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Do all computers output digital thru USB?

Forgive my newbee question but I want to output a digital signal to my USB DAC from my computer. How do I know if my computer outputs digital thru its USB port or analog? How do I get a digital stream to output to my DAC? Thanks for the look and the help. Really.
128x128pugstub
pugstub's avatar
pugstub OP
64 posts
 
OK, thanks to all those that responded.
prpixel
876 posts
 
All USB devices are digital. USB is a digital standard. There is no way to force USB to output an analog signal. Devices such as USB speakers have a digital to analog converter built in.
johnss
570 posts
 
on your PC you can also pull the digital audio off the PCI or PCIe bus, if you have the right card, and go to AES/EBU.
johangrb
6 posts
 
Your best option is probably SPDIF digital out to DAC. USB limits you to 16bit, 44Khz. With Spdif you can go24/94 or higher.

Another option is the $150 M2Tech Hiface gadget. Converts USB - SPDIF (RCA/BNC).
6550c
393 posts
 
My computer has a SPDIF out and it sound really really bad.
I tried going from PC to a Theata DAC and then had a panic attack wondering just how much $$$$ I could spend to get it to sound right.
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