[ebirbal]

Anyone used the SOUND PROFESSIONALS - USB AUDIO INTERFACE WITH DIGITAL AND ANALOG OUTPUTS ?

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cg...DIG&type=store

Seems like a good choice for the asking price - especially since I plan to use only the digital output most of the time.

Would the digital optical out handle all type type of audio accurately ? My collection mostly includes 44.1KHz and 48KHz audio ?

Thanks.

 

[Wodgy]

I don't think that device has been discussed here before. It could be good, perhaps worth trying. On the other hand, since no one has any experience, you'll have to verify that the digital output is bit-perfect. There are some USB audio devices that aren't bit perfect, usually because they resample 44.1kHz audio to 48kHz, or because the bits get munged behind the scenes in Windows by kMixer. You can do this by hooking up the device to a home theatre receiver and playing back a PCM-encoded DTS file. If the data comes through properly and the receiver can decode DTS stream it's getting, you'll hear music. Otherwise you'll hear static.

The M-Audio Sonica is a popular USB device around here. It's basically the same thing as the unit you mention, but people have verified that it has a proper bit-perfect output with the 1.2.05 drivers (the most recent ones, 1.2.20, aren't bit-perfect in Windows XP; results may vary in Win2000). Also, the analog output of the Sonica sounds pretty good off the shelf, if you ever plan on using that. If you're handy with a soldering iron you can also upgrade the Sonica's analog stage and get a killer (in my opinion) sound for not a lot of extra money.

 

[ebirbal]

Thanks for the reply.

How about M-Audio transit ? Is that bit perfect too ? Any comparitive reviews between the Sonica and the Transit ?

 

[Wodgy]

The Transit uses a revised version of the Sonica circuit, with the ability to record. It's intended to be pro gear so it should be bit-perfect, but I haven't heard anyone actually test it. It also comes with low-latency ASIO drivers (if you're a musician this is a big deal).

 

[Edwood]

Call me skeptical, but it looks like the signal processing is more software based. Analog out is useless, it's just AC97 audio.

-Ed

 

[Wodgy]

It's hard to say. It's a generic USB audio device (using the generic driver), which means it can't handle AC97 in hardware, even though it's advertised as doing that. The AC97 handling is almost certainly in software (by the generic driver). Whether it resamples to 48kHz is more a function of the chipset they chose.

 

[raif]

wodgy,
could you direct me towards a resource of bit perfect usb cards. I was planning on purchasing a transit, due mostly to your post in another thread, but if you aren't sure about it I would probably choose another.

Ed,
I'm sorry, but why do you say the analog out is useless? Do you mean on all soundcards or the sonica? I am just curious becaues I am making the change to computer audio and want to know all the facts.

 

[Wodgy]

Raif, I was responding to Edwood's comments about the generic device referenced in the first post. The Transit is not an AC97 device and should be bit-perfect, like the Sonica. (It's meant for the pro market after all.)

 

[srwatters]

I just received my Transit today. I can't vouch for its bit perfect performance yet. I'll bring it home tomorrow and test the Toslink to my Marantz HT receiver and see if the DTS light comes on.

As far as how it works from my computer, it's an initial two thumbs up. I connected it from my IBM T41 over USB then via TosLink to my MF ACT DAC. Performance through the McIntosh equipment was VERY good. Either listening through the Senn HD-600s or my PSB Stratus', the sound was excellent. Direct from CD was very close to my C333ES SACD player (playing redbook of course). I'll have to do some more wav vs CD A/B testing tomorrow, but I like it now. I also have to acquire some 24/96 source material and a better DAC to evaluate the higher bit rate performance, but for now there isn't enough cash burning a hole in my wallet. Story of my life since I found this forum .

Cheers,