Dac connection?

[admin_exported]

Hi, can someone help me get the best sound quality from my gear by explaining the best way to connect my Dacmagic to the P.C either via USB or Digital? The P.C as a coaxial sp/dif output on the motherboard..

 

[idc]

Dan, there is no hard and fast rule to this. I have read reviews where both types of connection have been tried and the reviewer was open that they could not hear a difference. Others will disagree. Can you get hold of cheap versions of both cables and try yourself?

 

[Anonymous]

idc is quite correct

personally i prefer optical because it cant pick up electrical interference

 

[Anonymous]

Yes i have both but i dont know if i have it set up right either, theres an option to switch to 48 and 96khz sample rate when i use Digital via the realtek drivers(are these the right drivers)? does this make a difference or worse? vs the set USB 44khz way? also does the quality of a coaxial or USB acually make any difference?, eg a QED vs a freebie cable? Thanks

 

[idc]

I cant help with the different settings, I am presuming you are talking about on the DACmagic as opposed to the PC? As for USB, when you first plug in a small programme is installed on the PC and it should then work itself, irrespective of drivers. As for the quality of cables, again some say they can hear a difference as others cannot. I am in the cannot camp where it concerns USB and have no experience of digital/optical.

If you change the subject line from Re DAC connection? to Help please, connecting up a DACMagic, you should get more hits that will be relevant.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, USB seems the easiest way but it may not be to get the best sound quality from my gear, Windows new hardware detects the USB connection as C-media USB headphone set from the Dacmagic when iv used the free USB supplied.

 

[idc]

Certainly the digital/optical connections have CD players in mind, whereas USB is for the PC market. The DACmagic has been around for years as an upgrade for CD players, it only recently got USB connectivity to tap into the PC based music market.

In the end it is taking a digital signal from your PC, the same as if the connection was digital/optical and all the work goes on inside the DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers, Im going to try a Wireworld Ultraviolt USB cable after looking at the good reviews its had.

 

[Anonymous]

Be interested to hear your findings. I'm about to invest in a DAC for my PC based system myself.

 

[PJPro]

idc:
Certainly the digital/optical connections have CD players in mind, whereas USB is for the PC market. The DACmagic has been around for years as an upgrade for CD players, it only recently got USB connectivity to tap into the PC based music market.

In the end it is taking a digital signal from your PC, the same as if the connection was digital/optical and all the work goes on inside the DAC.

Theoretically, USB has the potential for the best connection....allowing the devices at both ends of the cable to collaborate to ensure what was sent is exactly the same as what was received. Whereas, optical SPDIF is a one way street. However, the collaborative USB approach isn't widely used as yet (so I understand).