[DoYouRight]

Ok I am building a Balanced B22 and have been killing myself on the perfect solution for a balanced dac to accompany it. I was originally thinking Buffalo32s and need 24/96 for FLAC vinyl rips. Now this is a PITA since most USB modules only do 16/44.1

Today I found a solution, Buffalo32s fed usb by Bel Canto USBLINK 24/96 with no drivers to BNC coax.

Or I could just do a all in one solution for more money (maybe) and just launch to an AYRE QB-9 USB DAC.

Has anyone heard both of these and can give me a comparison, this is really difficult to choose. The AYRE does asychonous USB transfer and has some Jitter rejection by the WaveLength founder in it's design.

For some reason I feel the Buffalo32s will sound better, but at what cost of frustration?

EDIT: I am leaning towards my original of the Buffalo32s with the fun factor and multiple inputs/ouputs. Basically comes down to the asynchronous usb and the "special" jitter control by the AYRE.

 

[ljhodad]

The bel canto usb link worked well for me to pass 24/96 FLAC to my PS Audio DLIII DAC. Since it resides behind the computer, there are no footprint downsides versus an all in one box. If you like the flavor of the Buffalo, then that should do the trick.

 

[DoYouRight]

Did you hear any jitter? Or compared it elsewhere? BTW where did you get your bel canto? Im having trouble finding one

 

[ljhodad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoYouRight /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you hear any jitter? Or compared it elsewhere? BTW where did you get your bel canto? Im having trouble finding one

Jitter was not apparent. Since I intended to retain the DLIII, I saw this as the only alternative other than the Empirical Off-Ramp to bring 24/96 FLAC.

Jitter was not apparent, I got mine used via AudiogoN ($375) but I found this just Googling:

bel canto USB link posted 7/01

or use Bel Canto

I use Audio Monkey for FLAC, but Foobar2K can now do DVD-A too:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/fo...-audio-432831/

It works, I played a L-R 24/96000 track on v0.9.6.5 over my headphones and it was awsome; so this is another option previously not available for HD sound on PCs (not counting the Creative MediaSource DVD-A Player through their soundcard). Good luck!

 

[DoYouRight]

Thanks! I think this is the way! What made you choose it out of curiosity over say a M-Audio transit that everyone seems to offer for this need?

 

[ljhodad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoYouRight /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks! I think this is the way! What made you choose it out of curiosity over say a M-Audio transit that everyone seems to offer for this need?

The bel canto was in my budget. CEntrance firmware (the license accounting for a significant portion of cost) used also by the Off-Ramp, is more reliable than the M-Audio driver which has been known to hang the player and other applications (check forums). So reliability has its price: $200 to me. Note "system" low-jitter is also resulting from Stage III mods to DAC.

 

[FallenAngel]

Has anybody "heard jitter" yet.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljhodad /img/forum/go_quote.gif The bel canto was in my budget. CEntrance firmware (the license accounting for a significant portion of cost) used also by the Off-Ramp, is more reliable than the M-Audio driver which has been known to hang the player and other applications (check forums). So reliability has its price: $200 to me. Note "system" low-jitter is also resulting from Stage III mods to DAC.

I bet those problems were related to the earlier version of drivers that indeed were not very stable. I used to use Transit with HR MicroDac and it was rock stable in all my systems. IIRC someone posted a review a while back where Bel canto link was found comparable in performance to M-Audio Transit, should be in Bel Canto USB Link thread.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bet those problems were related to the earlier version of drivers that indeed were not very stable. I used to use Transit with HR MicroDac and it was rock stable in all my systems. IIRC someone posted a review a while back where Bel canto link was found comparable in performance to M-Audio Transit, should be in Bel Canto USB Link thread.

Here you go
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/5623755-post98.html
And the referenced review
Stereophile: Bel Canto USB Link 24/96 USB-S/PDIF converter
The the most intriguing part:
Quote:

Alternatives Other products provide the same USB-to-S/PDIF conversion as the Bel Canto USB Link 24/96, and one of them is the M-Audio Transit USB, which costs just $99.95; another, recommended by a poster on Stereophile's online forum, is the E-Mu 0404 USB ($199.95). The M-Audio Transit USB is housed in a plastic box a little smaller than the Bel Canto Link; it has a USB input at one end and, at the other, analog and optical digital inputs and outputs. I bought a sample a couple of years ago and have found it a reliable means of getting audio data out of PCs and Macs. Inside, the Transit USB uses the same TAS1020 chip driven by a 6MHz crystal oscillator as the Bel Canto, but feeds its output to an AKM4585 chip, which provides A/D and D/A conversion as well as S/PDIF input and output. Unlike the Bel Canto, the M-Audio needs to have a driver program installed; like the Bel Canto, its sample rate needs to be set manually using this program. Nor is the Transit compatible with Windows Vista, I am told. The E-Mu 0404 USB is a complete two-channel recording device with microphone and line inputs, 24/96 A/D conversion, a headphone amplifier, a MIDI interface, and optical digital I/O. It, too, uses a driver program with both Macs and PCs, but while it will convert USB data to S/PDIF optical at sample rates of up to 96kHz with PCs, it is limited to 48kHz with Macs. Both the M-Audio and E-Mu devices provide the same basic conversion as the Bel Canto, with the added complication of the user having to install a driver program, but at significantly lower cost. When I played music CDs through them and the Benchmark DAC1, I could hear no appreciable differences among the three USB-S/PDIF converters. With the Assemblage DAC-1, the Bel Canto Link gave a sound that was cleaner than the E-Mu's but, to my surprise, was not appreciably different from the cheap M-Audio's, even with high-sample-rate files.

And yes, M-Audio does have Vista drivers for Transit available already.

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Has anybody "heard jitter" yet.

I've ALWAYS wondered what it sounds like.

 

[josep]

Audiotrak's Prodigy Cube (around $90) does too 24/96 via USB with no drivers needed (uses their "Tenor" chip). Coaxial and optical outs.

 

[Lil' Knight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Has anybody "heard jitter" yet.

What I thought.

I think the OP is a little bit overemphasized on the jitter problem. I bet you will have to spend a LOT time to "hear" the jitter. Your perfectism will make tiny stuffs become huge and serious, it only brings you more headache. That BelCanto converter, IMO, is overrated. The M-Audio Transit would work just fine.

 

[ljhodad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Has anybody "heard jitter" yet.

Not in my system...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Knight /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... That BelCanto converter, IMO, is overrated. The M-Audio Transit would work just fine.

If you cannot tell the difference with your system, then you are ahead with the Transit. With a Buffalo32s and beta 22, ymmv, and the separation in final system price is less than 10%. Like I said, the bel canto was in my budget, and no regrets.

If time and money are on your side, buy them all and keep the one you like!

 

[DoYouRight]

I am not worried about jitter too much, just dont want 1 very weak link in the chain. And I think when I use Linux, no driver will be easier.

 

[skullguise]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoYouRight /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am not worried about jitter too much, just dont want 1 very weak link in the chain. And I think when I use Linux, no driver will be easier.

Was going to chime in with a cheaper alternative, but not as sure once I saw this post.

In my Windows-based system, I nabbed a $30 Diamond soundcard that does 24/96 out over coax, and fed 24/96 files out through it to a compatible DAC. I was able to switch back and forth between 16/44 out and 24/96 out, and there was a noticable difference.

Not sure what is out there for Linux drivers on cards with digital out, but that's another thought; opens up the DAC possibilities at low cost.