Eliminating hum, hiss, and noise in USB audio interfaces

If you’re the type who uses a USB audio interface from your computer for listening to music, check out the iFi iDefender+ USB Audio Ground Loop Eliminator. I am forever battling ground loops, and this is the only device that has worked to completely eliminate noise in my USB audio interfaces. I use it with a Schiit Lyr (which, in addition to having the best brand name ever, is a fantastic USB DAC / pre / headphone amp).

I was getting some kind of noisy, squeaky interference when I plugged the interface directly into USB. The noises changed based on computer activity, so it was different than the normal hum one might get from a ground loop. Thankfully, this adapter completely removed the noise.

Obviously, you need to power the USB dongle from a separate power supply, and not just from another USB port on your computer.