Update March 2023
Well after three prototypes & a lot of testing/evaluation from some SNA members it is finally finished & in production. Cost is $1650 & in stock Model: USB Reinigen
Available to purchase now from my website.
I’ve been working on this for a while but there were hold ups securing some of the specialized parts. Finally I have a finished working version. The production PCB will have a few small layout tweaks. So what we have is a USB Isolator capable of 480 Mbps data rate speeds (high speed). There is full galvanic isolation between input/output due to a fully isolated power supply for the input section using a separate internal EI core transformer. It also has high speed data retiming on the output for jitter removal (Re-Clocking). For Re-Clocking a low phase noise 24 MHz discreet dual Jfet oscillator is used. It is based on a precision Seiko 24.00000 MHz crystal. The clock power supply is extremely important to keep phase noise low so wide bandwidth local discreet shunt regulators are used. The main power section is basically the same as my current kraftwerk II power supply. Mosfet active synchronous rectification Nichicon Gold Tune audio capacitors & a large 500 mH choke. The clock section effectually has three stages of regulation so power supply noise level is only a few microvolts. The USB input/outputs both have static transient overload (& static) protection. The isolation/retiming section of unit is using a new state of the art chip from Analog Devices – this is the part which I have supplies issues with.
Phew! – End of technical blurb
OK so what sort of sound improvement do you expect to get using this between a Streamer/PC & DAC?
I connected it between my Auralic Aries G2.1 Streamer & my own new top model DAC (sort of like a Fein III)
I was not expecting much change as the Auraic has a fully isolated USB output & my DAC has a low noise internal power supply for the USB board. Well I immediately noticed a significant improvement – more organic, upfront but smoother & better soundstaging – sorry totally subjective & my opinion only. I will see if Lachlan at Passion for Sound is interested in doing a review for another opinion – fingers crossed.
Price and availability:
Still doing a final costing, build time etc but it should be around $1500 including delivery. Availability – hopefully around the end of February 2023 so not far away. Note I have used a kraftwerk II case for the photos so the production version will have a new custom case. Now to come up with a name (the hardest part) – what is Isolator/re-clocker in German??
