Is USB overrated as decent digital source?

I am using a JVC 5.1 receiver model rx-9010vbk. This particular receiver is equipped with a mini-USB port on the front panel. This port connects to the USB port on the computer, allowing to use the computer as the playback source. I have a G-4 Mac and use I-tune's exclusively to play my 19000 mpg's through my stereo system. This is done with the JVC receiver via usb port to usb port on computer. The receiver has Burr-Brown PCM 2702 DAC and my computer automatically recognizes it. I use to connect my receiver to computer with rca inputs, but USB is much,much better since the sound quality and fidelity is noticeably better since I am bypassing the internal sound from the computer by going usb direct from the receiver. I have done some research and have found there very few is any current model receivers that have usb port for connecting computer for mgp playback.

FYI, the soon-to-be-shipping Musical Fidelity
"X-DACv8 Tubed Digital-to-Analogue Converter"
has USB connectivity ...

http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/xseries/xdacv8.html

FWIW i am using a external dac made by M-Audio called "firewire audiophile." I like it because it is a great stand alone dac for my G4 cube and it has coaxial digital outputs. Sounds great as is, but down the road i will probably add an external dac to furtehr enhance the sound.

Just thought i would let everyone know that there are other solutions for fast data transfer besides USB.

Dont know if firewire is any cleaner, but i know its faster.

Firewire was designed from the ground up with music and sound in mind.

Anyway...

You implicitly raise an interesting point. Considering Firewire and USB, what are the relative strengths/weaknesses of each for computer music servers and is one better for these applications?

I am very satisfied with the Slimdevices Transporter. It is the only device that I know of that will output AES/EBU and it also has a word clock input. The DAC is outstanding and probably every bit as good as my Audio Aero Capitole. Having said that, I still run it through my Audio Aero into my main listening room The Transporter's DAC is a bit too analytical for me. I run the analog feed from the Transporter into the next room.

The Transporter is connected to my Computer using RJ45 even though it has full wireless capacity. It works very well with my G5 itunes, to the point that I have not played a CD in quite a while. Also, I can search for streaming audio over the entire world by type, region, style of music, etc.

Listening to some of the African Nations has been fun. Check it out!

www.slimdevices.com