FX-AUDIO- GI-01J Ground Loop Isolator Line Noise Filter - Designed with Sound Quality as the Priority - RCA Input/Output GND Isolator

This ground loop isolator/line noise filter is designed with sound quality as the top priority, suitable for everything from car audio to professional studio use. It employs ultra-low distortion special-order transformers, specially manufactured for audio use, and further refined by excluding any units exceeding specified distortion levels. This ground loop isolator (line noise filter) is designed with sound quality as the top priority, by isolating (electrically isolating) the GND of the audio signal (line level) input via RCA terminals. This prevents and reduces ground loop noise (mainly a low humming noise, also known as GND loop noise) in line-level signals, improving sound quality. For example, it can be used to counter the "humming" ground loop noise that occurs in the audio signal line when sharing power supplies between a DAC and an amplifier using a DC splitter cable. It can also be used to counter ground loop noise that occurs unintentionally without special connections such as power cable splitters. For car audio applications, this device is connected between the head unit and the power amplifier to prevent and reduce noise originating from the car's alternator (generator), such as the "whirring" noise and ground loop noise, such as the "buzzing" noise. [What is a ground loop?] When multiple devices are connected, the reference point GND (ground) of the zero signal becomes loop-shaped, and this is a major cause of hum noise (a low, continuous "buzzing" sound). Basically, GND is 0V, but when multiple devices are connected, a slight potential difference at the error level occurs in the GND of each device. A potential difference means that current flows, and the current generated by the potential difference is noise unrelated to the signal. If this potential difference is very small, it will only result in a negligible level of noise (inaudible or barely audible) that cannot be detected in the audible range, but depending on the connection situation, the characteristics of the equipment, and the environment, it can become a loud "buzzing" noise that interferes with listening. To give a simple example, if you split a DC power supply and connect it to a DAC and an amplifier, and then connect the DAC and amplifier with RCA cables, the connection becomes power supply - power cable - DAC - RCA cable - amplifier - power cable - power supply (one loop at the split point). An effective way to deal with a ground loop is electrical isolation. A ground loop isolator electrically disconnects and isolates the GND using a transformer, thus eliminating the ground loop. In the above connection example, by connecting an isolator between the DAC and the amplifier, the point where the GNDs of the DAC and amplifier were connected by the cold side connection of the RCA cable is isolated, and the loop is eliminated. It can even affect subtle noise levels that are barely noticeable at silence or low volume, caused by currents generated by very small potential differences, and improvements in signal-to-noise ratio and quietness can be expected by removing or reducing noise. There are many inexpensive ground loop isolators on the market, but the reason for their low price is the precision and quality of the main component, the transformer. Audio signals inevitably experience distortion when passing through a transformer, and the lower the quality and precision of the transformer components, the more pronounced the distortion becomes. Due to the physical structure of transformers, higher quality and precision increase costs, which directly impacts the product price. High-precision transformers designed for audio applications are very expensive, but low-precision transformer components are readily available and inexpensive as general-purpose parts. Many products use such components to offer lower prices, but low-precision components are unsuitable for audio applications and inevitably cause signal distortion and sound quality degradation. Ground loop isolators and line noise filters are commonly used as noise reduction items, mainly for car audio. However, in car audio, there is a lot of external noise such as engine noise and road noise, so the reality is that many inexpensive products use general-purpose transformer components with high distortion because "it is more effective to remove large audio noises, even if it means sacrificing some sound quality degradation due to sound distortion, as it improves perceived sound quality." Therefore, with this product released under our FX-AUDIO- brand, we have custom-produced high-precision, ultra-low-distortion transformer components specifically for audio use, so that it can be used in home audio without worrying about sound quality degradation. Furthermore, by selecting the highest precision components from these custom-made parts, we have created a ground loop isolator/line noise filter that minimizes distortion of the audio signal to the greatest extent possible, resulting in an audio product with virtually no sound quality degradation. In addition to the transformers, we have also adopted metal film resistors from DALE, a company renowned for its sound quality, that meet Mil standards, setting our commitment to sound quality in the components we use apart from the specifications of other companies' products. When we actually measured the distortion rate with an audio analyzer, it was 0.0005%, which is orders of magnitude higher than the approximately 0.01% of inexpensive isolators. Ground loop isolators are line noise filters that are common in automotive applications, but even in home audio configurations, you may be unintentionally affected by ground loop noise, so we have set a price that disregards market prices and disregards profit, and we would like you to try it out. Isolators primarily for automotive use suffer from transformer precision issues, resulting in noticeable sound distortion and a negative impact on sound quality. Therefore, they haven't been widely used in home audio applications. However, even in home audio, ground loop noise can frequently occur. The GI-01J was developed with a focus on sound quality for home audio use, and this pursuit of sound quality has resulted in a professional-grade sound with ultra-high-precision transformers that minimize distortion. Its professional quality makes it suitable for car audio, and we encourage you to try it in your home audio environment as well. Having one of these allows you to check for ground loop noise simply by placing it between RCA cables. Even if you don't currently have any obvious problems, it's a valuable tool to have for detecting ground loop noise. For car audio use, especially in newer cars with significantly improved sound insulation, it's not overkill. It's also highly recommended for professional use in stage sound systems and studios where ground loop noise is more likely to occur due to the numerous connected devices. [How to Use] There is no connection direction, and there is no distinction between input and output. Since there is no distinction between input and output, connect it by relaying it between audio equipment, using either one as the input terminal and the other as the output terminal. Connection example: [DAC]---RCA cable---[GI-01J]---RCA cable---[Amplifier] [Precautions] This is an isolator/line noise filter product that addresses ground loop noise, so it is effective when the noise source is a ground loop, but it cannot address noise caused by anything other than a ground loop. We cannot guarantee that you will necessarily experience a noise reduction effect for all types of noise, so please use it with this in mind. This is an item to counter ground loop noise, so if used in an environment where a ground loop does not occur, depending on the environment, it may become easier to pick up noise due to a decrease in GND strength. [Product Specifications] Brand: FX-AUDIO- Series: ACCESSORY SERIES Product Model Number: GI-01J Color: Black Product Warranty Period: 6 months from the date of purchase Input/Output Terminals: Stereo RCA terminals (gold plated) There is no distinction between input/output terminals Accessories: None Dimensions: 40mm (W) x 71mm (D) x 25mm (H) (excluding protrusions) Weight: 100g Eliminates ground loop noise Employs ultra-high precision audio-specific transformer (custom-made) Ultra-high precision transformer is selected and further refined Designed with sound quality as the top priority, ensuring quality as a home audio product Uses DALE resistors (MIL-SPEC) with a reputation for sound quality