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Best Digital Interface

It is my understanding that Asynchronous USB may be the best interface for digital transfer to a USB DAC. If the DAC has  Asynchronous USB then it basically owns the signal and basically re clocks timing, bits etc for a more perfect transfer if fed USB? I am streaming from a Node 2 into an RME DAC. I know there is no USB output from the Node. I have a few questions: 
1. Is there a Coax to USB adapter available? Does this make sense? 
2. Are there other reasonably priced (>1k) streamers that have USB output?

Thanks! 
mofojo
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
@auxinput
The S/PDIF interface requires the data to be clocked from the source. This is the only way it will work and it is part of the interface specification
Why would a DAC in this day and age rely on a source's data stream which could be flawed rather than use an internal clock? 
It makes sense to not include an internal clock if a master clock is being used, as in studio setups.

These specs indicate that jitter is being suppressed internally, so there is some device reducing any jitter.

  Clocks: Internal, SPDIF In
  Jitter suppression of external clocks: > 50 dB (2.4 kHz)
  Effective clock jitter influence on DA conversion: near zero


redwoodaudio
414 posts
 
The guy (Lucas Audio Lab) who made my Roon server from scratch insisted I stick to USB and forego i2s and any alternatives for the best digital output.  I’m not technical enough to really understand it, but it sounds phenomenal into my usb tube dac (wells audio cipher).
rsjaurr
18 posts
 
 Clocks: Internal, SPDIF In
  Jitter suppression of external clocks: > 50 dB (2.4 kHz)
  Effective clock jitter influence on DA conversion: near zero
@lowrider57

That means the internal clock in RME dac is recloking the signal from the source in an attempt to reduce jitter.


rajugsw
218 posts
 
I2S even though my PS Audio DirectStream Sr. (Sunlight) is input Agnostic (according to Ted Smith & my ears). He is correct but my ears find the USB a tad thin (It's Placebo effect IMHO) even he does all that funky USB cleanup inside the DAC.

That's all I got and I've been doin' this Digital thang since my first Phillips CD150 with the 14bit/176.4kHz DAC chip. 
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Rsjaurr,
Yes, I know. That's the point I've been trying to make.
 
The OP posted from the manual...
With USB the internal clock is used, with SPDIF the external one".

Isn't that saying if SPDIF the RME does not "own the clock"
This statement indicates that only USB is being reclocked.
But, according to the spec sheet I posted, all signals are being clocked inside the DAC. 

My earlier post was to say it doesn't make sense to rely on the stream from the source without correcting it. I believe this Dac is designed to reclock all digital streams. 



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