Ethernet vs USB

[beerandmusic]

Using the same:

AMP

DAC

SPEAKERS

CABLES

ALL HARDWARE CONFIGURED THE SAME

 

What do you think would sound better

 

NATIVE DSD file playing through USB

NATIVE DSD file playing through Ethernet

 

Assume DAC has galvanic usb isolation and no other usb devices

Assume PC has tweeks for both ethernet and usb

Assume same track for both tests which is popular for testing

Assume YOU can pick the best software for both ethernet and best software for usb (in your opinion)

 

whoops, meant to post in general forum not dac forum if moderator can move?

[robocop]

Ethernet vs USB

 

In relation to what?

 

I find most of these polls pointless unless one has a financial interest perhaps. In saying that:

 

I use ethernet from music file server to computer playback and usb from playback to DAC. I have not compared either but general concensus from XXhighend site is ethernet definitely preferred from music file server to playback device. When I went from a plugged in to audio computer, USB music file hard disk to separate music file server via ethernet it was a significant upgrade in sound. Removing any USB connected device(keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drives) from a playback computer improves the sound. My DAC is unable to input ethernet so have no alternative to USB.

 

Robert

[One and a half]

At present a reasonably priced Ethernet DAC that's simply plays DSD, gapless, with no ifs, buts or maybes, is difficult to find.

 

There's nothing for 2CH specifically, the offerings are far too expensive multi-channel which takes a degree in Network Engineering to play (Merging HAPI/Horus), or can't even play DSD (Dante/aOIP).

 

Renderers like the microrendu or Aries don't count, since they output USB. If distance is a problem, then Icron have very good USB extender products that lift the 2m restriction for USB to several miles if you need to.

 

An Ethernet DAC needs a virtual Ethernet sound card that the host playing application needs to interface with, that pushes data to the DAC in the correct protocol that the DAC understands. It's like a USB driver on steroids . That takes some development already and of course, there's no accepted standard.

 

Look, I don't know, the question is far from being resolved whether Ethernet can win over USB, so far there are so few players, and what they have to offer is nowhere near a transparent & workable solution for DSD. Come back in 2 years maybe. So for now it's a who cares.

[bmoura]

the offerings are far too expensive multi-channel which takes a degree in Network Engineering to play (Merging HAPI/Horus).

 

The Merging Technologies NADAC Stereo (ST-2) and Multichannel (MC-8) DACs with Ethernet don't take "a degree in Network Engineering to play." Sounds and works just fine here.

[esldude]

They are going to sound the same. Go which ever route is simpler, efficient and cost effective.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[One and a half]

The Merging Technologies NADAC Stereo (ST-2) and Multichannel (MC-8) DACs with Ethernet don't take "a degree in Network Engineering to play." Sounds and works just fine here.

 

The reference was for the cheaper horus and HAPI. For those dacs the certified switch is a Dell, with quite a few pages of set-ups devoted to the Dell to get it to work.

The Nadac price makes it unattractive, it's cheaper to wire in a usb extender and buy a better dac. For our country the Nadac is Aud12000, if you're going to buy in that region, then save for a nagra classic or similar.

[bmoura]

For those dacs the certified switch is a Dell, with quite a few pages of set-ups devoted to the Dell to get it to work.

 

The new NADAC drivers allow their use without a managed switch.

[matthias]

Later this year there are Ravenna OEM interfaces up to DSD512 with I2S output announced. I hope they will be much better than USB.

 

Matt

[One and a half]

Later this year there are Ravenna OEM interfaces up to DSD512 with I2S output announced. I hope they will be much better than USB.

 

Matt

 

From whom Matthias?

[One and a half]

The new NADAC drivers allow their use without a managed switch.

 

Again, the reference is for the Horus and Hapi converters, different devices, different requirements.

[kravi4ka]

Later this year there are Ravenna OEM interfaces up to DSD512 with I2S output announced. I hope they will be much better than USB.

 

Matt

 

Sounds interesting, can you be a bit more specific what to keep an eye out for?

