[Mediahound]

Is there much of a difference between the USB and Optical in audio quality? I'm asking because USB is a lot more convenient since I can charge and listen at the same time.

But if Optical is a big difference, I will go that route.

 

[twylight]

can you hear a difference? I cant between opt/usb/coax and I have the gear that can resolve it...(havana dac)

I just bought a d10, will be 100% usb win vista64/win7 64

 

[chaospanda]

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f105/i.../index204.html

There is a different but the question is can you hear it.

 

[krmathis]

Why not try both yourself, then let us know if you hear an audible difference?
I would say USB is a safe choice, but since you already have two options it is no hard task to compare them.

 

[ljokerl]

Yep, they sound about the same to me (rest of chain not good enough to resolive differences). Using optical is just a matter of convenience for me.

 

[ZARIM]

I red somewhere on this forum where reviewer mentioned OPT link is better to resolve more details with little less wide sound stage than USB. USB link on D10 gives Spacious soundstage with great details in music. So to me it's depend what you like more and on gears include headphones.......

 

[qusp]

well I prefer coax and optical on the D10 to USB, not only is D10's usb implementation limited to 16/48, but its also much more prone to noise if your computer's power is dirty. coax can use the whole 24/192 signal; I can hear a difference, optical not as much as coax, but still more detailed than USB IMO

 

[twylight]

qusp do you have a ferrite? core on your usb cable? ive never heard any computer noise and I have one machine that every tube amp/dac/sound card can hear over the air and connected - I think I could write music with it revving up hard drives heh.

I have 0 noise with optical and usb connections off this rig.

 

[wolfen68]

The D10 optical is reputed to sound better. I've never bothered using USB on mine so I can't tell you how much different they are (if at all). However, I also own a MicroDAC and that unit sounds audibly better via optical than USB. This makes me believe that a D10 difference is also possible.

 

[Mediahound]

Since I have optical, I figure I may as well use it even though the D10 still sounds great with USB. Thanks for the input.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The D10 optical is reputed to sound better. I've never bothered using USB on mine so I can't tell you how much different they are (if at all). However, I also own a MicroDAC and that unit sounds audibly better via optical than USB. This makes me believe that a D10 difference is also possible.

What's interesting about my Micro DAC is that when I was using it to drive my Micro Amp I could not tell a big difference between the USB and optical, but when driving a Woo GES the difference is more noticeable. Same with the D10. Nevertheless, the USB is good enough that I have been using the USB most often for convenience, but when doing a review of an earphone or when listening to native 24/96 files I switch to optical.

 

[qusp]

well I have heard the D10 USB sound great, but it took a custom USB to get me there. how much was me wanting to believe it was better I dont know

it wasnt a controlled test, but when previously I actively disliked the USB input, afterwards I found it quite enjoyable. I will do some more testing once my JH13 arrive in the next day or so

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif What's interesting about my Micro DAC is that when I was using it to drive my Micro Amp I could not tell a big difference between the USB and optical, but when driving a Woo GES the difference is more noticeable.

If you're referring to the 2006 MicroAmp, it's very possible that it was not resolving enough to hear the difference. While I really enjoy the MicroDAC, the MicroAmp is supposedly not on the same level.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you're referring to the 2006 MicroAmp, it's very possible that it was not resolving enough to hear the difference. While I really enjoy the MicroDAC, the MicroAmp is supposedly not on the same level.

This is what I'm saying, the sound scales up better with a better amp.

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is what I'm saying, the sound scales up better with a better amp.

I understand, but you may have missed my point. The MicroDAC's sound didn't really "scale up" in your case as it was always putting out a high quality signal. You just needed an amp of equivalent or better quality to hear it. Therefore, your observation isn't what's "interesting" about the MicroDAC, but actually what's interesting about the MicroAmp (in respect to it's shortcomings).

It's like saying your source scaled up when you tried better headphones....a bit of a misnomer.