W and M Interconnects

Tubby,
I would have to disagree with the suggestions made by Herman on the USB DAC for your computer. Doing so is no better than recommending you continue to use your current source and upgrade the DAC. Your system is still only going to be as good as your source. Even the worst Wal-Mart Special is better than most computer drives due to interference from other components and feedback from power supplies, fans, computer monitors and the like. If you are using a laptop, completely forget the idea. Most CD-Rom and DVD-Rom drives under most of the major names that make it into a large majority of computers are made by a single company based in China. I would much rather see you purchase a decent source component with its own internal DAC's than follow this suggestion. This is no different than the recommendation you would receive from me on the discussion of using your computer as a music server versus an external one passing through it’s own or external DAC's. You are still limited by the computers hardware at some point in the chain and suffice it to say, even the best computer audio components were never actually designed for or derived from actual audio components.

I suppose Herman; that you can actually make these recommendations to Tubby because you have actually heard these products and that they are not just based on something you have read or a visual interpretation. Otherwise, how can you be comfortable recommending them?

Tubby, most if not all of Bryan's points against USB DACs are completely unfounded. Even though they are not without pitfalls and take some careful research and effort to properly implement, hard drive based server systems are the wave of the future and offer ouststanding performance at a modest price. You seem like a reasonable, rational person rather than one who is on the defensive and just looking for something to attack. Take a look at the links, do some googling, and make your own decisions. I own and use a USB DAC and I am pleased with the results, otherwise I would not have recommended it.

"Even the worst Wal-Mart Special is better than most computer drives due to interference from other components and feedback from power supplies, fans, computer monitors and the like."

What complete nonsense. A computer is capable of reading hundreds of megabytes of data from a CD-ROM with not a single bit error, yet it cannot read a music CD ?

Also, since USB is a packetized protocol, a USB DAC must perform buffering and reclocking of the data before presenting it to the DAC, and so if the USB DAC master clock is of sufficient quality jitter is almost entirely removed.

Technically a USB DAC is capable of exactly the same performance as any one or two-box CD player.

Herman,
I asked you a specific question regarding the links you provided to Tubby. You specifically state that "They offer great performance". You go on to say "You own and use a USB DAC and I am pleased with the results". Okay, you don't say a thing about the actual DAC's you are speaking of and yet you recommend them. Based on your arguments of my review of the cables it sounds as if you are fluffing the capabilities of these DAC's without any substantiated evidence whatsoever. Maybe you just felt that these were a good product based on things you have heard and that others might want to take advantage of the same opportunity as you. Sound familiar yet? You have continued to voice your negative opinions towards my comments about W&M cables. Yet, in making your recommendations on the USB DAC's to Tubby you make no review whatsoever. Instead you state the same things that I have commented on several times in the last 24 hours which is to take things how you wish and do your own research. You know what, "I own and use interconnect cables and I am pleased with the results; otherwise I would not have recommended them. That is about as general comment as it gets. Do you mean to imply that using a specific cable brand is more important than using a specific brand of USB DAC. Your comment makes it sound as if by choosing any USB DAC, the consumer will be totally satisfied.

Your right, you made a point to single me out, making derogatory remarks about my comments calling them a big waste of space. Then you turn around and make the same type of comment within the same thread no less. There is no singling out or attacking taking place. I am just pointing out the same things that you did. Maybe you would care to remove your original remarks.

I am not going to even attempt to argue with Seandtaylor99 because unless he has a degree in electrical engineering focusing on computers and electronics his remarks have no merit whatsoever.

B.