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budget USB S/PDIF converter?

long time lurker. thanks in advance for all the amazing info here.

looking for a budget (under $100) solution for usb > s/pdif from my PC laptop. this is a temp solution as i'll be upgrading to a dedicated PC for music that will have digital outs (btw, would love a recommendation for a good sound card with digital out too if anyone has one).

thanks in advance.
moosigny

Showing 4 responses by audioengr

audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Whatever you spent for the DAC, you should spend about the same or even more for the converter, otherwise you are not hearing what your DAC can do.

Would you buy a $1K turntable and then put a $50 cartridge on it? I dont think so.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
There is a PCI card with USB ports on it that evidently makes USB from a PC desktop more listenable. Have not heard it yet myself though..

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Davide256 - already being done. It's called Play To and available on Win8. There are several CE manufacturers that have in on their receivers, including Yamaha. These of course are not high-end implementations, so they will probably not beat a CD transport.

There are fewer hoops to jump through with Ethernet, but USB performance can match it with the right software/hardware.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
"USB vs optical, it seems optical produces better results. as for a high end sound card, isn't that redundant (or rather pointless?)"

Actually no. The jitter from a USB interface can be much lower than Toslink from the computer. The DAC will not reduce jitter significantly, so you need it to be low going into the DAC. Anything that you have read to the contrary is marketing BS IME.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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