DAC: USB vs Optical

SteveR750

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Was going to post this in PC section, but given a) the potential interest in the DACmagic + and b) the prevalance of USB orientated DACs, well shock USB wins news, I have set up the magic plus in ASIO mode with the USB driver (which you have to download from the CA website) and it blows chunks over the optical setting. Not quite my words, but my teenage son who has much sharper hearing than I much prefers the USB setting.

It's much more open, clearer top end but without any additional harshness, but before the cable brigade jump in, this is all with the short 50p usb cable that comes in the box, not some uber expensive directional one that only works when your central heating doesnt. The optical connection however does have at least a nod to that with a TCI coral cable. The USB cable connection feels pretty flimsy so I can imagine a half decent one should improve things again.
 

kevinJ

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I have used the usb cable that came in my dacmagic's box for months, but when I changed to a wireworld usb cable, believe it or not, the sound improved. But I have to say, the usb cable crosses a few powerleads on its way to the dacmagic.

So it could be worth swapping the cheap cable to one that has a better shielding.
 

kevinJ

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I don't know. It's an old laptop, and the battery is good for about 15 minutes....

But there are a lot of things inside a laptop that could cause interference: spinning harddrive, cpu fan, wireless network module,...
 

Jason36

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So can I take it you guys would recommend getting a better USB cable than the supplied one....The reason I ask this is that I am currently using a Asus Laptop into a uDAC2 into my Caspian pre/power using the supplied standard USB cable and have been wondering if I would get any improvement through changing the USB cable.

I am happy with the sound I am getting from the stadard cable, however I am due to purchase a HRT Music Streamer either the II or II+ to sit permanently in this system (the uDAC2 is what I use in the office with my main work Laptop) and as I say have been wondering whether an investment of £50 for a new USB cable would reap benefits...especially for my HiRes FLAC files??
 

albireo

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I own both a Music Streamer II and a II+. Using a Creek Evolution amp and Monitor Audio GS10 downstream, I can detect absolutely no differences in SQ when different USB cables are used between the DACs and the Amplifier. Input files are FLACs played with foobar2000/wasapi. All my USB cables are 1m or shorter.
 

Jason36

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albireo said:
I own both a Music Streamer II and a II+. Using a Creek Evolution amp and Monitor Audio GS10 downstream, I can detect absolutely no differences in SQ when different USB cables are used between the DACs and the Amplifier. Input files are FLACs played with foobar2000/wasapi. All my USB cables are 1m or shorter.

Thanks for the input albireo, mu source would be Netbook using Foobar2000 for HiRes Flacs and Wasapi plugin. Sounds like I might as well save myself £50.00 and just buy some more music :)
 

shafesk

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Rather interesting post. I actually found that the optical on the dac-magic sounds better than the usb. Then again, I do not have the Asio driver installed, which might make all the difference. Can you tell me how to do this on a mac?
 

albireo

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Jason36 said:
albireo said:
I own both a Music Streamer II and a II+. Using a Creek Evolution amp and Monitor Audio GS10 downstream, I can detect absolutely no differences in SQ when different USB cables are used between the DACs and the Amplifier. Input files are FLACs played with foobar2000/wasapi. All my USB cables are 1m or shorter.

Thanks for the input albireo, mu source would be Netbook using Foobar2000 for HiRes Flacs and Wasapi plugin. Sounds like I might as well save myself £50.00 and just buy some more music :)

Definitely. I also use a netbook, an old Samsung NC10 where I installed a further 1GB of RAM for Windows 7 (which as you know is required for Wasapi). Lacking Windows 7, you could still use Kernel Streaming or Asio for All. My interconnects are Chord Chrimson if I'm not wrong. Enjoy! :dance:
 

John Duncan

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SteveR750 said:
@JD what if anything have you tried to eliminate the mains interference from the Viao? I'm about to start searching for an upgraded PSU for a PC...

Nothing really since it was early-doors experimentation and wasn't the main use case (which was streaming to airport express or Uniti, from my Mac). Running on battery eliminates it but is a bit impractical, and streaming to the AX sorts it out but limits you to 16/44, if that's an issue for you.
 

shafesk

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John Duncan said:
Though to shafesk - are you talking about the plus or the original? The USB implementation on the original is somewhat different if I remember right...

I am talking about the original John
 

John Duncan

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shafesk said:
John Duncan said:
Though to shafesk - are you talking about the plus or the original? The USB implementation on the original is somewhat different if I remember right...

I am talking about the original John

In which case yes, I think you're right. USB was OK but not as good as optical/coax from memory, and was limited to 16bit as well IIRC (which may or may not be an issue for you). The new one handles 24/192 through USB, which I think is quite unusual, and has, I understand, had a great deal of work go into that particular connection.
 

shafesk

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John Duncan said:
Not for me (different rooms), but understood, especially now the USB can handle high res as well.

Big battery for the Vaio? Macbook/different Windows laptop with optical out?

I often read many people suffer from noise when a dac is connected to a laptop using mains, I had the same experience, a change of laptop power supply from the cheapo 3rd party one I was using solved it or you can try a mains filter (no really the mains filter does work!). My hp laptop had that problem, but my macbook has no hum issues
 

shafesk

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John Duncan said:
shafesk said:
John Duncan said:
Though to shafesk - are you talking about the plus or the original? The USB implementation on the original is somewhat different if I remember right...

I am talking about the original John

In which case yes, I think you're right. USB was OK but not as good as optical/coax from memory, and was limited to 16bit as well IIRC (which may or may not be an issue for you). The new one handles 24/192 through USB, which I think is quite unusual, and has, I understand, had a great deal of work go into that particular connection.

Indeed, my music streamer 2+ handles 24/96, but I rarely need that sorta resolution....can't imagine 24/192 being a necessity for most folks. You mention that you remember it from memory, may I ask what Dac are you using now?
 

SteveR750

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shafesk said:
John Duncan said:
Not for me (different rooms), but understood, especially now the USB can handle high res as well.

Big battery for the Vaio? Macbook/different Windows laptop with optical out?

I often read many people suffer from noise when a dac is connected to a laptop using mains, I had the same experience, a change of laptop power supply from the cheapo 3rd party one I was using solved it or you can try a mains filter (no really the mains filter does work!). My hp laptop had that problem, but my macbook has no hum issues

Lappie is already plugged into a Nacima mains conditioner block. Am searching PSU upgrades.

JD - didnt quite follow the second bit (bigger battery makes sense) but the Viao works fine with optical (as in no noise). I think the USB advantage is because of the better handling of jitter, rather than anything specific to my PC.
 

John Duncan

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Srry, didn't realise your Vaio had an optical out. So there's the rub; no noise but potentially worse jitter, or noise with no jitter. I'm not sure I'd recognise jitter if it slapped me across the face, of course...
 

SteveR750

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John Duncan said:
Srry, didn't realise your Vaio had an optical out. So there's the rub; no noise but potentially worse jitter, or noise with no jitter. I'm not sure I'd recognise jitter if it slapped me across the face, of course...

Nor would I, unless it manifests as slightly duller, less detailed sound. We are talking margical gains (bit like changing cables perhaps ;) )
 

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