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USB vs s/pdif

I'm using a Wyred 4 Sound DAC 1. It has the usual compliment of inputs, including USB. I connected my MacBook via the USB input and was surprised to hear how bad it sounded. At least compared to the s/pdif output of my Squeezebox 3 with Bolder digital mods. There was really no comparison. The USB/MacBook sounded flat, lifeless, constrained and not very extended at the frequency extremes.

Why is that? Is the SB3 that good or am I doing something wrong with the MacBook?
ecruz

Showing 1 response by bryoncunningham

bryoncunningham
893 posts
 
I'm pretty sure that the USB input on the Wyred DAC1 is adaptive, not asynchronous. Implementations of adaptive USB vary widely in terms of SQ, largely as a consequence of jitter. I haven't heard the USB implementation on the DAC1, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's less than stellar.

The Wyred DAC2, however, has an asynchronous USB input. I have compared its USB input with its S/PDIF input and I found them very, very close in SQ. (I don't own the DAC2, but I borrowed it from a friend to listen to in my system).

FWIW, I believe that Wyred will upgrade the DAC1's USB input to asynchronous (like the DAC2) for a charge.

Bryon
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