[coho66]

I'm trying to figure out which soundcard/audio interface would give THE best possible audio playback on a laptop for Wav's or cd audio. The best products I've found are listed below; namely the Echo indigo and Layla 24(not that portable but still compatible), the Midiman Sonica and Sonica Theatre, and the USB Audio series from Midiman. Any products that I've missed? Any Suggestions on which is the victor...why and why not? Food for thought.

http://www.echoindigo.com/
http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/Laptop/index.php

http://www.midiman.com/products/cons...nica_page1.php
http://www.midiman.com/products/cons...atre_page1.php

http://www.midiman.com/products/m-audio/USBaudio.php

 

[Wodgy]

You've missed a few (Stereo-Link 1200, Xitel's products, etc...) but the ones you've pointed out are very good. I've owned three (Sonica, Stereo-Link, and Xitel Hi-Fi Link), and out of those three, I much prefer the Sonica. Note that you'll need a headphone amp or stereo receiver to go with the Sonica -- it's not designed to drive headphones directly.

If you want to spend a little more, you might consider the M-Audio USB Audiophile, which is supposed to be a step up from the Sonica.

If you want the absolute best possible sound at whatever cost, just get a USB adapter with a digital output (Xitel makes a cheap and decent one), and add an outboard DAC. You can choose from the whole set of audiophile DACs out there. Many people really like the ART DI/O, and it doesn't cost all that much. (You'd need to get a USB adapter with a coaxial digital output, of course, but those are easier to find now.)

 

[coho66]

i've never heard of the makes you mentioned...have any weblinks to them?

Yes, i guess i could've included what i intended to do with the output...and i would intend on running it to a headphone amplifier...not direct to headphone.

 

[Wodgy]

Just use Google, you'll find them.

 

[NEO]

Which one of these products are the best in case i just want to use it with headphones?
NEO

 

[JahJahBinks]

Indigo has a built-in amp that can drive cans to pretty high volume.

 

[yfei]

I opened my Audiophile USB, the headphone amp is JRC 5532.

The opamp should be powerful enough to drive HD580, but 580 sounds to me really gutless, and lacks of sound stage. I am wondering why ???

The sound of AP USB to HD280 is really good.

both 16-bit and 24-bit mode are very nice. I think I can feel (not hear) the differences. 24bit is warmer, more relaxing, sounds like SACD. 16bit is more lively, attracts me more attention to the music, bass and highs are clearer.

The Stereo-Link 1200 sounds to me has too much highs, a little lack of bass. But the sound is somewhat cleaner than AP USB. Why AP USB don't dare to publish it's SNR?

 

[Wodgy]

yfei, thanks for opening up your Audiophile USB and identifying the JRC 5532. Can you also post the other ICs inside? Specifically, it would be interesting to see if the DAC is any different from the DAC in the Sonica.

BTW, I agree with you about the Stereo-Link having strident highs and a general bass rolloff. (Though nowhere near as bad as the Xitel Hi-Fi link.)

 

[yfei]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy yfei, thanks for opening up your Audiophile USB and identifying the JRC 5532. Can you also post the other ICs inside? Specifically, it would be interesting to see if the DAC is any different from the DAC in the Sonica.

The main chips are:
codec: CS8427-CS
AD/DA: AKM AK 4528VF
USB: TI 25CHL2T TUSB3200C
unknown: Philips 74HCT00D E0100 05 Unn0202H
var resistors: Alpha A10K x2
opamp: 5532 JRC x7
power: L7815CV L7915CV L7805CV
seems var resistors and opamp is not very high class, I am thinking of replacing them with ALPS and AD 827

photos:

Now, can anyone analyse and say something about it?

 

[Wodgy]

Thanks so much yfei. The Audiophile USB is clearly much more complicated than the Sonica.

FYI, the Sonica chips are:

DAC: AKM AK4353VF
USB: TI TAS1020A

It's a simple device -- the DAC feeds the output directly, it isn't buffered by anything.

 

[coho66]

*L* wow...now this is commitment to reaching an end result! haha...now if we can just find others who will do the same for all the other devices...

 

[Wodgy]

coho, both the Xitel Hi-Fi Link (and analog MD-Port) and Stereo-Link 1200 use the Philips UDA1321 combination USB transceiver/DAC. The datasheet for the UDA1321 specifically recommends external power rather than bus power, which is probably the reason the Stereo-Link sounds better despite the same hardware. I can't remember what op-amp the Stereo-Link uses for its headphone amplifier, but it wasn't terribly impressive.

BTW, the DAC that yfei found in his USB Audiophile has much better specs on paper than the DAC in the Sonica. So if money and portability are not issues for you, you should probably consider the USB Audiophile. The headphone amplifier op-amp yfei describes isn't all that good though, so the USB Audiophile would still definitely benefit from adding a real headphone amp. (But an amp isn't as much of a necessity as it is with the Sonica.)

 

[Wodgy]

Here's a photo of the inside of the Hi-Fi Link/MD-Port AN-1:

 

[coho66]

right on! thanks a lot! i wonder how the usb duo compares to the audiophile on the inside...as well as the indigo, which is the most portable of the bunch...

 

[Wodgy]

I wonder if anyone who has an Echo Indigo would be willing to open it up? Not sure if anyone on this board has a USB Duo....