slim.a
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2009
- Posts
- 1,228
- Likes
- 24
Quote:
I've found the DAC19-DSP to be very sensitive to the digital signal which it is fed. I would suggest using a USB/SPDIF converter over straight USB but ultimately it comes down to what sounds good to you in your system.
I believe that audio-gd should never have included the usb input on the dac19, even with people pressuring them to do so. Using the dac19dsp from its usb input is like using a top tier headphone from an ipod: you might get sound but you are not using the equipment to its full potential.
I believe that your experience is similar to that of many others and that spdif is the way to go for people looking for the best sound possible.
Quote:
From my experience I would suggest you to go with the Digital Interface from Audio-gd, and I'm quite sure everybody which has tried it or have it would recommand you so.
I've had m2tech HiFace which was "the better" USB interface before DI launched, I had it modded by jkeny, and I must say the DI outclasses it easily.
Personally I've put a RCA to RCA adapter directly between DI and DAC-19, so that I get rid of cable and I'm very pleased with that cheap yet best sounding option I had. I tried several adapters and found a good one but each are performing good.
My experience with the Digital Interface vs. Jkeny's Hiface MK1 is slightly different.
Playing straight 44.1K (RBCD) files through both units, I personally found the JK MK1 superior sounding.
It is only after I upgraded the clock on the DI (w/ a Tentlabs), turned on the upsampling to 96K and plugged the external PS of the DI into a power filter that I subjectively preferred the DI.
Moreover, I found the results of the Jkeny MK1 to be more consistent when used with different system and different DACs.
However, for whatever reason, there seems to be some "synergy" between the DI and the dac19dsp and, under the $200 mark, the DI is hard to beat. And as it has been mentioned previously, subjective tastes and preference will also play an important factor.
My main complaint with the DI is that it doesn't support the 88.2K rate from its usb input, contrary to the Kingrex UC192 (reviewed here) or the Hiface. I am currently using the Musiland into the spdif input of the DI to get the 88.2K support. As a side effect, the sound is different through the spdif input (mainly a bigger and deeper soundstage).
Overall, with long term listening, I feel that the DI is still the bottleneck in my system right now. After discussing with Currawong, I ordered an Audiophilleo usb converter, which seems to have lifted the performance of his dsp1 Ref1 considerably. I will report back the results when paired with the dac19dsp when the AP2 gets here.