Is it worth a DAC?

[admin_exported]

Hi I'm playing wav files ripped from cd, or wav files converted from downloaded flac files, from my pc - through a cambridge azur 540a amp via generic rca cables from the audio out on the pc's motherboard, then through wharfedale diamond nines and currently grinning insanely as my new foo fighters cd landed on my doormat today and it's flipping awesome and playing through said system :-D

Anyhoo...I wonder if one of the budget DACs featured in this month's mag would make any difference and would I hear it?

MrLenny

hehehehe - going to the O2 on the 25th May if you know what I mean...

but couldn't work out how to post this in rich text.

 

[CnoEvil]

I would try and borrow a MF V-dac and judge for youself.

 

[Dan Turner]

Experience tells me that you could expect a huge difference. Defo one for you to try.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks.
Now I'm a bit confused - I'm told that if my only output from my soundcard is a 3.5mm jack, the sound is already analogue and a DAC in between pc and amp is therefore pointless. Only if I get the music out by digital means i.e. SPDIF or optical will I hear any difference. I only have the 3.5mm jack option.

Question is, can I output digitally via usb to a DAC, in which case does anyone know where I'd get the necessary cable?

Thanks again.

 

[The_Lhc]

Assuming you pick a DAC with a USB input yes you can do that, it's just a USB cable, you can get them from anywhere (almost literally).

 

[Andrew Everard]

Provided the DAC in question has a USB input, as does the Musical Fidelity mentioned above, yes you can connect from USB to DAC. The cable you need is something like this:

 

[fayeanddavid]

Assuming you pick a DAC with a USB input yes you can do that, it's just a USB cable, you can get them from anywhere (almost literally).

This may well be the most simple response so far but.............

So taking the info from this last months WHF mag, they showed a DAC with a usb in (a small square type), so I could go USB out/USB in and then coaxial/optical out to the amp...............yes, as long as I get the right USB lead?

And the USB out is digital which is what we are looking for??

Andrew, that's the one!!!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Not quite: if the DAC has a USB input, such as the MF V-DAC, you just take USB out to the DAC, and analogue out to the amp. I think you may be talking about the MF V-Link, which is an asynchronous USB-to-S/PDIF converter, and needs to be used with a DAC, or an amp with digital input, downstream of it.

 

[anderc02]

As well as those DAC's reviewed try the rather petite Beresford Caiman DAC. Before I bought a Cyrus DAC I had this and for a modest £200 outlay it improved my music files ,both from my laptop or from my Onkyo/ipod combination. With the laptop upgrade to a Wireworld USB.

 

[Overdose]

Experience tells me that you could expect a huge difference. Defo one for you to try.

Experience tells me that you might not notice a thing. Best borrow a DAC to try before blowing your hard earned.

 

[anderc02]

As Mr Everard points out you go: PC/laptop - Type A USB socket out to USB type b at the DAC end.From that you need analogue to your Hi fi amp. Or if your chosen DAC has coaxial digital output you can buy one of them to go into your amplifier.

 

[Andrew Everard]

With the laptop upgrade to a Wireworld USB.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, so was my first question about the 3.5mm jack already being analogue correct?
Just wanted to verify that....

 

[The_Lhc]

Or if your chosen DAC has coaxial digital output you can buy one of them to go into your amplifier.

What would be the point of that? Then you'd just be using the DAC in the amplifier, assuming it even has one.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ok, so was my first question about the 3.5mm jack already being analogue correct? Just wanted to verify that....

Yes, the 3.5mm jack is stereo analogue, although on a few computers there's also a mini-Toslink optical digital output hidden inside the 3.5mm jack, which can be used with a cable like this to connect to a DAC with an optical input.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, so was my first question about the 3.5mm jack already being analogue correct? Just wanted to verify that....

Yes, the 3.5mm jack is stereo analogue, although on a few computers there's also a mini-Toslink optical digital output hidden inside the 3.5mm jack, which can be used with a cable like this to connect to a DAC with an optical input.

Thanks Andrew.
That's created a couple more questions i'm afraid!
How do i know if there is a mini toslink hidden in my 3.5mm jack?
But besides that, if the 3.5mm outputs analogue signal anyway, will i hear any benefit from outputting via usb to a dac and then to amp? Or am i wasting my time?

Thanks.

 

[The_Lhc]

That's the same question you asked originally and it'll depend on which dac you get, which is why people are suggesting you try one first.

 

[fayeanddavid]

Not quite: if the DAC has a USB input, such as the MF V-DAC, you just take USB out to the DAC, and analogue out to the amp. I think you may be talking about the MF V-Link, which is an asynchronous USB-to-S/PDIF converter, and needs to be used with a DAC, or an amp with digital input, downstream of it.

Got it.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

That's the same question you asked originally and it'll depend on which dac you get, which is why people are suggesting you try one first.

With respect Lhc, it is not the same question.

When I asked initially, I thought the signal coming from my 3.5mm jack was digital, and wanted to know if converting from digital to analogue would benefit. And of course I'd try before comitting to anything.

Now I understand that the sound from my 3.5mm jack is ALREADY analogue, my question is whether (technically) converting from digital to analogue via usb would give a better analogue signal than that coming direct from my 3.5mm jack???

Andrew Everard then made a comment that some pc's 3.5mm jack outputs have a mini-Toslink optical digital output hidden inside and so my question was - How do I know if mine has this?

Mr Lenny

 

[Andrew Everard]

my question is whether (technically) converting from digital to analogue via usb would give a better analogue signal than that coming direct from my 3.5mm jack???

Hard to be definitive about this, but the answer is that probably yes it would, depending on how well your computer handles audio; generally the headphone amplifiers in computers are rubbish, so anything would be an improvement.

Andrew Everard then made a comment that some pc's 3.5mm jack outputs have a mini-Toslink optical digital output hidden inside and so my question was - How do I know if mine has this?

Ummm, you check the specification of your computer?

 

[Anonymous]

As said above, reading the manual is the next step.

 

[The_Lhc]

That's the same question you asked originally and it'll depend on which dac you get, which is why people are suggesting you try one first.

With respect Lhc, it is not the same question. When I asked initially, I thought the signal coming from my 3.5mm jack was digital, and wanted to know if converting from digital to analogue would benefit. And of course I'd try before comitting to anything. Now I understand that the sound from my 3.5mm jack is ALREADY analogue, my question is whether (technically) converting from digital to analogue via usb would give a better analogue signal than that coming direct from my 3.5mm jack???

Ok, it's almost the same question and it's still the same answer.

 

[fayeanddavid]

I'm going to try the Behringer 202!

Has USB in, twin RCA out and optical out, £24.00 ish as an experiment, coupled with £5.00 worth of ThatCable optical cable and the job's a good'un (as they say)

Very intrigued to what I could expect, but having trawled that Google thing it has got to be worth a punt!

 

[Overdose]

If the 3.5mm jack has an optical out in the centre, you will see a red light eminating from within, just like from a CD player for example.

 

[Andrew Everard]

If the 3.5mm jack has an optical out in the centre, you will see a red light eminating from within, just like from a CD player for example.

Assuming the optical out (if available) is turned on in the computer's sound preferences.