2. pc-audio
  3. 1190551324

Wireless and USB dacs

Hi guys, I recently bought a Bel Canto integrated amp that has a built-in USB dac. I'm interested in sending it audio from a PC in another room. Is there a squeezbox-type device that has a USB output for the digital audio stream? Or maybe there is some other way to do this without using a PC/laptop in the same room as the stereo system?

I do have an old laptop that I hooked up directly to the amp with a USB cable but the laptop is very noisy - not fan noise, but high-pitched electrical/mechanical noise - plus it's really slow and is just a general pain in the arss (Windows 2000). Obviously I could get a mac mini or newer laptop but would prefer a cheaper solution.

Thanks in advance!
Analogkid
analogkid
analogkid OP
23 posts
 
Thanks for responding Jeff. I haven't looked at Sonos but I'm trying to find an inexpensive solution - I believe the Sonos system is in the neighborhood of $1000.

Anybody else have any ideas?

Thanks again
Analogkid
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
The Belkin wireless USB hub is around $150, but it will add a LOT of jitter. This may be okay with your DAC because it reclocks anyway:
http://www.belkin.com/networkusbhub/

worth a try.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
hudsonhawk
137 posts
 
I think you're confused.

I believe the USB on your Bel Canto is an input. You can hook a computer up to the Bel Canto and use it to output audio from your computer.

You can't use it to send a digital audio signal elsewhere.
analogkid OP
23 posts
 
I understand that the USB on the Bel Canto is an input. I was wondering if there was a way to have the computer in another room instead of hooking it up directly - this would be doable if the Squeezebox, for example, had a USB output in addition to the S/PDIF digital out.

Appreciate the suggestions and help
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