Luxury & Precision (LP) Portable USB DAC/AMP W1 and W2 (The new W2-131 Version is Available, Related Info on Post #1)

[senorx12562]

You have said it yourself (red highlighted) that there is no reason to use W2 to feed another DAC, yet the adapter you are suggesting (black highlighted) is exactly what you said people shouldn't use, so what are you saying? That kind of adapter is on its own a DAC (and usually a cheap one). Using an adapter like those pretty much defeats the purpose of having the excellent DAC inside W2 in the first place. So even if the amp haws a SPDIF input (which technically makes it a DAC/amp), it is still kinda pointless to feed W2's SPDIF into it as that will still bypass W2 internal excellent DAC. Given howe good W2's analog output is, just maxing out its volume and feed the analog output directly into an amp will give you the best result.

There does seem to be a market for ddcs, at least I see numerous different ones offered for sale. I have two desktop dacs that sound better via their coax inputs than their USB inputs, and both sound better specifically from the s/pdif out of the W2 than directly from the usb out of a tablet or pc. I would've preferred an actual line-out, but overall, I'm still pretty happy with the W2.

 

[ClieOS]

There does seem to be a market for ddcs, at least I see numerous different ones offered for sale. I have two desktop dacs that sound better via their coax inputs than their USB inputs, and both sound better specifically from the s/pdif out of the W2 than directly from the usb out of a tablet or pc. I would've preferred an actual line-out, but overall, I'm still pretty happy with the W2.

There is a market I am sure. But if the main purpose is to get SPDIF out of a PC, a decently good dedicated USB to SPDIF converter will only be around 1/10 ~ 1/5 of the cost of W2.

 

[senorx12562]

There is a market I am sure. But if the main purpose is to get SPDIF out of a PC, a decently good dedicated USB to SPDIF converter will only be around 1/10 ~ 1/5 of the cost of W2.

I haven't seen any at that price, but I don't doubt that they are out there. But I do doubt that anyone would buy a W2 with that as the main use case. But as a wise man once said, nobody ever went broke underestimating people's intelligence.

 

[rarewolf]

You have said it yourself (red highlighted) that there is no reason to use W2 to feed another DAC, yet the adapter you are suggesting (black highlighted) is exactly what you said people shouldn't use, so what are you saying? That kind of adapter is on its own a DAC (and usually a cheap one). Using an adapter like those pretty much defeats the purpose of having the excellent DAC inside W2 in the first place. So even if the amp haws a SPDIF input (which technically makes it a DAC/amp), it is still kinda pointless to feed W2's SPDIF into it as that will still bypass W2 internal excellent DAC. Given howe good W2's analog output is, just maxing out its volume and feed the analog output directly into an amp will give you the best result.

You’re correct… but my included link is not a suggestion—it was in response to a question as to what would be required if the OP’s amplifier didn’t offer a coaxial digital input. My primary “suggestion” was to use SPDIF out of the W2 and into the amplifier’s digital coaxial input. My mistake was assuming the OP’s amplifier provided that modern input.

 

[rarewolf]

So, for a given volume level, you should expect more noise using high gain… but how much noise, even nil, is amplifier dependent…

My apologies for again bringing up what might’ve been considered a settled topic, but…

I just listened to a review of the new Moondrop DAC/Amp dongle, and the implementation of high gain vs low gain for the balanced connection was a simple upping the voltage from 2V to 4V. Is this method the usual implementation?

The reason I ask is because, relative to the power limitations of amplifiers, difficult to drive IEMs and headphones are said to rely more on voltage than current. Planar drivers are usually included in this group, although some are more efficient than others. If the gain implementation is to double the voltage does it make sense to always use a lower volume setting with high gain with planar drivers?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

You’re correct… but my included link is not a suggestion—it was in response to a question as to what would be required if the OP’s amplifier didn’t offer a coaxial digital input. My primary “suggestion” was to use SPDIF out of the W2 and into the amplifier’s digital coaxial input. My mistake was assuming the OP’s amplifier provided that modern input.

One more time, amplifier, doesn't matter how "modern" it is, does not have coaxial or any other digital input by design, you need DAC as Digital Analog Converter for that.
You must have happened to have DAC/AMP 2 in 1 combo, which probably has USB input as well, which brings the question what is the function of W2 in your setup?

 

[rarewolf]

One more time, amplifier, doesn't matter how "modern" it is, does not have coaxial or any other digital input by design, you need DAC as Digital Analog Converter for that.
You must have happened to have DAC/AMP 2 in 1 combo, which probably has USB input as well, which brings the question what is the function of W2 in your setup?

You maybe correct, but what is confusing is… if what you say is true what purpose does the W2’s SPDIF output serve?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

You maybe correct, but what is confusing is… if what you say is true what purpose does the W2’s SPDIF output serve?

It might serve as a pretty good USB to SPDIF converter for DACs that either do not have USB input or have older USB receiver based on isochronous protocol.
I used to use this M2Teh hiFace two with my older Chord DAC64 and then more advanced iFi iLink before moving to more modern Auralic Vega and Yolong DA8 DACs with good on board async USB receivers.
So yes, for modern DACs the application of this mode is limited or non existent.

 

[ClieOS]

You maybe correct, but what is confusing is… if what you say is true what purpose does the W2’s SPDIF output serve?

It serves the same purpose as those super tight backseats of supercars - something that seems to be nice to have in a pinch but otherwise can be completely removed / ignored without affecting the primary value or function of the product.

 

[lpw2dragonfly]

sorry, M2Teh hiFace two is not a very good converter. ABC adel - TOP LEVEL. and cheap (loy costs). so later i will comparere digital out with LP W2. (not so fast).

 

[lpw2dragonfly]

ABC PCB Edel - correct name

 

[Andrew_WOT]

sorry, M2Teh hiFace two is not a very good converter. ABC adel - TOP LEVEL. and cheap (loy costs). so later i will comparere digital out with LP W2. (not so fast).

They all like 10+ years old tech including Edel, m2tech and IFi stopped making them long time ago.

 

[lpw2dragonfly]

OFFTOP SORRY. the company is rebranding. now that: engineered SA https://www.engineered.ch/ I'm sure it's still the same amazing quality. HI-END CHEAP! (OEM products).
was skeptical about the Chinese quality of LP W2 but now they are great. (not cheap devices)

 

[iFi audio]

You maybe correct, but what is confusing is… if what you say is true what purpose does the W2’s SPDIF output serve?

As per @Andrew_WOT's post you could turn your W2 into a SPDIF converter for a different DAC. Then your W2 would work as a transport only and some other device could then do D/A conversion. A DAP's ability to output digital data via SPDIF and like so bypass its internal DAC is particularly appealing for users who also have i.e. costly desktop DACs. Hope this helps!

 

[rarewolf]

As per @Andrew_WOT's post you could turn your W2 into a SPDIF converter for a different DAC. Then your W2 would work as a transport only and some other device could then do D/A conversion. A DAP's ability to output digital data via SPDIF and like so bypass its internal DAC is particularly appealing for users who also have i.e. costly desktop DACs. Hope this helps!

Okay… but that’s a damn expensive USB-to-SPDIF converter… #jussayin