Is it possible to connect two USB DAC’s to the same computer?

[admin_exported]

I have some time used a Hegel - HD10 to get sound out from my computer. Now I've want an Audio Trak Prodigy CUBE to run the kitchen speakers from the same windows computer. Is this possible? Or will there occur some kind of conflict, when the same data is sent to two different DAC’s simultaneously? Does anyone have experience with a similar setup?

BR

 

[Anonymous]

I have not tested it, but I see no reason why you could not connect two usb devices. You can also connect 2 mice and they both work. If you want one program to send output to both you will have a problem, you probably will have to run two programs or 2 instances of one program, each with their own output device and playing different music/independently.

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the forums by the way.

Can't you just buy some kind of splitter cable from eBay for a few pounds?

 

[John Duncan]

I think it unlikely - you need to tell your pooter which USB 'soundcard' (ie DAC) to use, and I can't see a way of getting mine to use two at once. You could do it with by using an Airport Express if one of the DACs has an optical in...

 

[John Duncan]

(and yes, welcome )

 

[cassper]

You can connect them, but you cannot use them at the same time. In the Playback devices (if you use W7) you have to choose the one you want to use.

 

[MajorFubar]

As others have said, it's not connecting them that's the problem, it's getting your playback software to send output to both DACs at once. Off the top of my head, I don't know any which will, other than digital multitrack recording software (DAWs). Of no consolation to you is the fact that on a Mac you can do what you're asking by creating an 'aggregate' output device in Audio MIDI Setup, but I don't think Windows does anything like that (happy to be corrected?)

 

[ruskiru]

Yes you can connect multiple DACs to Windows. Use the control panel to select the default sound source. You can also choose which DAC to direct music to in you media player settings if you don't want to use the default sound device.

If you want music simultaneously to both DACs, that might be more tricky. Probably a program like J RIVER Media Center could handle that, with its zones feature. Failing that, you might try running two media players at the same time set to output to different DACs.

 

[AnotherJoe]

There is a program called Virtual Audio Cable which will do what you want with its audio repeater function.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, it is technically possible to send pcm data to two different soundcards on the same PC as I have just tested this in graph studio by splitting the decoded audio file using a tee/sink-to-sink converter filter which splits the graph so that I can connect two audio renderers so it is possible under direct show.

The issue is I don't know of any playback software that allows you to do this. The virtual soundcard option might be the way to go.