Best Digital Input from PC to DAC

Some USB converters were compared here:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue39/ramblings_computer.htm

If you are using XP on a PC, then I would recommend unmapping the device if possible and using Foobar 0.8.3

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Be careful of those "low-jitter" claims. Even Stereophile made measurements on Squeezebox and Sonos - they were both low according to them (under 500psec), and the Sonos was only slightly worse, and yet the jitter is obvious on both and a LOT worse on the Sonos.

Steve N.

Cerrot - you have not heard every USB converter or DAC, so please reserve judgement. I will put my USB converter up against your Firewire anytime. I'm confident that I would win the shootout.

I realize that you believe your system sounds great etc., but trust me, there are lots of systems out there are are superior. Everyone is at a different level here. It is all relative.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

If you are using XP, I would recommend unmapping the device. This will make the USB interface sound a bit better. USB interface quality varies a lot from one product to another, so it may stil not be better than the S/PDIF input. Here is how to unmap:

Go to Control Panel - System Hardware - Device Manager - Sound Video and Game Controllers – Empirical 1.1 - Right-Click and select Properties - Audio Devices – Empirical 1.1 - Properties - Set "Do not use audio features" and set "Do not map through this Device"

You will need to reboot and then if you change it back to mapped, then you must re-boot.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio