What's the best way to get digital out of a computer?

joeinid

joeinid

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I know USB works well enough but If my dacs only USB input is taken and I need/want another (for another dac, for instance), what's my best option for getting the best from a computer? USB to XLR, Optical out to optical in? Can you recommend specific hardware for the task? I'm at a bit of a crossroad right at this moment and would love your help.
 
Buy an AYRE QX 5, then again, you'll probably not like it....
 
Out of a regular computer, I think USB and Ethernet are the only real options. You would need and ethernet Dac though. Converters likely wont handle high rate DSD and ultra high rate PCM.
 
Out of a computer there should be multiple USB outputs that could go to multiple DACs. Then these various DACs would go into your pre-amplifier through their own inputs. Or in my case one USB would go into the pre-amplifier/DAC and another USB would go to another DAC and then into an analog input.

I don't think you would want one DAC providing the signal into another DAC.
 
Thank you for the advice. That Singxer looks great.
 
Randy Myers said:
Out of a computer there should be multiple USB outputs that could go to multiple DACs. Then these various DACs would go into your pre-amplifier through their own inputs. Or in my case one USB would go into the pre-amplifier/DAC and another USB would go to another DAC and then into an analog input.

I don't think you would want one DAC providing the signal into another DAC.
Click to expand...


Randy any signaling degradation in using a USB bridge in case a person is limited on USB ports.
 
I would not think so if it is a high quality piece. I would think the biggest problem is that most USB bridges or hubs are pretty low end items... but I can't say that I am an expert in the field :)...
 
I don't think there is always a signal degradation on using a DDC/USB Bridge. On the contrary there are some advantages in using a bridge - it prevents noisy signal from computer entering into the DAC. USB wasn't designed for audio in the first place. Most of the time a DAC's USB board are very cheaply made and even contains cheap clocks. A well made DDC (like the Singxer) would isolate noisy signals from the DAC and can re-clocks it with superior clocks. These are the reason why most of the time a DAC's AES/EBU input sounds better than the USB input. This is also the reason why Berkeley doesn't include USB input on their DACs and sells a separate USB bridge. If you looks at today's computer audio market, there is a proliferation of USB fixers - Regen, W4S Recovery, Intona just to name a few. I would much prefer to get the Singxer instead of these fixers in the first place, unless you can get/build a computer which has a super clean USB output, like the Sound Galleries ($16k) music server.
 
joeinid said:
Thank you for the advice. That Singxer looks great.
Click to expand...

The Singxer has the latest generation XMOS chip from xCore-200 series and clocks from Crystek CCHD-957 series along with a decent/clean power supply. It should be an excellent one at the price point. If you are not too hung on the DSD, you might also try it with the MP-D2 on AES/EBU and find to increase the SQ couple of notches :-)
 
Joe,

Rather than a regular computer perhaps get a micro computer specifically designed for audio. I can't post links yet so do a search for Computer Audiophile's 2016 Product of the Year, the microRendu.


Here's another one.
SOtM sMS-100 Mini Server Review

also in the Computer Audiophile.
 
Best way I know to get digital out of a computer..... . :D


shooting_computer.gif
 
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