To dCS or to Sonore...To Bridge or to Rendu?

[barrows]

The real answer here would depend on the DAC and the sample rate(s) requirements.

 

The dCS is SPDIF output, and limited in terms of ultimate sample rates, this will work best for DACs with very good SPDIF inputs (not many) and for lower sample rates

 

The Sonore is USB output and can handle sample rates up to 768 PCM and DSD 512 (maybe even higher, but these are confirmed). it will work best with a DAC with a good USB input (because of the high USB signal integrity it will improve the USB input performance of any DAC), or a good USB-SPDIF converter (but the converter will have sample rate limitations again).

 

So, we are talking somewhat DAC dependent here, and one has to consider what sample rates are important as well.

 

The dCS is about $1500.00 more, but at this level of price/performance I would suspect that to be a bit less of a concern.

 

 

[barrows]

7 hours ago, Cooler said:

dCS has doubled AES output, which is very common standard for almost every DAC. Furthermore, AES is usually better implemented, than usb. I know only about Chord Dave, which has really great usb input.

 

This is sad, that Sonore does not provide rendu with AES output and its a big benefit to dCS imho.

Yes, but AES is SPDIF!  That is my point.  The only difference is that it is a balanced signal, it is still SPDIF.  Personally I did not bother to distinguish between the two.  In fact, you can make "AES" from single ended SPDIF with just a transformer, it is just a balanced version of the same standard, and nothing "special", hence its inclusion on many DACs.

I completely disagree with your second opinion: SPDIF/AES is not well implemented on many DACs: for the most part, it is not an asynchronous interface (with exceptions such as the Ayre QX-5), and this means the master clock is in the source rather than at the DAC, this is a big disadvantage over asynchronous USB.  The negative opinions on USB are widely over estimated/exagerrated.  The only real "problem" with USB is that most people's experience with it is by using a poor USB SOURCE (like a normal computer USB output) which brings lots of noise to the DAC.  If one uses a good USB source, the USB input of most DACs will provide superb performance.  (The same can be said for SPDIF/AES, a poor SPDIF/AES source is going to provide poor performance as well).

 

Sonore does make a very good, fully isolated, "Femto" clocked, reasonably priced, USB-SPDIF converter for those customers whose feel the need for a SPDIF input to their DACs.

[barrows]

3 hours ago, Cooler said:

Few concerns about that. I dont want to have many boxes in my setup, many boxes mean many connections, many cables, many power supplies and much money spend

Totally agree on this, I use USB direct from my SRse!  I always prefer simple when reasonable/possible.

 

[barrows]

6 hours ago, Cooler said:

 

And you know, you was right, now i absolutely agree with you. I eliminated my custom PC, which gave me back near $2k.

 

I connected my iMac with 2 x cisco catalyst switches, which i bought on ebay for $100 in total. One switch for the whole network and the other one is only for an audio stream. Later I will add optic connection and maybe change one switch to audiophile version.

 

Then i sold all these stupid boxes: ultrarendu, berkeley usb converter and a couple of power supplies. Yes, this chain sounded really great, no question to the SQ, but c'mon, 5 boxes just for digital source, how come i've bought all this stuff?? I was asking this question to myself every day while i was staring at my rack, full of cables and boxes.

 

I bought dCS network bridge, one solid beautiful box, which sounds on the same level as my box army. With some luck, NB seller also offered me his dCS Paganini, which is a great DAC and a great pair to my dCS NB.

 

Now my digital source contains only two boxes, simple minimalistic solution, which has stunning SQ.

And I am happy with that.

Yes, same here:  Sonore Signature Rendu SE-Nordost Tyr USB cable-DAC.  With this set up I oversample everything to DSD 256 or 512 (currently with ROON) to either my ESS 9038 DAC or my (experimental) DSC-2 DAC.  Simple set up, no add ons, and incredible sound quality.

 

Of course, I do not believe the audiophile myth that SPDIF/AES is even a good format, although it can be massaged into reasonable performance with heroic engineering efforts on the receiving side (a true asynchronous SPDIF receiver, which is very very rare and difficult to develop).