USB Hub with isolated ports

[manonthelivingroad]

Hi, I was thinking into getting a good USB hub for powering several of my usb devices specially my lemon drop, fireball and blackbox and plugging them into one station, but normally USB hub ports are not isolated, so noise will happen, have anyone found a good usb hub that can power several 1010music devices that either don't bring out noise floor or that each port is isolated so you can have one clean, noise free, usb hub?

Note: I have found this one, but I don't think it will power well 1010music devices without resorting to the green block port (which is awesome to have different voltages, but is a shame that is a non standart power port) https://www.amazon.com/-/es/StarTech...s%2C129&sr=8-8

[spktkpkt]

I have the same problem. I have this one http://sabrent.com/collections/charg...oducts/ax-tpcs which will power the devices (Blackbox and Bluebox) without problems, however, disturbing noise and tones are generated. If you find a multiple USB power source that works, please leave a comment. I'll do the same if i hopefully found a solution.

[jayneural]

I am also interested if someone finds the holy grail hub or power adapter that isolates every source.

Not sure this product exists though. Maybe 1010music or a company like Retrokits should invent it

[spktkpkt]

@jayneural i don't found this device either, but i found a solution. I've put a Behringer HD400 "Hum remover" between the Blackbox and the Bluebox, this works even if they both are connected to the same USB-multi-charger, I use a Anker PowerPort6.

[fiddymen]

What you wanna search for is a ground loop isolator. Loopop has a good video explaining noise sources and ways to address them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2c6fKOu-vo. Since neither Black/Bluebox communicates over the USB-B port, they can both be powered using these isolator cables so that the same hub can be used to power them.

In terms of current, I try to make sure each one can pull up to 2A. The 2.4A stated is beyond the capabilities of most battery packs, which is how I often power the two. As long as they each get 2A (Use a separate brick for each) there aren't many issues. Remember to make sure the USB cable is rated for the higher amperage so it can channel all that current.

With two 20kmAh batteries I can get away with powering both boxes as well as one analog synth/drum machine per battery for 2-3 hours.
(Blackbox/Pulsar-23 & Bluebox/Moog Subharmonicon)

Final note - you can power an analog synth from the midi host USB port (eg Dreadbox Nymphes), but this will also create noise, so also requires an isolator, but that cuts the data from the signal, so you'll still need a MIDI cable to control the synth.

[lukeaxiom]

same problem here and no clue about the whole thing. would something like that help maybe?

https://www.amazon.de/Delock-62588-USB-Isolator-Isolation/dp/B00QKYU5BY?th=1

[sirshannon]

it's funny, when I hear "usb ground loop isolator", I think of something like the product you link to lukeaxiom

Arturia includes a "Anti-ground loop adapter" in the box with their Keystep 37 and it is what I've seen called an "On The Go" adapter elsewhere. It is an adaptor that splits the USB so you can plug it into a power adapter separately from the device you're communicating with over USB.

[yamakazi666]

I work with a lot's of USB hardware, and it's a pain to keep it clean ^^
Worst are thoses that power and data using USB.
AND... Blackbox / Bluebox are the noisyest piece of hardware I own I not properly powered.

I manage to power all of my hardware from USB HUBs and it is deadly quiet now.

First of all, I don't know of any USB HUB under 500-700 USD that is properly isolated.

You have to make your own and there is not that many option out there.

- POWER SPLITTER (like arturia) : difficult to find, most are not splitter and just add external power source to the USB powerline.
You can DIY yourself, it's pretty easy, you only have 4 wire in USB, 2 for DATA (yellow, white, sometimes green or blue), 2 for POWER (always black and red), but splitter that just gives extra power are OK too sometimes.

BUT : Power Splitter only work if your power source is properly isolated, and sometime it don't work at all.

- USB ISOLATOR : there is not that many way to do it, and barely all USB ISOLATOR from 0 to 100 USD use an ADUM3160 and are copy of the basic design extract from the chip datasheet.
You can buy a cheap one from Aliexpress, or a fancy one from Jeff Besos they are the same chip and schematic inside, and sadly, all work with very low mA (around 300mA) and are slow data transfert (but for all your synth, sampler and sequencer... it is fast enough.
I you can power your device with an other source, it is OK, but if not you have to use a power/data splitter and add the USB ISOLATOR on the data part. Some Isolator includes power slitter, but it is low mA too, like 600 - 800 mA for what I've found

- AUDIO ISOLATOR : you can go with behringer, fancy passiv transformator isolator or... cheap aliexpress one like thoses 2 USD stereo 3.5mm they are not the same schematics / design at all, but, I have very fancy ones for my guitar pedalboard and aliexpress cheap for my synth rack, and I could not ear any differences at all. And I can go mad for days until I get a crystal clear signal.

In my synth suit case I have 6 ADUM3160 and and around 20 AUDIO ISOLATOR. I also have two fancy, "isolated" startech usb hub around 200 USD each (get thoses from my work) and they are really not ground isolated, they just have some sort of power and galvanic protection. It's pretty useless for what we want to do.

If you are handly, DIY a ADUM3160 HUB with fitered / isolated power is not that hard, but you will have to order a batch of double sided PCB or you will end something huge.

[Steve]

I use a combination of these... At home, I can easily separate power sources but when we travel - not so much. So my travel rig contains these items and it was proven to work well. The key is to find a wall adapter that provides 5v 2+A for each USB port. Many multiport power bricks share their power across all connections. If you are in the US, this combo works.

this strip provides clean power and 2.4A to each USB jack.
power strip w USB

This adapter provides 2.4A to each jack. It is a bit wide but it works.
2 port wall adapter

[yamakazi666]

Nice ! I have a triple port USB block for light travel too (2 USB A and 1 USB C) one of the USB A share the same power with the USB C, but I plug my Blackbox on the other as it is more subject to ground noises, and it works perfectly for what OP need indeed !

[yamakazi666]

CHEAP 1 CHANNEL USB ISOLATOR (300 mA)
CHEAP 4 CHANNEL USB ISOLATOR WITH EXTERNAL POWER (600-800 mA)
CHEAP AUDIO ISOLATOR
You can aslo buy this cheap ass USB VOLTMETER to check on your power.

[Dongel]

I will buy
BB-USH207 Advantech Corp | Datorutrustning | DigiKey
UPort 200A Series - Industrial-Grade USB Hubs | MOXA
HB30A10AME | Startech Industrial USB Hub with ESD & Surge Protection, USB 3.0, USB-A Socket | Distrelec Sweden (elfa.se)
Hubs - ACCES I/O Products (accesio.com)

Tired of buying crap if you buy quality, it will be cheaper in the long run. but Steve and the gang solve everything.

It would have been nice to see a usb hub with a super optimized UP/DOWN ISOLATED surge protector with MTT technology and say 6 usb 2.0 on one row and usb 3.2 x2 on the other row, which are completely decoupled from each other and have separate cables for each row to the computer.

No one can do it better than 1010 Music with zero jitter and super quality right through. as well as super-quality cables that can lock into the usb hub I'm waiting with excitement.

Elektron tried with the Overhub that I have myself, pure shit. happy to pay $500-700 for quality. bring 6-8 pairs of quality midi 2 din too

It will sell well, because I think people are tired of buying crap all the time and having a lot of hubs and stuff around. better with one "big" high quality device than several