundstage. Haven't tried a Regen or Wyrd, but this is a nice surprise.
> 
> Didn't know my little CAPS server was so noisy.


That's where mine ended up to. And it worked a treat. Well worth it.


----------



## dmbr

I'm baffled by the disparity of responses.

Degrades SQ for me...improves for you? Is my setup just cleaner? I do get improvements from the iUSB and the iFi Mercury and Gemini cables, so why not Jitterbug?


----------



## sheldaze

Don't forget that it may simply drop the connection between the computer and USB DAC 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 It's a case of definite YMMV.


----------



## gus6464

What if you connect a Jitterbug into another Jitterbug into another Jitterbug? Will it do inception on itself?


----------



## bikutoru

gus6464 said:


> What if you connect a Jitterbug into another Jitterbug into another Jitterbug? Will it do inception on itself?


 

 I'd be expecting something like this: http://comedycentral-nl.mtvnimages.com/south_park_humancentipad.jpg


----------



## Ultrainferno

I finally got to publishing my Jitterbug article. Some might like it, some might not...


----------



## georgelai57

Is it real, or "bah humbug"? 
Here's Headfonia's review http://www.headfonia.com/review-audioquest-jitterbug-usb-magic/


----------



## Mediahound

Something I encourage is if you have the Jitterbug and like it and have been using it for a while, take it out of the chain and then listen again. I did exactly this and immediately found the music was more dynamic, more bass impact, and less purely vocal forward with it out.
  
 I got rid of the Jitterbug.


----------



## bixby

mediahound said:


> Something I encourage is if you have the Jitterbug and like it and have been using it for a while, take it out of the chain and then listen again. I did exactly this and immediately found the music was more dynamic, more bass impact, and less purely vocal forward with it out.
> 
> I got rid of the Jitterbug.


 
 Sounds similar to what I heard in a number of systems.  My notes on the most recent listening.
  
_Heard two jitterbugs in my friends system today.  Sounded the worst I could remember.  No life, most spatial cues gone, everything rounded off, no air, and sandy female vocals.  Really rich though like someone turned on the loudness button and turned the treble down._
 
_Wow!_


----------



## Krutsch

ultrainferno said:


> I finally got to publishing my Jitterbug article. Some might like it, some might not...


 
  
  


georgelai57 said:


> Is it real, or "bah humbug"?
> Here's Headfonia's review http://www.headfonia.com/review-audioquest-jitterbug-usb-magic/


 
  
 Enjoyable review. Thanks for sharing.
  
 FWIW, I use my JB with a portable Sony DAC/amp (PHA-1A) when traveling and I think it helps that device.


----------



## VGoghs earfrmsc

Would using a 1 Metre USB extension cord, rather than going directly into USB port itself, improve matters?  I mean without the JB by this.
 I don't have one to try myself.


----------



## prerich45

I'm using a JB in my HTPC and the improvement was instantaneous!  First of all you can't hear the mouse track any more (the stupid jittery sound a mouse makes when its moved).  System is now dead quiet! I have very high efficiency speakers - dynamic range is one of their advantages - but also as a disadvantage - they will pick up any noise that's in the system.  The JitterBug got rid of every bit of noise!!!!! Total silence when there is no program playing.  That's worth the $48 alone!!!!!


----------



## sling5s

I tried my dacport slim out of the macbook pro and it sounds splashy and thin compared to iPhone with cck.  
 May give the jitterbug a try.


----------



## Shawnb

I just ordered 2 of these, hope to use it with my Regen. Will be interesting to see how they compare and how well they work together
  
 Now if only my Pulse would ship....


----------



## Pilotter

Hi,
  
 Have a Jitterbug installed between my iMac and my V90-HPA (Musical Fidelity). Use DAC only, amp is Asgard 2.
 I use an ordinary USB cable. My question is, does the Audioquest Jitterbug sort of upgrade my USB cable?
 Or is there still an interest in replacing it (my budget $30-40). Audible difference? Thanx!


----------



## 397324

Hi
  
 Just tried my new Jitterbug using Foobar2000 in Windows 10. Foobar is set to WASAPI event mode and the DAC is a FiiO X5 2nd Gen in DAC mode. The playback always stops after a few seconds with Foobar coming up with an "unknown error".
  
 I've tried both UBS 3.0 and 2.0 ports, as well as removing my wireless mouse.
  
 Anyone else encountered this problem?
  
 Regards
  
 Darren


----------



## dmbr

Have you tried adjusting the buffer?


----------



## 397324

Hi
  
 Thanks for the suggestion. I altered it from 1000 to 2000 with no success.
  
 Regards
  
 Darren


----------



## Miksu

I've been using (one) JitterBug for couple of months and I'm not quite sure what it does to sound. It seems to make music a little clearer and easier to listen. Less "digital sounding" at high frequencies. 
  
 Some listener are saying it makes sound darker and are not liking it. I wonder why no one has thought the reason why JitterBug would make sound darker.
  
 Well if you think of - let's say - a 100hz sine wave and add or remove a bit from the signal, what it will cause? It'll cause some sort of distortion at HIGHER frequencies, not low frequencies. So when this happens with music signal, you would think that the caused distortion at higher frequencies sounds as there is more energy there. When you remove the distortion, the music will have less energy at higher frequencies and thus will sound darker.
  
 But how anyone can prefer the "brighter" sound, I wonder? Maybe a fault in an other part of the equipment chain, for which the "added brightness" will compensate somehow?


----------



## CFGamescape

Jitterbug did not make any difference in my system at all. Returned.


----------



## RyuX84

I finally also bought a Jitterbug and couldn't wait to test it.
  
 I plugged it into my USB port and plugged in the cable with the DAC.... hmm nothing. Windows will not recognize my Device. Tried a different port, same problem, tried the last available port which supports a higher current - the DAC was detected but with the standard cable i had an awful distortion! I tried another 28AWG Cable and the device then played "normally".
  
 So i researched a little bit and then decided to open up the jitterbug and have a closer look. I saw some choke coils on the PCB and removed the last one on the 5V line - bridged the connections and tried plugging in my DAC again... it worked on all ports !!
  
 So what i will do next is.. i order a "better" choke coil früm Wurth Elektronik (WE-SL5) and will try my luck with this one. I also remove the USB connector and will solder a 20AWG sync+data cable directly to the PCB with silver solder and keep the cable as short as possible (around 10cm).
  
 I will update you with the progress.
  
 For those who had good luck with their device from scratch - good for you, but at least i now have a new project to mess around with


----------



## Krutsch

ryux84 said:


> I finally also bought a Jitterbug and couldn't wait to test it.
> 
> I plugged it into my USB port and plugged in the cable with the DAC.... hmm nothing. Windows will not recognize my Device. Tried a different port, same problem, tried the last available port which supports a higher current - the DAC was detected but with the standard cable i had an awful distortion! I tried another 28AWG Cable and the device then played "normally".
> 
> ...


 

 Or, you could just throw it the trash and go back to enjoying your music, which is what I did with mine.


----------



## vapman

those of you who received Jitterbugs that short themselves out should be demanding refunds from the manafacturer IMO. there is obviously no quality assurance at all if units which by design short themselves out are shipping.


----------



## RyuX84

vapman said:


> those of you who received Jitterbugs that short themselves out should be demanding refunds from the manafacturer IMO. there is obviously no quality assurance at all if units which by design short themselves out are shipping.


 
 Yeah well i have to admit when opening the device and looking at the PCB layout and the components i was disappointed. The 5V Line runs on the same side of the double layered PCB as the Data Lines (which is counterproductive) and the choke SMD is not allowing enough current to pass through for some devices (like my DX80) to be recognized by Windows. Thats why i am trying to mod it a little bit. Of course the parts and the PCB etc. are maybe only worth $ 5 ... but hey how often did audiophiles pay 100 or 1000s of $ for some subtle change...
  
 I even start thinking that those "improvements" on some audiophile equipment are not measurable because they happen somewhere in the quantum field (quantum physics) haha


----------



## roamling

I got two JItterbugs today and put them in the back of my Vortexbox, one for the USB cable feeding my ifi micro iDSD and the other Bug went into an empty USB port. I dont even know what happened but something did happen. The soundstage was deeper and i could hear more instrument separation straight away. It all sounded a bit more livelier and more engaging.
  
 So I am not going to take the Jitterbugs in and out and try to compare what happens with only one or none, i just leave them were they are. Th only thing I can tell for sure is that the sound in my system seems to benefit, so I am happy with that... time will tell.


----------



## manishex

Would it help my audio GD DAC with USB32? I don't have anything else cleaning the signal except my gigabyte motherboard which has a special USB port for DACs for fluctuations


----------



## ahendler

The Jitterbug did nothing for my Master 7. with the USB32. The two things that did the most were a Melodius USB converter and the Intona galvanic isolater.
 Alan


----------



## xaznxeclipsex

Bought the jitterbug at bestbuy last night, it filled my powered speakers full of static sound. Same with my headphone dac/amp. Going to return it tonight.


----------



## PANURUS (Apr 16, 2018)

I prefer ferrite on usb cable.


----------



## RyuX84

So i finished my small little project because the Jitterbug had some issues in its original state:

my DAC was not recognized by Windows when connected VIA jitterbug
on one port it was working but the sound was distorted
  
 So i decided to have a look at the PCB and furthermore decided to replace the choke inductor with higher quality parts from würth elektronik.
 After that i resoldered everything with silver solder and soldered a silver conductor cable directly to the PCB with proper shielding and a short cable length.
  
 Now i have a real improvement!
  
 Tomorrow i will also make a similar cable, same length, same conductor without the jitterbug for a head on head comparison.


----------



## leeperry

dang those bugs sound bad IME, really bad lol "look ma' no more transients I'm so awesome"


----------



## canali

thought i'd share.
  
 seems from the look of the 2 presentations (see links below) at the recent CES by Audioquest,
 that the popularity of the Jitterbug is causing them to investigate developing more products related to line conditioning and signal integrity.
  
 also at the beginning of the 2nd quarter there will be 2 new Dragonflys
 (with upgradeable firmware) along with a blue tooth (beetle) dac.
  
 the first (vimeo) link is by the ever informative John Darko during their official release during CES 2016
  
https://vimeo.com/151709852
  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUj4SAhm6RY
 interesting interview with the president on these products and aims.
  
http://www.stereophile.com/content/audioquest-bugs-out-new-dragonfly-black-dragonfly-red-and-beetle-dacs
  
 enjoy!


----------



## castleofargh

well the reasons of the jitterbug success were false claim and cheap price. you can never go wrong in marketing when you can get a product with those 2 at once. I'm sure most of the purchases were from people who were a little curious and thought "what the hell it's so cheap, I will just try one".


