iFi SPDIF iPurifier Digital Optical/Toslink/Coax Audio Signal Optimizer/Purifier/Conditioner

Here is my experience with the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 This is how the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 is installed in my system: Windows 10 PC (Asus MB with Realtek Spdif output) --> Spdif cable built by me --> ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 --> Modius --> Musical Fidelity X-10v3 tube stage --> Asgard 3 --> Cardas Clear Light cable --> Audeze LCD-XC (2021). From being in the home audio hobby for 25+ years I have a lot of very nice ancillary gear and cables. I used a lot of these ancillary cables and isolation power conditioners with the above setup to tweak and tune this headphone setup, this is before the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 installation. The only thing that changed with my setup is the insertion of the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 between Spdif cable and Modius. The below review is going to show I really liked what this ifi device does for my setup. But before trying the device I was not expecting a whole lot. I knew cleaning up a source signal "could" make a big difference but for $200 it was just a lets see for fun experiment. If it did not show enough value I was planning to return it. The TL;DR review: Ever have something that you liked and would not be without it? This is the case for me, in my system with the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2. I will not listen to it now without it. "After enough burn-in" the sonic performance and how engaging the listening experience is drastic. YMMV but in my experience rarely can $200 (or $230 with tax and shipping) yield such a sonic improvement. This also has showed me how bad the output of Spdif is from my ASUS motherboard is. My setup sounded very good before, now it sounds fantastic and much more engaging. If you want more performance and the cost of the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 is within reach, I highly recommend trying this device within your system. Amazon has a 30 day return policy just in case you do not see the value in it. The Review: Burn-in: There is about 80 hours of continues signal through the unit so far. Burn-in is real on the unit I have. I would listen to the system during the stated burn-in period on and off a few times a day. When first installed the system sounded way off. Then it goes through a lot of sonic swings like 30%+ loss of bass, pitchy upper mids, very lean sound signature, weird sounding timing, etc. Then parts snap back and go away. At around the 50 hour mark the system started to stabilize and sound more like it should, meaning with timing/cohesiveness and without the weird peaks and dips in the frequency range. Now at around 80 hours or so it really sounds fantastic. To burn-in the device I ran pink noise and brown noise through the unit from PC 24/7 (when I am not listening). Asgard 3 was powered on but volume turned all the way down during burn-in. I leave the Modius and Asgard 3 on 24/7. What bothered me: Before sharing what this device did for my system I want to mention the one thing that I do not like. The ifi device is suppose to plug directly into the DAC Spdif input. The fit is a tad loose, not firm into socket. I am use to WBT or Eichmann plugs that fit tight, this fits like a cheap weak freebie RCA plug when inserted to the Modius. Does stay in place and works, but not very reassuring. Noise Reduction: Now a days when watching or reading reviews what is mentioned often is "source gear". These reviewers are referring to DAC and amp. When I think source gear I think of the component that is supplying the source signal. The old adage of "garbage in, garbage out" is what this ifi device is addressing. The reason Spdif is used in my setup vs USB is less noise when volume is turned up. And Spdif in my setup sounded very close to USB, Toslink was to lean for my taste. For some context, without the ifi device when the computer is turned off (no signal) the Asgard 3 (in high gain) volume can be cranked to max (5 o'clock) and there is no noise or distortion. With computer turned on (still no signal) noise can be heard at about 2 o'clock or so and gets louder as the volume is turned up. USB in my system is worse and I can hear the hard drive and bus sounds. With the ifi device installed into system, with computer on and no signal I can crank the volume all the way up to max and there is zero noise! Is this the galvanic isolation doing its thing? Sonic performance difference: This is the hardest part of any review because it is very subjective and often hard to articulate. Everything in this section will be the difference after inserting the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 into system and after burn-in (notice I keep bringing this up?). Improvements were quite vast, spanning the entire frequency spectrum. Detail retrieval vastly improved, separation of all sounds, decay, realism or timbre improved. Macro dynamics (soft to loud) improved also but not to the same extent, maybe by 5%-10%. Also to note even though the bass is more defined, more texture and nuanced there is approx. a .5db loss in bass. I did have to boost EQ +.5 bd to get the punch I use to have. Everything heard has more texture and is more nuanced and is more clearly defined and separated then before. Maybe it is all those raves, clubbing and concerts when younger that has impaired my hearing. I like listening at a higher volume, I can usually hear everything better. But now I can listen at a lower volume and everything seems to be heard clearly. Before sometimes certain sounds sounded a tad fuzzy or smeared until I turned up the volume. To summarize, the addition of the ifi Spdif iPurifier 2 to my system has definitely increased the level of enjoyment while listening to it. I really liked the system before but now it feels addictive! Bravo ifi, incredible bang for the buck! Oh yah, YMMV and I have no affiliation with ifi. ifi does offer a similar USB product but I have not tried it. Hopefully this review helps someone else. Peace

