My Comments on the Infigo Audio IS-1 Signature Streamer

No I haven’t heard this streamer, I don’t need to. Even in 2024, usb is still flawed. Here are a couple of snippets from a 2024 paper so my standards have not changed;

“let's first discuss the role of a USB connection in your audio system. In modern high-end audio setups, digital audio signals are often transmitted from a source (like a computer or a digital streamer) to a Digital-to-Analogue Converter (DAC) via a USB cable. While USB is convenient and capable of transmitting high-resolution audio, it’s not without its flaws. One of the most significant issues is jitter.

In the quest for audio perfection, audiophiles leave no stone unturned, from speakers to amplifiers to DACs. However, a critical and often overlooked element can significantly diminish the potential of even the most high-end audio system: digital signal integrity. USB connections, a standard in music streaming and digital audio, are particularly prone to jitter and timing errors, which can severely impact sound quality by introducing noise and distortion.

Imagine investing in the finest audio components, expecting to uncover every layer and nuance in your favourite recordings, only to be met with a sound that lacks clarity, depth, and precision. This frustration is not just disappointing; it's an all-too-common issue that undermines the substantial investments made by serious audiophiles. Standard USB connections, while convenient, simply aren't built with the high-fidelity transfer of audio signals in mind, leading to these detrimental timing errors.”

Every review of a component that has usb, and 1 of the following:i2s, or Ethernet, have preferred the sound quality of i2s/ethernet over usb.

Every streamer is a computer and most use the same usb hardware, even usb audio 2.0, which still didn’t resolve any of the issues above, it was mostly a speed increase.

My question to you and most audiophiles, when was the last time you judged for yourself if usb was better than Ethernet or i2s? 99% of you will never be able to run these tests because your setups don’t furnish these interfaces. I’ve been able to do this for many years and that’s why I got rid of my auraluc Aries streamer with my attached usb dac 7 or 8 years ago along with my reclocker devices, usb cable that splits the data from power, femto clock devices, and whatever usb tweak I had. Before I recently sold my AQ Diamond usb cable, I did do a couple of sessions comparing usb to Ethernet and i2s. The AQ cable is gone now, no need to ever use usb again.

Let me add this info. Quite a few high end companies have created their own proprietary links between components to get the best possible sound. What did a lot of these companies use as this interface? I2s. Here is a description from Esoteric on their es-link:

ES-Link
ES-Link is an ultra-wideband digital interface developed exclusively by Esoteric. The ES-Link 5 supports up to 22.5MHz DSD or 768kHz/48-bit PCM using two HDMI cables. The HDMI multi-cable configuration is used for the transmission of fully balanced audio data, LR clock and bit clock signals. Unlike conventional digital transmission, no processing is required for signal modulation at the sending end or for demodulation at the receiving end, thus significantly reducing the digital processing load on the DAC to achieve pure digital transmission.

@spkrplus i try to be careful in saying what I say. I’m glad you said what you said. I can buy anything I want. I choose the Method 4 Dac and Ls1 streaming combination because I get all the detail, soundstage and musicality without degrading sound quality. Most that I know that use roon say it’s a slight even though small loss in sound quality to gain functionality. So for me it is a non starter. I have had people and clients get rid of bigger name equipment and cables to purchase the Infigo stuff. I’m glad you are sharing your observations with us. Hans knows how the use the ess Sabre 9038 dac chip like no other because he used to work with the guy who invented the chipset . He believes that any loss of sound quality while building equipment is a non starter. So if it degrades sound quality it’s a no! He built this dac and streamer with that in mind. I been in this hobby 20 years and have never been happier. Anyone who tells you that they don’t need to hear something before they have an opinion on it is someone I wouldn’t listen to. There are some amazing guys in high end audio. Technology is being pushed to the limit in our hobby. There are guys that figure out how to get the best out of already existing platforms and methods. I think Hans has just pushed us to a new limit. I’m proud of the Method 4 and Ls1 and would put it up against anything. The method 4 dac faired well against all of the super dacs in a shootout on the Whatsbestforum Dac shootout last year. I offered to loan my streamer out simply because I’m that confident in its performance. But there are some guys that will shoot it down without hearing it. I don’t worry about that crowd because in this hobby there will be those but most audiophiles enjoy hearing something new. They understand that in each technology method new highs will be reached and there is a sense of curiosity and possible wow factor in each thing you put your ear on. If you already have you mind made up you have a right to. But some are more interested in showing us that they are right and how smart they are over actually listening and trying equipment with an open mind. Whatever you do try as much as you can. Audio is a journey. It’s YOUR OWN JOURNEY NOT THEIRS! @rbstehno i just had the 20k esoteric No1xd in my system 2 months ago while I loaned my dac out and I preferred the sound of the Infigo method 4 with the ls1. I was actually one of the first to get the ls1. Just my opinion. 

One of my last streamers was created by the digital genius behind Playback Designs, Andreas Koch. It used a Plink interface for the best performance. It also had SPDIF which sounded great on that unit. The Plink was implemented using a fibre optic cable something more and more designers are realizing is a magic bullet to kill noise. I also think the SPDIF was also connected to the fibre on the inside of the unit since it sounded so good. I had 2 other fibre streamers to compare side-by-side, Lumin X1 and a Sonore OpticalRendu. They all sounded different.

I sold this streamer since I found a much cheaper DAC that I was happy with for the long term and no longer was planning on spending a lot of money on the PBD Dream DAC. I only use fibre based streamers. The DAC connection is no longer the primary factor when I look for a streamer (USB, I2S, SPDIF, etc.).

I am very confused. The claim that every review prefers I2S or Ethernet over USB for sound quality may not be universally true BECAUSE of the many variables involved.

It seems that some reviews highlight advantages of I2S, such as lower latency and less noise due to better shielding, others argue that USB can perform equally well or better depending on the specific DAC and system setup. Additionally, practical implementations vary widely, and many users report different experiences based on THEIR equipment AND environment.

Based on my experience, Ultimately, the preference for I2S or Ethernet over USB depends on individual setups and subjective listening tests.

There are instances where USB can outperform I2S or Ethernet, particularly in well-designed systems. For example, high-quality DACs that implement asynchronous USB can achieve superior noise isolation and lower jitter compared to I2S, especially when the USB implementation is optimized for low interference. Additionally, some DAC manufacturers argue that USB provides better performance in specific setups, particularly when the source device is low-noise and properly isolates the USB signal from power supplies. Thus, while I2S and Ethernet have their advantages, USB can be the best choice depending on the specific components and configurations used.

The bottom line is that there are many options including IS2, USB, Ethernet, ES-Link and others. Everyone has to decide for themselves what implementation sounds best in their environment. There is no right solution for everyone because of the many variables.

AND, of course, get ready for the next cable design. Yikes!