Newbie question re: USB quality

It's ironic but not illogical.

SPDIF isn't the most reliable way of transmission and all we are doing is making the conversion from PC to SPDIF in the best possible way. Most PCs and internal sound cards are prone to noise/jitter and other issues. Using the USB merely takes that conversion and handles it outside the box.

Ok, I'll open my mind and consider all possibilities, including Cerrot's. Let me tell you what I currently have, please tell me if there's a better way for me to transfer data:

- My listening room is my office, a room about 12x12.

- My PC is connected via Belden USB cable directly to a Peachtree Grand Integrated X-1 integrated amp with built in ESS9018 DAC, which powers a pair of Wilson Benesch Arcs. It sounds pretty incredible, though I've not tried Cerrot's suggestion to connect the components using a piece of string - that does seem like an inexpensive solution, as long as my cat doesn't try to run away with the string ;-)

- The Peachtree has the onboard X-1 update, with the XMOS chip, 24/192 capability, asynch, galvanic isolation, for what that's worth.

- My PC is not ancient, 2012 purchase I think, and it has USB, Optical toslink, Firewire and HDMI outputs. It does not currently have a coaxial/spdif orange connector, hence the reason I currently connect via USB.

- I was told by Peachtree that I need not bother with the optical output since it was limited to 24/96.

I confess to not being as technically inclined as many of you, though I think I know enough to be skeptical of using string, but given the equipment I have should I be trying to find a way to install an SPDIF PCI card in my computer to allow that connection, or are their better connections available using Firewire (or HDMI through a converter box?), or am I not likely to be able to improve upon USB given the capabilities of the particular Peachtree that I have?

All joking aside, thanks in advance.

And by the way, Scott I hope you don't mind my temporarily hijacking your thread - hopefully given that my question is similar to yours, regarding USB vs. other methods, there's value in the answers for you as well.

Bcgator, OK I looked at the Peachtree. It has Toslink, USB,
RCA and BNC coax inputs.

You need to determine which input kind of sounds best as-is,
and double-down on improving that.

From the PC, are you running JRiver in WASAPI/ASIO mode? Do
that first to setup bitperfect playback over USB direct.

Then see if you can compare that vs coax, say using a CDP or
DVD or Blu-Ray player with coaxial out.

On paper, the best inputs are likely USB or BNC.

To improve USB, consider the iFi iUSB device and better USB
cables (I use the iUSB with their Mercury and Gemini
cables).

One of the best BNC S/PDIF converters is meant to be the
Audiophileo, but it's not cheap. You should not buy a PCI-E
(sound) card. You want the conversion done outside the
computer for power noise reasons. Even if going S/PDIF, the
iFi iUSB is still a beneficial device, so maybe I'd start
there and you can get it from several places with
return/refund guarantees.

Hi Lofarasa, thanks for the help. Ok, here's some feedback on what you're asking:

- running JRiver 19, fully updated, WASAPI using the Peachtree X-1 24/192 driver. No enhancements running, EQ off, so the JRiver sound isn't being boosted in any way.

- connected an Onkyo DV-CP802 universal disc changer via coax to the Peachtree, with Journey "Escape" in the player. Queued up a song on the Onkyo, and the exact same song in JRiver (ripped AIFF lossless), started one then then started the other 10 seconds later. And the USB & Coax input buttons are side by side, so I can switch between the songs almost instantly to hear the difference. The difference is dramatic - it sounds dramatically better playing from JRiver on the computer, than the same song on the CD player via coax. More air, more delicacy, better instrument separation, pretty much better everything. Difference not subtle either - which honestly surprised me. I thought they'd be a lot closer, and if one was going to be better it would be the CD. But I know it's not quite an apples to apples comparison...maybe the transport in the Onkyo is just horrible, killing the comparison?

- my USB cable is just a $12 Belden Pro...nice cable, but nothing fancy, if that info helps.

Does this info help at all?