Author Topic: USB Audio Enhancement Products  (Read 9359 times)

Offline jimbones

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USB Audio Enhancement Products
« on: July 22, 2014, 07:47:37 AM »
recently there has been a line of new products released in the subject category. In my setup I have USB ->USB/SPDIF converter to my DAC. This is because the last time I tried using USB into my DAC it wouldn't even synch because since the USB out on my laptop is so crappy ( or so i presume) Now would these new products from Schitt, ifi etc allow me to use a USB into my DAC? I don't even know if there would be any benefit of USB vs SPDIF. Thoughts?
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Offline rollo

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2014, 08:03:00 AM »
 USB was not designed for audio. It is flawed from the start. USB 3.0 is better but still lacking.
    Give me a single box player any day can you say Esoteric or DCS or Plinius. DAC,s are Vg no doubt however cables, interfaces powercords  and transport or computer all matter big time.
    KISS baby. Keep it simple.


charles
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DaveC

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2014, 08:16:53 AM »
After getting my Sony HAP-Z1ES I agree. Part of the reason I got it is that it doesn't require a dedicated computer  / DAC with the flawed USB audio interface. USB is NOT error corrected as many believe. Errors are not resent, they are dropped or interpolated and the squarewave transmission of data has similar issues as s/pdif.

I doubt the Sony can be bettered or equaled by a computer / USB DAC combination anywhere near the price.

Offline sleepyguy24

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2014, 08:47:03 AM »
Hi Jim

Do you mean the Schiit Wyrd USB tweak?

http://schiit.com/products/wyrd-usb-decrapifier



I was looking at it as well. I haven't had issues with USB outputs from my MS based laptops. I just had to set them up right on the laptop or get the appropriate drivers. An example was with the Schiit BiFrost Uber. I had to get the specific drivers to get it to work on my netbook. Was a bit of a hassle but once I got that right music was sounding fine.

I was thinking about getting the Wyrd and experimenting with it. Schiit stated you can use it with any DAC so I was going to use it with the HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC I use at work.


« Last Edit: July 22, 2014, 08:49:10 AM by sleepyguy24 »

Offline rpf

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2014, 09:39:11 AM »
USB was not designed for audio. It is flawed from the start. USB 3.0 is better but still lacking.
    Give me a single box player any day can you say Esoteric or DCS or Plinius. DAC,s are Vg no doubt however cables, interfaces powercords  and transport or computer all matter big time.
    KISS baby. Keep it simple.


charles

But simple is not having to get out of one's chair to change a disc, Charles.   :rofl:

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Offline rpf

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2014, 09:41:59 AM »
After getting my Sony HAP-Z1ES I agree. Part of the reason I got it is that it doesn't require a dedicated computer  / DAC with the flawed USB audio interface. USB is NOT error corrected as many believe. Errors are not resent, they are dropped or interpolated and the squarewave transmission of data has similar issues as s/pdif.

I doubt the Sony can be bettered or equaled by a computer / USB DAC combination anywhere near the price.

Dave, I haven't seen the DAC chip used in the Sony mentioned anywhere. Can you tell us what it is?
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Offline jimbones

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2014, 11:29:22 AM »
Yep thats it!

BTW, I use the Cuinas converter which i find to be very good. I guess I would be substituting one box for another :wtf:

Hi Jim

Do you mean the Schiit Wyrd USB tweak?

http://schiit.com/products/wyrd-usb-decrapifier



I was looking at it as well. I haven't had issues with USB outputs from my MS based laptops. I just had to set them up right on the laptop or get the appropriate drivers. An example was with the Schiit BiFrost Uber. I had to get the specific drivers to get it to work on my netbook. Was a bit of a hassle but once I got that right music was sounding fine.

I was thinking about getting the Wyrd and experimenting with it. Schiit stated you can use it with any DAC so I was going to use it with the HiFiMeDIY Sabre DAC I use at work.



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DaveC

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2014, 11:50:40 AM »
So the box of Schiit probably passes the data and dumps the 5V USB power in favor of it's own power supply. Very good idea and i think ifi also has a solution with a cable that can be plugged into their own power supply.

This is the power supply:

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-160962-ifi-micro-iusb-power-supply.aspx

And the cable:

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-161058-ifi-gemini-usb-cable.aspx

Since the Schiit is 1/2 the price it might be worth using with the ifi USB cable or you'd need 2 conventional USB cables to use the Schiit.

MGalusha has tried the ifi and said it has greatly improved the performance of some DACs. I'd expect the same result from Schiit.



DaveC

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2014, 12:01:03 PM »

Dave, I haven't seen the DAC chip used in the Sony mentioned anywhere. Can you tell us what it is?

I haven't either....

Offline sleepyguy24

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2014, 06:15:03 PM »
Hi Jim

I know this goes against Rollo's idea of K.I.S.S. but would it be too much maybe insert the Schiit Wyrd in between the USB output from your computer and the Ciunas USB to SPDIF converter rather than replacing the Ciunas? I wonder what benefit if any you would you get if you did? Sometimes I think of this stuff as an additional level of filtering.

DaveC is right though you would need an extra USB cord. I priced  dding another USB cord to my current set-up if I got the Schiit Wyrd or something similar and I may just be better off getting the IFI Gemini USB cord.

Offline rollo

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2015, 12:58:56 PM »
   Well the one to have according to the reviewers id the Berkley USB converter. Yes $1850 retail however the Cat's meow.
   it would be interesting to compare to the Schilt or equal.


charles
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Offline rollo

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2015, 01:01:36 PM »
USB was not designed for audio. It is flawed from the start. USB 3.0 is better but still lacking.
    Give me a single box player any day can you say Esoteric or DCS or Plinius. DAC,s are Vg no doubt however cables, interfaces powercords  and transport or computer all matter big time.
    KISS baby. Keep it simple.


charles

But simple is not having to get out of one's chair to change a disc, Charles.   :rofl:

Rob

   What no disc Girl ?


charles
contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
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Offline jimbones

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2015, 01:52:49 PM »
Just got an ultrafi cable with noise filters. Sounds awesome.
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Offline rpf

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2015, 05:15:24 PM »
USB was not designed for audio. It is flawed from the start. USB 3.0 is better but still lacking.
    Give me a single box player any day can you say Esoteric or DCS or Plinius. DAC,s are Vg no doubt however cables, interfaces powercords  and transport or computer all matter big time.
    KISS baby. Keep it simple.


charles

But simple is not having to get out of one's chair to change a disc, Charles.   :rofl:

Rob

   What no disc Girl ?


charles

Not in my house. I'd get told to get my a__ up.   :lol:
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Offline tmazz

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Re: USB Audio Enhancement Products
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2015, 10:49:08 AM »
USB was not designed for audio. It is flawed from the start. USB 3.0 is better but still lacking.
    Give me a single box player any day can you say Esoteric or DCS or Plinius. DAC,s are Vg no doubt however cables, interfaces powercords  and transport or computer all matter big time.
    KISS baby. Keep it simple.


charles

But simple is not having to get out of one's chair to change a disc, Charles.   :rofl:

Rob

   What no disc Girl ?


charles

Not in my house. I'd get told to get my a__ up.   :lol:

...... and not that nicely.  :rofl:
Remember, it's all about the music........

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