usb dac for hi-end system

Your gear is state of the art. You will only be dissapointed with USB-even through the wavelength as suggested into your DAC. Asychroneous or not, usb transmits in packets-music should be a stream. If you get a mac, put it in the next room and get a squeezebox touch or someother gateway but USB won't cut it for you. If it has a firewire out option, thats much better than usb.

Cerrot, the blanket statement that you made about "music should be streamed not packets" is mistaken. Data is transmitted in packets, blocks or other groupings, whether through FireWire, USB or wireless and is buffered, it's not music until the conversion process begins. NO CHANCE a squeezebox into a dac will outperform a properly implemented computer out through USB to USB DAC. The packets et al that are transmitted wirelessly are MUCH smaller than through a USB. No offense intended if taken.

Read about Weiss at 6moons.com which uses Firewire.For cheaper sound I am interested in the Wyred $1k and $1500 models.USA made and use Sabre chip that's the rage.Plus you have Esoteric and always thought they made great sounding gear.Looked at/heard their newer gear?
Chazz

Uhhhhh should have looked at your system so Wyred suggestion was for someone else.Also wondering about if you have checked PS Perfect Wave which folks seem to think is pretty good.But I still have a nose bleed and total envy after looking at your rig.
Chazz

No offense taken, Ghasley. I had meant the music data was packeted via USB. It is not packeted via firewire.