Is computer audio a bust?

Audiolabyrinth "The most exspensive USB cables made are very inexspensive and the performance is about the same as the vincent RCA interconnect, there is some USB cables that are $300.00 under $1,000.00 period, ask your self why is that?, lets see here, USB is NOT for audio, it is for data...."

Well you answered your own question. One cable carries analog and the other data (or 1's and 0's anyway). An analog cable is way more specialized due to the fact that it is carrying the analog waveform. The USB cable just dumps the data and the equipment interface does the rest. It doesn't have to be "designed for audio". You are comparing apples to, well,not even another fruit.

.....not to say the USB cable doesn't have to be designed well, but it just has to get the data from A to B with no errors. But it's a no-brainer why it can cost so much less.

I know LessLoss is late getting their product out for us to see and hear what the promise is but there is another reader/streamer out there and I'd like to know if anyone has heard it yet or can enlighten us on what they claim. The company is EC Designs and here's their link:

http://www.ecdesigns.nl/?p=87&lang=en

Their pricing is relatively affordable ($2300) and they have software for album art, playlist and remote operation with an iPhone or other similar device.

Thanks in advance, and as always, all the best,
Nonoise

I'll be steering clear of proprietary hardware and software as much as possible moving forward, especially any computer hardware from one off companies.

This stuff is still changing to rapidly. I think Android makes a versatile platform for companies to build high quality digital A/V applications on.

A standardized digital output that can feed a high quality DAC of ones choice is all that is really needed.

7-16-14: Mapman:
"do wonder if anyone considering computer audio "a bust" have ever done such an apples and apples comparison into same DAC of course feeding the same system?

That's a valid apples/apples test. Otherwise, it is not apples/apples and highly DAC dependent and all bets should be off."

I have been able to do such a comparison when originally considering investing in a computer audio system utilizing the Esoteric K-03. Three different scenarios where reviewed:

- Spinning Discs in Esoteric K-03
- Playing via Esoteric K-03 Async USB input from headless (modified) Mac Mini
- Playing same titles via USB > Bel Canto RefLink USB Converter > SPDIF out to K-03 SPDIF input.
(Utilizing Amarra 3.0 for music playback)

I can only confirm, to my ears, option 3 here has finally provided me SQ equivalent to playing RDCD's via the K-03 transport....not without many modifications along the way.