[beerandmusic]

At present a reasonably priced Ethernet DAC that's simply plays DSD, gapless, with no ifs, buts or maybes, is difficult to find.

 

There's nothing for 2CH specifically, the offerings are far too expensive multi-channel which takes a degree in Network Engineering to play (Merging HAPI/Horus), or can't even play DSD (Dante/aOIP).

 

Renderers like the microrendu or Aries don't count, since they output USB. If distance is a problem, then Icron have very good USB extender products that lift the 2m restriction for USB to several miles if you need to.

 

An Ethernet DAC needs a virtual Ethernet sound card that the host playing application needs to interface with, that pushes data to the DAC in the correct protocol that the DAC understands. It's like a USB driver on steroids . That takes some development already and of course, there's no accepted standard.

 

Look, I don't know, the question is far from being resolved whether Ethernet can win over USB, so far there are so few players, and what they have to offer is nowhere near a transparent & workable solution for DSD. Come back in 2 years maybe. So for now it's a who cares.

 

I personally am using a TEAC NT503 which i am "going to use" for my own testing purposes, haven't done any serious comparison yet between usb and ethernet...not sure what all the other options are out there.

[matthias]

From whom Matthias?

 

They are announced by Mivera Audio but as they are OEMs there will be certainly other manufacturers as well.

 

Matt

[One and a half]

I personally am using a TEAC NT503 which i am "going to use" for my own testing purposes, haven't done any serious comparison yet between usb and ethernet...not sure what all the other options are out there.

 

The NT503 plays gapless pcm over the network, the fine print reveals not so for DSD. Is this due to the controller software, the limitation doesn't show up for USB connection.

[johndoe21ro]

I guess I'm old school when it comes to computer audiophilia... but I'm gonna stick to USB for a while. I have all the music I need on my internal SSD, it's all wav (redbook and hi-res), dsf and dff. Wav sounds better than flac (at least than compressed flac!). I already have an UpTone Regen, USB cables and all the music I need... so I ain't gonna complicate my life with audiophile ethernet cables, linear power supply for the router, audiophile settings and special firmware for the router, etc.

[beerandmusic]

The NT503 plays gapless pcm over the network, the fine print reveals not so for DSD. Is this due to the controller software, the limitation doesn't show up for USB connection.

 

i am playing native dsd with my nt503 via upnp, not sure what gapless is...i thought i heard it means 8 sec between songs, and if that is the case, i don't have that issue...there is no delay between songs...i even can be in middle of one song and double click another song and it starts playing within a couple of seconds?

[One and a half]

i am playing native dsd with my nt503 via upnp, not sure what gapless is...i thought i heard it means 8 sec between songs, and if that is the case, i don't have that issue...there is no delay between songs...i even can be in middle of one song and double click another song and it starts playing within a couple of seconds?

 

Do you have a classical dsd or tubular bells in dsd. Gapless means no gaps between tracks, no clicks or bumps.

[DavidL]

I voted for ethernet but I'd guess USB could potentially sound as good, however the time, expenditure and system complexity likely to be needed to achieve parity is not worth it as far as I am concerned. I'd rather spend the time and money on music.

 

[i've posted a schematic of my very simple ethernet system here:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/post-your-system-topology-it-might-help-others-improve-their-systems-29962/#post586038

]

[Mir]

Both can give excellent results, the problem is that most audiophile DAC designers/manufacturers are computer science illiterate and resort to pre-fab USB or ethernet solutions. So in the end, implementation is what determines which connection gives the best performance.

[beerandmusic]

Do you have a classical dsd or tubular bells in dsd. Gapless means no gaps between tracks, no clicks or bumps.

 

no gaps between tracks at all...

i think they just didnt update their literature to say dsd, but it said gapless if playing like same bitrate even between different formats. everything i listen to today is 2.8mhz (jazz). but i will do a test to see if there is a gap if i switch rates and let you know what i find out...

[ctsooner]

I've seen very few upper end manufacturers dACs that don't have optimization for their inputs from Ethernet to USB to AES/EBU

 

 

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