2. digital
  3. 194333-19946

Does your DAC sound better through the S/PDIF or I2S inputs than through USB?

For a long time I used a Windows NUC driving my DAC through USB. (A modified Gustard X20Pro.) Then I got an Aurender N100 which provided a better USB source. I also tried a DAC on the recommendation of a friend in the New Jersey Audiophile Society. People were excited about this there: the Gustard R26.

I found that the R26 is disappointing through its USB input, but excels through the Coax S/PDIF input using a Gustard U18 Digital/Digital Convertor.

This probably points to a subpar USB implementation, to be honest, but I started wondering if this is a general pattern among DACs that can take both S/PDIF and USB.

Anyone find something similar in their DAC?

For example, I'm interested in a Schiit DAC (not sure which model yet). Now that I have the DDC I can drive it through Coax and compare to USB. With the Gungnir 2, I may not have the choice of USB because they have a USB C connection and my only good USB cable is A to B.

Note: what is wrong with the R26 through the USB input: very light bass, unintegrated treble (sibilance kind of clouds over the sound and doesn't integrate with the body of the instruments)

magon
magon OP
91 posts
 

@sns My streamer/server is an Aurender N100H, which offers only USB output, but it’s a much better USB output than the previous server I was using, a simple Intel NUC. I think it’s probably a very well implemented USB output port.

When I use S/PDIF, I’m plugging the USB cable into a Gustard U18 DDC, which has only USB as input. I’m sure that the quality of the Aurender also helps the U18 function better.

My Gustard R26 sounds better, as I said in my OP, through the U18 and SPDIF (coax) inputs. It sounds pretty lame through USB, even when it's the Aurender driving the USB. So I'm guessing it's a poor USB implementation in the R26.

sns
3,729 posts
 

@magon It seems reasonable to conclude R26 usb implementation not  optimal. I'd suggest you need better DDC in order for best optimization of I2S. Jitter specs for DDC don't tell the whole story. I had a Singxer SU6 some years ago, wasn't all that impressed  with I2S at the time, Gaia DDC  with really nice Tubulus I2S  cable makes all the difference. I've haven't used SPDIF as a digital input in many years.

magon OP
91 posts
 

@sns I have an Audioquest Firebird HDMI. Do you have any thoughts on that one?

sns
3,729 posts
 

@magon Presume that very nice cable, like silver for my digital cables, use AQ Diamond for my usb cable. The one thing I'd say about using HDMI vs I2S cable is one may be paying for unneeded runs of wire with the HDMI, silver is pretty pricey.

magon OP
91 posts
 

@sns Thanks for the comments. I bought my Firebird used for $600. The going rate for used price for these is 1/3 the new price. I see the Tubulus going for $699 in one store. Is this the usual  U.S. price or maybe the price has gone up since the tariffs? Do you know the usual U.S. price?

 

More to discover