CAPS 4: USB vs. S/PDIF

[mrspock]

I am in the process of building a CAPS 4 Pipeline and I am deciding whether to go with the SOtM PCIe USB card or the ESI Juli@ XTe. My DAC (a BelCanto) has coaxial inputs but no USB inout so if I go with the SOtM card, I would have to get the uLink USB-->Coax converter. The Juli@ card was very highly rated in The Absolute Sound soundcard review.

 

Just looking for opinions on overall sound quality based on my two alternatives!!

 

Thanks in advance,

Phil

[fabien44]

You can look at theses cards for SPDIF output:

- Lynx E22 (i think above the juli@)

- RME HDSPe AIO (i think above the juli@)

- ASUS Essence STX II (?)

- Sound Blaster Zx (?)

[fabien44]

Only evaluate quality of outputs has no sense for a global judgment without evaluating quality of DAC inputs.

You can have the best usb output to a poor usb input for a bad sound at the end (idem with SPDIF)