Playing music files : USB DAC vs Streaming to PS3 + optical in DAC

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I am looking for solution to play music files from my computer.

What I am doing now is streaming (wired) my music from my laptop to my Playstation 3, sending the sound out to my Pioneer Elite TV via HDMI and inputing my TV's analog out to my Rega Mira amp. It works well, but the sound is obviously so so.

My plan is to buy a DAC that will replace my TV's.

One way to go is to go optical out from the PS3 into a DAC. What I don't like from that is that I use my 50' TV as an interface to select files.

Another way to go is to opt for USB from laptop into USB DAC. Then I can I use my laptop as and interface. From what I read, a good USB DAC is very expensive.

My question is this : is the jitter problem associated with USB as bad when I use the PS3 to stream my audio files?

 

[Anonymous]

Why do you go through the TV? Surely you can go directly to the Mira from the PS3, unless they've dropped the analogue output from the latest model.

 

[Anonymous]

There is an analogue output, but it's not standard. You have to use Sony's rubbish connectors. There are alternatives from Monster and others, but from what I read they aren't any better.

Anyways, a good external DAC should sound better than both the PS3's or my TV's internal DAC.

I'm just wondering which approach has the best chances of giving good results : upgrading the PS3 with a better DAC or going the more direct USB way. It's just that I keep reading lukewarm reviews of USB solutions, unless you're talking about a device like the Ayre QB-9 USB DAC, which is about 2500$ and has no other inputs than USB.

 

[Anonymous]

In that case I'd cut the PS3 out of the equation and go PC to DAC. I've tried the PS3 with my DAC and the quality wasn't as good as pc to DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

If you look at the review on the S.....phile website you'll see the Dacmagic works especially well with USB according to their tests.

 

[Anonymous]

There should be no difference quality wise between the ps3 to a dac and a pc to dac, so whichever is more convenient for you is the answer.

 

[Anonymous]

hi fi newbie:There should be no difference quality wise between the ps3 to a dac and a pc to dac, so whichever is more convenient for you is the answer.
I agree theoretically, but in practice there is a difference. The PS3 was noticeably worse. I can only assume the PS3 does something to the signal before streaming to the DAC. Convenience doesn't therefore apply here.

Mind you, it was the previous model PS3 not the new, so perhaps things have changed.

 

[Anonymous]

Try connecting the ps3 directly to the amp with the analogue cable before you go ahead and buy something.

Ive had a Dacmagic on a home demo and could not detect a 230 pound difference.

You could also look into getting a PSP to use as a remote for the PS3...

 

[Craig M.]

get a usb to optical convertor, and use your laptop with whichever dac you want.