Sending music to DAC wireless vs wired

Ejliu - S/PDIF coax does not necessarily connect the two grounds. Some DAC's and reclockers have isolation transformers.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Ejliu - most DAC's and Transports save money by not using pulse transformers, or they use cheap ones. It's completely different type than transformer used for power. It's a pulse transformer. They cost about $10-20 for a good one.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Jpod - you are missing the point. It's not that wireless is better than wired.

The point is that networked, packetized data is superior to USB protocol for music streaming. The reason that networked (ie; ethernet), both wired and wireless is better is because the data is packetized, flow-controlled and retried. USB is not packetized and typically has no flow-control and no retry.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Rbstehno wrote:
"the best external dacs do not use usb and the reviews of the dacs with usb have not been favorable."

Not true at all. The review of the Benchmark DAC-1 USB, the Wavelength Cosecant and the Empirical Audio Spoiler USB DAC's were definitely favorable. There was a minor technical issue with the DAC-1 USB which was resolved later. The reviewers in the reviews liked the USB connections and found them comparable or better than the S/PDIF coaxial connections.

The thing that is spoiling the performance of many USB DAC's is the use of the TI PCM270X devices. These are essentially plug-and-play and very inexpensive, so many manufacturers have used these in their first USB DAC's. Unfortunatly, this chip does not sound good, even with the heroic attampts at low-jitter clocks and good power supplies etc. It is also limited to 16/44.1. Therefore, there were a series of reviews of these DAC's that were unfavorable, at least towards the USB inputs. But this does not represent the state of ALL USB DAC's.

None of the Benchmark DAC-1 USB, the Wavelength DAC's or the Empirical Audio Spoiler use the PCM270X chips. Instead, they use the TAS1020 from TI, which is designed by an entirely different group at TI and sounds wonderful, particularly with the right USB firmware inside it.

Please go read these reviews and discover how good USB DAC's can be:

Stereophile DAC-1 USB:
http://stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/108bench/

Empirical Audio Spoiler:
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0708/empirical_spoiler_usb_dac.htm

Wavelength Cosecant (before the synch USB upgrade):
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/1006/wavelength_audio_cosecant.htm

Rbstehno - you obviously did not read the reviews that I cited. The Spoiler is not only the best USB DAC, but the best DAC that the reviewer has auditioned. He has heard a LOT of high-end DAC's too, you name it.

Steve N.