Will a quality USB cable make a difference....

"It takes adecades of dedecation". We are not learning to play the music on an instrument or be the next beethoven, just through our audio system. Some times it takes a long time to afford, but that is the beauty of a computer based music system, it lowers the entry costs. Now instead of spending 10's of thousands of $ on a front end you can do it for a few $1000, which leaves more for the speaker and amp side of things. You do not need to be a sound engineer or a wizz kid. Just a true enthusiast with the desire. Oh,and the money but with a lot less needed. Speakers, line stage, amp, dac and a computer. How much easier can it be. Don't waist your $ on expensive digital cables no real impact for the $(moving 1's and 0's). Spend it on the body of the system. MY OPINION!

correction; decades of dedication

"Hello Steve: Do you mean USB 1.1 versus USB 2.0 or something different."

Certainly async USB protocol using USB 2.0 is better than adaptive mode, but this is not what I'm referring to.

I'm talking about circuit design, implementation and oscillator choice. These are all critical to achieving good performance. Somehow people are under the impression that all Async USB interfaces are alike, just get the cheapest one. This could not be further from the truth. Even after you have a solid circuit design on a schematic, the IC's you use and PC board design are actually critical, as well as the oscillators and power supplies. You can buy $1 oscillators or $200 OCXO oscillators. You can have a 3-terminal regulator or a fast discrete regulator. You generally get what you pay for. Dont expect to pay $100 and get vinyl quality sound. When it comes to digital, this design is even more critical than the DAC itself.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"Certainly async USB protocol using USB 2.0 is better than adaptive mode "

Certianly it is widely accepted now - however, the emphasis is only in receiver i.e. USB port of USB DAC or USB/SPDIF adaptor.

Assuming that you have already USB DAC with async USB prototcal - do you need special (async?) protocol for the sender i.e. your USB 2.0 computer port ???

" Even after you have a solid circuit design on a schematic, the IC's you use and PC board design are actually critical, as well as the oscillators and power supplies."

Again, you refer above to the DAC (or USB Adaptor) or to the computer(server) ???

I cannnot build either one but at least I want to know what is required. Today's fashion is to match cheap computer with expensive and very good USB DACs and I wonder how your comments are related to this fashion.

Empirical Audio, for example, does not manufacter servers at all - only digital audio componenents.....I am trying just to learn...

Thank you in advance

"Assuming that you have already USB DAC with async USB protocol - do you need special (async?) protocol for the sender i.e. your USB 2.0 computer port ?"

The computer device driver takes care of this, either native or custom device driver, and the USB port controller hardware in the computer.

"Again, you refer above to the DAC (or USB Adaptor) or to the computer(server) ?"

What I'm talking about is the DAC or converter USB interface design, not the computer.

"Today's fashion is to match cheap computer with expensive and very good USB DACs and I wonder how your comments are related to this fashion."

The cost of the computer is not usually significant. The only requirements are USB 2.0 compliant port and a reasonably fast I/O structure inside. Either of these can be compromised at any price. The latter has been poor on certain PC laptops, including Dells. Mac Mini has very good I/O using USB.

The more critical thing is how the USB interface was designed on your DAC or USB converter. With the advent of async USB interface, the role of the computer is much less significant.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio