Is USB overrated as decent digital source?

Mr. Stepenson, I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying that the computer with usb interface isn't fast enough?

I'm streaming uncompressed data from my Mini to my USB DAC and it works just fine. In fact it uses the older, slower USB1.1 as do all USB receivers designed for audio that I know of. USB 1.1 is more than fast enough to handle wav files.

Yes, USB1.1 has maximum 12Mb/sec bandwidth which is still fast enough to handle streaming music files even at 24bit resolution.

So, which external USB DAC have you decided on?

I sold my fully modded SB2 after 6 months a bought a CEC TL-1 transport for my EAD 7000 III DAC, couldnt be happier, the sound from the CEC is miles away better than the Modded Squeezebox2 into the DAC, the SB2 directly to amps did nothing...

I still have to try out the Wavelenght, but since I am using a passsive preamp the Brick wont do (so I hear) so I will need to splash ot some good cash....

I am afraid of cheaper options now, but I am listening, I have most of my CDs now on WAV files and I really love the availability of music through the computer.

USB is simply a method to get data from point A to point B. It has little to do with audio quality if the conversion circuitry is designed correctly. There are probably lots of poor designs out there, but this is true of almost every type of design, not just USB converters. USB has the advantage that the bandwidth is not limited as much as 802.11G (WIFI), so you can do 24/96 over USB and not WIFI. Also WIFI is limited in compatibility with player software. If you do AirPort Express, then you MUST use iTunes. If you do Squeezebox, then you MUST use Slimserver. There may be plug-ins that allow you to get around this though....

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Manufacturer/Modder