SOTM USB card vs PPAstudio USB Card v2

[tboooe]

Hi

 

yes it's working as expected, all good. You only need an lps/battery for the card if the device you connect it with needs to be powered through the card. If your DAC/DDC is powered separately, no need to have extra separated power for the card.

Forgive me Phil if this is a dumb question but even if the DAC is powered separately wont the USB card benefit from an LPS? Doesnt the USB card need some power anyway just to operate even if its not powering a DAC?

[tboooe]

I have a Gigabyte Z77 mobo and have been wondering if the JCat USB will work with it.

[tboooe]

Go over to the JCAT forum JCAT USB card | JCAT | Forum | JPLAY - hi-end audio player for Windows. Start with post 298 (aleg). Here and there until near the end you'll see posts about inability to get past Post. Some are Gigabyte Z68 and some are other mobos. JCAT board allegedly at Gigabyte for testing, but no solution yet, or they haven't found anything.

Yeah I've read that thread. Unfortunately not much useful info. I'm just going to buy the Jcat and see what happens. There is a two week return period so I have nothing to lose other than shipping.

[tboooe]

The PPA card does use the power of the PCIe slot if no external power is connected. If you do connect an external power supply, the card will automatically use the external power supply for itself and the connected DAC/DDC.

GREAT to know. So even if the connected dac does not need USB power, providing an external power supply to the PPA card could help?

[tboooe]

In my opionion having clean power for the OS disk is the most important hardware related tweak at all (i have tried a few things).

I still dont understand why clean power or a PPA SATA cable will help...but I dont really care as long as it improves the sound. I am actually looking to powering my SSD and USB with an external linear PSU. I just need to make the dual headed cable next. Wish me luck

[tboooe]

All compatibility issues have been solved and the JCAT USB card should work fine with all motherboards now.

That is great to know! I am buying the USB card!!!!

 

Just curious, what was the issue? Hardware or software?

[tboooe]

Hello. I thought JCAT USB card takes 3.3V, but is 5V safe to feed the 3.3V line then?

Since there is no power input jack on front of JCAT, I presume you hacked into the PCE-E 3.3 V power lines to feed JCAT with Kaia, but do you leave the Kaia outside the PC case still somehow? Curious to see some photo's of how this is done. Thanks.

I am about to purchase a JCAT USB card. As I understand it there is a barrel plug to accept 5v DC. According to JPLAY, if 5V is supplied via this barrel plug, the card will use this power instead of the 3.3V mobo power.

[tboooe]

Check out post #20 from this thread. Good discussion on if supplying good clean power to the USB card even if the DAC does not use the power.