
Each mains plug in an audio chain brings its own earth point, and these multiple earths create a ground loop. The result is noise, buzz and distortion that reach the headphones or speakers. The iDefender+ goes between the USB source and the DAC to solve this problem simply.
Plugged into the USB port of the computer, the iDefender+ automatically detects whether there is more than one earth and intelligently disconnects the computer earth. It breaks the ground loop the correct way, without cutting the data link. The system noise floor drops significantly, to the benefit of dynamic contrast, warmth and resolution.
A USB-C port on the side lets you inject a clean 5 V supply. With a DAC powered from the computer's USB port, the iDefender+ then blocks the power from the computer and replaces it with that of the external supply. For ultra-low noise, iFi recommends its iPower Elite or iPower X at 5 V.
The iDefender+ runs at SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and stays USB 2.0 compatible, with gold-plated USB 3.0 and USB-C connectors. It comes in three versions, USB-A to USB-A, USB-C to USB-A and USB-C to USB-C, selectable in the product menu. Each one measures 50 x 20 x 9 mm, weighs 6.6 g, handles 5 V and 1 A maximum, and can be combined with the iSilencer+.
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