Before purchasing the SPDIF Purifier 2, I read the company website's information, reviews from internet enthusiast websites, enthusiast magazine reviews posted on the internet, and some posted opinions by people who had actually purchased the product. The buzzwords used in the company's website may excite the imaginations of audiophiles but I wouldn't blame a soul for being skeptical. The thirty day trial period offered by Amazon meant that I could get a realistic in home opportunity to judge whether it would be money well spent so I finally fired up the credit card and took a chance. The Purifier 2 is described as restoring the digital information to proper form before it goes into your DAC. In my two channel system, modest as it is, it certainly made a difference. The most obvious improvement is that it lowers the noise floor of my system. That makes the presentation of the sound stage bigger from top to bottom, left to right, and front to back. Vocal harmonies and instrumental duets become distinctly separate. Instruments occupy their own space. The dynamic range or the limitations of dynamics in a recording are better defined. The decay of notes are more distinct and longer, particularly cymbals which will seem to shimmer more than before. Even if you've only played "air drums", percussion instruments are easier to follow. Bass notes became better defined and tighter, more "punchy" if you will. I suggest that a Purifier 2 makes more sense as a value purchase to improve digital playback a good system than adding a new digital cable. The point of diminishing returns shows up sooner in digital cable applications. If the signal is polluted to begin with, no amount of copper or silver conductor is going to achieve very much other than draining your wallet. Those who are fortunate enough to afford CD players or DACs with the same features as the Purifier 2 don't need one. Everyone else should consider whether or not to take advantage of the thirty day trial and see for themselves if it makes a positive difference.

Do I want this dongle sticking into my receiver? NO If I've got coax female coming out of say my Sonos box it goes via a cable to this thing, fine. Then I use it to split to RCA coax and optical and then wire to my receiver and another output. Everyone has great RCA coax cables for that. But not single female to male cables. Or then I have to use a trashy female to female converter to possibly stuff up the signal. It just doesn't make sense. Otherwise it sounds great, works, etc, but this jack thing is just?.?

Used with Sonos Connect into my Schiit Yggdrasil DAC (coax/coax). Sonos sounded real good to begin with and was almost as good as my Rotel CDP used as a transport, so the DAC is doing a good job with its internal reclocker dealing with the jittery Sonos. I dig the Sonos ecosystem around the house and would like to keep it in the main system, so I was hoping for at least a little improvement with a reclocker; however, this iFi SPDIF iPurifier is a fanstastic sound upgrade for me. Had considered a couple other costlier alternatives, but not thrilled with upsampling and figured I could use the iFi in my A/V system if it didn't work out in the main system. As many reviews suggest, the detail, depth, and stage improvements are impressive, and the iFi provides good combinations of input/output, if needed. I must say that I am primarily a vinyl guy, and use digital at home for music unavailable/unwarranted on vinyl (and Sonos frequently feeds my ADD), but this system addition will have me listening to digital quite a bit more at home. Obviously the iFI SPDIF iPurifier is likely to have different or less impactful results in other systems (e.g., better streamers, better DAC reclockers), but this has delivered an astounding improvement to my setup regardless of its small price. EDIT: Added an Uptone UltraCap LPS 1.2 to feed the iFi (replacing the included power supply) after reading some recommendations elsewhere. This made what sounded great even better...improved everything (clarity, dynamics, soundstage). Yes, it cost 3X this iFi...very well worth it to me in my system. BONUS EDIT: Decided to give the new iPurifier2 a go...definitely an improvement to the very impressive original. Same exact configuration as in my original/edited review of the original. The iPurifier2 adds just that extra bit of detail and fullness to what the original already offers. As this resides in my main 2-channel system, I'll relocate the original (with its iFi power supply) down with my A/V system with another Sonos Connect setup. I was contemplating trying out a newer streamer for my 2-channel, like the Auralic Aries G1 or something, but I'm not seeing (hearing?) any need for a while with this nifty upgrade.

