2. digital
  3. 187808-180934

USB to Dual Coax Bridge for Qutest DAC

I'm considering purchasing an Audiowise SRC-DX USB to Dual-Coax Bridge.  This would replace the current Curious Cable Evolve USB connection from my Innuos Phoenix USB and Chord Qutest DAC.  Looking at a relatively inexpensive tweak, that's supposed to have a significant impact on the performance of my DAC and SQ of my streaming experience.  My current set up sounds excellent, but not as good as my other source components listed below.

Anyone have experience with USB to Coax converters?  Coax cables? Interested in your comments and feedback.

My streaming set up is Innuos Zenith Mk3 (with 4TB SSD and Qobuz), Innuos Phoenix USB, Chord Qutest DAC with Sbooster PSU.  I'm committed to the Quest and not interested in chasing DAC Nirvana by upgrading to a TT2, DAVE, or any other DAC priced at $5K or above.

My system is an Anthem MRX 540 pre-amp, Anthem MCA 325 power amp, B&W 804s, B&W CC and Surrounds, REL S/510 sub (only room for one), Denon DCD A110 SACD player (my best source component), Modwright Oppo105 universal player, EAT C Sharp turntable with Sutherland phono pre-amp. 

Thanks! 

Ag insider logo xs@2xdrlou77
erik_squires
16,289 posts
 

Those are pretty complicated.  The USB bridge basically has to pretend to be a DAC, so it has a handshake, says "I'm such and such a DAC and these are my capabilities" and it also has to have it's own clock, which you have to trust, to ask the sender for data samples on time.

IMHO, you are much better experimenting with a USB galvanic isolator (~ $50) than a converter.

carlsbad2's avatar
carlsbad2
1,732 posts
 

So I take it you've bought into the marketing pitch that "USB is crap".  I have a chord DAVE that I ran for years on USB.  Spectacular DAC.  Switched to AES/EBU when I bought a Grimm streamer and the sound was different from the different streamer but I didn't attribute any of it to having escaped the dreadful and hideous monster known as USB.

Jerry

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,314 posts
 

I wouldn’t discount the USB implementation in the Innuous and in the Qutest. If you can try that Audiowise SRC-DX with a return policy do it. But keep in mind the cost of good digital cables and the power cords/supplies fir the Audiowise SRC-DX.
I know you’re not looking at a dac upgrade but I’m pretty sure you’re heading there. Chord TT2 with USB will be a good level or two above the Qutest (one of my favorite DACs by the way). You can only soup up a Civic so much…it will never become a BMW M3. Just keep an open mind.

More to discover