Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Dedicated Source Components › Add V-Link to current setup, or "keep as few in the chain" as possible?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Add V-Link to current setup, or "keep as few in the chain" as possible?

post #1 of 6
1/19/12 at 12:49am
Thread Starter 

Currently have Desktop USB>Musical Fidelity V-DAC>Matrix M-Stage. 

 

The V-Link being so inexpensive, I was considering adding it to my setup, going USB to V-Link, and Digital Optical to V-DAC.

 

Would there be any real benefit? 

Reply
post #2 of 6
1/19/12 at 4:43pm
Thread Starter 

Anyone?  Thinking about ordering tonight. . . 

Reply
post #3 of 6
1/19/12 at 6:15pm

Most likely. One thing the vlink does is reduce timing errors caused by the way the computer sends data to the dac. But I am not sure with your headphones how obvious it will be.

Reply
post #4 of 6
1/19/12 at 10:30pm
Thread Starter 

Will the V-Link give me a silent background, void of hissing and all that other garbage?

 

I made a thread in the Computer Audio section about this:

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/591520/background-hissing-noise-question

Reply
post #5 of 6
1/20/12 at 12:24am

What you want is galvanic isolation, which can be acheived by using a USB isolator or the optical output of your computer/V-Link.


Edited by Willakan - 1/20/12 at 12:34am
Reply
post #6 of 6
1/20/12 at 4:57am
Thread Starter 

Hey!!!!  I just made a post that talks about galvanic isolation...so I must be onto something here.

 

Below is the post I just made around the concept, trying to make sense in my head the benefits. 

 

 

Since the V-Link is self-powered by the USB's 5v current it won't be pulling anything from the wall, which should eliminate ground [earth] loop, right?

 

Then, if I use Optical from the V-Link to the V-DAC, the setup should be galvanic(ly) isolated, whereby "no direct current flows between the sections" - Wiki .... right?

 

If everything I just said is correct then this should, at least in theory, remedy the issue? 

 

In summary:

 

V-Link doesn't connect to wall, therefore eliminating potential for ground loop between this component

 

V-Link converts USB signal to Optical, which is galvanic(ly) isolated, thereby "preventing unwanted current from flowing between [the] two units..." -Wiki

 

V-DAC receives clean(er) signal than before without having the V-Link.

 

----

 

Tear this apart if need be, but this is just how the concept of the V-Link makes sense in my head, aside from the buffer management aspect of the V-Link.

 

 

One very important question:

 

Is the V-Link necessary when my computer already has an optical out?  It seems the more I think about this the V-Link is mainly suited for users who have USB output only, and no Digital means.

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Dedicated Source Components
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Dedicated Source Components › Add V-Link to current setup, or "keep as few in the chain" as possible?