Review on 🔌 iFi iDefender Plus USB Audio Ground Loop Eliminator (Type A to A) by Emmanuel Nguyen

I was experiencing crackling and static when I connected the USB-A cable from my Lattitude 5510 laptop (and 5511 too) to my JDS Labs Atom DAC . This increased when I was doing something on my computer that required processing - opening a program, moving the mouse, etc. Dell even replaced the mobile circuit board twice and then wanted to completely rebuild my software. Very disappointing - they dare not admit that it is a grounding problem in the system. This ONLY happens when I have something plugged into the laptop's USB-C port - either a monitor cable plugged directly into the monitor or a docking station. Remove the USB-C connection and life is great, the signal is perfect. So you have grounding problems. I bought this ifi Defender+ to try and minimize the noise issue as I didn't want it damaging my DAC or my Eris speakers and subwoofer. In theory, since my DAC is powered, I don't need to turn it on. However, when I plugged it in, there was no effect. I sent it back almost immediately but then thought of at least trying force it. So I plugged the USB-C power cord into my charging dock and plugged it into the outlet - and voila - the noise was about 95% gone. So far away that I can't hear it when I'm sitting in my normal working position. When I put my ear to the speaker, all I hear is a faint popping and hissing, but that's with my ear. So I'll say it works, although it doesn't work 100% in my case. If you experience popping/popping/static noise when connecting to your laptop or computer, this may help. Just remember that regardless of how your DAC is fed, you need to plan your meals.