2. pc-audio
  3. 1088427969

Audiophile USB to PCM

I have an excellent upsampler and dac (dCS Purcell/Delius) and am looking for the very best USB to PCM conversion. So far, I've tried SlimDevices Squeezebox, and Xitel Pro Hi-Fi link.

Both are very good, but I was wondering if there are any other options I should be considering. Both the Sutherland USB Preamp and the Wavelength USB Dac convert to analog. I'd like something of similar quality that stops short of the digital to analog conversion so that I can let the dCS gear do that.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

harry
128x128hbrandt
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Benefits of USB - Currently the implementations are superior to networked, and most wirless networked servers do not support 24/96.

Networked is superior technically to USB because the clock is regenerated at the receiving unit. It is being held-back performance-wise by the implementations only IMO. This will change for the better in the near future.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Manufacturer
blackstonejd
153 posts
 
To original poster: your ship has come in. Check out the new dCS Puccini u-clock which is both a separate word clock and asynchronous USB to PCM converter. For your setup it is probably the best device on the market, and if I understand correctly it would be a double upgrade for you. First, it is an external wordclock for both your Purcell and Delius AND your transport which in this case would be a USB capable computer. Second, and I am not entirely sure about this, but using proper asyncronous USB has some inherent advantages with respect to jitter over SPDIF and so it may be better than what you are using now in that respect.

Also the price is expensive but not too bad--about $5,000?
blackstonejd
153 posts
 
Not to bump an old thread, but there is also now a dCS Paganini asynchronous USB Upsampler but I expect it to be very expensive.
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