It generates its own 5V. Its whole purpose is to isolate the dac from the computer. It also regenerates the data signal.
Alan
Alan
Anyone Had Experience with USB Ground Isolators?
I stumbled on a website about how isolating the ground on your USB connection to your DAC could be a good thing, so I ordered an inexpensive "ground isolator" (powered by the USB cable) and it seemed to make a noticeable difference, streaming from Tidal, slight increase in the clarity, especially in the midrange.
I've had this installed for a while, being in the back of a wall unit, forgot I had it.
Upgraded my streaming machine from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 Pro and noticed, the most I could get my DAC to do (on the USB connection) was 96/24. After a lot of back and forth with the great people at PS Audio, I found that, installing their USB driver, I could not get Windows to do 192/24. Then I remembered I had this "isolator" installed, took it out of the equation, uninstalled and reinstalled the PS Audio driver and "boom", 192/24 appeared in Windows!
Doing a little more research and found a product from Schiit called "Wyrd", sometimes referred to as a "USB decrapifier", it specifically notes that it can handle hi-rez, and is powered by plugging it into an AC outlet.
I've had this installed for a while, being in the back of a wall unit, forgot I had it.
Upgraded my streaming machine from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 Pro and noticed, the most I could get my DAC to do (on the USB connection) was 96/24. After a lot of back and forth with the great people at PS Audio, I found that, installing their USB driver, I could not get Windows to do 192/24. Then I remembered I had this "isolator" installed, took it out of the equation, uninstalled and reinstalled the PS Audio driver and "boom", 192/24 appeared in Windows!
Doing a little more research and found a product from Schiit called "Wyrd", sometimes referred to as a "USB decrapifier", it specifically notes that it can handle hi-rez, and is powered by plugging it into an AC outlet.