Arcam rDac. Does anyone have this for sale in the US yet?
Jul 14, 2010 at 8:22 PM Post #16 of 26
mrarroyo
 
Async and "going directly to I2S" are not really related to each other, though they are both parts of USB to DAC connection. As the Wavelength link explained, the Async bit is all about where the clock for the DAC is generated. In adaptive it comes from a filtered version of the avearge timing on the USB bus and hence can be very noisey. In Async the clock is next to the DAC and the USB has to keep time with it (with a big buffer to allow for it to miss a few times and not screw any thing up).
 
The directly to I2S is about what happens after the digital audio data is reconstructed from the USB data stream. Most TI 270X chip based solutions, most of the USB DACs out there, get a normal SP/DIF signal from the USB converter (270x) and feed that in to a reciever chip, along with the other inputs the DAC accepts, and that receiver chip outputs I2S to the actual DAC. As the wavelength DAC only have one input, they don't need a reciever chip, and have the USB converter output I2S directly to the DAC chip. However, many versions of the 270x can also do I2S directly, the manufacturers just don't use then that way.
 
Hope that helps.
 
Jul 15, 2010 at 2:03 AM Post #17 of 26
Quote:
scottsol said:
Wow, that's really being picky. In any case, and not that it really matters,  the price in the latest Arcam price sheet is $479, not $480.
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My post wasn't a nitpick on the $1 difference - the price in your post was different from what was reported in Stereophile earlier this year, which was $500, and considering you just recently joined Head-Fi and didn't mention a source for your info, I for one didn't believe the price you posted. In any case, I'm glad the final price is actually lower than the initially reported $500 and Arcam looks like they're hitting a really attractive price point with this DAC:
- It's got async USB from dCS!
- It supports 24/96 over USB! (I saw it's noted in the rDac PDF manual on Arcam's site)
- It also includes optical and coaxial input!
- It uses the Wolfson WM8741! (not a bad choice of chip)
- It's made by Arcam! (or in other words, a multinational British audio company that's been around for years now - not Chinese or some potential fly-by-night business, etc)
 
Seriously, for the price they're going to sell this thing at, it has the potential to break through to a lot of computer-based audiophiles. I really hope it sounds good.
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Feb 19, 2013 at 12:13 PM Post #24 of 26
Quote:
asr said:
 
- It's made by Arcam! (or in other words, a multinational British audio company that's been around for years now - not Chinese or some potential fly-by-night business, etc)
 
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British but nonetheless made in "PRC". Only a small number of companies are both designed and manufactured in UK anymore. Naim and Rega are still UK made. Arcam and Quad are China. The last Arcam piece I had was UK made, but that was over ten years ago. I expected same given the Cambridge roots of the company, but was a little dismayed but not surprised to see "PRC" on box. I got a brand new piece (RPAC) that looks worse new out of the box than some used stuff I have bought. The paint work is uneven and there were marks and smudges all over the thing. I got it on amazon from an authorized dealer. This was not the Rdac, the Rpac has a dac and an amp all in one.
 
Dec 10, 2013 at 3:12 PM Post #25 of 26
I just picked one up for a good price because the ir dac has replaced this..i use the r dac with a sennheiser headset over rca for gaming..very good sounding dac for the money..the new ones supposed to be even better!
 
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