Synergist969
100+ Head-Fier
Dear Jaywillin, Jay, Madwolfa, Traum, Tuco, et all:
Thank you for your direct and/or indirect input regarding both Bifrost card update installation and qualities information as well as preferred digital source input connection, (though I am still just a tad unsure that there is a definitive answer regarding the second issue...)...However, the primary reason for my inquiries is as follows:
I have thus far been feeding my Bifrost a coaxial input from my CD player, and sending that converted signal on to my stereo pre-amplifier, which then in turn sends that signal on to my main amplifier, loudspeakers etc., as well as sending that same analogue signal on to my Asgard 2, or Lyr...(and am quite happy with that...)
However, so as to access the internet's streaming music sources, I am also currently sending an analogue signal from my aging, (read 14 year old and dying), desk-top PC to my main stereo system/pre-amp. The desk-top's digital to analogue conversion is courtesy of a 2+ year old Asus Xonar Essence ST PCI sound card, (pretty highly rated as a sound card/mini-headphone amp way back then)...the sound card's output I use is the stereo pair analogue out connectors. Now, I anticipate this desk-top PC to eventually NOT boot up (fail) one day, so that I will have to utilize the USB 2, or USB 3 outputs on my Lenovo T530 Thinkpad lap-top... THIS is the primary impetus for my inquiries...
Assuming that modern OUTBOARD D/A converters ARE generally better converters than modern INDWELLING/onboard computer card D/A converters(?)...(I otherwise would eventually have to replace my "dying" desk-top with another dedicated, "music desk-top PC" along with another, onboard PCI-E sound card...)...
From what I have read on both the Schiit Audio website as well as that which has been volunteered on this head-fi/ Schiit Owners unite thread, it is unclear to me as to whether there is any consensus as to the best way to feed an outboard D/A converter a digital signal...(and I might have to go as long as 5 meters...)
If indeed sending a digital signal up to 5 meters is definitely better done co-axially, is there a good suggestion regarding converting that USB 2, 3(?) output to a coaxial/SPDIF output...or is that simply just another component in the audio chain with the potential to corrupt that signal...?...
I certainly would like to maximize my signal quality, as well as maximizing my output/input flexibility...while not simply wasting money...should you have read this far, thank you for any and all assistance you wish to provide...oh, and yes, I do realize that the science of psychoacoustics is inherently a combination of both the objective as well as the subjective...
Thank you.
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
P.S. Perhaps someone from Schiit Audio might provide some additional information/clarification regarding signal input to output quality comparisons between SPDIF, Optical and USB 1,2, 3(?) as regards the latest generation Schiit Bifrost and above D/A converters...?...
Thank you for your direct and/or indirect input regarding both Bifrost card update installation and qualities information as well as preferred digital source input connection, (though I am still just a tad unsure that there is a definitive answer regarding the second issue...)...However, the primary reason for my inquiries is as follows:
I have thus far been feeding my Bifrost a coaxial input from my CD player, and sending that converted signal on to my stereo pre-amplifier, which then in turn sends that signal on to my main amplifier, loudspeakers etc., as well as sending that same analogue signal on to my Asgard 2, or Lyr...(and am quite happy with that...)
However, so as to access the internet's streaming music sources, I am also currently sending an analogue signal from my aging, (read 14 year old and dying), desk-top PC to my main stereo system/pre-amp. The desk-top's digital to analogue conversion is courtesy of a 2+ year old Asus Xonar Essence ST PCI sound card, (pretty highly rated as a sound card/mini-headphone amp way back then)...the sound card's output I use is the stereo pair analogue out connectors. Now, I anticipate this desk-top PC to eventually NOT boot up (fail) one day, so that I will have to utilize the USB 2, or USB 3 outputs on my Lenovo T530 Thinkpad lap-top... THIS is the primary impetus for my inquiries...
Assuming that modern OUTBOARD D/A converters ARE generally better converters than modern INDWELLING/onboard computer card D/A converters(?)...(I otherwise would eventually have to replace my "dying" desk-top with another dedicated, "music desk-top PC" along with another, onboard PCI-E sound card...)...
From what I have read on both the Schiit Audio website as well as that which has been volunteered on this head-fi/ Schiit Owners unite thread, it is unclear to me as to whether there is any consensus as to the best way to feed an outboard D/A converter a digital signal...(and I might have to go as long as 5 meters...)
If indeed sending a digital signal up to 5 meters is definitely better done co-axially, is there a good suggestion regarding converting that USB 2, 3(?) output to a coaxial/SPDIF output...or is that simply just another component in the audio chain with the potential to corrupt that signal...?...
I certainly would like to maximize my signal quality, as well as maximizing my output/input flexibility...while not simply wasting money...should you have read this far, thank you for any and all assistance you wish to provide...oh, and yes, I do realize that the science of psychoacoustics is inherently a combination of both the objective as well as the subjective...
Thank you.
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
P.S. Perhaps someone from Schiit Audio might provide some additional information/clarification regarding signal input to output quality comparisons between SPDIF, Optical and USB 1,2, 3(?) as regards the latest generation Schiit Bifrost and above D/A converters...?...