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Audiophile USB to PCM

I have an excellent upsampler and dac (dCS Purcell/Delius) and am looking for the very best USB to PCM conversion. So far, I've tried SlimDevices Squeezebox, and Xitel Pro Hi-Fi link.

Both are very good, but I was wondering if there are any other options I should be considering. Both the Sutherland USB Preamp and the Wavelength USB Dac convert to analog. I'd like something of similar quality that stops short of the digital to analog conversion so that I can let the dCS gear do that.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

harry
hbrandt
rives
953 posts
 
The ESI U24 that we sell as part of our Professional test kit is 24 bit 96kHz and has SPDIF out as well as analog out. Might work very well for what you are trying to do.
edesilva
768 posts
 
What about something as simple as the Edirol UA-1D? Its a simple USB device with a single S/PDIF coax output. I use mine off my Win XP Pro box, going into a Theta Pro Basic IIIa. Works reliably for my set up, which is playing mp3s through the home office stereo. Hard to go wrong for $80.

I'm curious about the RME and other AES/EBU cards, however. Onhwy61, have you compared any of those to any of the simple USB devices like the Edirol or M-Audio Sonica?
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
Edesilva, I have two computer based systems. One uses the RME with the AES/EBU balanced digital out and the other an M-Audio Sonica with an optical out. The RME sounds better. The RME also betters the built in optical output on the Apple G5. It's not an earth shaking, dramatic, blows away type of difference, but it's there and I find it worthwhile.
hbrandt OP
272 posts
 
Any other recommendations for a laptop??

Harry
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
There are various firewire based interfaces (Metric Halo, M-Audio and others), but I don't have direct experience with them. They tend to be geared to professional multi channel use. I've also seen PMCIA based interfaces.

Doesn't the dCS have a firewire option?
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