A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, Chopin75 said:

Correct, there is no tech available to convert bitstream into I2S signal without going through the USB, not sure exactly the reason. You can use DDC to convert USB to I2S and then via HDMI etc to connect to DAC but that is still not direct enough. Only something like PS Audio as a direct bitstream signal via I2S to DAC from their streamer/SACD player. Thanks to Sony's relentless grip on copyright which almost killed SACD and DSD. They literally killed their own format. FInally they allowed native DSD files to be sold in 2011 but that has already caused much neglect in DSD recordings. Hence we are stuck with PCM.  PCM---> DSD perhaps can compensate a bit but it is still not the same as native DSD recordings....

I think PS Audio is using an Oppo board for this witch is not a computer in the traditional sense discussed here. The PS Audio Transport is a very cool product IMO though. 

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, numlog said:

You can use DoP for DSD64 at least with 176.4kHz. 

 

edit: I think

Yes, you can and the Pink Faun will not know the difference. However, the issue is that most devices that support i2s/DSD on their back panels do not support DoP on that input. It’s easy to do, but it requires a chip after the receiver to make the conversion. 

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, numlog said:

I cant see any reason why it wouldnt, the card will see 176.4kHz 24 bit PCM data. The DAC , assuming it supports DoP, will extract the DSD data from that.
The  CM8888 PCIe to I2S chip only supports 192kHz. its rather old and the requirements for high sample rates and DSD only came about in the last few years... It seems like desktop equipment has overtaken soundcards recently, so whose knows if well ever see a more up to date PCIe I2S chip... Not many see PCIe to I2S connectivity as a benefit over USB, but I would say most view soundcards as the inferior choice for a HiFi source

If you consider that Pink Faun is the only real PCIE to i2s cards it make it really hard to compare it to USB to i2s. Also, there are so few DAC that support both inputs on the back panel. Then if you do have both i2s and USB on the back panel then you need to consider the implementation of both. 

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, Chopin75 said:

PS: supposedly the separate clock signal on I2S makes it superior, which cannot be done on USB or Coax/AES, 

Remember USB is computer data and not an audio stream. What gives i2s any advantage over SPDIF and AES-EBU has nothing to do with USB.

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, numlog said:

The pink faun is not a soundcard if thats what you mean, its its own thing, an ''I2S bridge''. Soundcards are an interface and a DAC, usually an ADC too, in the form of PCI card. Im talking the general market for a new PCIe to I2S chip, not computer audiophiles, an even smaller subset of audiophiles.  

Not to argue the point, but according to Wikipedia it is:

 

”A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an internal expansion card that provides input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs.”

[vortecjr]

8 minutes ago, Chopin75 said:

NOt sure, I don't even know how their new super OCXO clocks can be used with the motherboard. I presume using it somehow would bypass the original integrated CPU clock on the motherboard.                    

That seems like the answer.

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, Chopin75 said:

My understanding is the internal sound card is the card in the PC itself to convert digital signal to Analogue, like the Sound blaster stuck in my mothernboard ?? It has a small signal delta DAC chip I suppose ? It is mainly for gaming and cheap music listening I guess?  

That is a sound card as well. There are high end cards Lynxs, RME, even Asus makes a nice one.

[vortecjr]

54 minutes ago, seeteeyou said:

Hey @The Computer Audiophile just wondering if you're gonna keep turning a blind eye on vested interest that's poisoning the well, even though no sponsor's card could be played in this particular case?

What exactly do you find so poisoning?

[vortecjr]

51 minutes ago, numlog said:

good to hear. I have plans to add external power and upgrade oscillators, as was done before successfully with generic USB3.1 and SATA cards, then some fair comparison can be done to the modded USB3.1 card + XMOS interface and see if its worth the trouble. The DAC will be required to be very close to the raw I2S output of the card,  difficult to accommodate but hopefully another potential advantage over PF. LVDS seems to be standard in commercial DACs, is that what was used on your daughterboard?

 

Not referring to any vt1721 cards specifically, only noticed some old, generic PCI soundcards used the chip

I get what you are trying to do and it sounds like a fun project. We used LVSD i2s because we were connecting to PS Audio DACs and W4S DACs externally. 

[vortecjr]

 

1 hour ago, Triplefun said:

If anyone is interested EVGA have released an internal sound card with headphone amp based on an AKM AK4493EQ dac. Granted the nu audio is a pcie to USB architecture but the noise suppression and sq are quite remarkable.

The EVGA uses a PCIe to USB bridge chip called the ASMedia...clever design. NDK oscillators as well. Very interesting.