USB Disruptor

What does the
Disruptor do?

If you connect to your DAC or integrated amplifier with a USB
cable from your computer, if you’re streaming high resolution tracks, like
24/192, then likely you’re not hearing your DAC at its best.

The computer’s various electrical processes
generate EMI and RFI, there are myriad power supplies involved, all creating
electrical fields and likely leaking noise. This noise can leak into your DAC
and make the sound fatiguing at times, you sometimes get harsh notes, it just
doesn’t feel right, and definitely not for extended listening periods – think
8-hour sessions.

I’ve had Disruptors in my systems for years now
and I never get fatigued, I don’t hear harshness unless the artist intended for
it to be harsh. The music swings and shines, it draws you in and you just want
to drift away into it.

I used to get there at times in the past but
something would ruin it. After all the treatments like reclockers, signal
processors, room correction software, noise absorbing wall panels, and
expensive interconnects and power cords, what made the most impact was cleaning
the source, the computer. That just made everything sound its best. And it
makes sense, it affects everything downstream. If the source is pure the result
is going to be different. And what I’m saying is that this is the purest I’ve
ever heard my music: the backgrounds are silent, voices hang in space, bass
notes render in three dimensions, it’s like you can reach out and touch the
notes – it’s a spectral experience.

People often ask me where the other speakers are
in my listening room. It’s just two!!

The Problem:

Most computers are just not designed for high
resolution audio streaming. The USB standard allows for line level voltage to
swing about 5%. What that means is in the USB cable, if you’re running it from
the computer to the DAC, the 5 volt power coming from that line is vacillating
between 0 and 5% – sometimes it’s putting out 5 volts and sometimes it’s 4.9
volts, and sometimes 5.1 volts, and so on. This can cause problems with
sensitive electrical devices like your USB DAC. The technical outcome of poor
line level power regulation is ripple voltage, which is basically electrical
noise, and this could impact the way your DAC behaves.

The Disruptor power
supply has .1% line regulation. That is 50 times more precise than your
computer!

Computers and computer-like devices create noise
and interference from the normal activity of the various electrical components
that compose a computer. Hard drives, screens, power supplies, memory, etc.,
all draw current and cause power spikes, and in turn create noise. The computer
is a noisy place!

Adding to the problem of the computer already
being noisy, USB cables themselves do not seem to be optimized for high
resolution computer audio streaming. They can leak computer noise to your USB
DAC via things like the metal mounting hardware of the USB cable. This may allow
more electrical interference to work its way into the USB DAC. Even the
physical proximity of the USB cable power wire to the digital signal lines,
within the cable itself, could impact performance, hence the availability of
audiophile USB cables that separate the power wire.

The Solution:

The unique USB Disruptor circuit corrects the
problem.USB Disruptor works as a system to optimize the digital signal transfer
from the computer to the DAC. The circuit accomplishes three goals:

1.   
The power from the
computer is cut out of the loop and replaced with a virtually noise free
external power source to cancel any negative effects of loosely regulated
computer power.

2.   
The conductive metal
mounting hardware of the USB cable is deactivated to prevent computer noise and
other extraneous noise from leaking into the DAC.

3.   
The physical separation
of the power flow from the USB cable may reduce or eliminate negative effects
on the digital signal lines during signal transfer from computer to DAC.

USB Disruptor includes a USB Type B adapter. Type B is the most common
for USB DAC's. The adapters are interchangeable making USB Disruptor compatible
with nearly any USB DAC.

Shipping: Free shipping

If you are unhappy for any reason, please contact us within 30
days to arrange a return.

 

Reviews:

 

San Francisco Audiophile Society Review

“The USB Disruptor is one of those products that once
its effect is heard, it’s hard to imagine not having in the system. Its effect
was very positive, and for a measly $150, a no-brainer, since (to me) it’s
easily worth five times the price!”

TNT Audio Review of USB Disruptor

“The USB Disruptor is now a permanent contributor to the pleasure
I derive in listening to great recorded music. Highly recommended.”  

Stereo Times Review of USB Disruptor

“In all honesty I was not prepared for the level of improvement
the unassuming USB Disruptor would provide.” 

Listed in the HD Tracks Digital Accessory Store

USB Disruptor was developed using high resolution music from
HD Tracks. The talented people at HD Tracks tested our USB Disruptor and liked
what they heard. USB Disruptor visitors get 20% off HD Tracks, please see
our store for details.

