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USB to DAC questions

Well, yes I have gone through many stages of what route I think I want to go for my new system... coming all the way from using a Zune for a player.

Now, from doing some reading on here, it sounds like the cheapest way (im on a super budget) to get great sound from my computer is to either go with a squeezebox or run USB to a USB-DAC. I was sold on the squeezebox... but it looks like I could pick up a used DAC for about the same price and have superior sound quality. Err, a DAC would beat a squeezebox in full a/d mode, right?

Alright, so I feel loaded with questions about a computer hookup that I didn't see any clear-cut answers to...

First, when we are talking about hooking up a USB-DAC with a USB cable... are we talking about just running the cable straight from one of the built-in motherboard USB ports... or are we talking about running it out of some additional hardware like a sound card with USB out. From what is sounded like, it was just one of the stock USB ports... but I need to make sure of this.

Second, most people here seem to favor MAC to output their USB signal from. Buying another computer would be WAY out of my budget. I am planning on running it from my workstation PC which is running XP because all my editing programs in Vista ran terribly. Yet, dual-booting to Vista just to have good audio would be ok as I already own a copy. So... just to be clear, there would be a big difference between XP and Vista when running USB out? It would be ideal to NOT have to dual-boot... but I will if there is that big of a difference. Also, has anyone been able to compare Vista sound with Mac sound?

Third, can someone elaborate on the difference between a NOS DAC and an over-sampling DAC?

Fourth, how would the Outlaw RR2150 receiver with a built-in USB DAC compare to a separate USB DAC paired with a separate amplifier?

And the last that I can think of for now... Does anyone have any opinions of the Musiland Md-10 DAC? I only ask because there is one listed on here in the classifieds at a price close to what I want to pay.

Whew, ya that was a loaded posting. I hope you guys can help me out with these questions. Thanks a ton.
djembeplay
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
The Paradisea is a very nice sounding NON OS Dac. I've owned two of these.The first version and now the second model.

Nothing wrong with the SN gear either. I wouldn't let one review stop me from buying one.

Also you may want to look at the Audio Sector NON OS Dac. Peter has started making these with a single USB input. You can get one with no chassis for $350 from him direct. Just go to the audiosector.com website and email him. Pic below of a no chassis version. This Dac sells for $1300 in its retail form.

The MHDTs pretty much speak for themselves. Look at the 500 plus feedback on Ebay and then look how many are for sale on the used market.

Audio Sector Dac 1
djembeplay OP
179 posts
 
Ckorody... ah, good to know... thx for the info. So, if a USB also carries power, does that mean that there are differences b/w 'high' and 'low' quality USB ports on a computer?

This is especially interesting because I know a company that modifies cameras to output an uncompressed video signal via USB. They chose to write their software specifically for Macs because they knew the quality of their USB ports would be consistent where as with PCs they are outsourced everywhere and made my many different manufacturers with varying quality... apparently. Is this room for concern?

I am planning on picking up a laptop at this point, so cable length of a standard USB line isn't an issue now... but whether I should buy an ibook or not is the question now. I would in a second, but I heard 'tiger' is sonically inferior to 'leopard' osx... and any ibook with leopard seems more expensive than what I want to pay... which makes me just want a PC with Vista to avoid worrying about it.

Hmm, many considerations.
djembeplay OP
179 posts
 
Gmood1- Aw, great... thats good to hear another positive input about the paradisea.

I am especially interested in the Audio Sector you mentioned. Do you have any idea how this would perform side-by-side to a paradisea?
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
I've owned both. I didn't have the USB version of the AS Dac however. The one in the photo was actually mine. They sound very similar. I thought the Paradisea was a tad more immediate and dynamic. The AS Dac was more laid back. Both are good. Look for a review on 6moons under Audio Zone System: DAC1, PRE-T1, AMP-2. the reviewer does a good job describing the Dac. The Audio Zone Dac-1 is the commercial version of the Audio Sector Dac..built by the same man.

I'm the guy that told the reviewer he needed a dejitter device while using the Audio Zone Dac..since he used a basic cd player as a transport. These NON OS Dacs are VERY sensitive to jitter.
ckorody
643 posts
 
First USB is ubiquitous. Meaning that it is friggin everywhere on everything. Billions of USB ports and devices out there. Obviously implementation is a concern but at the end of the day it either works or it doesn't work.

When you start to think about all this, you need to get your head around this idea of a world market that is all based on standards - no one can sell crap that doesn't work... and outsourcing and out assembly is the name of the game - not just for price but for speed and flexibility and shipping considerations...

As far as why people develop for a Mac it is most likely not because of the USB implementation. Developing for Mac means walking on about 95% of the market. Unless the application is so specialized that the customer is going to buy a computer just to run it.

Much more likely that the Mac OS offers other benefits as a platform, certain APIs etc. You need to take that kind of stuff with a big grain of salt - the Blue Side is filled with misinformation and urban myths.

Don't know about hi and lo quality ports. There are two standards USB1.1 and USB2.0 Difference is in bandwidth and rate. For audio 1.1 is fine

The other difference I am aware of is that not all USB ports have sufficient power for all units. For instance the Mac keyboard has USB ports but they won't run everything - you get a warning and then you move back to the tower.

Hard to say if Leopard will deliver better audio then Tiger. You'll do just fine with Tiger.

From what I have read, though it handles the drivers differently, Vista is not a particular improvement on XP in the audio space. But its all what you're used to - and what else you want to do with the machine.

Audio playback doesn't take much computational power, lots of people use their oldest machine as a music server and save the horsepower for where they need it.
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