[sbb]

Hi,

I'm looking for a cheap and external (read USB) digital I/O device for mac os 10.4+ to feed a DAC and get sound from other devices...

I was looking since a long time to the M-audio transit, but I've never been convinced by its drivers (have tested it 2 years ago aprox)... but I'd like to get something cheaper anyway... so if you have something to recommend, I will really appreciate your opinions

Thanks

 

[Nospam]

Sorry, I don't know of anything cheaper than a Transit.

If there's any way you can increase your budget, I highly recommend the Airport Express. It can also double as a wireless router, so the cost difference may not be that much.

I used to use the Transit, but I ended up dumping it, due to crappy drivers and noise (buzzing sound whenever the hard drive was actively reading or writing). Oh yeah, I've been getting spam at the email address I used to register with them (created specifically for M-Audio).

 

[pojen_h@hotmail.]

Another vote for Airport Express. It has high audio quality on its optical out + wireless transmission. Just make sure you get the Mini-Toslink cable that doesn't requied adapter. You will suffer quality loss due to adapter.

 

[sbb]

Thanks for your replies... I already have an airport express, so that's a good start for me

... but it's definitely lacking a digital input...

I found something that I could get maybe cheaper from ebay/used than a transit, it's the edirol UA-1EX... but I don't know if it's really good (although I'm not looking for the best digital I/O available)...

 

[Nospam]

Umm... why can't you just feed the AE through your network (wired or wireless)?

 

[sbb]

... I already do that, sometimes... but i'd like an interface with a digital input too... that's actually my main requirement (and my main problem, since digital inputs seem to make products more expensive :/ )

and I think a usb interface would be more portable for my different computers...

 

[Nospam]

Ahh... missed the "input" part of your requirements

 

[sbb]

has anyone heard about the ADS Tech Instant Music?
hope the link works: http://www.adstech.com/products/RDX-...sp?pid=RDX-150

 

[pojen_h@hotmail.]

My friend, you are probabily confused with DAC and transport.

DAC has digital in (usually optical/coxial maybe USB) and analog out (pair of RCA)

You can think transport (in computer world) is a device that properly connect your computer to DAC.

Back to our story... Airport Express itself is a DAC and transport at the same time. The mini jack on AE can be use for BOTH analog out (you need a mini-RCA Y adapter) or digital out (mini-Toslink).

This is what you need to do:
1. choose an external DAC that you like, say Lavry DA10, DAC-1, Zhaolu, CityPluse,..etc. (which should accept optical in)
2. select a connection method (transport)
a. Airport Express: PC -wireless-> AE -mini-Toslink Cable-> Your DAC
b. Pc-Link: PC - USB-> PC-Link-Coxial/Optical-> Your DAC

You can find Airport Express at Apple online store. You can get PC-Link here.

External sound card (like the one you show, as well as Audigy NX) is a DAC. None-the-less, M-Audio make very good product, if you are looking for anything cheaper, I would recommend you use the PC/MAC builded-in headphone out. It is simply not worth the effort to get things that does improve significantly than your build-in sound device.

 

[sbb]

well I guess that I know and understand clearly what a DAC and a Transport is... got a Cayin Dac DA-1 for almost 7 years now and planning to get a CEC drive... what makes you think I don't understand the difference?

to be clear: I have an airport express (was working for Apple a couple of years also, so I guess I know how it works lol), but I don't plan to use it for a DAC... I'm just looking for a cheap usb interface that has digital input/output (Have still some Minidiscs to import and I prefer using a digital transfer rather than going through a bad analog D/A and A/D conversion) and cheap...

apparently the ADS interface is the cheapest one with toslink input, but can't find any feedback...

 

[pojen_h@hotmail.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbb to be clear: I have an airport express (was working for Apple a couple of years also, so I guess I know how it works lol), but I don't plan to use it for a DAC... I'm just looking for a cheap usb interface that has digital input/output (Have still some Minidiscs to import and I prefer using a digital transfer rather than going through a bad analog D/A and A/D conversion) and cheap... apparently the ADS interface is the cheapest one with toslink input, but can't find any feedback...

If you just want USB -> Digital (optical/coxial), the only one I know is Pc-Link. (the link I posted in eariler reply) In addition, it works on MAC. (tested myself 10.4.8)

 

[sbb]

Good news that coreaudio seems to manage many of the current usb interfaces... I was quite interested by the pc link but it still lacks a digital input...

I think I'm going for the edirol UA-1EX, cheaper than m-audio, works directly with coreaudio (or with additional drivers for advanced features):
http://www.rolandus.com/products/pro...3&ParentId=114

if someone can give a feedback about it, you're more than welcome