2. pc-audio
  3. 1044424288

What's the best USB audio interface?

I want to set up a dedicated music server on an old book-sized PC, digital out to an outboard DAC (a cal Gamma, but it could just as well later be another DAC) and then onwards through a headphone amp to cans.

So the PC will serve as the digital source or occasionally as a CD transport. There won't be any recording/input needs - and USB will be the way to go to bypass the onboard sound card (no free PCI slots anyways).

In searching for a suitable USB audio interface for this purpose, I've run across references to M-Audio/Midiman (sonica and others), Roland/Edirol UA 30 (or 3(D)), Xitel, Ego-Sys, Audiotrak - many more... the market seems to be moving fast ... I'm lost in the thickets.

I'm not looking for a one-off solution, consensus of any sort, nor do I expect to get great sound w/o a proper transport, better DAC etc. I'd be grateful if any a-goners could share their relevant experience (success? trials & tribulations?).

Thanks,
agonanon

Showing 3 responses by agonanon

agonanon OP
70 posts
 
Interim Summary.

Thanks to all the a-goners who have breathed life into this
thread. Your input has been very helpful and is certainly greatly appreciated.

Some URL's for quick reference
(for anyone who is, as I was, totally lost):

One user's experience with the Roland UA-1D
http://www.andrewkilpatrick.org/projects/spdif/reviews/edirol_ua1d/

Successor? of the UA 30, UA 3D
http://www.edirol.com/products/info/ua3d.html

Motu 828 is an (expensive) USB audio interface
http://www.motu.com/english/motuaudio/global/body.html

A short review of the Roland / Edirol UA 30
http://www.techtv.com/audiofile/story/0,23008,3321060,00.html

Audiotrak (EgoSys) OPTOPlay, simple feature-set similar to the UA-1D
http://www.audiotrak.net/eng/optoplay.html
Maya 7.1 USB (overkill) -- http://www.audiotrak.net/eng/maya71u.html

ESI U24 waveterminal (esi-pro.com, ESI=formerly Ego Systems or EgoSys)
http://www.homerecordingmag.com/review3.asp (truncated review)

Ballpark price points:
USD 0.1k - Sonica; UA-1D; Optoplay;
0.15k - UA 30, used; Stereo-Link 1200 ($169: 220-240V internat'l version);
0.25k - ESI U24 Waveterminal;
0.8k - Motu 828 (firewire 2xXLR or 1/8" to RCA);
1k+ - Apogee Mini-DAC (shipped Mar2003, price est. mini-me based);

Possible strategies:
- kiss (keep it simple,stupid): Optoplay; UA-1D; Sonica;
- added flexibility: UA 30; UA 3D;
- better build: ESI U24 waveterminal;
- consumer convenience: stereo-link;
- overkill: 828; mini-dac;

For the moment it seems that the k.i.s.s. strategy wd be most reasonable. Information/3rd party reviews/tests on the ESI/Egosys/Audiotrak products is harder to locate (they've got good mentions elsewhere in the forums tho). There are some unresolved issues: e.g. compatibility with the OS. Ultimately, I'd like to get this setup running under some flavor/color of Unix -- Linux or a version of BSD -- with a low-key text-based GUI (vs. some color and graphics-intensive one in windows) controlling the whole thing. There is some learning curve. The contributions are encouraging.
agonanon OP
70 posts
 
The m-audio description of the sonica mentions Win XP, 2000 but also Apple's OS X. But I wonder whether the sonica might still work with linux kernel 2.4 and above which has USB support - OS X is Unix-based as far as I know. I think it may be to some degree widespread that USB devices can be used with Un*x, even if this OS is not officially supported. May be just wishful thinking tho.
agonanon OP
70 posts
 
Definitely helpful. Foobar sounds interesting, on the order of 0.5mb of code - small and has a v. active developer community going for it; merits closer inspection.

http://foobar2000.hydrogenaudio.org/
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