----------



## canali

castleofargh said:


> well the reasons of the jitterbug success were false claim and cheap price. you can never go wrong in marketing when you can get a product with those 2 at once. I'm sure most of the purchases were from people who were a little curious and thought "what the hell it's so cheap, I will just try one".


 
 have you ever considered sharing those thoughts with audioquest,
 given you're confident of your claims against theirs?
  
 it would be most interesting to hear their reply


----------



## castleofargh

http://www.head-fi.org/t/777003/review-of-audioquest-jitterbug-usb-data-power-noise-filter#post_11834189
 you believe there is a credible answer to the claim of warmth when dealing with passive components in the digital signal path?


----------



## canali

castleofargh said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/777003/review-of-audioquest-jitterbug-usb-data-power-noise-filter#post_11834189
> you believe there is a credible answer to the claim of warmth when dealing with passive components in the digital signal path?


 
 i'm not a technician.....listening to a source, as we all well know on here, can be very subjective.
  
 and if you do have a very competent tech background, then i think it's fair to put your refutation out to audioquest:
 if the jitterbug is a smoke and mirrors BS gadget, then let them respond accordingly to your argument.
  
  I'd like to think that they have a pretty good reputation and thus, hopefully,
 aren't trying to mislead and swindle their clients into buying one of their lesser $$ products with a 
_'what the hell, it's cheap...not much of a risk here' _attitude.  
 maybe you're right, castleofargh. I don't know.
  
 i think skeptics like you play a very good and integral role for the rest of us with little or no tech backgrounds,
 doing the pseudo science policing.
  


 USB Data & Power Noise Filter Dual Discrete Noise-Dissipation Circuits

Reduces the noise and ringing that plague both the data and power lines of USB ports
Measurably reduces jitter and packet errors
Improves dynamic contrast, warmth and resolution


----------



## castleofargh

they're not selling snake oil, the product does something, and while we could debate how useful it is on most systems, it's still something. a filter for the 5V makes a lot of sense if your DAC doesn't seem to do it well(=bad DAC IMO, a DAC should be built thinking that it will be plugged into dirty usb sometimes), but a low pass filter on the data path? in my head all you can do with a low pass is to turn almost square wave signal into more curvy stuff. that's pretty much what all expensive high speed USB cables try to prevent. so it makes me wonder.
 still speed isn't a problem with most digital audio signals, and maybe that ends up making the DAC chip to do something differently(maybe slower rise makes for less ringing at the top that may or may not matter). I really have no idea. but then are we supposed to avoid usb cables that allow for higher speeds to connect audio gears? ^_^ that could be a fun conclusion.
  
 but the point is, they really do something for both the data and the power source.
 now I still stand by my post about the warmth statement. IMO marketing went too far with this. measurable stuff, I trust they did and it's fine. warmth though?  even more so after reading the stereophile measurements for jitter. now I really have no idea how that would be possible.


----------



## milosingh

But if they claim it will help you in many/most cases especially with the more expensive stuff, then it is snake oil.


----------



## castleofargh

IDK. I call everything you stick between a computer and a DAC a "magic box", that's how little love I have for those band aid solutions. there isn't one of those products that couldn't be integrated into a DAC, so if I go with the axiom that DAC engineers aren't idiots. if such solution had universal benefit, they would use it in their products right? like galvanized stuff, external power supply, reclocking, noise filtering attempts etc etc. all could help for some problems or not(some might actually degrade the fidelity in some cases). so overall, I go with the idea that if a DAC needs one of those stuff to perform well, and it doesn't have it, then maybe the guy who made the DAC wasn't all that good.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 that's how I think, I would sooner change my DAC, or maybe if the computer was really super sucky, get a new usb card or get into a solution that doesn't use USB(optical?), than buy those usb add-ons(and I posted the same kind of rant on the wyrd's topic and a few others, I'm not focused on this little guy, I really just dislike them all ^_^).
  
 now just like the wyrd, and other stuff, it's perfectly possible to have one such DAC that I would judge defective with average to poor USB, and get a real improvement with a magic box. so is it still snake oil when it does help a few guys? I don't feel that way. to me snake oil is a placebo and never does anything.
 the main problem with those products is how much the general information we get can be divorced from the possible impacts it would have on most systems. when a car has a tire problem, the repair guy will surely try to sell you a lot of useless replacements, but he won't start telling you to add 4 more tires because the car will work better with 8 wheels, or a second oil tank. nobody works like that, we look for the problem and we replace the defective part. only when people absolutely refuse to change their system even though it has problems, should they maybe look into band aids. that's when those products make the most sens IMO. but they're at best solutions for specific problems, not magical sound upgrading boxes. that much is sure.
  
 maybe people are to blame for so often seeking solutions to problems they don't have? ^_^


----------



## canali

castleofargh said:


> IDK. I call everything you stick between a computer and a DAC a "magic box", that's how little love I have for those band aid solutions. there isn't one of those products that couldn't be integrated into a DAC, so if I go with the axiom that DAC engineers aren't idiots. if such solution had universal benefit, they would use it in their products right? like galvanized stuff, external power supply, reclocking, noise filtering attempts etc etc. all could help for some problems or not(some might actually degrade the fidelity in some cases). so overall, I go with the idea that if a DAC needs one of those stuff to perform well, and it doesn't have it, then maybe the guy who made the DAC wasn't all that good.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 and i think this is a very interesting area, given we're all into wanting music to sound better.
  
 castleofargh: does your op/analysis (if i read it correctly) equally apply to the
 iF purfier
 ...or to the usb retrogen? 
 http://uptoneaudio.com/products/usb-regen
 http://uptoneaudio.com/pages/j-swenson-tech-corner
  
*it gets confusing because you also get respectable reviewers giving positive reviews of these products.*
  
*Darko,  for instance, *seems to feel some of these conditioners can make somewhat of a difference:
  
 http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/05/on-the-road-with-the-audioquest-jitterbug/
  
 http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/11/from-earth-to-jupiter-ifi-ipurifier-takes-usb-audio-further/
  
 excerpt: 
  
_The* iPurifier *will (more likely than not) improve the sound of your digital audio system in almost every respect: more resolving, wider and deeper soundstage, airy on good quality records. That sums to greater emotional wallop and more comfort. I remain astonished by one human being’s genius to create such miniature thing with an ability to change the sound to such a degree. Highly recommended, especially for use in an entry-level system *between DAC and computer!* Worth the US$99? You know it._
_http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/05/on-the-road-with-the-audioquest-jitterbug/_
  
 excerpt: 
  
_The tiny *JitterBug *ain’t full o’ *****:_
_it brings greater vivacity to the midrange, improves on the Astell&Kern’s already respectable talents with separation, most notably cleaving more space around bass notes that now go deeper. Simply put: music played via the AK120 II sounds both more spirited and less synthetic when JitterBugged._
_I’ve encountered improvements of a similar nature when reviewing LessLoss DFPC power cables, iFi’s USB power filter and Antipodes Audio music servers. Removing electrical noise makes music sound more natural, more believable._
_The magnitude of the JitterBug’s enrichment is comparable to adding Amarra (US$35+) or Audirvana+ (US$74) to iTunes or having an m2Tech hiFace 2 (US$219) intercede between computer USB output and DAC coaxial input. JitterBug’s pricing here is keener still._
_In fact, I’ve heard DAC deltas smaller than those heard between the AK120 II with and without JitterBug – yes, the message here is that simple and at a the US$49 asking, the risks of buy-before-you-try are suitably low._
*again, i'm no techie, just trying to figure it all out: balancing manufacturer claims against people who've used/critiqued them.*


----------



## castleofargh

well you have my general opinion in my last post. people who have problems should look for the best solution to their problem. people who don't even know if they have a problem shouldn't aimlessly look for an imaginary one hoping to get lucky.
 if you have a nice soundcard you can RMAA your system for starters to check if something is really wrong with the output signal. but more often than not the DAC will still be ay better than everything else in the chain.


----------



## trung224

I have tried the Jitterbug (JB) for 14 days before returned it back. For me, among the 3 USB decraptifier I have used (JB, Regen and Wyrd), it is the one which depends most on system. The problems with JB is that it make the treble duller and enhances mid bass and low mid, in addition, it lower the soundstage' height, If your system is bright, you can easily recognize the effect of JB. But if your system is "warm", so the JB effect will be hardly to notice.
    For my taste, the effect JB brings make my system sound worse (unlike the Regen) so I returned them


----------



## canali

castleofargh said:


> well you have my general opinion in my last post. people who have problems should look for the best solution to their problem. people who don't even know if they have a problem shouldn't aimlessly look for an imaginary one hoping to get lucky.
> if you have a nice soundcard you can RMAA your system for starters to check if something is really wrong with the output signal. but more often than not the DAC will still be ay better than everything else in the chain.


 
  
 thanks...and as you well know this area is nebulous: how to determine if 'the problem' exist and where does it originate: is it with our hardware...software...or headphones...etc.
  
 so i appreciate your imput...i just put my links out there as this doesn't seem to be a hard and fast science...yet if not careful, we can spend
 needless money on an 'imaginary' solution.
 cheers!


----------



## Stanley chin

I think this is not really necessery if you have a good dac.Most dac also will remove the noise in sound processor.But maybe work very well with its dragonfly DAC


----------



## music_man

i am dealing with dacs at the level that should not require anything like this. i put it after the ifi ipurifier and iusb 3.0. sound improved once again i think i will put one on every usb device as these are cheap. the dragon tail is very nice as well and i recommend anyone get it rather than just plug this in the socket. only because it could possibly break a port if you band it around. of course people use thumb drives etc. probably sounds better direct in fact unless the dragon tail is imparting some nice sound as well. i am running 5 meters of their best usb cable too. this is well worth the small change. you would be surprised that with good dacs these type of things should not make a difference but they often do. some things in audio you simply cannot explain. no change on scope whatsoever but i do hear it. even with the ifi gear behind it. it is not shkti stones this is real. what does anyone have to lose for 40 bucks here. in fact the price is very fair. the ifi gear is much more money. i think people would be happy with just one of these though..


----------



## macdevign

Recently I acquired a Jitterbug to be connected to Schiit Wyrd then to Eximus Dac. Putting a jitterbug before Wyrd is no-no as the sound loses dynamic and power , and music sounds smear and overly warm. However using Jitterbug alone makes the sound becomes more natural and slower as well with harshness and brightness greatly reduced, at the expense of high  frequency details and treble sparkle.


