Applications of USB 3.0 in Music Storage.

Ballan-I haven't got a clue "what" is the best connection for Audio. If you have an opinion as what you feel sounds best to you, feel free to share it. From my experience so far, there is so much misinformation on the Net about PC Music Storage that it makes decision buying almost impossible. I wouldn't mind a hundred choices, but more than a thousand with a couple hundred thousand possible combinations is a little overwhelming. Less we forget Music Program (Device), Filing System, Sample Rate, Sample Rate Convertion that only triples the number of possible combinations. Its no wonder that many are still holding onto their CD Players as a life preserver in an Ocean of Music Storage mayhem and confusion. We are all used to paying someone else to design our System Front Ends for us, not having to design it ourselves. This is NOT how I measure convenience. Only thing that I can do is muddle through the misinformation, and confusion, inevitably make mistakes, dust myself off and keep plowing on through this mayhem. I don't see ANY concensus on the best PC connection for Audio by any stretch of the imagination, opinions vary wildly. From what I have heard so far, many of the distinctions are small as the Technology continues to advance on all fronts for all types of connections. Of course small distinctions can be reasonably critical for many, including myself, but I have a limit as to how much I am willing to pay. $5000.00 for an Asynchronous USB to SPDIF or AES/EBU connector, when $5000.00 would probably give you a reasonably good sounding entire Stereo System? If you can afford it, go for it, more power to you. I think that I will hang back for a while.

I don't have all the answers either, which is why I hang out here. ;)

I will say that I've tried all kinds of DACs and connections, and currently the optical output of my Mac directly into the DAC seems to get the best results. I understand that others prefer USB, but I don't think you should rule out SPDIF. I use Apple Lossless and AIFF files.

I am being very tempted to try a Weiss INT202 or HiFace Evo.

Now....I'm going to go hide before I get yelled out.... ;)

No one is yelling here Ballan. Perhaps on some other Threads, where there are those who try to bury the severe inconvenience of trying to assemble a PC Music Storage System. Yet, they keep on touting the convenience of the whole thing. I don't see a damn thing wrong with someone sticking with a CD Player, and paying someone else to design their Front End for them as opposed to struggling to build it themselves. I believe that it was one of the reasons why many shifted from LP to CD, despite the lack of sound quality. I believe it was for the convenience of Plug and Play with the CD Player. The Sound Quality of CD eventually improved, although never as good as LP. Still, I am going to miss that Plug and Play feeling from the old days. I am being told that this is the new tomorrow, and I must conform, so be it. Excuse me while I have to muddle through the next 100,000 possible combinations. Keep on hearing about alot of people having an easier go at it with their Macs, might be a lesson here, somewhere.