The central characteristic of iFi is in pursuit of the zenith in audio performance: it leaves no stone unturned. Well, the all new iPOWER is an exemplary example of this. Despite the fact that the iFi Ultra-Low Noise AC/DC adapter was exceptionally quiet and elevated the iUSB and iPhono to punch way beyond their respective categories, the all new iPower is even quieter, up to 10x quieter in fact.
Advanced DC power design – the best has just been bettered
Three years ago, iFi’s Ultra-Low Noise AC/DC power adapter set the way and underpinned the whole iFi range from the iUSB to the iPhono leading to their loyal following.
Well, not to rest on its laurels, iFi now has a completely new ‘ground-up’ DC powered supply.
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 so good ANC technology is now a cornerstone of the ever-improving iFi USB audio technology range.
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 onboard 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.
With ANC+® the power line is filtered for audio band and RF noise. The measured noise floor of 1uV (0.000001V) is at the measurement limit of what even the most sophisticated Audio Precision equipment is capable of.
What audio noise floor?
Measured on the Audio Precision 2, the iPower has an astonishingly low audio band noise floor of just 1uV! To put this into context, iFi’s very own Ultra-Low Noise AC/DC adapter was in a class of its own at 10uV. Compared to a typical audiophile Linear Power Supply which measured at 20uV, it is demonstrably clear AMR/iFi power supply technology is unparalleled.
12-Element Output Array/6-Element Input Array
Shaping the face of technology, AMR/iFi not only pushes the boundaries of audio design, but power design too. After all, electricity is the ‘fuel’ behind the audio signal.
There are two separate, but similar ‘Array Technologies’ in the iPOWER:
12-Element Output Array – is for addressing noise on the output (at the DC barrel) end.
6-Element Input Array – is for dealing with noise at the input (at the 2-pin mains) end.
What this means is that any noise is contained and neutralised with the iPOWER to halt it from contaminating the local mains or audio system. iFi is one of a handful of companies that manufacture ‘battery quiet’ DC power supplies. Just like hybrid technology in cars, both have come a long way in a short space of time and are gaining wider acceptance.
Polarity Inverter Adapter for ‘centre negative’ audio products
At iFi, we like to think comprehensively and while the majority of home and pro audio products have a ‘centre positive’ DC power connector type, if your product such as a guitar pedal or a Sony Discman has a ‘centre negative’ instead of ‘centre positive’ pin, it is important to use the iFi power inverter. If you are unsure of the DC polarity of your product, please check with your vendor. For equipment using a DC power connection, it is common practice to include protection circuitry against over-voltage/reverse polarity, but not every manufacturer will have applied this. Always check first as AMR/iFi is not responsible for incorrect use or damage arising from use of the iPower.
Can be used globally; world-wide suitability
AMR/iFi understands and appreciates that today, being portable and user-friendly is paramount. So the iPower is light, convenient and above all, easy to travel with and work in any country in the world. It comes in 5V, 9V ,12V and 15V versions for all manners of DC powered devices and a set of interchangeable pins to span the globe: for USA/UK/EU/AUS electrical outlets. Performance and portability personified.
In summary, all the technology behind the iPower would count for little if it was not audible. Well, it is both. With the all-new iPower, the noise floor is virtually inaudible and the all-important level of refinement (whether listening to an analogue or digital source) has been amplified several notches.
Best of all, all existing iFi-powered devices all benefit, and in the different DC-power versions, the iPower now compliments non-iFi DC-powered products too. So all can enjoy the “sound of iFi.”
Got Raspberry Pi or similar? Then use the iPOWER 5v
The USB power line runs on 5v and the Raspberry Pi/Cubox/BeagleBone (or similar Microcomputer) is rapidly becoming the most popular computer server option. So, each iPOWER (5v version ONLY) ships with the DC > micro USB cable so that the iPOWER (5v) can supply pure, clean power to the microcomputer for the optimal computer audio playback.