----------



## 397324

I tried a Jitterbug on two Windows 10 computers connected to a FiiO X5ii in DAC mode. The software I used was Foobar 2000, but I did try others. On both systems, the playback would stop with an error reported by the music playing software.
  
 Neither the UK retailer or Audioquest seemed overly worried about helping me, so I sold it. Won't be purchasing any Audioquest products again.


----------



## music_man

plug your usb cable straight in the fiio then unplug it and use the jitterbug. should work then.


----------



## catalystcc

Couldn't hear any difference at all with my Hugo > IE800


----------



## V1001

The Jitterbug was the first real tweak I bought for my USB. Believe me I was skeptical. And I always hate putting anything more in the signal path. So I was a little reluctant to start and had my doubts. But for $50 I'm willing to try it. And I think being closed minded and stubborn does no good in the end if there are paths that can lead to a better sound. 
  
 So I got it one day, hooked it up.....and....didn't like it. Didn't seem to do much, maybe even made it worse. Flatter soundstage maybe. I don't know, I didn't do extensive testing. It didn't grab me so I wasn't going to bother with it. Instead of returning it I threw it on my USB hub line with all my wireless peripherals and things. Then just forgot about it. But to be honest I think it's possible it helped in that configuration, aftert that I seemed a little more content with my system. But I didn't do any a/b testing so who knows. So there it sat forgotten. 
  
 Learning about the jitterbug got me looking at other options. That's when I found the USB Regen by Uptone Audio. I decided to try one more time with this USB tweaking thing. After I hooked that up, WOW that was a big difference and some of the best money I've spent. Made me take a whole other look at the poor quality of USB transmission. At least coming from a computer as the source. 
  
 So everything sat for a while like that. And I was happy. 
  
 Then I started to take another look at my system. All my wireless was attached to my computer (which is my audio and usb source), and shoved right next to my high end amps and DAC. My wireless mouse receiver, my wireless keyboard, my WiFi antennas. All in a box bouncing around signals all over. That can't possibly be good for any of that. Plus my wifi wasn't very good in there. So I wanted to move it all outside the cabinet. And also away from all my other gear. 
  
 Hang in there I'm getting back to the Jitterbug soon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
 So I bought a really nice powered USB  3 hub and a really good Wifi adapter. Moved it all out of the cabinet and away from my audio. That all honestly helped. The background was darker and seemed to have cleaner, better sound. The hub being powered by itself probably helped a lot, clean power that didn't come or go to the PC or cause noise problems (my audio USb doesn't go through that hub though, it's separate). Plus as a bonus my wifi was dramatically better with the new adapter and out in the open.
  
 But since the jitterbug isn't USB 3 I couldn't just throw it back on there with that stuff. Didn't seem it would help after that anyway, that USB hub seems pretty clean. I still would have tried it but that hub has to stay USB 3 or it won't be fast enough for my WiFi. So no jitterbug. Ok so now I have this extra jitterbug laying around. Seemed a shame to just chuck it in the drawer. At the very least I'll always wonder if I don't at least try it out now with the USB regen. 
  
 So at first I threw it after the USB regen. Wow not good. Sounded DULL and restricted dynamics. I didn't want to put it before the Regen because the Regen was working so well. But I tried it anyway. And bam, that was it. helping to clean up the power and signal noise going to the Regen helped. Guess it helped the Regen do it's thing even better with less noise going to it. Everything was more natural sounding, More fluid and real. Even darker background. I tried A/B testing with it on and off and sure enough, it's better with the Jitterbug on. I didn't like taking it off anymore. Sure it's not going to blow your mind, but it's a nice refinement where once it's gone you miss it and don't feel as content with the music as you did before. And you want it back. And it's not a fake improvement like if you turned up the bass or something, it's like it really lowered the noise floor and made everything sound even more real. I was also thinking it's possible to that the jitterbug needed some break in time maybe and while it was on my other ports before that it was doing just that, breaking in (possibly).
  
 This isn't on a cheap DAC either. I use a Nuforce DAC 9. I think it's got some pretty good isolation already. And I'm using the Audioquest Carbon USB wire (which honestly makes a huge improvement alone). But USB as the source I'm finding is pretty much crap in a lot of ways and needs help. Especially coming from your typical computer. 
  
 With all that being said I think I might actually replace the jitterbug with one of those ifi USB products that are supposed to be even better. I'll at least do a head to head with them.


----------



## V1001

dmbr said:


> I'm baffled by the disparity of responses.
> 
> Degrades SQ for me...improves for you? Is my setup just cleaner? I do get improvements from the iUSB and the iFi Mercury and Gemini cables, so why not Jitterbug?


 
  
 From how I would understand it is this way:
  
 Suppose you add just a plain ole USB adapter to your system. Not an audio one, or anything special, just your typical USB adapter. Adding anything in the line, more connections, more solder, more metal, or whatever, can only subtract from the signal. It can't improve it. So that aspect alone with the Jitterbug would have a slight negative affect and would at least ad some more resistance at the very least. Whether it's audible or not is for another topic. 
  
 So I'd imagine if you already have pretty clean USB coming out of your source that the Jitterbug can only degrade the signal. Most people however don't have very clean USB. So the improvement of cleaning up the USB would have a greater affect on the sound than any negative side affects of adding something in the line. So think of it this way,  if the adapter alone causes a 1% loss in signal quality, but the cleaning up of the noise causes a 5% gain in signal and sound quality your net gain is 4 % improvement. But if you already have a clean signal then it's just a 1% loss.  
  
 And then you have some others where the jitterbug is working great for their system, but maybe they have a warmer sounding system. Since the Jitterbug will give you a more natural sound and tone down the harsh highs they may not like the jitterbug because they needed those harsher highs to break through their warm system and balance it out. Kind of like how 'brighter' sounding DAC might sound great on overly warm speakers. 
  
 And one last thing to consider is that it's a small increase anyway. Someone with a poor resolution system might have to many weak links in the system to even hear the difference something like a jitterbug is doing to help. 
  
 At least that's how I kind of see it and made sense to me.


----------



## music_man

not true. i have completely isolated usb power and signal. jitterbug still sounded better to me. don't know how they do it. i am an audioquest fanboy anyways.


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## leaky74

I've been playing with one of these all weekend & I still can't make my mind up whether I like the changes it introduces to my setup (Macbook Air, Chord Mojo & HD600's).
  
 I actually find the sound a bit harder/edgier and more digital with the device - separation is greater & decay on bass notes seems a bit tighter & more controlled; they don't 'bleed' as much. The most noticeable changes are in the mids which are brought very much front and centre. This is probably more noticeable with the HD600s as they're pretty much pan flat neutral? Details in the mids also seems a little improved but all this seems to be at the expense of the staging (which seems to be narrowed a pinch) & general 'airiness'.
  
 I've owned a Dragonfly in the past and the changes to my set up with the Jitterbug in place very much remind me of that.
  
 Still undecided, but gut feel at the moment is that I'll probably send it back....


----------



## music_man

alll of these things make a difference for sure. if you like it is up to you. there is no right or wrong about these type of devices. however, i am wary of most dacs that run off the +5v. the teac accepts it but does not run off it. so please don't take my liking of those teacs for foolery. plus i like them for what they are they are not supposed to be high end dacs. however i found they made the most noticeable difference on dacs that do accept any +5v into them. that does not include my modded 501 of course which is not even really teac anymore. higher end dacs it makes a difference but not entirely sure it is always better. on some tracks. i am not going to go unplugging my cable all the time though. i am just leaving my myriad of usb fixes in place.


----------



## Maxx134

Here are my experiences with this jitterbug device :

At first, I was hearing a seeming more low level depth or quieter background,
But I was also not hearing my piano track harmonics as lively...

It seems smoother and natural with the jitterbug, yet not as lively...
 Low level resolution was more noticably there but darker and bass seemed stronger.

It is very strange that the jitterbug not as I expected to sound.
I expected overall clarity, but not changes in tonality...

Without the jitterbug in place, 
I felt it was more lively,
 so I was sad that the jitterbug may be doing good,
But the end result is duller sound for me.
It had to go...

Then...
Something happened...
I listened more :

The end result?

I have to take all I said back...(!)

The "liveliness" of the harmonics on my piano track,
I realized was actually some kind of like "ringing" that was gone with the jitterbug(!), 
and I attained more "depth of field" location of my track's bass player,
 and more overall comprehension of the low level detailing...

Wow I didn't realize I could have a more natural piano tone and more low level depth.

So "about face", I am keeping the jitterbug in!

Then, I decided to take a look at the fine print of the box
To see what the box says:

What!
That's "almost" what I just experienced!
Lol


----------



## macdevign

I actually prefer the system without jitterbug as I find that it dulls the system sound. It might be somehow that Jitterbug reduces ringing or makes the sound more natural, but ultimately this hobby about finding the sound you like and enjoy and that may not necessary be realistic sound .
  
 but for those who really want to up the performance, it is worth trying ground tweak like Acoustic Revive RGC24 and entreq ground conditioner (I avoid Akiko Triple AC Enhancer as it reduces the liveliness). To me those are amazing as they make you want to listen to music more as they didn't warm the sound but make everything sound so convincing and real, though they are pretty expensive.


----------



## Maxx134

I must agree with tweaks in general. 

I read a few posts of the first page here and stopped.

There is a major, major misconception here with members thinking very naively about these "ones and zeros"

It's not about the data, but how it is handled and interpreted.

Nothing in real life is so simple..
Especially in electronics.

We are basically talking about a "live" stream of data, which does not have the luxury of being held in cache and error corection computing.

Even if the data was correctly transferred,
We are subject t to all the "additions" along the way...

All types of interference, noise and jitter being introduced and assimulated into the live data stream...

To think it's just "ones and zeros" is true, yet it is too simplistic , and only half the story.

It's about how faithfully those "ones and zeros" are finally "interpreted" by your dac...

Another very knowledgeable member mentioned to me that there is opinion ,
That even the presence of usb with its inherent noise inside your dac can influence a change on the dac clocks.
Edit*:
And no, it's not power line noise, but more complex types like "packet noise"..

So I have pretty much given up on usb, and found much better solution avoiding USB (almost)altogether, 
And using external USB to spdif solutions. 

Even the top usb solutions, like the Gen3 inside my yggy is not enough, as my yggy benifit from NOT using the USB..!!

I am using an usb to spdif converter, and gained more soundstage than before.
This is the first time I have publicly mentioned this in any thread. 

There you have it.


----------



## music_man

i feel i have the same sound if not better from usb then toslink. with a lot of stuff ahead of the cable. plus the dacs i am using completely isolate it anyways. the highest end dacs prefer usb as the connection. i am plenty happy with the sound. in fact it is so good i can even enjoy 128kbps mp3!


