Why Use USB -S/PDIF Converters?

[mwheelerk]

There are a number of these bridges/converters out in the market from Halide, Music Fidelity and even from the manufacturer of my DAC, Bel Canto.

 

I don’t think I really understand the reasoning and need for these type of devices. Is it simply to allow someone who only has a USB output on their computer to be able to output digital coax or toslink to a device that does not have USB inputs? Is it about jitter, timing issues?

 

Currently, as shown below, I output from my Mac Mini via USB to the USB input on a Bel Canto DAC1.5. When and why would I decide to use this type of device in my system?

 

[ted_b]

are those who have no high quality USB inputs on their DACs, and want to connect to a computer for the highest quality sound. So even if you have a DAC with a USB input it may well be limited to 16/44 or be implemented before there was higher quality asynchronous USB inputs. For example, if you want to play anything higher than 96k on your Bel Canto DAC (and it resides on a computer) then you need a converter that is capable of USB-to-SPDIF (or AEs) up to 24/192k.

 

[ted_b]

Sorry...delete. Dunno what happened

 

[bhobba]

Well some DAC's don't have a USB input so thats a pretty obvious reason. But beyond that the very best USB converters like the John Kenny battery powered Hi Face are better than the the USB input of any DAC I have tried it with. Jitter is one reason - RFI interference travelling down the USB cable is another and probably other reasons as well. The exact reasons why are not generally known - the companies that have researched this are not about to let their trade secrets out. But that is of no import - simply listen and make up your own mind.

 

Thanks

Bill

 

[losingmyreligion]

 

 

"the very best USB converters [...] are better than the the USB input of any DAC I have tried it with."

 

there's a simple reason for that. DACs with both S/PDIF inputs (or AES variant) and USB inputs are invariably "legacy" DACs to which USB input is (largely) an afterthought.

 

 

 

[mwheelerk]

"the companies that have researched this are not about to let their trade secrets out”

 

What possible reason would any company who is marketing a product have to not make know their advantage of a feature that gives them an advantage over a competitor?