Intona High Speed USB 2.0 galvanic isolation

[manisandher]

This Intona is GREAT! And great value for money too, at less than EUR 300 (for the Industrial). I have absolutely no affiliation with Intona (or Phasure, or any manufacturer for that matter), but I'd say that you need to beg, borrow or steal EUR 300 to buy one of these babies.

Haha... I've been using my Intona in my office system to date, as my main system is down right now. But the Intona was always intended for my main system, which will be back up next week. I'm listening to music through my (home) office system right now and thought I'd better readjust without the Intona, so I took it out. Well, this lasted for about 10 seconds or so. I put the Intona back in, started listening to music again, went on-line immediately and ordered another Intona for my main system!

I'm all for practicing what one preaches ;-)

Mani.

[briefremarks]

Anyone else using Intona with W8--which is what I am doing at present.  I'll try this again, but the difference between just using the Clairixa cable, and using the Intona device with a cheap, short USB cable between PC and Intona is not very dramatic.  Waiting for OS HDD to try further optimization of SQ.

[manisandher]

Anyone else using Intona with W8...

All my listening has been with W8 - I haven't touched W10 to date. Surprised that you're not hearing as big an improvement as I am, even with W8.

Mani.

[PeterSt]

Surprised that you're not hearing as big an improvement as I am

And then to think that you both may originate from the same country. Haha.
But it is a wild guess.

I am from Double Dutch country and I must honestly say that the two times I revisited Windows 8 with the Intona, I was not aware of improvements BUT this is because W8 is so much off by now that I regard it unlistenable. This does NOT say a thing about either of you as - like I explained yesterday in another topic - it is all about "getting used to" and references;
Once upon a day we all (!) liked W7 SP1 ... try that now ... (ahum, maybe we really should).

It also can easily be about experience. So without listening next to each other in the same room, it may take years to learn what to listen for. But actually I just told about it. So, while no 2 weeks ago I liked 10074 for the very best over all of the OSes with my personal x years of experience in this environment (say same x years as Mani), today now that too is rendered unlistenable, to my ears. All it required was 10586.0 + Intona. And that combination came about x years later. Now I know forever why 10074 does not cut it (at all) and what to listen for to perceive that "badness".

So that difficult it actually is. Or that interesting.

Peter

[briefremarks]

I've learned that you do not realize you are missing anything in SQ until you hear how much better it can be.  Then in retrospect you realize the limitations of what you had before.

The universal experience with friends who listen to music at my home is that they never realized the limitations of their systems until they heard my system.  I tell them about XXHE and NOS 1a; they look at the Phasure box and say "strange looking!" to which I respond form follows function.

I expect W10 and XXHE 2.05 will be an improvement.  One reason for not hearing a big change with Intona could be that I still have music on a USB drive, and so things are not quite optimal.

I am interested however in what people are doing respect to everything downstream of the DAC.  Speakers could end up limiting any improvements on the DAC/player.   I'm now using the Linkwitz LX521 active speakers: dipole with 2 10" woofers, lower midrange, upper midrange and two tweeters.  Would love to compare these with the BD Design speakers, but there is no opportunity to hear the BD Design speaker here in San Francisco--or is there?

[toddn]

Hey briefremarks,

I thought I'd chime in even though it's a little of topic with a little insight on the BD Designs vs. Linkwitz Labs. I'm friends with the original principles of Audio Artistry which included Sigried Linkwitz(one of the other two was the best man at my wedding)

 I own the Beethoven Grands which were their pinnacle of open baffle(dipole) design, I now have BD Designs Orphean horns coupled with 3 high sensitivity 15" drivers per channel, my DIY version of the Orleno 2's minus the refinement of Peter and Berts slick Fletcher Munson compensation curve selection and the chip amps.(so read that as not quite as good but in the same family). To me frequency response and tonality is quite similar to the Linkwitz designs, but there is a dramatic difference in information retrieval and dynamics. I can't imagine going back to the Beethovens on a regular basis although I still enjoy them and they throw a huge soundstage.