----------



## canali

castleofargh said:


> well you have my general opinion in my last post. people who have problems should look for the best solution to their problem. people who don't even know if they have a problem shouldn't aimlessly look for an imaginary one hoping to get lucky.
> if you have a nice soundcard you can RMAA your system for starters to check if something is really wrong with the output signal. but more often than not the DAC will still be ay better than everything else in the chain.


 
 btw, castlefargh, i sent audioquest this thread about a month or so ago..got a reply they'd forward it to the right party to reply to this.
 nothing yet so far. but hope they do...they're a reputable company after all.
  
 i have no problem supporting companies coming out with new products to help us enhance our audio enjoyment.
 just that in this area, it's tough for a layperson with little or no electronics knowledge to truly engage in educated debate
 over the merits, design, approaches and affects.
  
as a result i started a thread on this, too...hope people will give their insights, engage in civil discussion ..esp hope to hear from the manufacturers of many usb conditioners...iFi, uptone, audioquest, wyred etc.
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/802190/usb-conditioners-a-growing-field-anyone-else-get-confused-by-terms-and-claims
  
 the more educated us consumers are the more we can buy with confidence, is my motto.


----------



## leaky74

leaky74 said:


> I've been playing with one of these all weekend & I still can't make my mind up whether I like the changes it introduces to my setup (Macbook Air, Chord Mojo & HD600's).
> 
> I actually find the sound a bit harder/edgier and more digital with the device - separation is greater & decay on bass notes seems a bit tighter & more controlled; they don't 'bleed' as much. The most noticeable changes are in the mids which are brought very much front and centre. This is probably more noticeable with the HD600s as they're pretty much pan flat neutral? Details in the mids also seems a little improved but all this seems to be at the expense of the staging (which seems to be narrowed a pinch) & general 'airiness'.
> 
> ...


 

 I take it back; spent more time with it now - I kinda like it!


----------



## leaky74

Out of sheer curiosity I bought a second for the other port on my MacBook Air (same bus), and whilst the difference isn't as noticeable as it is with the addition of the first, it definitely builds on the presence of the initial one.....


----------



## music_man

i cannot fit two on the same buss unfortunately.


----------



## retwisted

I've been using the jitterbug for a long time now with the dragonfly 1.2, and I've been satisfied with it when I plug my IEMs, and some headphones in it. The sound gets a bit cleaner with the jitterbug. However, my HD600 requires a bit more power. The bass sounds a bit loose directly from the Dragonfly. So I added my O2 amp to the chain, and somehow the soundstage sounds a lot smaller than direcly from the dragonfly 1.2. I've noticed the same thing happening with all my other headphones. But those can be driven fine without an additional amp, so I would just plug it straght into the dragonfly. But since the sound is more clear, with a more controlled bass on the HD600 when amped by the O2, I prefered to use my Hd600 with the O2 rather than straight from the dragonfly, even though the soundstage is smaller in this setup.
 Now, I always thought that it was a problem with the dragonfly itself, since my hifimediy u2 with the hifimediy usb isolator with the O2 didn't have this problem, and had a noticebly bigger soundstage than the dragonfly with jitterbug and O2. But the dac didn't sound as clean as the dragonfly, so I would still use the dragonfly with jitterbug and O2. But a few days ago I used the dragonfly in combination with the hifimediy usb isolator and O2, and suddenly I actually heard the soundstage the dragonfly was supposed to have! Now the bass gets more controlled without sacrificing the  soundstage. Now, with the hifimediy u2 with the jitterbug and the O2, the sound is distorted all the time with noises popping up like crazy. The jitterbug didn't work at all with that dac. It does work for the dragonfly, but I don't know why the jitterbug makes the soundstage smaller in combination with the O2. I won't use the jitterbug anymore, that's for sure.


----------



## leaky74

I noticed the same thing with staging using HD600s and a Chord Mojo. Interestingly, the designer of the Mojo (if my understanding is correct), reckons what we might perceive as a narrowing in staging is actually a reduction in RF interference i.e. the Jitterbug is doing its job. I might be wrong but that's certainly how I read it.


----------



## leaky74

P.S. I've also noticed the 'main'  Jitterbug (i.e. between source & DAC), sounds better with an extender (I'm using the dragontail), between the port & the Jitterbug.
  
 Given what I've gained from these, it's made me seriously consider investigating the Schiit Wyrd.


----------



## Sanlitun

I received one of these last Christmas and it sat on my desk all of this time until today when I tried it out on a whim. Generally I use an Audiophilleo into a NAD M51. I have the Audiophilleo powered ether through an iFi iUSB Power or through a home made battery pack. 
  
 A year or so ago I invested quite a bit of time into improving my USB connectivity. I found that different USB setups did result in different sounds and I had attributed this to common mode interference that I have on the AC circuit here in the room. Take a look at this video if you want to see more about CMI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFLZm4LbzQU
  
 So I connected the Jitterbug directly into my PC and then a short Wireworld Starlight cable into the Audiophilleo. As others have described I am hearing a smoother, stark and warmer sound with a lot of treble "inertia" gone. My system as I have it right now is extremely resolving through either HD800 or HD800S and I can hear the difference easily. I think if I was perhaps using something like LCD-X I may not hear the difference at all or so clearly.
  
 Anyways I am quite liking this sound as it is very compatible with the HD800 and I could actually recommend it, especially for $50. Whatever the Jitterbug is doing it is different than just a clean +5V or impedance matching as I have tried all of that and it is not as dramatic a change. 
  
 So does anyone know what this thing does? I have a bit of a paranoid concern that some devices and fancy cables actually introduce a sympathetic distortion to produce an audible difference.


----------



## Cristi6983

How do i find out how many USB buses do i have ? My laptop have 2 usb ports on each side , also one of the USB ports is Asus charger+ which use 5v-1000mA instead of 5v-500mA . Should i use Jitterbug on this one ?


----------



## darkforce

In my system, connect DAC to Jitterbug will get more detail sound, but darker and not so smooth. So I try to install on USB Keyboard/Mouse and works great, it eliminate noise but does not change the sound characteristics.


----------



## leaky74

cristi6983 said:


> How do i find out how many USB buses do i have ? My laptop have 2 usb ports on each side , also one of the USB ports is Asus charger+ which use 5v-1000mA instead of 5v-500mA . Should i use Jitterbug on this one ?




On PC; buses are referred to as hubs. Check Device Manager & under UNiversal Serial Bus (USB) Controller, see how many hubs are there.


----------



## Duncan

I'm a convert...

I have two of these, one for my desktop, and one for my portable setup - almost impossible to do a recordable a/b comparison (at least it is with my setup), however - the feeling of improvement (especially the warmth that others have mentioned) is well appreciated by me...

It may well end up being snake-oil to many, but - even if it is, then I'm glad I got suckered in


----------



## RelayerCR

I've used jiterbug with my laptop and a Nuprime uDSD dac/amp. Then I tried at home connected between my computer an a Nuforce u192s and after this my dac Parasound Zdac, finally a Musical Fidelity v-can. USB Cables and Power cables by Pangea Audio, interconnect cables by DH Lab, power conditioner Furman.

Results: this small audioquest toy improved the sound, my systems with Jitterbug produce more details and a more bodied sound.

So I have Schiit modi and magni, I still have not tried the Jitterbug with these stuff, I'll let you know what happens with schiit.


----------



## fjrabon

So, after a good experience with the Dragonfly Red, i picked a couple of these up.  I was in my office when they arrived, so I put them in on my office setup, a 2015 macbook pro going into a Grace m9XX in high power mode through a pair of modded THX00s (lawton stage 1 + E-MU Ebony cups).  
  
 And my first reaction was "oh god, I just wasted money on snake oil, there is absolutely no audible difference here."  It wasn't that big of a deal because, really, $80 isn't that big of a deal to waste money on in this deathly hobby.  But it was certainly disappointing.  I went back and forth, making absolute sure of my impression, as best as I could.  It obviously wasn't blind A/B, but if there was an audible difference, I certainly couldn't hear it.  
  
 Next, when I got home, I tried it with my "walk the dog" setup, my dragonfly red, out of my iPhone 128 GB 6S+ streaming apple music through my beloved pair of $10 innateck IEMS (Serisouly, I love these things, to me they're the IEM equivalent of the KSC75 in that they can beat IEMs 10 times their price).  And... Well, I thought I heard some improvement.  I was skeptical though because 1) I was walking the dog along streets, and while my IEMs cut a lot of ambient noise, it isn't a black background 2) While I do like Apple Music quality wise quite a bit, it's not my most solid source, and not something I would typically use as reference evaluation source material. 3) I was walking.  But it at least got me thinking "well, maybe it's not so great with other stuff, but maybe it just works really well with Dragonfly's own stuff, like they have some shared secret sauce when put together.  
  
 So, then, when I got home I fired up my casual listening home rig: Older Dell laptop that I only use as a music hub -> AudioEngine D1 -> HiFiMan EF2C with Voshkod tubes -> HiFiMan HE400i.  Yes, there was an audible improvement in the blackness of the background, and thus the dynamic range of the amp.  A tiny amount of harshness also seemed to be lifted as well, leading to a bit smoother sound.  As I was listening to Miles Davis Kind of Blue sound as rich and full yet snappy and dynamic as I've ever heard it out of that setup, I started to think...
  
 My work setup has a macbook, which only uses a single USB out per USB hub.  The Grace m9XX has various levels of power conditioners.  When in high power mode it uses a completely separate line for power and a separate line for data.  It has a very advanced USB controller.  If what the Dragonfly Jitterbug does is fix problems, it was likely that the combo of the macbook and Grace were fixing those problems in the first place.  
  
 The Dell, on the other hand, has an external hard drive attached on the same BUS as the DAC uses, and probably not the cleanest USB in the first place, as it's relatively close to the CD drive and charger jack.  The AudioEngine D1 can only be powered by USB bus.  In a lot of ways, this setup was where the jitterbug could do the most.  
  
 The Dragonfly Red will likely be where this gets used the most, because this experience may have sold me on a Wyrd for my casual home setup.  My takeaway is that this product may be unnecessary on some setups that have already gone through great lengths to have clean USB.  But it will make an audible improvement if: 1) Your DAC is USB bus powered 2) you are using a laptop with questionable USB implementation (multiple USB jacks per bus/ jacks close to noise or heat generating parts, etc).  3) a combination of the above.  
  
 This experience may have also convinced me to upgrade the dell on my casual listening station at home.


----------



## Duncan

I have to say that I hate USB 3.1, why reinvent the wheel? 

