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reliable DDC

I'm in need of a good DDC for a DAC that only takes SPDIF input. So I need USB > SPDIF. I own a Gustard U18 and it's working, but I've read a lot of stuff about reliability problems with Gustard or Chi-fi in general. The only other audiophile level DDC I know of is the Denafrips, also Chinese. Are there any audiophile level DDCs made elsewhere in the world (say, USA?)

 

magon
magon OP
91 posts
 

@tony1954 

Bye.

magon OP
91 posts
 

@deep_333

The main issue is that I have a DAC with only S/PDIF in. No USB.

I also have a DAC with USB in and I probably wouldn't use the DDC with that.

 

dalims4
242 posts
 

Bel Canto Design – REF Link USB Converter

rikkipuu's avatar
rikkipuu
289 posts
 

I had a Denafrips Iris, a firmware upgrade to my Terminator Plus made the Iris incompatible go figure.  They promised a fix but it has been years, maybe the Iris 15th Plus will be better):

I now have an Antipodes S20 powered by their S60.  Much more musical but that goes along with the increase in cost(:

mitch2
4,268 posts
 

I reinstalled my Singxer SU6 DDC the other day so that I could utilize the two S/PDIF outputs at the same time to make my comparisons between DACs in my system easier and quicker.  

Even though the two main DACs I have here are both said to perform best from their USB connections, my initial impression is that feeding them a signal via S/PDIF through the DDC sounds as good as through a direct USB connection.

BTW, to the OP’S question, the SU6 has been totally reliable every time I have used it in my system with no glitches whatsoever, unlike the Denafrips Hermes I previously owned which didn’t want to cooperate with my other digital gear at the time.

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