Dac recommendations for computer audio

Optical Interface is not that good on Mac's! Its an inferior interface to begin with! USB is the best solution unless you can spend $6000 on a Weiss DAC and use firewire. USB is the best solution for 99% of people trying to build a music Server. also check on http://www.computeraudiophile.com/ and they will validate my claim.

There are two options for using a Mac or any PC with the USB Interface!

I have a MacBook Pro and have used both the Streamer II+ and Streamer Pro and the PopPulse 1796 Mk II USB/SPDIF 16/44 on USB $289.00 Jaw dropping Good! a good Audiophile USB Cable will make a world of difference and everyone who's A/B a generic USB Cable compared to a Locus Design Polestar and Axis aggree its better to spend less on a DAC and budget for a Locus Design Cable Lots of great reviews on PFO Positive Feedback.

Most USB DAC's that support USB and SPDIF are not providing speeds greater that 16/44 on the USB interface until you spend more than $1500.00

1) USB to SPDIF converter. There are several units out there the best is the SonicWeld Diverter $1299. Can be seen at www.kaplanhtdesign.com

2) USB only DAC's like the Music Streamer II+ at $349.95 are the best value bar none with Asynchronous to reduce jitter on the USB buss. Speed supported 24/96 (16/24 bit word lengths) and (44.1/48/88.2/96Khz resolution). Great Reviews from www.avguide.com/review/hrt-streamer-ii-and-streamer-ii-hi-fi-72
www.kaplanhtdesign.com/HRT_Music_Streamer.html

3) USB/SPDIF DAC's not as good as a USB Only DAC's and there are many technical reasons why.

Streamer II+ assures that jitter performance exceeds that of conventionally connected (bi-phase) converters inherently have more Jitter! these are AES/EBU and S/PDIF in Coax and Optical formats.

Good Luck with your search

1) The Optical Output on a Mac is a non-Standard size, with that said! I'm not aware of any high end Cable vendors making high end Optical Cables with the small connector to fit on a MAC Since its a non-Standard Interface.

Yes I'm sure you can find an adapter! ever time you use and adapter it changes the sound and not in a good way!

Here's the link to amazon to buy it for one penny!
http://www.amazon.com/Toslink-To-Optical-Mini-Adapter/dp/B0002MQGRM

More forums: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=696269

Check out the discussion threads on the Apple website! Not good News! http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1808555

2) USB is the only viable alternative to Firewire Fire Wire DAC are few and far between. There's Apogee DAC's Pro-Audio!, Most DAC's that support Firewire are pro-Audio DAC's and not really intended for home Audio use since Firewire is standard interface for Pro Audio.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/weiss2/minerva.html

Every DAC out there will sound differently on every system!

The Best Value is a USB DAC is the Music Streamer II+

Its also important to bring music to a store that you know, but once again that showrooom may be using mismatched cables in their system and it will cause their source components to sound bright, harsh etc..

Check out the reviews! for $349.95 its low risk investment! I've sold over 30 and no one has complained that it sounds bright or harsh! With that said there's a lot of cables that can sound bright and harsh. I heard a pair of speaker cables recently that provided a lot of information that were very bright and harsh these sold for over $8000 a pair!

Good luck!