Sam B., Richmond, VA

“The USB Disruptor (5 volt power supply) and “DaBigGenius” No 5
volt (USB cable), both under $150.00 are by a shockingly large margin the most
cost effective improvements made to my digital audio system and have made digital
audio as close to perfect as I have heard. “

 

Letters from our customers

I’ve
been using the USB Disruptor and DaBigGenius cable for about a month now. I
thought I’d give my impressions.

After
a month, I’m living in a “new normal”. I enjoy my audio system more than ever.
The initial reaction was stunning. I can best describe it with a (probably
poor) metaphor. Physicists talk about the behavior of subatomic particles in
terms of (I think) probability “smears”. My initial reaction was that prior to
the USB Disruptor I was hearing an acoustic smear, both spatially and
temporally.

I
should say that while I am not a high-level audiophile, I do have a nice
system: Peachtree integrated amp, Gallo Strada 2 main speakers, and a single
Gallo TR-3D subwoofer. The imaging of the Gallos has been described as “spooky”
and indeed, that was how I felt.

Then
I added the USB Disruptor and cable, and the imaging became more precise, even
more spooky. Spatial location is more precise, even more three dimensional.
Perhaps more noticeable, though, was the temporal precision: sticks on cymbals
in jazz, Latin percussion instruments, even hands clapping in live performances
are precisely place in time instead of this sense of temporal “smearing” —
which, I should say, I never noticed before. As you say, there is more “air”
between voices and instruments and the sharper placement in space. But, for me
at least, the more stunning effect is the placement in time.

One
last note: the Mapleshade website suggested moving my Gallos to a position 5
feet in front of my listening chair and 6-7 feet apart. I thought, “no way is
that going to work.” (Prior to this, I had the Gallos about 10-12 feet in front
of me, 3-4 feet away from a back, curtained wall.) But I tried it. Again the
effect was stunning. My reaction was … “Holy s*#t!!!” Now not only do I have
laser-like spatial and temporal precision, but I have a huge soundstage, and,
as if by magic, the Gallos that are sitting right smack in front of my face (5
feet is NOT that far away!) have totally disappeared sonically.

I
am a very happy customer.

Sherman
W.

 

Rob:
I received the USB Disrupter and DaBigGenius USB cable. I installed them in my
system and was amazed at the improvement right out of the box. My wife (not an
audiophile) was up on the second floor at the time, and commented on the
improvement (unprecedented for her)!

Today,
listening to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, she told me she heard instruments
(horns) in the background she had never heard before (again, not an audiophile)
and she got “goosebumps” from listening!

My
system consists of a Mac Mini (3.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7 -Turbo Boost up
to 3.5GHz) music sever with the music files stored on a Transcendent StoreJet
500 solid state drive using the Thunderbolt cable connection. I use a Oppo
BDP-105D  DAC (via the USB connection), feeding into a Audio Research
SP-11 Mk II, a Krell KSA 100 and Vienna Acoustics Beethoven speakers. The
previous USB cord was the Aural Thrills Audio Self Powered Bias Cable System,
with the Audio Quest Jitterbug.

Thank
you for such a great product. It’s taken my system one step closer to the
music, for a very modest investment…   bravo!!!

Chris
I.

 

USB
Disruptor & DaBigGenius are hands down the best improvement to my
signal chain I’ve experienced thus far. In regards to resolving dirty USB
power, lowering the noise floor, improving the soundstage and improving the
articulation of the bass, mids and highs, nothing else compares, period! I
won’t waste my time trying to convince you, I’m going to let the product
do the talking for me! This is just my opinion, but I formed this opinion
by actually trying the USB Disruptor myself, instead of guessing what would
happen, then blurting that ignorance out on the forums! Most detractor articles
I’ve read are from people who don’t know a lick about the fundamentals of
electronics, have put no testing in of their own, and are therefore at an
embarrassingly high disadvantage when scrambling with guesswork to make their
points. Rob Priore, on the other hand, took the time, effort and money to experiment,
test and resolve what so many audiophiles have been plagued with for years and
we thank him for that!

Toby
R.

 

Using
the disrupter and usb cable now about 6 weeks….it has taken my sound to another
level, in a very good and satisfying way. more tone, more body and spatial
characteristics….wonderful product and the fast shipping was an unexpected
surprise.

Larry
Kennedy

 

I
would say that anyone NOT using this cable [DaBigGenius]  if they use USB
is shortchanging digital music.

