M-Audio Transit

[admin_exported]

I've noticed that Ashley James frequently mentions this device as being a more than competent DAC solution for PC-based music. If it does indeed produce comparable results with the DACS du jour (Beresford, Cambridge et al) then that would make it a very attractive option at its retail price of £59.

I wonder if anyone has any experience of this, or if WHF would consider requesting a review sample?

 

[Andrew Everard]

I did just that a week or so back. To date I have not had any response from the company selling this device in the UK.

 

[Anonymous]

I most certainly do, but because I've spent some years on the Pro Audio side I know of M-Audio and Pro Tools, it's software side's reputation. It's a much bigger company than usual in Hi Fi and so can design and produce devices like this for very competitive prices.

We used to use the 2496 in old Desktop computers and were always amazed at how good they sounded, but only recently did we buy a Transit because we're often asked how to get an Optical digital signal at 24/96 from a USB port on a Laptop. USB is only 16 Bit but the Transit uses software to change this. Having been surprised by it and how it measured, I sent ours off for a few "golden eared" friends to try and all were amazed.

The only warning I'd give is that with some older designs of Amp, it may not work quite as well as a more expensive DAC because it produces a bit more RF, but with any competent up to date design, it's excellent and highly recommended. And it has an A to D so you can digitise old vinyl too.

Ash

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that gents, I hope they provide a sample.

 

[Anonymous]

Tractorboy,

It's also a rather cheap way of ensuring a bit perfect passthrough to a better DAC.

I'm possibly buying one this weekend actually so I can feed 24/96 into my external DAC. At the moment I can only output 16/44. Whether I'll hear a difference or not I don't know, but I just want to hear what a 24/96 track sounds like and the transit will pass it without altering it. (ie: well written drivers)

Matt.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Matt,

I understand that the reason why some people use products like these is to avoid connecting their DAC directly via USB, since there are some inherent limitations in USB connections (as regards "word length" or something?). Does the fact that this product converts to optical get round this in some way? If so, how? ...because it's still being fed by the USB, so it's not as if it's being bypassed... bit confused on this point.

 

[chebby]

Unless you are going to start downloading 24/96 files then why do you need it?

USB is fine. I have tried my Beresford TC-7520 with laptop (USB/iTunes) and iMac (both USB and optical with iTunes)

There is no difference so long as you have optimised the laptop or Mac settings accordingly to the correct sampling rate and word length.

Yes Macs need optimising in 'Audio Midi Setup' (and iTunes) or they sound dire. Don't believe the Mac hype that they sound great 'out of the box'. Leaving upsampling - or downsampling - to the Mac's own software is disastrous! Set it yourself in 'Audio Midi Setup' (according to whether you are using 16/44 or 24/96) and let the DAC upsample - if your DAC has that feature - like the DacMagic for instance. (Remember iTunes is always 16bit 44.1 khz on a Mac or PC)

On a PC/laptop you need to set the max wordlength and correct sampling rate in Quicktime preferences (for iTunes) and turn system sounds off in Windows.

If you are going to play a mixture of 24/96 and 16/44 stuff then you are going to need to optically connect whatever DAC you are using and don't use iTunes for the 24/96 files. It will import them fine (WMA not FLAC) but automatically convert to ALAC in 16/44 format.)

Go to the Benchmark Media Wiki and have a good read of the relevant sections (especially the bits about leaving all the volumes in system and playback software at maximum or 'Unity gain' for the posh phrase

)

It explains it all very well for setting up PC or Mac or Windows Media or iTunes etc. (And a lot of other stuff I am too lazy too type here.)