This is a review for the JCAT USB card, one of the first experiments in making an audiophile USB card, implementing special filters for providing clean power in order to minimize USB-related noise mess in the digital signal path.
The USB card is the second product I purchased from the JCAT lineup, following the JCAT cable, which I consider a keeper. The JCAT cable has special caracteristics of high detail retrieval, separation, forwardness, strong emotional conveyal, and smoothness. In my several comparisons, I found it to change the character of the AMR DP-777 and Eximus DP-1 for the better.
Having a desktop computer as main audio source, I was curious on the JCAT card and see what impact it could make.
Configuration
The JCAT USB card needs special drivers to be installed, which can be found on the Adnaco webpage and are referenced on JPLAY’s website. JPLAY provides a document describing the functional scheme of the JCAT USB card, which can be tweaked with the usage of jumpers. The card can take the 5V power from the computer (connecting the PC molex connector to the card), or from an external PSU, being a battery or linear wall supply.
The card offers the choice to use the onboard filters to further clean the input power. I find it a good choice if taking the power from the computer, while it’s redundant when drawing power from a very high quality power source.
After connecting it correctly, and installing the driver, the card worked without any hiccups.
As the card presents two USB 3.0 slots, I chose to connect one to my AMR DP-777 DAC, and the other to the external hard drive I use for music.
Sound Quality
I tested the JCAT USB card both with the JCAT USB cable, and a regular Lindy usb cable. I tried it both the filtered computer power and an external regulated power supply. I used the AMR DP-777 as main source, and also played around with the iFi Nano. I used Stax SR-003 and 007 electrostatic headphones.
Switching from a regular USB port to the JCAT USB card offers a noticeable improvement when connecting the JCAT USB cable, which works as a magnifying glass to the source. By comparison, when using the JCAT cable with a regular USB port, the such comination is comparatively more strident. When using JCAT USB card and cable together, the sound is smoother, more delicate and there is even more separation between layers (even between lowest volume layers).
When using the Lindy 10$ USB cable, the differences are minor as if it acted as a bottleneck. In this case, the sound is slightly drier/tighter with using the Lindy with the JCAT card, as well as a bit more spacious. It gets a bit meatier and messier with the regular usb port compared to the JCAT card.
Using an external 5V power source can bring results of variable entity, depending on the quality of the psu. I used a regulated wall PSU, which has a very low cost compared to such batteries, and I could already notice a fuller tonality and stronger lower end. The Bakoon battery (and the JCAT battery, which is essentially the same thing) are supposed to bring the best from the JCAT USB Card, but I haven’t had a chance to test them yet.
Conclusion
The JCAT USB card offers a degree of improvement which depends on several parameters. The biggest discovery for me has been in establishing a sort of “bottleneck priority”, where a low quality cable is able to blur the USB signal to a higher extent compared to a standard usb port; still, once the “window” is open using a revealing cable, working on the upstream signal shows a level of improvement of comparable magnitude to upgrading the USB cable.
