SOtM tX-USB experiences?

I picked up the PCI-E card and Wellborne power supply from an Audiogon member several months ago. The card was installed in a reasonably powerful desktop that was built several years ago and attached to the April Music Eximus DP1 DAC. The USB output has been used with the DAC's integrated USB port and an Audiophilleo feeding the SPDIF port. The PC runs Windows 7 Home edition using XXHighend, HQPlayer, and Jriver 19.

In every case the improvement was immediate and noticeable. The sound stage expanded, and Redbook Flac files had a clarity and musicality that was missing before the card was installed. I also used it with the Schiit DSD DAC using Jriver and HQPlayer and thought it improved the sound.

Unfortunately there are so many equipment combinations that it is difficult to say what might happen in your case. I thought that the music software plus Audiophilleo or XMOS assisted USB port on the Eximus could not possibly be improved. The SOtM card with power supply proved me very wrong.

I have no answer why this should be the case with an asynchronous interface on the DAC or Audiophilleo. And the documentation from SOtM is abysmal and an embarrassment. But since it has been installed I would never think of removing it. And if it broke I would immediately replace it or buy one of the CAPS servers.

We tried this unit in our servers as well as iUSB and either there was no improvment or very noticeable degradation of the sound.

I believe...I feel that servers with poor power supplies and/or poor handling of ground noise may benefit substantially from these and similar devices but we have no experience and so its educated guess.

Simon Thacher
Musica Pristina

I really feel Davide256 has begun an important conversation. With the prevalence, convenience and potential quality of Windows-based playback using an asynchronous USB interface, I too ask this very question.

A quality, Intel i5-based Windows 7 Pro OS laptop with 8 GB RAM can be had for $600 - a perfect machine for dedicated music playback by JRiver et al. A comparable, Intel i5 or i7 (which many players such as J River recommend) dedicated "music PC" built around the SOtM tX-USB cost more than that in parts and almost 3x pre-built.

I use a dedicated Windows 7 laptop with J River for my home office-based headphone set-up. For my main system, I have a SB Touch.

I don't have answers, but definitely would like to educated on this forum.

Thanks.