Use asynch. USB converter with inboard DAC?

External USB converters will ALWAYS beat built-in USB interfaces in DACs. This is simply because the power supply for the master clock is independent and usually higher quality, achieving lower levels of jitter. Some converters have upgrade optional power supplies thqt mqke a big difference too.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Hi Steve, just curious why you think external USB converters will ALWAYS beat the internal USB of DACs. Isn't that a rather overly broad statement to make? Don't get me wrong, I don't know either way but you are implying that any USB converter would be better than the built in USB of even high end DACs like Luxman, Berkeley, etc?

"10-05-13: Tboooe
Hi Steve, just curious why you think external USB converters will ALWAYS beat the internal USB of DACs. Isn't that a rather overly broad statement to make? Don't get me wrong, I don't know either way but you are implying that any USB converter would be better than the built in USB of even high end DACs like Luxman, Berkeley, etc?"

That's a good question. Does that apply to digital front ends where everything is made by the same company? (a full dcs stack, clock link Wadia, Esoteric separates - products like that)

Tboooe - I have lots of anecdotal customer and personal experience with this. I have many customers driving their "high-end" USB DACs with the Off-Ramp 5 through S/PDIF coax, even though these DACs have built-in Async USB interfaces. There are significant differences in USB interface designs, even those that use the same chipset, such as XMOS. How many companies have already done 5 generations of USB interfaces? Only Empirical Audio. How many companies have received multiple best of show awards using this interface? What do the top reviewers use as their digital reference?

Don't take my word for it. You can read lots of these customer feedbacks on my forum:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?board=40

USB interfaces are like phono cartridges. There are lots of them out there but only a few really great ones. The designer of EA gear has 30 years digital design experience and was a design team lead on the Pentium 2.

The large companies are only now getting on-board with these, and many have third parties designing them because they have minimal experience.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"...even though these DACs have built-in Async USB interfaces" - that's what was behind my question. I though I'd occasionally see a DAC product described as "asynchronous" which implied to me no need for an asynch. converter. Thanks Steve.