PCI Express - The future of audio connections?

[zenpmd]

I am looking forward to USB-C's ascendancy, so we can replace the fiddling usb connectors we have of today, especially the standard usb socket. I also look forward to the connector being standardised so that the apple world and pc world will use this same connection.

 

However, with the advent of XQD cards for digital cameras, it got me thinking, is the future of audio also in the PCI? Ultimately, I would prefer some super fast connection

[ElviaCaprice]

Is speed really the issue? Or is electrical noise the main issue concerning audio SQ? Or are both intertwined?

[zenpmd]

Is speed really the issue? Or is electrical noise the main issue concerning audio SQ? Or are both intertwined?

 

Due to the design of proper, galvonically isolated external DACs noise is not an issue and you can see the measurements.

[esldude]

I don't see it being PCI. Those are going to be found in full blown desktops, and as already said speed isn't really the issue with audio. Full blown desktops also aren't going to be the mainstream of musical distribution. Small little desktop boxes with a few ports and network devices are going to be the future.

[thomasdernederlanden]

ThunderBolt is PCI Express and there is soundcards made for it. You have transfer rates as high as 20Gb/s as of today and above 100Gb/s in the pipeline. It is excellent when you need to record multi channel in the studio. But it is overkill for HiFi-listening and USB 2.0 is more than sufficient.

[Allan F]

Apple has almost made a religion of using proprietary technology and doesn't hesitate to render its own obsolete when it comes to connectors. What is the likelihood that they would change and standardize with the PC world in that regard? I would suspect very little.

[thomasdernederlanden]

How has Apple anything to do with this thread, except being one of many PC manufacturers?

[Audio_ELF]

PCI Express is more the past... 6 years ago the favoured interface was Lynx AES on PCIe bus into AES to a DAC... Things have moved on!

[Audio_ELF]

Apple has almost made a religion of using proprietary technology and doesn't hesitate to render its own obsolete when it comes to connectors. What is the likelihood that they would change and standardize with the PC world in that regard? I would suspect very little.

Very little of Apple's technology is proprietary actually. FireWire and Thunderbolt being the two prime examples of technology Apple adopted because it was considered (by them) the best rather than the cheapest.

 

With Thunderbolt 3 reportedly utilising USB-C connectors we may be heading towards a universal connector especially as it could also be adopted on iPhones etc.

[One and a half]

PCI Express is more the past... 6 years ago the favoured interface was Lynx AES on PCIe bus into AES to a DAC... Things have moved on!

 

Like USB? A myriad of devices to clean up the mess packet noise leaves behind and spawning a revived industry of linear power supplies to drive them. In this country, linear power supplies are not available for sale since their efficiency is very bad, the same idiotic logic that went into smart globes versus incandescent lamps. Now we put up with EMC and harmonics worse than ever. Things have moved on.

 

Like Ethernet/Wireless? Top of my head there are three pro audio protocols neither talks to one another, DLNA, Air(whatever the flavour is today), Lightning, RoonReady now to add into the mix, and Uptone simmering secret sauce Things have moved on.

 

Yes, things have moved on. For the worse. I am quite content living in the past with AES3 and PCIe. It works. Every time.

[Windows X]

The future is streaming through WiFi. The mass will embrace it regardless of its quality.

[gmgraves]

I am looking forward to USB-C's ascendancy, so we can replace the fiddling usb connectors we have of today, especially the standard usb socket. I also look forward to the connector being standardised so that the apple world and pc world will use this same connection.

 

However, with the advent of XQD cards for digital cameras, it got me thinking, is the future of audio also in the PCI? Ultimately, I would prefer some super fast connection

 

 

"USB 3.1, Gen 1" (also called Superspeed USB) is already faster (10X the speed of 2.0) than any conceivable (by me, anyway) audio encoding scheme would ever need. Why would we be talking about an even faster protocol?

 

What I would like to see is the universal adoption of the USB "C" connector for computer audio, anyway, and a simplification of all the other USB connectors out there. We simply don't need so many different sizes and styles!

[One and a half]

The future is streaming through WiFi. The mass will embrace it regardless of its quality.

 

Then the future looks mighty grim indeed, with streaming providers struggling to make money and the artists being screwed for money, and the audio consumer to put up competing with You tube content over slow internet pipes clogged with shite.

[ElviaCaprice]

PCI Express is more the past... 6 years ago the favoured interface was Lynx AES on PCIe bus into AES to a DAC... Things have moved on!

 

With Skylake and the emphasis on PCIe/M2, it would appear that PCIe will be overtaking SATA as the next fastest data link.

[Audio_ELF]

With Skylake and the emphasis on PCIe/M2, it would appear that PCIe will be overtaking SATA as the next fastest data link.

Well PCIe has the advantage of being "closer" to the processor iirc.

[Gonzbull]

I still use Lynx Aurora converters running into Lynx PCIe cards in my MacPro. Still very current and with firmware upgrades I know I'll get many more years of use.

[Snowmonkey]

Ah, plus ça change......

 

I started looking for high quality in digital music 10 years ago with a PCI express SoundBlaster Xtreme Music card. Then, when I discovered this forum three years ago, I was advised by the pundits that onboard sound cards were too prone to electrical noise and an external USB DAC was the way to go.

 

Now, with the advent of high quality WiFi rendering, I wonder if a dark horse may be entering the race.

 

As The Buddha said, the only thing we know about the future is that it will be different from what we expected.

[tranz]

I still use Lynx Aurora converters running into Lynx PCIe cards in my MacPro. Still very current and with firmware upgrades I know I'll get many more years of use.

 

+1 . And the nice thing is you can use the clock that is in the DAC as the master that will lock to the PCIe card. This way clock and DAC are away from noisy computer environment.

 

Except for a purely Analog studio of course, I would be surprised if PCIe is not the preferred way.

[zenpmd]

Ah, plus ça change......

 

I started looking for high quality in digital music 10 years ago with a PCI express SoundBlaster Xtreme Music card. Then, when I discovered this forum three years ago, I was advised by the pundits that onboard sound cards were too prone to electrical noise and an external USB DAC was the way to go.

 

Now, with the advent of high quality WiFi rendering, I wonder if a dark horse may be entering the race.

 

As The Buddha said, the only thing we know about the future is that it will be different from what we expected.

 

"Now, with the advent of high quality WiFi rendering, I wonder if a dark horse may be entering the race." Why does it? Isnt wifi digital and therefore a just reads files from a network or whatever before the DAC?

[Snowmonkey]

Isnt wifi digital and therefore a just reads files from a network or whatever before the DAC?

Same as USB, but without all the "fiddling connectors".

[master]

I'm pretty much on Wi-Fi and optical and very happy too.

 

The future is going to be small desktop boxes with limited ports... all in the name of snake oil, but that's how its going to be.

 

The PC has always been an overkill... and even with $200-300 sound cards it has never been "audiophile" grade. Of course Asus and their drivers are to blame... but selling an overpriced sound card that never ran on Windows 8 was the last straw for me personally.