iFi Audio GND Defender - Ground Loop Eliminator

Are You Hearing Unwanted Speaker Hum? If you're experiencing a consistent hum coming from your speakers, whether you're playing music or when the system is idle, you might be dealing with a ground loop issue caused by multiple ground/earth connections in your audio setup. These ground loops can be quite tricky to resolve, but fear not, as iFi has come up with an intelligent solution to tackle this problem – the GND Defender!

How GND Defender Works The GND Defender employs a specially designed AI Ground Detection system that automatically disconnects the ground on your device when it detects a ground loop. This eliminates the annoying low hum emanating from your speakers. But that's not all; the GND Defender can also reinstate the ground connection to pass current if it detects any faults in your system. This feature ensures a safety fallback mechanism to protect your equipment.

Optimum Configuration: One Ground for the Whole System Ideally, an audio system should have just one Ground/Earth connection for the entire setup. When multiple Grounds/Earths are present, they often create unwanted ground loops that lead to that irritating low-frequency hum coming from your speakers. Some existing solutions either compromise safety and EMI shielding (e.g., cheater plugs) or sacrifice EMI shielding. Moreover, many of these solutions are designed for single-country (US) use only.

The Smart Solution: iFi GND Defender The GND Defender takes the intelligent approach by detecting a ground loop and cutting the ground for the affected component. When you place a GND Defender at the IEC power input, it intelligently detects and removes the ground loop at that specific component. Importantly, EMI shielding is retained, and equipment safety remains unaffected. Unlike a simple ground lift, the GND Defender is smarter and far more effective.

How to Determine If You Need One If you're hearing audible hum on your speakers or headphones, chances are you have a ground loop issue in your setup, and iFi's GND Defender is the solution to eliminate this unwanted noise.

How to Use It Using the GND Defender is straightforward. Plug it into the IEC socket of your earthed component, and then connect the IEC power cable into the GND Defender.

Understanding Ground Loops Ground loops tend to form in audio systems with multiple earthed components. They arise when there are multiple paths for the audio ground or shield signal to flow through. For example, if a system consists of a preamplifier and power amplifier connected by RCA interconnects, and both are earthed to the mains, there are two paths for the ground signal to flow. One is through the shield and return wire in the interconnect, and the other is via the mains earth and the two equipment earth wires.

Safety and Multiple GND Defenders Ideally, you should use one GND Defender per audio component in your setup. Additionally, remember to connect at least one GND Defender to your power bar/conditioner directly.

For Unearthed Systems The GND Defender may not be beneficial for unearthed systems where all components have double-insulated 2-pin power supplies. Instead, connecting the system to mains earth might help reduce hum and minimize digital errors from digital equipment. iFi Audio also offers Ground Hog cables for this purpose.