Options for converting USB to coaxial

[tyranniux42]

Hey all. Those of you who read my last post will know that. I have recently upgraded my speakers and am currently waiting on the delivery of my cd5xs to replace my cd5i. I was expecting around a 3 week lead time but received a call from my dealer yesterday to say that he will be through on Saturday to install and exchange 🙂. He also said that he will be bringing me the rega dac to borrow for a week to compare to the Cambridge, even better 🙂 So with this in mind I am wanting to get the best out of my Pc audio by converting to coaxial. Unfortunately I have a small form factor dell Pc which cannot take a full size pci card otherwise I would be using my excellent m-audio audiophile 24-96. So the question is what to do to enable me to get my files off the Pc in coaxial or optical stream. The USB also downconverts my high rez music to 48khz which would be nice in full Rez thru the dac. I'm sure If the rega shows improvement over the Cambridge over USB then it will in the other digital formats too but would be nice to hear what I'm missing. Answers on a postcard please 🙂 Regards Dan

 

[tyranniux42]

Apologies for the block text!

I had formatted this nicely but for some reason when looking at the preview on the iPhone it completely removes any formatting!

I will repost in necessary.

Regards

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you need a Musical Fidelity V-Link 🙂. Converts USB to coax/optical and makes sure it's streamed at the rate it's on the PC at, rather than whatever the PC feels like.

Check it out here: http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/V-Series/V-LINK/v-link.asp

 

[Anonymous]

I'd be looking at the Halide Bridge or M2Tech HiFace

 

[tyranniux42]

thanks for the suggestions fellas, M2Tech Hiface ordered :dance:

looks like the product ive been missing for bloody ages!

thanks again

regards

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry I should warn you though, that it will not sound as good as your cd5xs or cd5i (even though they are Naim products 😉 ). In my experience, computer audio just doesn't compete with a good transport unless you spend a lot - probably the weiss int202 would be the minimum - and better choices by getting a usb or firewire dac rather than a converter.

 

[dannycanham]

Sounds like you need a Musical Fidelity V-Link 🙂. Converts USB to coax/optical and makes sure it's streamed at the rate it's on the PC at, rather than whatever the PC feels like.

Check it out here: http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/V-Series/V-LINK/v-link.asp

I'm sorry but computers don't just stream at whatever they feel like. That's just marketing garbage. Mac has a bit rate and frequency setting and on the pc programs such as foobar bypass the computers mixing altogether.

 

[tyranniux42]

agreed, although the clocking signal from the PC probalby has fairly large tolerances compared to the oscillators incorporated into the Hiface so the better (read steadier) clocking frequency will keep tones accurate etc.

I realise it wont match the CD5XS with the DACMagic as the converter, but in future a Rega or possibly even the Naim DAC will probably surpass it if used in isolation. Now ofcourse if I do end up with the Naim DAC the XS will be getting passed through to that too so its a double win.

Im just wanting to get the best out of my computer audio as I have spotify premium (if that will even work over KS) and have a hell of a lot of high rez stuff plus the convenience of having all my CD's archived so hopefully will improve things quite a bit as well as giving me access to high rez again.

Ill post the results once i have had chance to familiarise myself with it anyways.

regards