Anyhow, my FOTM DAC, the LG hi-fi module, with a convenient eBay adapter is finally able to use the jitterbug, and it really thickens up the sound with this, this is the most apparent is my setups... 

Must listen more, but considering the number of parts that I have to swap to bring the jitterbug in or out of the chain makes it impossible to directly a/b.


----------



## Lohb

I'm using split power and data USB line already off a Macbook Air with 2 ferrite core clip-on parts added as well.

 external battery pack

  
 Will Jitterbug bring anything more as the background is already pretty black using this method (I removed the 5V pin from the USB plug that goes to the Air...)
 Maybe improve the data-out line in some kind of tonality filter way with that signal going through the JB ?
  
 Edit : Oh well, just picked one up anyway. Give it a shot.


----------



## stuck limo

v1001 said:


> My wireless mouse receiver, my wireless keyboard, my WiFi antennas. All in a box bouncing around signals all over. That can't possibly be good for any of that. Plus my *wifi *wasn't very good in there. So I wanted to move it all outside the cabinet. And also away from all my other gear.


 
 I literally read this as "wife" and I agreed with your assessment.


----------



## Smileyko

add said:


> I bought a Jitterbug yesterday on a whim. I thought even at $79 here in Australia, I wouldn't be jumping out of a window if it made no difference. Furthermore, I don't use a USB DAC and I had planned to simply stick the thing in - of all places - the USB port I use for my mouse on my PC! So not in any audio or "data" path at all!
> 
> After installing it inline with the mouse USB port - and doing absolutely nothing else, I was still expecting it to make absolutely no difference whatsoever. After all, I've been pretty careful building up this PC to work extremely well with music.
> 
> ...


 

 Most Thankful. I will go get one today here in HK.


----------



## Mediahound

My updated review:
  
 This made the mids a bit more 'present' in my system and does seem to reduce any perceived digital noise.  I'm using it in conjunction with the Uptone Audio Regen.
  
 Note, you will likely only notice a benefit if your system is already quite resolving since any improvement with this is quite subtle. 
  
 This was designed by Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio and Garth Powell formerly with Furman, now at Audioquest.
  
 It does improve things and can be used in conjunction with other USB devices such as the Schiit Wyrd or Uptone Regen. 
  
 I wouldn't go crazy and install this in every single open USB port as Audioquest would have you do, but the one in my Mac to USB DAC chain does improve the audio for me. For the price of one unit, I'm happy with the device. 
  
 The back of my DAC is a bit ridiculous now but it works well with a couple of decks of cards supporting it:


----------



## BarDash

I don't know if this has been mentioned before but AQ says you can plug the JB into a USB port that's connected to an external drive that has your music files on it. I keep all my music including Flac, DSD and MP3's on an external SSD and just plugged in a JB in the USB port... Still listening to see if I hear a difference.
 Has anyone else tried this? Thoughts?


----------



## figgyburn

Just got one of these.it definitely gives music a more warm sound and cuts a bit treble so it seems to me just to be a equalizer in all but name.i can see it helping treble happy headphones.'im amazed that there were people saying they did not hear any difference with the jitterbug.i have aged cloth ears and the difference is substantial to me.anyway at the small price you can "suck it and see".


----------



## Lohb

figgyburn said:


> Just got one of these.it definitely gives music a more warm sound and cuts a bit treble so it seems to me just to be a equalizer in all but name.i can see it helping treble happy headphones.'im amazed that there were people saying they did not hear any difference with the jitterbug.i have aged cloth ears and the difference is substantial to me.anyway at the small price you can "suck it and see".


 

 It is synergy dependent. For my DAC architecture it made the treble brittle.


----------



## MX400

Dragonfly Red and Jitterbug with the Dragontail are well worth it for mobile DJ's or PC enthusiasts! 

 Fast, easy and mostly cheap priced, very high quality audio output..

 Studio listening:
 Mixer: Alto ZMX 122FX (built in FX processor turned off)
 Speakers: Klipsch - ProMedia 2.1 Speaker System (mixer mids @ 25% - 45% from 0, bass at 30% - 50% from 0, treble @ 50% from 0.
 Cabling: Livewire Elite Interconnect Y-Cable 3.5 mm TRS Male to 1/4" TS Male 

 Thinkpad t430s (w8.1) onboard sound, to Creative SB1240, to Dragonfly Red, to Dragonly Red w/ Jitterbug, and the journey upgrading each time.. has been pretty amazing..
 Song files, even 128k bit-rate sound drastically upgraded and improved on the Dragonfly Red w/Jitterbug.

 When I take the Thinkpad to performances with the Dragonfly Red, on larger stage speakers, the difference is very noticeable. The SB1240 did a better job routing the audio to the mixer than the onboard sound, properly separating L/R channel and low pass for the physical control boards on mixer and 'pass through' board on sub. But the Dragonfly Red takes everything to a completely new level, mids are cleaner and don't blare, for example.
  
 I've had to listen to songs and mixes, thousands and thousands of times, over and over again, in lots of settings and different speakers and setups. At the price of what a Dragonfly Red and Jitterbug will offer, paired with the right equipment, I say it's well worth it.
  
 For MSRP $267?

 Dragonfly Red, $200
 Jitterbug, $50
 Dragontail, $17

 ...Can't go wrong here. Compared to some of the really expensive sound processors that run for over $1K that DJ's lug around, just to achieve "stable interconnect" for stage/venue equipment? The Dragonfly Red and Jitterbug achieve a lot of that, easily, as a bypass; just blows my mind.
 Doesn't replace microphone processor(s) for DJ controllers or sound mixers, but that's a different subject. 

 I just read the manual for the Jitterbug, and it recommends that end-users should plug in two Jitterbugs at most per device, one per USB controller, if I'm reading that correctly. People are posting that AQ wants customers to potentially plug the Jitterbug into every port of a computer, and that seems absolutely ridiculous.
 And if audio sounds worst with the Jitterbug, it's probably because of the many different variables involved.
 Like someone mentioned earlier, Jitterbug + Dragonfly, will yield, personally, the best results for audio listening output where listening experience can be appreciated or needed, per-user.

 Dragonfly Red will speed up the music without tearing it unless the song was already torn in the first place, it just becomes much more audible. But with the Jitterbug, it resurfaces the clarity of the audio to allow DJ's to better hear every split second of a song or sample, you'll hear even more details or flaws in the sound files.
 Can save a lot of time, cuts down on potential mistakes during split second splices from sound interference, all without having to shell out extra hard earned cash on expensive, unnecessary hardware upgrades.
 For PC enthusiasts or mobile DJ's that want extremely reliable audio output? Look no further, Dragonfly and Jitterbug are a great pair.

 Worth it? YES...


----------



## hearhead

Has anybody attached the jitterbug to a CAYIN i5 via an OTG cable? Would there be audible differences?


----------



## hearhead

hearhead said:


> Has anybody attached the jitterbug to a CAYIN i5 via an OTG cable? Would there be audible differences?


 
  
 Or any other DAP....


----------



## Soundizer

I have been using the Jitterbug from my iMac via USB into the Chord Mojo DAC for audio. It does clean up the sound noticeably. Audioquest suggest trying another Jitterbug in parallel for possible further improvement, but clearly state on the brochure not to have more than two Jitterbugs connected. 

However i am experimenting and trying optical out into the Mojo to minimise any possible RFI/EMC interferences. 

I still have USB from my iMac Computer to the Chord Mojo purely for powering it. My question is should I still use the Jiiterbug as am only powering via USB and not sending audio via USB?


----------



## fjrabon

soundizer said:


> I have been using the Jitterbug from my iMac via USB into the Chord Mojo DAC for audio. It does clean up the sound noticeably. Audioquest suggest trying another Jitterbug in parallel for possible further improvement, but clearly state on the brochure not to have more than two Jitterbugs connected.
> 
> However i am experimenting and trying optical out into the Mojo to minimise any possible RFI/EMC interferences.
> 
> I still have USB from my iMac Computer to the Chord Mojo purely for powering it. My question is should I still use the Jiiterbug as am only powering via USB and not sending audio via USB?




No, it won't matter because the USB power goes to the battery first and the Mojo then draws power from the battery.


----------



## rkt31

adding jitterbug to low powered devices like phones caused the attached dac to be it recognized by Uapp app so I am not able to use it with phones. anybody having same experience ? with laptop and tab it works perfectly and improves the depth and imaging


----------



## fjrabon

rkt31 said:


> adding jitterbug to low powered devices like phones caused the attached dac to be it recognized by Uapp app so I am not able to use it with phones. anybody having same experience ? with laptop and tab it works perfectly and improves the depth and imaging


 

 hmm, which phone?  It works fine with my iPhone 6S+.


----------



## rkt31

it's redmi s1


----------



## Whazzzup

Fiesty thread. A while back I picked up a couple of jitterbugs to try out. iMac 5k to TT via AUDIOQUEST diamond to gsx mk2 via dhc chaparone 3 xlr to hd800S via dhc prion 4. After a/b I noticed 1. jitter did just about cease. It wasn't bad before but occasional annoying. 2. The sq did change slightly less hollow and slightly deeper. The system was is wonderful. I chose jitter cause I have two systems out of my Mac and don't want any power separate boxes, plus they are cheap and small. My desk is full. 
Second system is from same iMac 5k fostex hpa8 via oyaide 5s continental to full Lawton mod la900. I actually noticed the sq difference a bit more in this chain but it is subtle. 

Conclusion you got to check it out as I beleive the vfm is worth it, but whether you like this deeper smoothing effect or not is individual. In my systems which are quite transparent, it is favourable.


----------



## overhaze

It messes with the soundstage. I played with one trying to sort a USB ground loop. It didn't help and made no measurable difference in RMAA but on repeated listening I heard what its doing. It is changing the "shape" of the soundstage some instruments seemed closer, vocals seems closer other things seem further away ect. I don't know if I'd call it better but it certainly is different.


----------



## overhaze

Question, has anyone used the Jitterbug in conjunction with a ADUM4160 based USB isolator? Unlike the jtterbug the ADUM4160 unit I bought actually broke my ground loop but I wonder if there would be any extra gains from plugging a Jitterbug into it. Actually would you plug the Jitterbug into the ADUM4160 or the ADUM4160 into the Jitterbug?


----------



## Whazzzup

overhaze said:


> Question, has anyone used the Jitterbug in conjunction with a ADUM4160 based USB isolator? Unlike the jtterbug the ADUM4160 unit I bought actually broke my ground loop but I wonder if there would be any extra gains from plugging a Jitterbug into it. Actually would you plug the Jitterbug into the ADUM4160 or the ADUM4160 into the Jitterbug?


