Newbie question re: USB quality

Cerrot, have you actually spent time listening to a Peachtree X-1 Grand? I'm not asking to make you feel defensive, I'm genuinely asking to understand whether you're speaking in hypotheticals, or have actually listened to a system using an X-1 and then found that same system was improved by avoiding the X-1's USB? Can you provide any of the specifics with the Peachtree X-1 you listened to, i.e. was it running with a Mac or PC, which software they were using, what speakers, etc?

Because I am a tinkerer - I like to experiment, and I'd try an ESI sound card just for kicks, seriously. If I didn't like it, I could eBay it, so I'm not afraid to try things just for the sake of learning about different methods and equipment.

And what has caused you to come to the conclusion that Peachtree's X-1 XMOS-asynch implementation is unable to control jitter properly?

If you could hear my system, I don't think you'd find the sound objectionable, but we all hear things differently. What sounds wonderful to me may sound like bat guano to someone else.

Can't agree with Cerrot here, the juli@ is fine but it's embedded in the PC, via the motherboard, and all the crap that entails. I used to use a modded EMU1212M and the sound was good for its day but USB and SPDIF converters supercede it.

Regardless, if we've established that the Peachtree's USB is good, then again, Bcgator, look at optimizing that. And if you're happy with the sound you already have, why spend anymore!

Loftarasa, I do believe Peachtree's implementation of USB is good, and I agree that any attempts to improve upon it via an outboard converter will be expensive - I think I'd be chasing miniscule improvements for big dollars, and I've got better things to do with the money. I do appreciate everyone's input - it's all a learning experience.

Bcgator - I have heard the Peachtree Grand on both the USB and spdif inputs and found the spdif involving and emotional - two qualities I could not get with USB input. We used my gateway PC with the ESI card and then the USB output. My buddy also bought over the Ayre USB/Spdif converter which was much better than the USB out of my PC but still thin and uninvolving. I would love to have you try the ESI sound card. My issues with USB are well documented on these forums. Nice to see the new Ethernet to spdif converters coming out. USB's shortcomings are becoming more and more obvious. Within 2 more years, USB audio will be pretty much gone. The USB bus is just too prone to garbage.

I trust SPDIF 100% based on its designed purpose and usage and having used many such connections with various devices over the years.

I also trust Ethernet data conenctions, wired or wireless, 100% as well. IT handles moving audio file data just as reliably as any data type, so it is a safe bet as a means of getting data off the noisy general purpose computer, when needed, and to a remote network streaming receiver. From there, how things sound is largely a function of teh DAC and other common home audio success factors, not the digital source of the data.

I am not at that level with USB yet. Results to date have been more mixed and I cannot necessarily isolate the reason/cause. So the book is still out with USB for me. I am sure there are ways to do it well, but not sure yet how to identify that reliably. Asynchronous USB is said to be key. IS that it? Gotta be more to it than that.