Computer output to DAC, which route?

In my humble opinion going USB DAC is the only quality way.

Several USB DACs are out there. I'd like to suggest a conversation with Larry Moore and trial of his designed and manufactured Ultra Fi iRoc USB DAC... so simple and simply amazing...

especially when coupled to a quality USB cable (YES...vital) such as Ted Denney's Synergistic Research USB cable or Robert Schultz's Poboeima!!! USB cable and of course quality single-ended cables to the preamp.

Dollar for dollar (like a boxer: pound for pound) with a MacMini I have found nothing that compares.The complete transformation of the system this setup is on is nearly confounding. My adult kid just shakes his head in wonder as do several of my friends. This combination is eroding my faith in CDPs regardless of price.

I have no commercial or otherwise interest in the above firms or persons other than being a very pleased and happy customer.

All the best & happy listening,

Ed

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If you really want to hear PC Audio at it's best, go firewire. I just went to a firewire to spdif converter (M Audio Firewire Solo) and just couldn't believe how good it sounds. There's just no way the power supply in a PC can provide stable, clean power to a soundcard. I was thinking of going USB but thought best to just go with the fire wire.

Enjoy your rig.

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Cerrot,

Several USB DACs have their own independent power supply. For example, the Ultra Fi iRoc asych DAC takes care of the power supply "problem" you "identify" and its own power supply.

On the other hand,many serious technical and audio-experience problems are associated with spdif interfaces.

Happy listening!

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I tend to agree with the external USB DAC as the route to quality. Howerver, there is a new product soon to be released that has some potential. Check out the Asus HDAV1.3 audio card.

depends on the budget,
depends on your ear/brain, if it likes more color sound or grey sound.
too many variables.
like jitter.
wordclock, the op-amps in the DAC., the circuit design in the DAC.
wordclock & s/pdif cable velosity propagation, and capacitance.

toslink vs. s/pdif,?

depends on the s/pdif cable used.
if its a good cable will have way lower jitter than toslink/adat/madi.
but if its a bad cable, will have lost data.
s/pdif with a verry nice cable will sound more detailed., less muddy, more transparent,
but that also depends on the wordclock you have also.
0.03ppb, <1ppm, 5ppm, 25ppm, 50ppm like alesis ai-2
, digital DDS or PLL, TTL, Crystal, TCXO, OCXO, etc..
some wordclocks allow to reclock, and resample. like drawmer m-clock, antelope DA, etc..

some DACs have jitter elimination mechanisms,
but none are better than a rubidium atomic clock.
if you plan to upgrade to an atomic clock, try to avoid DACs with a jitter removal mechanism that cant be turned off. "Wide lock"

some DACs have fixed SRC, and SRC creates distortions.
http://src.infinitewave.ca/
make shure you like the distortions.

3daudioinc c0m has a nice ADCD double cd comparing ADCs, but usually ADC has same sound as DACs, if done properly
becouse has the same analog circuit design, and same wordclock.

reb box rb-adda 96k sounds really nice to me,
lavry gold the best ive heard.
i dont like prism AD/-DA-2
i like black lion modifications on the digi002r

etc...etc...