[turkayguner]

Then you should just get a quality CD player and use the S/PDIF connection to your DAC.... if you're hearing variations and degradation in tone from USB. If you're so fussy about absolute sound quality, you should move away from PC. Get a quality transport or streamer and use the best connection type into your DAC... in my case the AES into Yggy.

It is not about me. The OP asked if he/she should pick S/PDIF or USB. My personal experiences and the knowledge which can be found over the internet easily tells that it is wiser to go with S/PDIF if you have the option.

 

[UntilThen]

I've no problem with that argument but what people don't realise is that a PC is a general purpose computer and not a dedicated audiophile source. Harping so much on the connection between the source and your DAC is skewing things too much. This is what I'm trying to point out. Everyone is saying the problem is with USB. I'm telling you, the problem is you're using a PC. Sure a PC is quite acceptable in this day and age, to use if you're quite prepared to accept that it won't give you the utmost fidelity. That is the same with USB.

Reading the internet too much and regurgitating it without verifying is next to hopeless. Have you wondered that your experience of the variations and degradation of the tone from time to time is attributable to your PC multitasking and the CPU being taxed, rather than just USB being the problem? A PC, even new and with a silent fan is still nosier than a CD player, that has no internal fan and whose task is solely to read the CD and provide the digital data to your DAC.

In my usage, I have a CD player connected to Yggy via S/PDIF. Alternatively I have my PC connected to Yggy using USB. The CD player sure sounds better - more pure and with a lower noise floor than the PC. Mind you, my PC is nearly new with a very silent fan. The fact that the CD player sounds better than the PC as source, is more than the difference between S/PDIF and USB.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Planning on picking up a Schiit stack for my pc and headphones and wondering which digital signal would be best and why. Most of my music is standard FLAC, but I do have some hires stuff. I have always been a portable guy and this will really be my first real experience with non portable setup.

Unless you have a need for using the headphone surround sound feature of the computer's sound card (on-board or add-on) might as well just use USB.
USB vs S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) is a discussion that will go on and on until the end of time.

 

[Roen]

I'm not understanding why S/PDIF is better than USB with power cleaned up?

 

[turkayguner]

I'm not understanding why S/PDIF is better than USB with power cleaned up?

Non-USB inputs generally give better measurements which translates into better audio quality.

 

[winders]

USB vs S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) is a discussion that will go on and on until the end of time.

As far as I can tell, the S/PDIF coax input on just about any DAC is preferred by the manufacturer over the USB input. USB is an electrically flawed interface for audio as it brings too much electrical baggage along with it. I have yet to listen to a DAC where the S/PDIF coax input didn't sound better than the USB input.

 

[Roen]

Non-USB inputs generally gives better measurements which translates into better audio quality.

Can S/PDIF support non-PCM audio?

If not, how high quality DoP can I send over S/PDIF? DoP64? DoP128?

 

[turkayguner]

Can S/PDIF support non-PCM audio?

If not, how high quality DoP can I send over S/PDIF? DoP64? DoP128?

I was never into DSD format so I cannot comment on that.

(DSD is whole another problematic area by the way and I do not want to start a new argument which is also not the topic of this thread, as it seems my S/PDIF is better than USB statement has already started quite a big argument as itself. If you think DSD is better just ignore everything italic in this parenthesis)

 

[Roen]

I'm just looking for a transport that can serve all of my audio. If S/PDIF can, then more power to it.

 

[turkayguner]

I'm just looking for a transport that can serve all of my audio. If S/PDIF can, then more power to it.

I am also looking for a portable transport nowadays. I think Cayin N3 has some nice features for the price, It supports COAX and S/PDIF outs and some decent power too. You may wanna check it out.

 

[UntilThen]

Please read what Jason himself says on this topic.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/s...bable-start-up.701900/page-1406#post-13554258

 

[Whazzzup]

Well it does depend, some desktop player servers actually prefer you use a USB connection especially if your dac has built in galvanic isolation. Just sayin.

 

[winders]

Please read what Jason himself says on this topic.

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/s...bable-start-up.701900/page-1406#post-13554258

I don't know what Jason hears....all I know is that I can hear the difference between straight USB and USB into a Singxer F-1 into my Yggdrasil. The difference is worth the $300 I paid for the Singxer and the coax cable.

Clearly they are coming out with their own DDC. If it does USB to AES/EBU, I will buy one to try.

 

[winders]

Well it does depend, some desktop player servers actually prefer you use a USB connection especially if your dac has built in galvanic isolation. Just sayin.

Prefer? Or require? Which ones?

What percentage of DAC's sold have GI built in?

 

[Whazzzup]

Prefer? Or require? Which ones?

What percentage of DAC's sold have GI built in?

Require
Antipodes audio
The dac I own