 

 I have no idea, even after reading their site, what adum4160 is supposed to do that has to do with SQ. However set that aside, the jitterbug gets plugged into your iMac or whatever first. Not more than two per computer regardless of number of available slots. Im not sure if you would want to double down on a jitterbug, to effect sound that is effecting sound. But seeing how this can effect transmission id pick your weapon and go with that. IMO and all that


----------



## Ears Deluxe

I've got a situation that baffles me. I'm using the Jitterbug in this setup: iPhone 6s Plus to camera connector to Jitterbug to powered USB hub to Fiio Andes to Etymotic ER4s, and it's giving me the best sound I've ever had with headphones. The difference with the JItterbug in the system compared to taking it out is extraordinary. I'm hearing everything that people note: huge, natural soundstage; smooth, warm almost analog tone; musical flow; pace; and clarity. But really what stands out is how it makes me feel listening to music. Virtually anything--even albums I wrote off years ago--makes me engaged, emotionally invested, and wanting to listen more. And that's with Apple Music!
  
 But here's the baffling part: if I plug the Jitterbug into my 2013 MacBook Pro and take it out to the Fiio Andes into the ER4s, I get none of those benefits, or at least very little of them, even when I'm listening to full-res files with Audirvana Plus. My understanding is that using the camera with the iPhone cuts out the phone's DAC, giving me just the raw digital information. So I would expect the result with the MacBook pro to be equivalent.
  
 Any guesses as to why I'm getting such spectacular results with the iPhone and such different results with the MacBook Pro?


----------



## Wojtek Kopek

Hi

  Is this works with usb 2.0 High speed or full speed. I have Terratec dmx 6 fire usb is this  jitterbug  will work with my sound card ?

 sorry for english.

 Best Regards.


----------



## overhaze

Tested one out today with my new Odac/O2 combo. This time around I swear it made things worse, it coloured the odacs sound and again messed with the soundstage. Then again this might all be my imagination. There needs to be blind testing done on this thing by someone. Either it does something or it doesn't. I feel like we are all doing the audio equivalent of tea-leaf reading here.


----------



## Duncan

overhaze said:


> Tested one out today with my new Odac/O2 combo. This time around I swear it made things worse, it coloured the odacs sound and again messed with the soundstage. Then again this might all be my imagination. There needs to be blind testing done on this thing by someone. Either it does something or it doesn't. I feel like we are all doing the audio equivalent of tea-leaf reading here.


I feel you're setting yourself up for a community service there


----------



## Whazzzup

I think you found it does do something, but didnt like the result this time around. I did on the otherhand, but will a/b again. I did find that using two jitterbugs is the max per system. Even if you straight up usb a third input.


----------



## Zoom25

Giving the Jitterbug a go in both my iMac Audirvana setup outputting via USB to my DAC, and in front of a flash drive and a WD portable flash drive that's connected to the Bryston BDP-1 player that outputs to the DAC via AES. Anything I should know?


----------



## PANURUS

When I acquired the Jitterbug, I actually found that in my configuration of the time, it brought an improvement with my PC, my Oppo BDP-103D and my smartphone connected with my DAC Chord: Mojo and Dave .
 Since then, I have changed PC, hard drive and I use another driver in foobar2000, the ASIO2. I meanwhile offered a Jitterbug to my friend, DAC user, OPPO HA-1.
 We are now convinced that the Jitterbug still offers an improvement but mainly with hard drives with motor and some USB keys.
 However, in cases where there are no problems to which it brings a solution, I would discourage its use.


----------



## dreambass

Right I'm using jitterbug this morning, or had been along with the fostex hp-a8. My initial impression was that it created a more weighty sound which I guess it has but at the cost of detail and transparency I feel. It's a tough one as I'm using with the he-400i and feel it slightly lessens some of the tendency for peaky sounding treble,in generall terms adding some warmth to the sound signature I feel. With this setup I don't think it's preferable as the basic sound signature of the hp-a8 is altered, taking away definition to me. 
I have been using jitterbug with Meridian explorer 2 also and I think it's of more use in this application but need to check it out some more to be sure.


----------



## headfry

Not sure why there is so much skepticism from quite a few posters here (after all it has been warmly received
 from just about all of the top review sites, including What HiFi!) - I love the JB and use it with
 iPod touch/Mojo as well as from MacBook Pro.....for me there is more weight and solidity to the sound,
 giving it a more believable, natural and addictive quality. Highly recommended in a highly resolving
 and well matched setup, give it a try!
  
 ....and return it if it doesn't work out!
  
 note I do use a bit of eq tailored to my Grado's so slight changes in tonality isn't an issue.


----------



## gregorio

headfry said:


> Not sure why there is so much skepticism from quite a few posters here ....for me there is more weight and solidity to the sound ...


 
  
 Maybe because the JB isn't actually carrying any sound?


----------



## headfry

gregorio said:


> Maybe because the JB isn't actually carrying any sound?


 

 it's supposed to reduce the effects of digital noise, like wiping a dusty window clean.
 That's also what it sounds like to me.


----------



## gregorio

headfry said:


> [1] it's supposed to reduce the effects of digital noise,
> [2] like wiping a dusty window clean.
> [3] That's also what it sounds like to me.


 
  
 1. There's three problems with this statement: Firstly, I don't know where you got the "it's supposed to" from? AQ themselves do not make the claim of reducing digital noise! They claim it reduces RF/EM noise and that it measurably reduces jitter. Secondly, there is no way of reducing digital noise and Lastly, RF/EM noise does not affect digital data and even a cheap DACs and other components should maintain jitter noise well below audible levels.
  
 2. No, it's more like cleaning a virtually perfectly clean window of a few rogue molecules.
  
 3. There's only two possibilities: 1. You have a faulty or very poorly designed bit of equipment in your chain, which effectively cannot manage the USB specifications, or 2. Your brain is fooling you into believing that you can hear the equivalent of a few rogue molecules.
  
 G


----------



## dreambass

gregorio said:


> 1. There's three problems with this statement: Firstly, I don't know where you got the "it's supposed to" from? AQ themselves do not make the claim of reducing digital noise! They claim it reduces RF/EM noise and that it measurably reduces jitter. Secondly, there is no way of reducing digital noise and Lastly, RF/EM noise does not affect digital data and even a cheap DACs and other components should maintain jitter noise well below audible levels.
> 
> 2. No, it's more like cleaning a virtually perfectly clean window of a few rogue molecules.
> 
> ...




Ouch ha. 

I have one and im not convinced by it. It seems to take away any magic that might have been in the fostex hp-a8. Noticeable on intamacy, soundstage and micro detail mainly. 
My dacmagic xs and Meridian E2 are not with me but I'll have em back this week to see if I feel the effects the same or if it is indeed a improvement. I'll talk it up and sell it to someone at work if I don't like it


----------



## Whazzzup

dreambass said:


> gregorio said:
> 
> 
> > 1. There's three problems with this statement: Firstly, I don't know where you got the "it's supposed to" from? AQ themselves do not make the claim of reducing digital noise! They claim it reduces RF/EM noise and that it measurably reduces jitter. Secondly, there is no way of reducing digital noise and Lastly, RF/EM noise does not affect digital data and even a cheap DACs and other components should maintain jitter noise well below audible levels.
> ...




Funny I have a8 for my la900 and actually noticed a nice change. I'll have to A/B that again after listening for 6 months.


----------



## Zoom25

In the month that I've had it, I did notice that its sound changed in the first 2-3 days. It was initially dark sounding. After the first week, the sound has been stable. I've found that the Jitterbug in different applications and gear will make different sonic changes or little changes. For example, I used the Jitterbug in three places:
  
 1) At the iMac's USB output when feeding to my DAC's (Dangerous Source) USB input.
  
 2) Connected to Bryston BDP-1's USB input being fed by a Western Digital 2TB portable hard drive (5400 rpm)..it's 2 years old
  
 3) Connected to Bryston BDP-1's USB input being fed by a 128 GB PNY Turbo flash drive.
  
 The BDP-1 outputs to my DAC via AES to AES.


----------



## dreambass

whazzzup said:


> Funny I have a8 for my la900 and actually noticed a nice change. I'll have to A/B that again after listening for 6 months.



I too will come back to it, I did listen comparatively for a morning. Even jitterbug will torture us with burn in eh.


----------



## overhaze

Here is another question. When using a powered hub with the Jitterbug would you plug the hub into the jitterbug or the jitterbug into the hub?


----------



## Whazzzup (Jun 10, 2017)

pulled the jitterbug from TT gsx mk2 combo, liking it pure.. then again different genres different results, i dunno


----------



## WoodyLuvr (Jun 13, 2017)

overhaze said:


> Here is another question. When using a powered hub with the Jitterbug would you plug the hub into the jitterbug or the jitterbug into the hub?



Had some sound loss problems when the JitterBug was plugged into the hub... switched it around (hub plugged into the JitterBug) and I haven't experienced any sound loss since.  My audio signal path:

PC > AQ JitterBug > UGREEN USB Hub > AQ DragonFly Black > Headphones

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/n...-red-discussion.805832/page-221#post-13490374


----------



## Funkyd04

this is actually pretty amazing and has applications outside of audio.... I'm a bit of a sim racer and a lot of the high end equiptment for wheels and pedals suffer issues related to noise. This could help clean things up!


----------



## Whazzzup

The jitterbug is back in use for me!!


----------



## headfry

Whazzzup said:


> The jitterbug is back in use for me!!




Good to hear! I've like it from the beginning and prefer it in my system.


----------



## WoodyLuvr

headfry said:


> Good to hear! I've like it from the beginning and prefer it in my system.


Where is your JitterBug in your audio chain typically?


----------



## headfry

between my source and Mojo (source being either Mac,  iPod Touch or iPhone).


----------



## WoodyLuvr

headfry said:


> between my source and Mojo (source being either Mac,  iPod Touch or iPhone).


I definitely believe I hear a difference when used with my PC but am unable to hear any difference with my smartphone.  You?


----------



## timb5881

Same here, better on the computer, not much on my phone.


----------



## Zoom25

After near 4 months of daily use, I can finally give the thumbs up for the Jitterbug in both of my scenario:

1) iMac USB output -> Jitterbug -> DA USB input.

2) Portable hard drive or flash drives -> Jitterbug -> Bryston BDP-1's USB input


----------



## WoodyLuvr

Zoom25 said:


> After near 4 months of daily use, I can finally give the thumbs up for the Jitterbug in both of my scenario:
> 
> 1) iMac USB output -> Jitterbug -> DA USB input.
> 
> 2) Portable hard drive or flash drives -> Jitterbug -> Bryston BDP-1's USB input



Which setup have you noted the most difference and how so?

