2. digital
  3. 146559-46

Need to under stand Asynchronous USB

So I just got a Marantz ND 8006 Network CD player. Im using it as a network player and CD transport  and I output digital to my NAD M51 DAC. I’m using my IPad to stream TIDAL and that works tip top. However, it’s the USB inputs that concern me. I have a choice of a front connection and a rear USB DAC connection. 

Couple questions:

1. The USB DAC input is for a Mac or PC hook up, but is there any other way to use an input like this?  Does it have to come from a computer or can a USB hard drive work with an input like this?
2. More importantly the front USB input is NOT asynchronous.  I think they make a reclocker I can put in between the USB and the unit. My question is do they make a USB hard drive with a built in reclocker with a good amount of hard drive space?

this is all new to me, so any help would be appreciated. 
last_lemming

Showing 1 response by erik_squires

erik_squires
16,677 posts
 
Either USB input will have equivalent performance.

Asynchronous USB refers to the DAC being the conductor in the communication. The PC/Mac software or whatever doles out data as the DAC requests it. So, it’s a cooperative arrangement. The PC/Mac picks what to play, reads it and sends it down to the DAC, but the DAC remains in control of the metronome.

The front USB connection is for media devices, including a hard drive. Since the Marantz is also acting as the player software, the idea of asynchronous is kind of irrelevant.

In both cases the DAC will be in charge of the metronome.

Now, if you use S/PDIF via optical or coax this no longer happens. Then the source device owns the clock, and the DAC better keep up.


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