IFI-Audio iPurifier2 USB signal cleaner

The USB audio platform is well-established, yet as with any audio transmission protocol, unwanted factors hinder the audio quality. iFi’s obsession with ‘cleaning up’ the USB audio chain drawn from the knowledge base of AMR. As early as 2012, iFi invented the first USB power regenerator – the iUSB Power. This was swiftly followed by professional USB audio cables – the Mercury and Gemini. Later came the USB audio filter – the original iPurifier. Fast-forward to 2015 and we now have the iPurifier 2.

Most effective at the end (rather than the beginning) of the ‘digital USB audio chain’ the iPurifier 2 cleans up the USB transmission. There is an iPurifier 2 perfectly suited to every DAC.

All-new, cutting-edge

In an all aircraft-grade CNC-aluminium shell anodised in ‘titanium’，the all-new iPurifier 2 features the very latest USB audio technology from Active Noise Cancellation® to REclock® and REgenerate®, whilst still retaining the original REbalance®.

Active Noise Cancellation® drawn from military radar technology

Drawing from the military field (specifically the Thales Spectra radar cancellation system deployed in the French Dassault Rafale jet fighter), iFi adapted this technology to exclusively introduce the Active Noise Cancellation® (ANC®) audio power system. It is now a cornerstone of the ever-improving iFi USB audio technology, looking for new products to feature ANC® ，and ANC+®.

An air defence radar is transmitting at a certain frequency; the signal is bouncing off the aircraft; a receiver on board the aircraft picks up the signal and a computer analyses its base frequency/modulations and an identical, out-of-phase signal is generated by an on board system to cancel out the enemy radar signal.

By generating a signal identical to the noise signal but in the exact opposite phase, it actively cancels all the incoming noise. ANC® is the perfect ‘antidote’ for power supply noise, the bane of USB audio.

ANC® measured, noise drops by 100 times or 40dB in comparison to the Common Noise Filter. Sonically, the background and inner resolution to recordings is enhanced several levels.

REclock® reclock/regenerate/repeat the signal

Re-clocking is beneficial to audio. REclock® is a ‘3-in-1’ feature that re-clocks/re-generates/repeats USB audio datastream. For any and every downstream DAC, REclock® technology eliminates jitter. Music flows better, is cleaner, deeper and tauter, just like the real thing.

REbalance® rectify the unbalanced signal

A core element of the original iPurifier’s success was REbalance® which has naturally been carried over to the iPurifier 2. By removing the DC offset and ‘re-balancing’ the USB audio signal, it is now perfectly balanced. As it purifies the USB audio data stream, this means noise is significantly reduced:

Future-proofed. Like no other

At iFi, we already develop cutting-edge, advanced audio converters from AMR trickle-down technology. Given this pedigree, the iPurifier 2 (just like the original iPurifier) is ready for all present and future PCM/DSD/DXD formats – without restriction.

So your iPurifier 2 will improve your USB audio playback experience for many years to come.

The iFi ‘Grand Slam’

To reach the absolute zenith in USB audio quality, iFi loves to push past the envelope of what is considered possible. We recommend the existing iUSB Power (to supply pure, clean power) and the Gemini cable (for separate audio + power transmission). Coupled with the iPurifier 2 to re-clock/regenerate and filter audio+power just prior to entering the iUSB Power (in this instance, not at the DAC end).

For the iUSB3.0, that alone incorporates all that we have learnt over the past few years so the iPurifier2 is not required to improve the iUSB3.0.

For further reading on the iUSB and technical aspects on other iFi products:
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