My scenarios:

PC WIN 10 > Foobar 2K > *JitterBug* > UGREEN USB Hub > DragonFly Black > Headphones

Huawei P10 > UAPP > OTG > *JitterBug* > DragonFly Black > Headphones​


----------



## Zoom25 (Jul 3, 2017)

WoodyLuvr said:


> Which setup have you noted the most difference and how so?
> 
> My scenarios:
> 
> ...




I found it noticeable in all 3 plug ins (DAC, PNY flash drive, WD portable hard drive 5400 RPM). I use WAV and run every software and hardware maximized for playback.

In PC, I used it with Audirvana Plus, Spotify, Youtube, Netflix. With iMac/Macbook Pro, it was the most noticeable, especially when watching films or TV shows due to the prominence on the vocals. In my Amphion system, the phantom centre shrinked from a blob in the middle to very precise and dominant centre. The vocal space wasn't as wide or tall, but actually felt like it was coming with lot more depth. You could almost make out the vocals being enunciated from a place behind the speakers and coming at you. The other thing that changed was that the background got quieter. Not least, the bass got noticeably more tighter with better transient information. It might seem dull at first (especially when compounded with burn-in), but it's a more pleasing listen as there is less going on. Things occupy only the space they are supposed to, which actually gives a lot of breathing room. It's mentally more relaxing not having to sort through the image and use up brain power.

Regarding the Flash drive and Hard drive which feeds the Bryston BDP-1 player and then outputs to the DAC via AES, there was also a positive benefit. Now, the BDP-1 is already quite good as a transport. Better than all the laptops and desktops I have (both Mac and PC). It really lets you hear the material and the DA. There are plenty of threads out there on ComputerAudiophile and some on Audiocircle about different storage devices, so I won't fill you in with all that. I will note that the flash drives are typically the tightest sounding, although some can have a grunge to the sound. For me, the Jitterbug on the flash drives really took away that fatiguing factor. The WD hard drives on the other hand have no such fatigue or grunge but can sound veiled in comparison to flash drives or SSDs. The Jitterbug did remove some of that.

I have 1 Jitterbug at the moment. Will definitely pick up another in the future.


----------



## JML (Jul 11, 2017)

I have two plugged into an OWC Thunderbolt2 dock, at the parallel USB 3.0 jacks.  One goes to an Oppo HA-1.  The other goes to an industrial powered USB 2.0 hub, into which my Definitive Tech Inclines are connected.  The cables are all (now) Pangea USB Premier SE: 1.5m to the Oppo; and a 1m to the hub, then a .5m to the speakers.  The hub also has a printer and wireless mouse dongle plugged into it.

I found the Incline speakers very sensitive to cables and cable length if the Jitterbug was in that line.  Depending upon the cables and length, sometimes the computer would not recognize the speakers, or the sound was distorted and intermittent.   With the original DefTech 24" USB cable going to the hub, and a generic cable between the dock and hub, I could use the Jitterbug at the cable going to the speakers.  Strange...  But the Jitterbug seems to improve the sound no matter where I put it.

I have another Jitterbug in my office at work, and confirmed that the Incline speakers in that setup won't be seen if used with a different dock, the hub (in a Mac Thunderbolt display), a Jitterbug, and the speakers.  But running a 1.5m Pangea USB Premier SE or generic cable directly from the speakers to a Jitterbug in the dock works fine.

The combined effects of the Pangea cable and Jitterbug on the HA-1 line was surprising.  It seems stronger, quieter, and clearer than when I had a Belkin Gold cable on the same run.


----------



## Zoom25 (Aug 17, 2017)

Got another Jitterbug. It works nicely in my second rig as well. It's improved the Emotiva DC-1's USB input by a decent margin. Darker background, tighter sound, and a more 3D liquid soundstage on the midfields.


----------



## overhaze

Played around today with a Jitterbug, my hifimediy usb isolator, my pc and my odac/o2 . First things first the jitterbug and the odac are incompatible. Plug on into the other and it either doesn't show up or causes massive distortion. Put the hifimediy usb isolator between the two though and it works fine. First up, powered directly from my pc music had a sharp coarseness to it. Probably not something you would notice if you didn't have something to compare it to but it was there. With the hifimediy usb isolator the coarseness was completely removed (smooth all the way) but a slight artificiality was introduced. The Jitterbug and the hifimediy usb isolator combo yielded the best results with the coarseness removed and no sign of the artificiality introduced by the hifimediy usb isolator on its own.

Oh and I got the best results by just plugging the odac into the powered hub on my computer monitor. Live and learn.


----------



## Dorstlesser (Oct 16, 2017)

Got the JB, tried it on my laptop, PC and smartphone and did not hear ANY difference in ANY configuration.

Hardware/configurations I used:
- Always with Dragonfly Black
- A pair of Grado SR60i's
- A pair of AKG K181DJ UE
- W10 Foobar 2K on laptop with relatively good sound hardware and a generic, old PC with crappy motherboard
- Android Foobar 2K
- A variety of music from all genres and lossy/lossless sources etc.

so: Device > JB > Dragonfly > Headphones

I did also try the JB in a separate USB port on my laptop/PC but this also did not affect the sound audibly. The difference between the standard analog outputs of my devices and the Dragonfly Black was always very clear in any configuration. So my ears have that going for them.

I'm happy most people here seem to be getting some benefit of the JB, but it smells so much like a scam to me. The digital noise they speak of at Audioquest, I can't think of a way for it to exist. If bits would be arriving in the wrong order or with the wrong timing over the USB, at frequencies that would cause any audible artifacts when converting to analog, you would have continuous errors when transferring files or when doing anything else via USB. I believe the sole reason USB can exist and be successful is because those kind of errors are extremely rare; they certainly don't happen at frequencies that would cause large portions of the spectrum to change characteristics. To cause audible artifacts in the range people are reporting most here (bass, mid..), say between 20-400 Hz or so, then there would need to be misplaced or misinterpreted bits reaching the Dragonfly at those frequencies at the bare minimum if we assume bitstream coded audio (I actually don't know if that's the case). That seems like a whole lot to me and not in line with the USB specifications at all. Also, single bit errors contain by definition a lot of high-frequency components since they are white noise (again assuming bitstream audio) but nobody is reporting on increased clarity at the highest treble range. If the audio is still somehow encoded before reaching the Dragonfly (not bitstream) then single bit errors should cause artifacts that are much larger than those of single bits in bitstream audio. Again, this isn't happening so if the Dragonfly does not receive audio as a bitstream but as packets that are still somehow compressed, the bull-meter for the JB would truly go through the roof.

I really feel this is a similar case to those $10.000 HDMI cables that 'improve' the audio and visual quality of movies etc. There's people who swear by those as well and claim they can hear/see the difference..

I don't notice ANY difference and Audioquest's explanation for how the Jitterbug should work seems pretty nonsensical to me so unless any of you can come up with an ACTUAL explanation as to how it might work I think it's safe to say it's a scam or all my equipment is somehow the greatest.


----------



## timb5881

I used to use a powered usb hub, with the jitterbug plugged into it, then my Cyberdrive feather dac into it.  It was always messing up the sound.  So, now I plug the jitterbug into a front USB port on the computer and the Cyberdrive into it.  It smooths out the highs a touch.


----------



## 1800yolk

I just got mine in the mail today, bought it with the goal of reducing my PC's processing noises. While it reduced them, it certainly didn't eliminate them. I'll hold onto it for when I can afford a Regen though. For now I'll use a SPDIF cable.


----------



## overhaze

The Jitterbug reduces driver latency. I have no idea why, have no idea how a passive low-pass filter is doing it but I've tried it with three dacs and LatencyMon showed reduction in each. Its tiny, not enough to make any audible difference but its there.


----------



## deafmutelame

Some valuable information from the Sound Science forum:

*Audioquest JitterBug for the Dragonfly - USB Data & Power Noise Filter: does it work or is it snake oil? *
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aud...ilter-does-it-work-or-is-it-snake-oil.878073/

Warning: puppies inside.


----------



## DEANO2

Dorstlesser said:


> Got the JB, tried it on my laptop, PC and smartphone and did not hear ANY difference in ANY configuration.
> 
> Hardware/configurations I used:
> - Always with Dragonfly Black
> ...


You might hear a difference if you used a dac capable of providing a noise floor difference when supplied with a better or cleaner signal. Honestly I found it makes a difference , sure it might be subtle but I use linear power for my computer my Nas and even my router.  It is placed in front of my Regen and until I upgrade that, that's where it will stay.


----------



## Colors

My setup is iPhone 6S -> CCK -> Jitterbug -> DFR -> IEMs

Makes the bass tighter, mids become more forward and treble more present. It definitely improves the detail and removes some congestion for me, and I notice it more on the laptop.


----------



## RiseFall123

Hi,

There is something similar to the Jitterbug for the optical output?


----------



## Dorstlesser

RiseFall123 said:


> Hi,
> 
> There is something similar to the Jitterbug for the optical output?



There's no electrical noise on an optical output, unless I'm missing something.


----------



## RiseFall123

Dorstlesser said:


> There's no electrical noise on an optical output, unless I'm missing something.



My ears notice that JB makes an highs roll-off in my chain for the USB output, I'm searching something like that for the optical, also another thing


----------



## Dorstlesser

RiseFall123 said:


> My ears notice that JB makes an highs roll-off in my chain for the USB output, I'm searching something like that for the optical, also another thing


What do you mean with roll-off exactly?


----------



## RiseFall123 (Jun 22, 2018)

Dorstlesser said:


> What do you mean with roll-off exactly?



It's early to be sure but, after I introduced the Jitterbut between SOURCE and DAC, I had the highs of the music to be more recessed, more dynamics and better mids. I can't swear but the piano notes are more bodier and the cymbals are less harsh. The negative side is that some music sound more "dead".
I'm looking something like that for my other source that is an Android TV and it's output via OPTICAL then to the DAC.


----------



## Arniesb

I agree with above post. Dynamics, punch, 3d placement improve, but it suck a lot of energy from upper mids and highs. Lot ot information is lost and overall it seems audioquest is not telling full truth... this thing should not change make music less transparent, but it does. It add layer of warmth and at the big expense of transparency. It works like some tube... very strange. Som


----------



## RiseFall123

Arniesb said:


> but it suck a lot of energy from upper mids and highs



Exactly my aim.


----------



## Arniesb

RiseFall123 said:


> Exactly my aim.


I was thinking about audioquest Diamond usb cable,  but if they add odd coloration... its not for me then.


----------



## DEANO2

What USB cable are you using now ? I'm pretty sure the diamond wouldn't color the sound but reveal a bit more.


