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Wireless for the Keyboard, Not the Computer?


I use a wireless router to access the internet on my Sony VAIO laptop which I can then move around the house. This Sony laptop usually lives on my desktop, where it is hooked up to an external video monitor, and has USB out to connect it to a desktop audio system which consists of Behringer amps, an EQ and ATC monitors.

My desk is also in my listening room with my main 2 channel system.

I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk - where I can work, surf the web, watch the news etc - AND listen to the ATCs which sound very good.

But sometimes I am really tempted to DISconnect the laptop, move across the room to the sofa, and connect the USB output directly to my main rig through an Audio Research DAC, in order to listen through the main speakers. In theory, this is easy to do, but in practice, it is a bit of a pain, and I miss the larger video monitor when working directly from the laptop.

This dilemma has me thinking.....

* What if all of my audio files were ripped and stored not to my Sony laptop, but to a larger desktop computer?
* Where the larger, desktop computer could be a) optimized for audio and b) hard wired to both the desktop and the main system's DACs at all times?
* This way, to move across the room and sit on the sofa while listening to my big rig, I could use a wireless KEYBOARD?
* And a VGA splitter box to hard wire a second, full size video monitor?


This way, it seems I could get rid of the laptop, but still move around the room by simply picking up the wireless keyboard? Use a bigger video monitor...and also improve the audio quality?

A smaller point, but I would also like to ditch the laptops as they are always breaking.

Advice on this or any other PC configurations greatly appreciated and thank you.

But please please please, dont say: "just get a Mac"?!



cwlondon
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Re Dells are pretty darn quiet

I understand that the physical noise of the computer - like a fan in a power amp - would be an irritating distraction from any high end device.

However, I thought the PC audio geeks argued that normal PCs were electrically noisy devices, and therefore no where near dedicated transports which is why you needed to spend thousands on their tweaks etc etc.

So of course a physically quiet device is a good thing which products like the Sweetwater Creation Stations seem to address.

But I am also hoping to get the "quietest" least jittery audio signal from my USB port to an external DAC.
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
From my understanding jitter through USB and Toslink are two totally separate things.

Doesn't the jitter from USB have more to do with how the end device or USB Dac deciphers the signal changing it eventually over to I2S?

Or by using a clock in the end device to control the information being sent from the PC or Mac?

I see your point if you're planning to use the spdif output directly from the PC itself. USB seems to be not as touchy in this area from what I've read and experienced so far.

Also if your Dac has galvanic isolation from the PC's USB port. Electrical interference from what I gather shouldn't be a major problem if the USB port is functioning properly.
sarcher30
596 posts
 
Cwlondon, If I gave mac a chance I would probably like it. I've only ever owned PCs so I'm used to them.

As far as quietness I was only referring to physical quietness.

I use usb from my computer to a empirical audio IS2 Offramp to a benchmark dac1 modded by empirical audio to accept a IS2 connection from the offramp. This setup runs circles around my marantz DV8300 universal player. It also costs much more.

Your best bet would to use a usb dac. There are lots of these on the market with more comming all the time. Sean
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Sarcher30 and others, thank you.

Sean, as we continue to unravel this mystery, one of my key questions would be why it is necessary to spend a thousand bucks on the tweaky Offramp device.

Would the Benchmark and/or any number of other DACs which now have a direct, USB input not also convert to I2S somewhere along the way?
sarcher30
596 posts
 
Cwlondon, Its not necessary anymore. I bought my benchmark dac1 before they had a usb option. At the time it seemed like the best way to go. Now you can buy them with a usb connection. The Offramp is still a good option for people that allready have a nice dac that doesn't have a usb port.

I believe that the new benchmark dac1 usb does convert to IS2 inside the box. I think the wavelength usb dacs also do this. I'm not sure about other companies usb dacs. You would have to ask them.

Other products that use an ethernet connection such as the Transporter by Slim Devices and Linn Acurate DS should have low jitter also.

It would be nice to be able to test all these options in your own system to see which is best for you, but unless you have alot of money and patience thats not likely to happen. Unless you can find a dealer that will let you demo them. Sean
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