[erozsolt]

Hi,

I just finished DIY modding my IBM Thinkpad T40 to be capable of fanless music playing, and using external USB hard drive it is finally a no-moving-part-totally-silent notebook, and I would like to ask you about todays computer DAC solutions.

a.) use USB > SPDIF > DAC
b.) use USB-DAC (like AQVOX DAC)
c.) buy a VIA EPIA board and with a decent PCI card (EMU-1212) (optionally mod the PSU) for DAC purpose
d.) buy a VIA EPIA board with a cheap PCI card (AV-710) for SPDIF out purpose > DAC

Which of the above solutions provide the best value for money? I am collecting money for a Stax 4040 setup (after I heard a 3030, I do not want to go dynamic), and I would not want to spend more than 500 EUR for a DAC.

Is there any good quality USB-DAC avaible or it is not a popular solution yet? I mean native USB-DAC, not a SPDIF DAC with a USB-SPDIF converter built in. If you advice using this board, could it produce better results than EPIA + AV-710.

 

[Garbz]

If you're willing to put down 500E for a dac then external is definatly the way to go. Arugably though the onboard soundcard should provide less jitter on the digital output curtosy of not having the dodgy USB spec to go throuhg. In practice though these cards are rarely decent, have poor firmware, and don't usually have a bit-perfect output like the USB->SPDIF card using ASIO out.

 

[canadiandude]

I read that there are officially no boards left, but is it possible that anybody has a spare, or does anybody know anybody that might have a spare?

if not does anybody know of the cheapest Firewire or USB --> S/PDIF(coax or tos)
anything i find on google has a bunch of extra "crap" and upwards of $200

thanks in advance

edit: I forgot to say that a PC card II would work as well since I use a laptop

 

[quicksilver96]

The DAC201? Sure its got some headphone and volume control crap that you probably don't want, but its not overly expensive and you might be able to do without populating some things you don't want.

 

[canadiandude]

ya kinda big for my liking, cant companys make barebones "get the job done" devices. theres that Turtle beach USB-->toslink, but i hear that the softaware is excessive and not very good (not sure though)

does this PCM2902 send any digital signal eg DD or DTS, PCM (16 24 32 bit; 32 44 48 96 etc) to later be decoded by my DAC.
and do retail devices such as the turtle beach thing im looking for do the above?

 

[doobooloo]

Dude from Canada, YGPM.

 

[flyhyena]

maybe this is too late, just wondering if there are still pcbs left?

 

[kfaiman]

Any one have a spare PCB to sell me? Populated or unpopulated.

Thanks!