Topic: USB audio , sp/dif , DAC?

[Donnie L.]

 

Hi Tapersection folks,

just wondering if investing in a USB external hook up device that gives me a s/pdif out so I can go into my DAC to my amp will give me a better signal than using the 1/8" mini jack on the computer? they do make a USB DAC as well that converts the "digital" to analog line output...I trust my stand alone DAC with the burr brown 1716 chip...

anybody know...or use these devices to listen to streaming audio...I noticed a "hum" low level that comes from the "headphone" mini jack?

sincerely,

Donnie L.

[Nick's Picks]

short answer...yes.


I like the turtle beach audio-advantage micro.  its a USB "thumb" w/a optical output.  16bit only.  probably  resamples..but it def. sounds better than using the 1/8th output.

[Todd R]

Unbiased answer:  Yes, definitiely.

Totally biased input:  I've got a Digital PClink I could sell you if you're interested.  The PClink is an external USB "soundcard" that is powered from the USB bus and provides digital coax and optical output.  Works at both 16bit and 24bit.  Mine looks pretty much like this, though the graphics and website links are a bit different:



I used mine with my Dell pc to provide a digital 16/24 bit feed to a DAC for my office playback system.  I've just replaced my Dell with an iMac.  The PClink worked perfectly with my Mac as well, but the iMac has an optical digital output, so I'm going to skip the PClink and just go straight to my DAC via the optical.

If you're interested, I'd take $20 including priority mail shipping and paypal fees (for the PClink and USB cable).  LMK