Coax to Optical Converters Anygood?

Trucker, Thanks for the response. My transport is a 47 Labs Flatfish that has been upgraded with a super clock and BG caps. My hope is to find a converter that will compliment it and not loose the magic that it produces.
Thanks again.

Dg1968, The question that I asked was if anyone has any experience using a converter. I didn't expect another question and a milk toast diatribe on Dac purchasing or system implementation. Have you used a Coax to optical converter? If not then move on!

FWIW I'm considering to buy the DSPeaker Anti-Mode Dual Core 2.0. The digital input is optical, hence the need for a converter. It also has line level input, USB input, and can be used as a preamp.. The point in purchasing the Dual Core 2.0 is to simplify my system, and make it easier to move to computer audio in the future. Do a search and read the Dual Core's features. The little unit looks impressive, WOWed them at CES, and I'm sure sounds impressive as well. I'm using the DSPeaker Anti-Mode 8033s on my subs now which happens to help produce the best bass that I have ever had in my 25+ years in this hobby. The Dual Core 2.0 will do DSP corrections to all room nodes up to 500hz, be a dac and preamp as well.
So now you know why I'm considering the need for a coaxial to optical converter.

The Dual Core is designed to work with analog, computer, and digital input.
Here is DSPeaker's reason for using optical rather than coax as taken from the FAQs page:

Q: Coax s/pdif (RCA) sounds better than optical tosink in our ears and due to the listening tests we have done in the past. So why use optical?

A: Our system does not derive its analog to digital converter (DAC) clock from the digital input(s), so jitter in the input is not a problem. Ant jitter in the input gets removed in the process, so there is no difference between the quality of coaxial and optical input in this respect.
The huge advantage of using optical is that there is no ground connection between devices.

Thanks for the encouagement :-). If I can't find a good converter I may stay with my trans/dac combo and use the line level input.

In any event, I think we're both agreed that the choice of a converter is less critical than what the OP appears to have been envisioning. And that reports of experiences with particular converters need to be considered in the context of the jitter rejection capability, if any, of the particular DAC that was being used.

Al,
I wasn't all that concerned with jitter as such, more with the quality of the signal not being compromised. Understanding that the more in the signal path the better the possibility for the signal quality to go awry.

What I was hoping to find, was if someone has used a converter(s) and could shed a little light on the experience, and perfomance to note.

The techs at DSPeaker are a pretty smart group. The Anti-Mode 8033s did a world of good for my subs, and to now be able to clean up any nodes to 500HZ, is very intriguing to me. I'm sure that they considered a coaxial input, but possibly due to cost and building constrictions felt that optical was the way to go? Dunno?....They are right about the ground issue.

Perhaps I'll purchase a converter and report back on the quality.

Thanks for your input,

Rodge

Al,

Your assumption is correct on the addition of jitter with a converter, no argument there. I was going to rely on the Dual Core to handle the jitter.

Assuming that bit errors do not occur, and I would expect that they would not occur with any decent converter

That is where my concern is. To find the best converter to do the job, so that all the 1's and 0's make it to the dac.

Best Regards,

Rodge

Hi Ginov,

Thank you for the lead on the Behringer SRC 2496. I looked into buying one, but most dealers in the states are sold out. The new shipment should arrive sometime in the next couple of months, so maybe then. I received my Dual Core on July 27th. There were delays in the release and limited distribution.
I'm using a MSB Digital Director that is working as my coax to optical converter. I like the unit and it runs off a 12v supply same as my CD transport and Dual Core. I have only had the unit hooked up for a couple of days and I'm vey impressed with it too. My transport has dual coaxial outputs and this has made for a fun comparison to my Buffalo 32s dac. I can switch between the Analog and SPDIF inputs on the D/C to compare the two. No clear favorite yet, I want to give the D/C dac a chance to run in for a while. rodge827atcomcastdotnet If you want to compare notes. My info can also be found on the Audio Circle Forum.
Thanks again,

Chris

Ginov,

I found out about the Dual Core from US distributor Tim Ryan of Simplifi Audio. I had purchased a Dspeaker Antimode 8033s from him, and before the D/C came out he offered me one at a prerelease discount. The 8033s impressed me so much that I took the plunge on a D/C, and I'm very happy I did!

The Buffalo 32s Dac is a DIY kit from Twisted Pear Audio. I purchased mine from the original owner/builder about a year ago. The 32s was TPA's first dac board with the ESS Saber 9018 chip. They have since improved with the Buffalo 2 and now 3.

I have been listening to the Dual Core Dac more than the 32s, so as to get a better grasp of the sound quality it produces. The best that I can describe the differences is an apples to apples comparison. Both apples taste (sound) wonderful, but in the end only one will win me over. I'm leaning more and more towards the D/C dac with it's pure uncolored sound. Every dac I have had in the past "flavored" the sound a bit, the D/C dac is a whole new experience, and refreshing at that. :-)

Best,
Chris

Ginov,

I didn't get your pm.
Was it on Audio Circle? (rodge827)
email: rodge827 @ comcast . net (delete spaces)

Chris