Lewinskih01,
Your post suggests that for your first approach you may have already verified that Ayre QB-9 and other asynch's can now play well with the Touch. I know there was at least a percieved problem earlier, but it may be OBE. That said, please consider home-auditioning both of the GREAT options you are considering.
I own the Ayre QB-9 and can tell you that it is one amazing piece of gear that not only manages all the standard issues of external digital clocking (Wavelength's solution), galvanic and RFI isolation,etc, but also has this incredible analog stage with zero feedback topology, all in one single box. Plan on running in balanced output if possible. Around $2100 used on Agon.
As you know, many on this site will swear by Steve Nugent's approach, esp. for integrating high quality computer audio with existing components. His systems are incredibly well reviewed and awarded in national forums. IMO he's also one of the more experienced, knowledgable and generous contributors to Agon threads. It seems I recall that there may be a 30-day trial option for his gear? I think Steve's systems may also be favored if the computer must be located a longer distance from the DAC (a USB cabling limitation).
Good luck. My guess is you are win-win on this.
Meiwan,
"Not a big usb fan as I believe format passes 16/44 only, so even with a converter you are downsampling, then up sampling...."
I think USB 1.1 supports 24/96 native, and with proper drivers, USB 2.0 supports 24/192 as well as other even higher rez formats.
"In the end I suppose it depends on the quality of the async design vs. the external unit."
Right on!
Your post suggests that for your first approach you may have already verified that Ayre QB-9 and other asynch's can now play well with the Touch. I know there was at least a percieved problem earlier, but it may be OBE. That said, please consider home-auditioning both of the GREAT options you are considering.
I own the Ayre QB-9 and can tell you that it is one amazing piece of gear that not only manages all the standard issues of external digital clocking (Wavelength's solution), galvanic and RFI isolation,etc, but also has this incredible analog stage with zero feedback topology, all in one single box. Plan on running in balanced output if possible. Around $2100 used on Agon.
As you know, many on this site will swear by Steve Nugent's approach, esp. for integrating high quality computer audio with existing components. His systems are incredibly well reviewed and awarded in national forums. IMO he's also one of the more experienced, knowledgable and generous contributors to Agon threads. It seems I recall that there may be a 30-day trial option for his gear? I think Steve's systems may also be favored if the computer must be located a longer distance from the DAC (a USB cabling limitation).
Good luck. My guess is you are win-win on this.
Meiwan,
"Not a big usb fan as I believe format passes 16/44 only, so even with a converter you are downsampling, then up sampling...."
I think USB 1.1 supports 24/96 native, and with proper drivers, USB 2.0 supports 24/192 as well as other even higher rez formats.
"In the end I suppose it depends on the quality of the async design vs. the external unit."
Right on!