I guess it’s ok as an optical to coax transformer, but in my application it did nothing for SQ. Looks good and solidly built.

I had great results from the iPurifier. With no DAC did I have 'night and day' results, but the results were certainly more than subtle. You don't have to be listening very carefully to notice that the audio has changed for the better. I would describe the results as more 'clear' and 'tighter' all around. It is worth mentioning that on premium DAC's (those with built-in 'reclocking, cleaning' circuitry, >$1000 USD), the improvements were minimal, but noticeable nonetheless. Also, with 'budget' DAC's (<$100 USD), there also wasn't a whole lot of improvement. Where this product really shines is with all other DAC's - those a tier above 'budget' and all the way up the premiums. With some DAC's, this product brought the performance to where they approached the sound of my premium R2R resistor ladder DAC's. If you have a DAC of respectable performance, but not quite in the premium range, I would HIGHLY recommend this product. If you are pulling audio from a lesser source (television, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, video game console, etc.), than this product is a no-brainer. It would be fantastic to see a similar SPDIF product in the 'nano' or 'micro' series of products. I would be the first in line to get one of those. --------------------------------------- ** Update (10 months of use) ** I have realized that while using very good equipment, this device is actually a detriment to sonics. It appears to compress the sound and restrict audio in the extremes of the human audible range (very high and very low frequencies), especially the high frequencies. Music isn't as open and dynamic. Instead of sounding more clear, the effect is that of sounding constrained, compressed, and even somewhat muffled. In my experience, with higher end equipment, the sound has improved far more by changing to higher quality digital cables rather than using the ifi iPurifier. This is true only of higher end equipment (electronics of $1000-2000 USD and up, per component). I still stand in my opinion that for lesser equipment, this is an invaluable upgrade.

I bought this item fully intending to try it, find out it was useless, and return it during the 30 day trial period. I hooked it up to my system and let it "burn in" for 3 days, then began listening to streamed music files from my collection of flac and mp3@320 albums. I am always getting new music based on review sites like Metacritic, Pitchfork, All Music Guide and more, but I mainly listened to stuff I have had for so long it would be easier to detect any audible improvement. Again, I did not expect anything. What I began hearing was improved clarity in treble, tightening in bass, and deeper soundstage. Vocals in many recordings became clearer and more "separated" from the instruments, both main vocals and backing vocals. As I kept listening my enjoyment of the improved listening experience just grew.The final straw in my decision to keep the ifi was listening to Don Henley's "Building the Perfect Beast" cd via flac. Every track revealed new musicality. On "Sunset Grill", every time the synthesizer came into the mix it was like it leapt out of the speakers!! Real dynamic range! My system consists of Media Monkey>Logitech Media Server>Netgear Wireless Server>Logitech Duet>ifi SPDIF Purifier>Schiit Bifrost 4490 DAC>Sony DA5700ES A/V receiver>Goldenears 3D SoundArray soundbar>Goldenears Invisa in-ceiling surrounds>RSL Speedwoofer 10 subwoofer (2). I have 63 year old ears but they could tell this little guy was a keeper. What a pleasant surprise.

I am disappointed as it developed a buzzing sound after a couple of months. I need to disconnect and reconnect the power source in order for it to go away.....only to comeback after a few hours or the very next day when turning my device on. It looks like Ifi won't honor the Warranty as I did not "registered it" my purchase even though I bought this in Amazon and everything is there........bummer.