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I heard it too
unfortunately I only have notebook (with Audigy2 atm)

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what is 203.2 ? So u wanna compare 7.2x to see wheter it's better than other guys, right ?
cool, please keep us posted.

--G

Quick Update, I just received e-mail from Eddie regarding the 3 "33" caps

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According to Eddie, it is about grounding. I guess it won't make any harm to the system. (resume my repair plan)

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I have Audigy 2 NX (usb). Airport Express does a better job than NX on optical out. I will avoid NX if possible.

Try to look for external solution for export digital files. From my readings, there are many factors within a PC (desktop/laptop) that could have negative effect on the sound quality.

203.2 is an inexpensive DAC to start with. It can't compete with 7.2x, but it gives me ideas on how different DAC performs. If you have couple dollars to spend, 203.2 will give you a quick start. (in addition, since it is relatively inexpensive, I can mod it without worry too much.)

This to be said. Downside with AE is it uses special 3.5mm toslink connector. It is hard to find mini toslink to optical without an adapter. The only two I know of are:

1. monster iCable
2. velocity mini toslink to optical (it is from cablestogo.com)

In other words, I can't play with more high-end glass cable without need for an adapter. (By the way, rule of thumb states coxial is usually better than optical. Nonetheless I also read articls saying for computer-as-source optical is better than coxial. Since I don't have the gear, such as Juli@ to compare, I don't know which to believe.)

As you might noticed, velocity has glass fiber optical cable, sonicwave for 30 dollars. I think I will give it a try. (the only problem is I need to find an adapter...)

I went to local audio shop this afternoon, and found out they don't sell DAC. (large B&W auth. dealer) No optical cable. (everything is coxial) I guess dealers must have difficult time making profit from DAC.

The budget answer to your prayers
http://www.sysconcept.ca/product_inf...roducts_id=219
Works like a charm with my MicroDAC


Of course there is always something more expensive
http://www.vandenhul-usa.com/catalog...ll_4306847.htm

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Thanks Andrew!

I was thinking about IXOS DX1 (glass toslink~ USD 100 shipped)


The problem is I need an adapter. Say if I want to go with more expansive approach, do you think it is wise to go with DX1 with adapter or just Optocoupler MK II? (the cable will be 2m in length, the price will be the same in either case)

After all the adapter create a gap between the cable and the source, which worries me.

can you actually hear the difference when you use different optical cables ?
how does it sound like ?
I read that supplied cables are no good. I guess I will have to look around for some mini 2 toslink cable

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Yes, sound is different from the cable to cable.(which supriesed me)

1. cheap 50ft toslink from eBay: no detail, no base. Sound is sharp and produce discomfort.
2. xBox audio cable: similar to the 50ft cable, but the it is not as bad. It has better sound image. Soften highs
3. 7.2x stock optical cable: Better than xBox audio cable, less sepration/softer than PureAV. Also less punctuation.
4. PureAV mini tosklink to Optical Kit: Best sound cable at this moment. Well defined sound stage and deepth.

Say the PureAV is the reference(ALAC), I will grade the cheap 50ft toslink as 64k MP3, xBox to be 128k MP3, and 7.2x stock cable to be 192k MP3. It is easy to hear the difference between these cables.

Test setup:
- AE with PureAV mini toslink to optical adapter
- 7.2x with fx2 off (variable out)
- Opera; Japanese pop music.
Note: the test result is consistent regardless of type of music played.

I haven't tried the cable that doesn't require adapter. I wil call Van den Hul this afternoon and ask how adapter effect the system. I have the feeling I should forget about DX1 and order Optocoupler MKII.

Well at least, it seems to me as the optical ICs are cheaper than metallic ones.
I am just not sure wheter coax or optical is better. For time being I have only optical out from my lappie. So that narrows it down.
As soon D7.2x i shipped, I will order some 12EUR optical cable and compare with stock one. I will also compare build in SPDIF with Audigy2 one.

have a nice weekend

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You may want to read this
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/toslink/toslink.html

I wrote to VDH to ask if the adapter will degrade sound quality, and how soon will I receive one if ordered today. (to NJ) This is what I received:

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Not informative, but I will stick with this T-M cable. (ordered this afternoon, I will compare how O-MKII compare to the PureAV kit.)

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It certainly doesn't make sense to go for extremly expansive cable for 7.2x, but nice cable can squaze the last bit of the performance from our system. Say you attend a classical concert, one performer made a mistake, the audience might not know exactly who/what mistake is, but they can tell something went wrong. (of course, if you know the script you can easily point out exactly who/what went wrong.) This is the same in audio. I probabily can't hear difference between cables that costs thousands, but it is easy to pickup the difference for cable in the sub 100 dollar range.

BTW, I found out the blue jeans LC-1 interconnect (RCA) is much better than AudioQuest Black Mamba, and the price for LC-1 is only about half of black mamba. (USD 32/55; retail price for balck mamba is 125) This proves that more expensive does not necessary yield better performance. That is the reason I prefer to look others review to make purchase decision other than trust the brand name.

ps. the "better" means LC-1 performs better in all aspect than black mamba. LC-1 gives more in deepth sound stage, while black mamba is relatively flat. (difference between ALAC and 320k MP3)

sry for the noob question, but what IC would I need to connect my digital out on my x-fi to the 7.2?

from what I understand its either mini-toslink or mini-optical?

again sry for the noob question.

I have not seen it in the thread so I will ask. Are the XLR variable or fixed?

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7.2x has regular digital connector. (optical/coxial, check Eddie's website for picture.) There is no need to get these 3.5mm optical cable.

All these problem come for people using computer as source, especially for people using Airport Express (it wirelessly transfer music from your computer to Airport Express (a small white box that have 3.5mm optical out; commonly used for people using Mac or their computer is too far away from their stereo system))

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Don't know. You might want to e-mail Eddie for this.

Updated: Going to order 1m Opto MK2.

Would removing the ground pin be considered as a tweak/upgrade on this DAC? I've heard ppl that use higher quality power cords benefit from this.

Zool:

The ground on the IEC isn't connected.

LW