Cyrus

 

Hello
Rob,

I
received my Disruptor products and have them installed, a super fantastic
product right out of the box! Simply put, just awesome. Let me explain further
if you will …..

I
bought new a pair of Snell C back in 1983-4 and let them go a few years later,
always rued that fact until looking I found another pair at a very reasonable
price, the upgraded Snell Ci models. They are as finicky now as they were
originally in room placement and gear used with them, speaker wire too as I
found out. Using a double run of Speltz #3 wire bi-wired sounded like crap so I
dug out some older Tara Labs Quantum III+ cables which really transformed them
with the tweeters on the inside of each and I have been very happy with them
….. until the Disruptor wire install, and here is what happened.

The
Snell Ci are numbered L / R and designed across their sloped back front with
the tweeters on the outsides and the midrange on the inner side by side, as I
sat back to take a listen to your Disruptor products I was shocked, it sounded
like the tweeters were fighting to get out and the midranges fighting to get
in!!! Yep I forgot I had both speakers swapped so I shut down a moved both
speakers to their proper L / R positions and started to listen again ……. Holy
S*#t I said as the soundstage exploded in front of me, deep and wide with a new
found clarity and instruments seemingly floating about the soundstage with very
nice separation too. Articulation of vocals was quite telling now as well, I
ended up listening very late into the night and didn’t want to quit!!! ….. I
find the dynamics appear much improved now as well like a clean window VS a
dirty one.

Anyone
using a PC with a USB out to a DAC needs to hear these products, simply a no
brainer and I give them both a *****+ rating. Totally a stunner!

PS:
I did notice right away my normal attenuation settings were now lower in
nature, probably because now all the added USB grunge was eliminated with its
inherent distorted noise. One hell of a job Rob.

Sincerely,
DW

 

Rob,
I thought you might like to know that when I play classical music now, it might
be softer at the setting I usually start at, but when I turn it up, it still
sounds like music, and it blossoms.

In
the past, it would start out louder, but when I turned up the volume, I’d get
so much hash, that I couldn’t turn it up anymore.

And
I’m using Voice of the Theaters.

Cyrus

 

ROB:
That is excellent news Cyrus, it’s more proof of the problem, the
electrification of the exterior USB shells in USB cables for audio interfaces
is certainly problematic. I need to focus more marketing on this specific area.
Would you allow me to use your email below as a testimonial?

CYRUS:
Go ahead. I tried going back to the stock cable to compare. After the starts of
two songs, I stopped the comparison.

Note:
Cyrus is using one of our DaBigGenius™ Audio Grade USB Cables between his
Bryston Media Player and his Hard Drive. The hard drive is sending interference
to the Bryston along the outer shells of the USB cable.  That is now
disrupted with our cable and the sound has improved.

Hi
Rob and nice chatting with you yesterday. I disconnected other USB ancillary
devices last night from my iMac and PS Audio DSD DAC and used just the
Disruptor. You are correct in that the sound only improved. Pretty surprising,
but anything with computer based music systems and in particular USB, seems to
be a surprise. The system sounds great with your product as a major part of the
USB chain.

Best
regards,

Frank G.

Cane Creek AV, Inc

www.canecreekav.com

North Carolina, USA

 

Rob,
I finally got the opportunity to listen to my system with the USB disruptor
inserted and it does indeed make digital sound more analog!  Good job!

Bob H.

 

Hi
Rob,

First
let me say that I’m the worst person at articulating what I hear so if I don’t
make sense, it’s me not you. Second, I quiet like their.. umm.. format. A
similar thing I had before was an iFi iPurifier which is a rigid piece and I
always felt it must have loaded my usb port funny (as in supplying a
moment/torque where there’s supposed to be very little) so your seem more
suitable for sticking on the back of a DAC and forgetting about it.

So
what do I think of your disruptors sound-wise? I use them in 2 different
setups. The first is my umm.. desktop setup using an Antipodes DX server into a
Schiit Gungnir (old version, but USB gen 2) and then to a Cavalli Audio Liquid
Gold headphone amp, ending up with a pair of LCD3’s or HD800. With this setup,
(using LCD3’s) notes seem tighter. It’s only marginal, but there’s definitely
more bite to guitars and drum beats. Definition seems better all-round which is
nice. The changes are subtle, but then again, as far as USB sources go, I think
my Antipodes DX is one of the better ones out there. (I’ve tried a few other
USB tweaks and actually found no improvement at all, so well done!) Definitely
“tighter”. Like everything went more “Dire Straits”, if you see what I mean.