I never liked the sound of horns, just like Paul(User name Scroobius) but read his posts under the speaker section here. You would never know your listening to BD horns without seeing them!

Ok back to the Itona! Loving it

Todd

[briefremarks]

Todd,

Very interesting indeed!  I'd like to chat with you separately if you can spare a moment about the BD Design speakers, as well as the Hypex NC400 amps.  I'm using chip amps at the moment from Audiosector.

I will try some more critical listening with and without the Intona and see if I can detect a difference.

BTW, Siegfried believes the LX521 is considerably better than the Orions (which they are), and the Grands (I've never heard them).

Ramesh

[PeterSt]

Ramesh, if we consider LA the SF area, then in LA you can listen to a pair of Orelo MKII's (further everything the same as you have) ...
And again that person could origine from the same country ...


Peter

[Scroobius]

Yesterday I fitted a new pro Intona and sat down for some critical listening. I have to say I was a tad disappointed. Yes there was a difference but not of the OH WOW kind it was subtle worth having yes but not earth shattering.

Today I went up to see Mani and was surprised to hear just how much difference the Intona made in his system. More than mine for sure. That was until I got home a couple of hours ago.

What a difference a day makes. So tonight I am listening to some tracks I was listening to last night and the difference with Intona in and out of circuit is much bigger. It has to be burn in. Or did I have cotton wool in my ears?

But the comparison is not a fair one and the difference should be even bigger when I get my second Clarixa. That's because the impedance matching is ruined with Intona in circuit because of the long el cheapo usb cable from the PC to the Intona. Of course with the Intona out of circuit the Clarixa from PC to NOS1a provides good impedance matching.

Wow very surpised it is that I am.

I am listening to LCD Soundsystem just now and it is with big smile on my mush.

Cheers

Paul

[music33]

Todd,

Have you tried the Regen with the Intona yet, if so, any impressions.  I ordered the Intona today.

Cheers,
Dave

I'll tell you what though, I'll put it in this weekend and report back, but I'm quite confident that it will detract from the performance and not add to it. What the hell though, I have both might as well try it and report what it does in my system and let you extrapolate from there.

[music33]

Ramesh,
By coincidence I have the Linkwitz Orions.  I have friend who lives in Oakland who heard the Orelo MK II's in LA.  He is actually looking for speakers and hasn't pulled the trigger yet.  If you are interested I can put him in contact with you as I know he would be interested in hearing the LX521 and would share his experience in hearing the Orelo's.  Just a thought.
Cheers,
Dave 

[briefremarks]

Dave,

I would be happy to have your friend visit and listen to the LX521's with the XXHE and Phasure NOS 1a front end.  Send me a private message, and  we'll get this set up.

Ramesh

[xp9433]

I'm friends with the original principles of Audio Artistry which included Sigried Linkwitz (one of the other two was the best man at my wedding) ....
Todd

Todd
Really nice guys at Audio Artistry! I remember meeting all the guys involved at CES (1993?) when they first showed their Beethoven (?) design. Liked the design, but it was a little screechy in the upper midrange and I thought the 35w tube amp they were using was clipping with a Soprano singing. It so happened I had a 250w Plinius amp in my car, ready for review, and lent it to them for the rest of the show. Problem solved.
It was a mutual benefit however, because a resulting introduction through their mates led to Plinius' first distributor in USA! Who would have thought...
Cheers
Frank

[toddn]

Sorry for being off topic. But I was feeling a bit nostalgic and realize how small the collective HighEnd audio community is

Frank thanks for the kind words, they are great guys at Audio Artistry.

 I helped you carry that Plinius beast either from or to your car when we set up or at the end of show tear down!

Also, that was their first year there and the had their Dvorak entry level speaker in that room initially with some Cary tube amps until you came along!

Your the lead engineer and designer, aren't you?

Cheers,
Todd

[toddn]

Hey Dave,

I just wanted to let you know, I tried the Regen I in series after the Itona and no comparison the Itona alone is much better in every area.

Having the Itona in line with the Regen may have improved the sound of the Regen slightly, but let's just say you might see another Regen for sale on Computer Audiophile or maybe it will be used in my office system

Todd