[wardww]

I'm using a cheap but very sweet coaxial

Finished 2496 (AK4396) CS8416 DAC

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Finished-2496-AK4396-CS8416-DAC-With-Transformer-case-/110767440205?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:3160
 
connected to a high quality Asus mobo, and now I want to use it with a laptop that does not have SPDIF out.
 
I'm looking for a cheap usb soundcard or solution with coax spdif out that supports at least a 96k sampling rate.
 
Any ideas anyone. Much appreciated.

 

[trog]

Quote:

I'm looking for a cheap usb soundcard

 

Hifimediy Sabre?

http://www.head-fi.org/products/hifimediy-sabre-usb-dac

 

[wardww]

Thanks trog but I need coax out, not optical. My AK4396 DAC only supports coax in. I'm not actually looking for a DAC and I have a decent unit already, just something to let me play all my flac library out of a laptop, through my DAc and into my Marantz amp. Cheers
 

 

[ROBSCIX]

Why don't you just get a converter, a unit that converts USB to S/Pdif output?
You can find them all over the net.
 
I wouldn't buy a cheap external "soundcard" to send S/Pdif to an external DAC.

 

[wardww]

Can you recommend something ROBSCIX ?
 

 

[ROBSCIX]

The trouble may be with the cheaper units though you get a limitation of 48K.
 
What do you consider cheap?

 

[Schonen]

From my laptop I use HDMI to receiver. You can't go that route? 

 

[wardww]

Hi Schonen, no, old laptop, no HDMI. Fact is that this old but sweet Acer Aspite 5520 is perfect for this use, no need for anything fancy to run foobar. I converted all my CD collection to flac many years ago and all my vinyl is 24/96 or higher, and it is all on a big fat external HD, so all this old laptop has to do is spit it out in 1s and 0s to my DAC. Thanks anyway. I have found some decently priced USB to coax SPDIF converters so I think I will go that route. Thanks anyway. Cheers

 

[Schonen]

I also have an EMU 0404 USB hooked to my laptop and connect to my receiver analog but can use coax or optical from EMU too. I got all bases covered!