----------



## RiseFall123

Arniesb said:


> I was thinking about audioquest Diamond usb cable,  but if they add odd coloration... its not for me then.





DEANO2 said:


> What USB cable are you using now ? I'm pretty sure the diamond wouldn't color the sound but reveal a bit more.



Then that cable is not for me, I am looking for a treble roll-off.


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## drtechno

ok, guys, enough is enough, if you use a good shielded usb cable it wont trash the usb signal (effecting it by digital jitter). Btw this product is nothing new, as the industry term for this device is called a usb isolator. Its been in existence since 1995. Some usb interfaces build this in since its just a $5 circuit.


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## RiseFall123

drtechno said:


> ok, guys, enough is enough, if you use a good shielded usb cable it wont trash the usb signal (effecting it by digital jitter). Btw this product is nothing new, as the industry term for this device is called a usb isolator. Its been in existence since 1995. Some usb interfaces build this in since its just a $5 circuit.



I knew about that but I founs the JB ok for me, with the right shape, elegant enough and I will keep it for the (little) good changes that it does to my chain’s sound.


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## Arniesb

RiseFall123 said:


> I knew about that but I founs the JB ok for me, with the right shape, elegant enough and I will keep it for the (little) good changes that it does to my chain’s sound.


Im gonna use it for movies and gaming cause it make everything more impactfull ha ha. For 50 dollars its very good buy still. Even for purists it can still find its use.


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## Loneract

If the USB signal is so dirty, why don't USB DAC makers include cleanup circuitry in their products?


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## headfry

For some reason many posters feel the need to put down the JB, but to my ears
it's staying in my system, a nice improvement in my audio chain for not much!


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## Mediahound

headfry said:


> For some reason many posters feel the need to put down the JB, but to my ears
> it's staying in my system, a nice improvement in my audio chain for not much!



Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:


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## Loneract

Mediahound said:


> Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:





Mediahound said:


> Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:




Yeah, I'm not saying they aren't needed.  I'm considering one for my Dragonfly.  Even NWAVGuy complained about USB port quality.  

But you'd think you'd at least see a few USB DAC makers building the feature into their products if they thought it made their product sound better.  (Maybe some have and I just haven't seen it.)


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## Arniesb

Mediahound said:


> Same here. I noticed improvement and even slightly more when using 2 Jitterbugs:



Thats because you like highly colored sound and not transparent sound... purists will not like it.


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## Mediahound (Jun 27, 2018)

Arniesb said:


> Thats because you like highly colored sound and not transparent sound... purists will not like it.



A usb product such as this that appears to make the sound a bit smoother or darker is actually more transparent, not less. This is from Rob Watts DAC designer from Chord Electronics, as well as Gordan Rankin the inventor of asynchronous USB audio and co designer of the Jitterbug. People have become accustomed to hearing digital jitter and noise and thinking that’s correct however reduction in the digital noise is actually closer to the analog signal and more pure.


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## Arniesb

Mediahound said:


> A usb product such as this that appears to make the sound a bit smoother or darker is actually more transparent, not less. This is from Rob Watts DAC designer from Chord Electronics, as well as Gordan Rankin the inventor of asynchronous USB audio and co designer of the Jitterbug. People have become accustomed to hearing digital jitter and noise and thinking that’s correct however reduction in the digital noise is actually closer to the analog signal and more pure.


Maybe youre right in some extent, but to me it adds something like cloud or yellow tint. I dont think in real life bass and lower mids is much more than the rest fr...


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## RiseFall123

Arniesb said:


> Thats because you like highly colored sound and not transparent sound... purists will not like it.



I like them too in my chain.

Although we are speaking about a small effect to then sound.


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## drtechno

Loneract said:


> If the USB signal is so dirty, why don't USB DAC makers include cleanup circuitry in their products?


Well most do, and this device doesn't do anything on those. One aspect since this is consumer audio is the way the analog ground is treated when the outputs are unbalanced rca connections. In the pro world, we addressed this with signal transformer. This is one of the humble pro offerings I used to isolate a radio station's computer to a stereo VCA broadcast console (Sandies Dynamix). https://peavey.com/products/index.cfm/item/875/117099  . so this device addresses most of the issues but if your DAC is designed well, and you use a good usb shielded cable, you should be ok. In rooms that there is a lot of RF trash in the room (due to other devices like cc machines, rf transmitters, etc) , you might have to add a ferrite bead to the usb cord even though all isolation methods are applied.


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## Whazzzup

I do agree that jitterbug for noisy computers or lower quality dacs, does smooth out the sound some. It’s cheap but realistically in sq and price is 5% of what a quality music server provides.  I found that a max of 2 jitterbugs per iMac, as the 3rd causes power drain and lower volumes.


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## DEANO2

I had always used one in the USB port of my Nas drive and one inline with my USB cord feeding my Uptone Regen . However since getting a new Nas I try it adjacent to my USB cord in my laptop laptop it's own and wouldn't be without one.


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## timb5881

Loneract said:


> If the USB signal is so dirty, why don't USB DAC makers include cleanup circuitry in their products?


Some do.  Schiit has one in some of their DAC's


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## Loneract

timb5881 said:


> Some do.  Schiit has one in some of their DAC's



Thanks!


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## timb5881

The JitterBug works great if you have a USB power source ie. a usb wall wart, plug the JB into that and the power USB cable into the JB.


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## DEANO2

I think for those who have basic play back equipment it offers a readily easy improvement sound wise.


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## Arniesb

DEANO2 said:


> I think for those who have basic play back equipment it offers a readily easy improvement sound wise.


Double edged sword... it improves sound highly color it at the same time. I heard ifi cleaners don't color sound as most of rest do.


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## Arniesb

Arniesb said:


> Double edged sword... it improves sound and highly color it at the same time. I heard ifi cleaners don't color sound as most of rest do.


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## DEANO2

So it coloured your playback and you definitely used one ? I use one on the usb out on my Nas and it quiets down the output i also use one adjacent to my usb output on my Laptop.  I'm happy with them.


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## Arniesb

DEANO2 said:


> So it coloured your playback and you definitely used one ? I use one on the usb out on my Nas and it quiets down the output i also use one adjacent to my usb output on my Laptop.  I'm happy with them.


It improves noise and stuff but it clouds the sound. Add veil to sound. Headphonia review perfectly sums it up.


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## drtechno (Jul 18, 2018)

Arniesb said:


> It improves noise and stuff but it clouds the sound. Add veil to sound. Headphonia review perfectly sums it up.


Interesting, So if there is an audio change like that, that means the isolator is over filtering the power and causing the return currents  from the analog side not to be equal across different frequency.  But its not much of a circuit. 
  Its very minimal for one of these, But a better designed isolator will Isolate, and allow a better power supply to replace the usb power entirely. Alot of people don't understand, that the current capacity of the usb port is the #1 issue here. Jitter is a secondary symptom when it is present in the usb circuit. But here is the standard industrial version. Here we not only isolate ~1500V , but also replace the usb power entirely:


Jitter, on the usb isn't going to be critical, its Jitter in the DAC. If the clocking of the DAc or what is referred to as the clock-master is in the computer, the clocking will never be accurate primarily because the 99% of the clocks in modern computers are not stable. In the pro audio world, we usually clock the converters independently from the computer. Some go to the extreme here in their clocking setups to the point of deriving the sample rate clock from a 10Mhz iridium (atomic) clock.


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## Arniesb (Jul 18, 2018)

drtechno said:


> Interesting, So if there is an audio change like that, that means the isolator is over filtering the power and causing the return currents  from the analog side not to be equal across different frequency.  But its not much of a circuit.   Its very minimal for one of these, But a better designed isolator will Isolate, and allow a better power supply to replace the usb power entirely. Alot of people don't understand, that the current capacity of the usb port is the #1 issue here. Jitter is a secondary symptom when it is present in the usb circuit. But here is the standard industrial version. Here we not only isolate ~1500V , but also replace the usb power entirely:
> 
> 
> Jitter, on the usb isn't going to be critical, its Jitter in the DAC. If the clocking of the DAc or what is referred to as the clock-master is in the computer, the clocking will never be accurate primarily because the 99% of the clocks in modern computers are not stable. In the pro audio world, we usually clock the converters independently from the computer. Some go to the extreme here in their clocking setups to the point of deriving the sample rate clock from a 10Mhz iridium (atomic) clock.


Well said sir. I knew this was the problem but its hard to explain being not expert.
It seems sound seems underpowered from jitterbug. Because it draws some power from usb port and usb cable transfer sound that is underpowered, but less noisy.
Is that correct?


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## Arniesb

If im right usb cleaners with power supplies would not have such issues?


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## drtechno

Arniesb said:


> Well said sir. I knew this was the problem but its hard to explain being not expert.
> It seems sound seems underpowered from jitterbug. Because it draws some power from usb port and usb cable transfer sound that is underpowered, but less noisy.
> Is that correct?




It could be considering power demand is the issue. I would have to look at the schematic to really tell you its design short comings, but its a simplified version of what has been out there for a long time. Personally, I think it couldn't compete with the standard. Another device that would have to be looked into is a powered usb hub. like this one here, that has the usb isolator circuit built in: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...m_re=powered_usb_3_hub-_-17-707-437-_-Product


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## masterstroke

Does this resolve problems with HDMI output which is (I'm reliably informed) known to have jitter issues? Reason I ask is that I am setting up an AV system on a Mac Mini (as server) which will be outputting sound (and vision) via HDMI to an external DAC?


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## overhaze

Has there been any concrete proof that the jitterbug actually does anything?


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## timb5881 (Nov 12, 2019)

Stereophile did a review a few years back.  No measurable difference, but claimed a slight difference in the sound with it in the loop.   I should add, that when I use mine, I use it where their is a USB power source in line, like my iStramer.  I use it between the the USB power and the iStreamer.


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## rkt31

timb5881 said:


> Stereophile did a review a few years back.  No measurable difference, but claimed a slight difference in the sound with it in the loop.   I should add, that when I use mine, I use it where their is a USB power source in line, like my iStramer.  I use it between the the USB power and the iStreamer.


Jitterbug has only passive noise reduction so it makes music a bit warmer which indicates that it works but it does not improve focus and clarity. also it does not work with low power devices like tabs and mobile. It does not work in series either. Ifi isilencer however has active noise cancellation tech and it improves focus and clarity both while not making music bright. It works with all devices and in series too. I use 3 ifi isilencers in series to remove even the last bit of noise from any usb source. I also have jitterbugs but not using now after trying ifi isilencer.


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## dakanao

Does anyone know why the Mojo doesn't work through the AQ Jitterbug on the iPad 4?


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