The
second set up is mac mini->PS Audio Direct Stream. This is a speaker setup
but at the moment I’m using a really crap amp driving budget speakers so hardly
fair. A $6k DAC into a $199 amp and to $299 speakers! On this there’s certainly
an improvement again in simply the… “clarity” of the sound. I can’t really
point out where it is in the frequency spectrum, but it really did make the
speakers sound a touch less confused like they normally do. What I really
noticed with this is a little long so bear with me. My PS Audio DAC actually
has an ethernet input – this takes files from a DLNA server into the DAC’s i2s
input and from a budget SYNOLOGY NAS, this is the best input for this DAC, imo.
While USB for this DAC is pretty amazing, ethernet beats it quite clearly.
What’s nice about your disruptor is that it seems to take USB quite a bit
closer to the LAN route. It doesn’t quite beat it, but I am now happy to
compromise and go with USB’s combination of sq and convenience.

So,
sadly I can’t give you any jumping up and down with excitement type
comments  but I think for
the  price, these things are hard to beat. A complete no-brainer for
anyone with a USB DAC and honestly, I think they will show themselves more
clearly in lesser systems for sure. If I have the opportunity, I will try it on
my lesser systems and see what they do.

Congratulations
on making something really great value in hifi. Such things are rare indeed.
Best of luck!

Chaiwat

 

Rob

I
am a happy customer and I do believe that the disruptor took the sound of my
server in a positive direction.    However Ive made several
changes in a very short time and cannot comment on exactly what happened.

Good
luck!

Gil

 

Hello I bought your USB
disruptor with much reservation thinking how can this improve my already good
USB cable. That being said I did several blind tests with two there and at
first it seems my volume is not quite what it is before I installed the
disruptor ,but listening closely it lowers the noise floor and instrumental
textures and stereo separation is better,a bit more relaxed analog presentation
if you will . In reality just a notch more  on the volume to compensate

For the cleaner presentation.  For the record the majority of 
various priced USB cables I installed with the disruptor became much less of a
difference in since sonic differences ,this alone shows something Is going on
to clean up the signal throughout the 5 volt power feed on the cable An
excellent value in bettering the musical signal, PJ Letteri.

 

Rob,
thanks for checking. I am using the Disrupter with a Aurender XL100L, going
into a PS Audio DSD. It is also plugged into a Regen. I did notice a small
improvement in the overall space of the music. Thanks for the device. Ron S

 

Rob:

I
have inserted the USB Disruptor between my PC audio server and my wonderful
Antelope DAC. An immediate and obvious improvement. Better detail and a sense
of darker space between the instruments. Vocals are more articulate without
losing any emotion.

These
effects did not require the dreaded 100 hour break in to hear. My DAC had no
problems with connecting to the computer with the Disruptor in place.

The
USB Disruptor works and it is a significant upgrade to USB based computer
systems.

David
Pritchard

 

Hi
Rob,

Brilliant,
simple and without a doubt the most cost effective system upgrade that I have
ever experienced. Everything you mentioned, in your analysis about the effects
of the USB Disruptor, is understated, at least in my case. From the moment I
plugged it in it was like another veil had been lifted. All aspects of sound
stage were improved. The beautiful overtones of instruments and vocals became
organic and palpable not only aiding in the overall quality of the sound but
also its profound impact on the sound stage. Micro dynamics are delivered
without blurring. Additionally, the Disruptor clarified the bottom end by
providing impact and additional weight with a sense of great agility and speed.
All of these attributes provided by the disruptor reduce listener fatigue and
increases the sense of space around individual instruments.

When
auditioned by some pretty serious audiophiles they all commented on the
improvements and some found new interest is digital audio. Everyone in my
family immediately noticed the improvements. All in all the USB Disruptor has
had a significant improvement on my system and I am grateful that you
experimented and found a way to compile the needed components and deliver
unbelievable improvements at a cost thats both affordable and a cost savings
since you will not need a very fancy USB cable.

I’m
not sure that anyone else will care but I’ve listed my component system here
for your consideration.

Amp: Levinson No 27.5

Pre: Coda Fet 1p

DAC: Wadia 121

Wires: Nordost Frey

Speakers: Adam Tensor Delta

The
USB Disruptor is inexpensive, very well built and delivers on the promise of
improved USB sound!

Rob,
thanks for creating the USB Disruptor and sharing this brilliant device.

My
best regards,

Sam
B., Richmond, VA.