Suggestions for optical out from PC to DAC

[mgh24]

Just looking for a cheap way to bypass any/all sound processing between source, which is my PC, and DAC. I know many sound cards come with optical out, but don’t know how common it is for them to bypass their built-in DACs.

I understand some of the ASUS Xonar cards have software that allows this, but can’t find out if their cheap Xonar DG will do the same.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

My Modi will give me issues via USB on occasion, depending on the PC I plug it in to, which is why I am exploring other options.

 

[Music Alchemist]

If you want to output optical TOSLINK to another DAC, I recommend the $30 Behringer UCA202 audio interface.

But does your DAC have optical input? (The Modi and Modi 2 don't, but the Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit do.)

 

[mgh24]

Absolutely correct, my current DAC does not have Toslink input, looking at other options.

Thanks for the response, I'll look into the Behringer.

 

[mgh24]

I am reading much about the sound card that is built into this device. But the Toslink output bypasses this?

 

[Music Alchemist]

I am reading much about the sound card that is built into this device. But the Toslink output bypasses this?

The optical output bypasses its internal DAC so you can use an external DAC, yes.

But its internal DAC is about as good as the Modi. (Even though I downgraded from high-end DACs to this $30 one, I'm getting far better sound than before since I upgraded my speakers.)

 

[cossix]

If the pc has a digital out, then it bypasses the internal dac because the signal is remaining digital

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Just looking for a cheap way to bypass any/all sound processing between source, which is my PC, and DAC.

Why not do that for free with WASAPI.

I know many sound cards come with optical out, but don’t know how common it is for them to bypass their built-in DACs.

I understand some of the ASUS Xonar cards have software that allows this, but can’t find out if their cheap Xonar DG will do the same.

Optical output is digital output.

You can't use a Digital to Analogue Converter to output digital because you took digital and the converter chip already converted it to analogue. If you output digital from that you'll have to run it through an Analogue to Digital Converter chip, which is the most roundabout way of doing things.

 

[Music Alchemist]

You can't use a Digital to Analogue Converter to output digital because you took digital and the converter chip already converted it to analogue. If you output digital from that you'll have to run it through an Analogue to Digital Converter chip, which is the most roundabout way of doing things.

Just to be clear for anyone reading this, some audio interfaces (like the UCA202) can do all three: DAC, ADC, DDC. The last one (digital to digital converter) is what you need to output optical.

 

[mgh24]

Why not do that for free with WASAPI.




Optical output is digital output.

You can't use a Digital to Analogue Converter to output digital because you took digital and the converter chip already converted it to analogue. If you output digital from that you'll have to run it through an Analogue to Digital Converter chip, which is the most roundabout way of doing things.

Don't know what WASAPI is.

But I was wondering just what you said - if optical is digital, then digital it is. I guess I was uncertain what processing a sound card may be doing, if it did do some weird re-coding and if there was any chance of losing quality.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Don't know what WASAPI is.

WASAPI is a bit-perfect output mode that sends an exact copy of the audio file data to your DAC. KS and ASIO are two others. I didn't bring it up because it seemed like you had a USB issue.

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Bit-perfect_Audio
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Output_Modes

You could also look into a USB power isolator like the Schiit Wyrd, but it's not guaranteed to fix whatever issues you're having, whereas TOSLINK electrically isolates your DAC.

 

[mgh24]

WASAPI is a bit-perfect output mode that sends an exact copy of the audio file data to your DAC. KS and ASIO are two others. I didn't bring it up because it seemed like you had a USB issue.

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Bit-perfect_Audio
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Output_Modes

You could also look into a USB power isolator like the Schiit Wyrd, but it's not guaranteed to fix whatever issues you're having, whereas TOSLINK electrically isolates your DAC.

Correct, I am looking at alternatives to USB to DAC. I just very quickly looked over the links you sent, and I will read them more thoroughly - thank you for posting them! I'm always looking to learn more.

But, also correct, it does not appear that they address the issue I am working on a solution for, which is a way to bypass USB.

Unless...ProtegeManiac is suggesting that this would be a sure way to know that the output of the card is completely unaltered, regardless of which output from the card is used (USB, Toslink, whatever).

I do appreciate all responses. I love learning more, and Head-fi users have been a great help to me.

 

[Music Alchemist]

What USB problems are you experiencing exactly?

As I said, bit-perfect output bypasses any Windows settings and sends the audio file data unaltered to your DAC. (Unless you are using in-player DSP such as EQ. You can do that even in a bit-perfect output mode.)

 

[mgh24]

The Modi at times is not recognized when I plug it in. On my current home build, it works, though if I unplug it for some reason, and don't get it plugged back in the same slot, it can have issues even on this PC. Any new PC I have tried to connect it to, it does not recognize. Cannot manually load drivers from Shiit, because during installation it will state to plug in the Modi, or cmedia device, some message like that, which of course does no good, because the PC does not recognize it to begin with.

Schiit blames Windows approach to USB management, which may well be legitimate, as it appears to be hardware related. I can pull my hard drive with operating system installed on it, the hard drive that is working in my home build, put it in another PC, and it will not detect the Modi. The same stinkin' hard drive, the same O/S, but it a different chassis and different mobo, nothing doing.

All I know, is that I am unable to upgrade my PC and still use my USB Modi. At present it is not a big deal, but I though why not explore options now.

 

[Music Alchemist]

The Modi at times is not recognized when I plug it in.

Ah, Schiit DACs do have issues with USB and drivers from time to time. The UCA202 is driverless and should automatically be recognized by Windows.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Just to be clear for anyone reading this, some audio interfaces (like the UCA202) can do all three: DAC, ADC, DDC. The last one (digital to digital converter) is what you need to output optical.

And for further clarification to everybody, no, these interfaces will not run digital audio through the DAC, then through the ADC, then out via digital either. Just straight out digital or analogue passing through its DAC, plus an ADC circuit from its mic input.

Don't know what WASAPI is.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd371455(v=vs.85).aspx
http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_wasapi

But I was wondering just what you said - if optical is digital, then digital it is. I guess I was uncertain what processing a sound card may be doing, if it did do some weird re-coding and if there was any chance of losing quality.

There is no "re-encoding" in terms of digital to analogue to digital. If you output digital it just passes through the DSP to be converted as an SPDIF digital stream. That's the most "re-encoding" that happens and even then I wouldn't use that term.

Any other re-encoding will be if you use DSP features like virtual surround for games and movies, and even then, using it doesn't use additional hardware nor "re-encode" to analogue then back to digital. Typically the DSP chip that handles processing for these also handles SPDIF stream conversion.

The Modi at times is not recognized when I plug it in. On my current home build, it works, though if I unplug it for some reason, and don't get it plugged back in the same slot, it can have issues even on this PC. Any new PC I have tried to connect it to, it does not recognize. Cannot manually load drivers from Shiit, because during installation it will state to plug in the Modi, or cmedia device, some message like that, which of course does no good, because the PC does not recognize it to begin with.

Schiit blames Windows approach to USB management, which may well be legitimate, as it appears to be hardware related. I can pull my hard drive with operating system installed on it, the hard drive that is working in my home build, put it in another PC, and it will not detect the Modi. The same stinkin' hard drive, the same O/S, but it a different chassis and different mobo, nothing doing.

All I know, is that I am unable to upgrade my PC and still use my USB Modi. At present it is not a big deal, but I though why not explore options now.

That is not a matter of direct output, but USB driver compatibility, but yes, going with SPDIF from your motherboard will get around that problem since you won't even deal with USB drivers.