AudioQuest and DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology to develop a new high-performance, full-speed USB microcontroller solution that delivers improved signal-to-noise ratio and significantly lower power consumption. Drawing 77% less current than the previous microcontroller, the new Microchip PIC32MX microcontroller enables true compatibility with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. Further, we simply cannot overstate the significance of Gordon Rankin’s contributions to AudioQuest. The new DragonFly models embody many of Gordon’s most innovative, creative, and elegant digital-audio solutions to date.
DUAL DISCRETE NOISE-DISSIPATION CIRCUITS
Reduces the noise and ringing that plague both the data and power lines of USB ports.
Measurably reduces jitter, unwanted noise currents, and parasitic resonances.
Packet errors are sometimes eliminated completely.
Improves dynamic contrast, warmth, and resolution.
I'm surprised they didn't use a PIC32MZ for USB 2.0 and 192kHz support.
It could be a capacitor between +5V and ground. Then it would "make sense" to add more devices in other USB ports nearby. :-)
Among the marketing spiel for it is this bit, which I find hard to believe:QuoteAudioQuest and DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology to develop a new high-performance, full-speed USB microcontroller solution that delivers improved signal-to-noise ratio and significantly lower power consumption. Drawing 77% less current than the previous microcontroller, the new Microchip PIC32MX microcontroller enables true compatibility with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. Further, we simply cannot overstate the significance of Gordon Rankin’s contributions to AudioQuest. The new DragonFly models embody many of Gordon’s most innovative, creative, and elegant digital-audio solutions to date.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think Microchip probably didn't need to collaborate with an outfit like Audioquest to design a new microcontroller?
It could be a capacitor between +5V and ground. Then it would "make sense" to add more devices in other USB ports nearby. :-)Yes, I suspect they're just bulk decoupling caps. Not true snake-oil but probably not much benefit either. Weird "power filtering" products have been around for many years:
https://www.ixbt.com/news/hard/index.shtml?10/66/54
I suspect they will show an effect only if your existing filter caps are already too dried-out to be of much use.
Among the marketing spiel for it is this bit, which I find hard to believe:QuoteAudioQuest and DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology to develop a new high-performance, full-speed USB microcontroller solution that delivers improved signal-to-noise ratio and significantly lower power consumption. Drawing 77% less current than the previous microcontroller, the new Microchip PIC32MX microcontroller enables true compatibility with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. Further, we simply cannot overstate the significance of Gordon Rankin’s contributions to AudioQuest. The new DragonFly models embody many of Gordon’s most innovative, creative, and elegant digital-audio solutions to date.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think Microchip probably didn't need to collaborate with an outfit like Audioquest to design a new microcontroller?
If you read carefully, the quote does not say that Microchip got any input from Gordon Rankin and Audioquest. Gordon worked "alongside Microchip", which seems to mean that he used their new chip in his circuit design. The new PIC draws 77% less current (but Gordon presumably had nothing to do with that), and Gordon made "significant contributions to AudioQuest" (but probably none to Microchip).
A nice example of marketing weasels at work...
Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology
Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology to develop a new high-performance, full-speed USB microcontroller solution
AudioQuest and DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology...
AudioQuest and DragonFly designer Gordon Rankin worked alongside Microchip Technology...
Translation: he posted a question on their forum once.
or maybe galvanic isolation ? it's usefull for reducing any EMI / RF.
don't know about jitter though.
It could be a capacitor between +5V and ground. Then it would "make sense" to add more devices in other USB ports nearby. :-)
USB 2.0 specification limits capacitance on Vbus to 10uF to limit inrush current