[DKJones96]

I don't know that I'd worry too much about those vias. The type of soldering job that an SMD chip like that takes shouldn't have enough solder on there to bridge with anyways.

 

[mugdecoffee]

What would be even better than a mini USB port is if these mini DACs had the option to use a male USB plug so you could plug the board straight into your laptop for extra portability. All the wires get messy when you connect the DAC to an amp, especially you're using them in a car or plane.

Now that I think about it, the Carrie solves this problem well.

 

[DKJones96]

If you want the cleanest sound possible you want the digital signal to be carried and decoded as close to the amp as you can get it. Stay digital as far down the line as you can.

 

[mugdecoffee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKJones96 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you want the cleanest sound possible you want the digital signal to be carried and decoded as close to the amp as you can get it. Stay digital as far down the line as you can.

Maybe true but in this case we'd just be getting rid of the USB cable which could only help. My gripe is that if I'm using the bantam DAC in the car, there's a USB cable from my computer to the DAC, a cable from the DAC to my mini3, and then the headphone cable. It really becomes a mess quite easily.

If you integrate the bantam or this new grub dac with the Carrie amp, its not a problem. But while the topic of usb connections is up, it'd be nice to have support for a male connector.

 

[Juaquin]

While more convenient, yes, the idea of the USB soundcard is to move the analogue circuitry as far away from the noise-inducing computer as possible. Otherwise there's not much point in using the DAC instead of the built-in soundcard, IMO. But yeah, if it can be worked in as an option without hindering anything else, why not?

 

[mugdecoffee]

The point of a USB sound card is to use a higher quality DAC with your computer. I don't think much electrical noise is caused by the DAC being physically close to the computer, especially not with laptops. Mostly the USB power rails have noisy power but the regulators on the bantam and grub DACs filter it out.

 

[cobaltmute]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mugdecoffee /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe true but in this case we'd just be getting rid of the USB cable which could only help. My gripe is that if I'm using the bantam DAC in the car, there's a USB cable from my computer to the DAC, a cable from the DAC to my mini3, and then the headphone cable. It really becomes a mess quite easily.

Not gaining anything as you'd still be a cable from the computer to the Mini^3 and from there the headphones.

And you'd have this thing hanging off your computer that could get whacked and broken easily.

Quote:

If you integrate the bantam or this new grub dac with the Carrie amp, its not a problem. But while the topic of usb connections is up, it'd be nice to have support for a male connector.

Isn't that the point of the Carrie - fitting the Bantam or this DAC and the Mini^3 into the same box as the Mini^3?

 

[mugdecoffee]

If you wanted to use the actual mini3 amp because you already have one or because you want to use the amp with other sources it'd be nice. You'd still have a cable to the mini3 but you could eliminate one more cable you'd have to carry and hook up. It may be a little fragile but not anymore so than a flash drive. Mostly it'd just be nice as an option especially it it would only take adding a few pads to the board. What I'm picturing is something like:
USB Sound Card with Virtual 7.1CH (C-Media Chipset) - China usb sound card, usb sound adpter, usb 7.1CH sound card in Sound Card

It just seems silly to me to require two cables to connect such a small device.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mugdecoffee /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you wanted to use the actual mini3 amp because you already have one or because you want to use the amp with other sources it'd be nice. You'd still have a cable to the mini3 but you could eliminate one more cable you'd have to carry and hook up. It may be a little fragile but not anymore so than a flash drive. Mostly it'd just be nice as an option especially it it would only take adding a few pads to the board. What I'm picturing is something like: USB Sound Card with Virtual 7.1CH (C-Media Chipset) - China usb sound card, usb sound adpter, usb 7.1CH sound card in Sound Card It just seems silly to me to require two cables to connect such a small device.

This is DIY. There's nothing that says you can't use a male USB plug instead of a female USB socket.

Me? I'd rather have the cable anyday - I've snapped off enough flash drives to teach me the value of a cable. Once you start going that route, you have to consider the stresses of a mechanical connection with the cantilevered weight of the device hanging off the end, etc. It's not a pretty picture when the USB connector on the other end is directly connected to your laptop's motherboard. Ouch!

 

[Billyk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is DIY. There's nothing that says you can't use a male USB plug instead of a female USB socket. Me? I'd rather have the cable anyday - I've snapped off enough flash drives to teach me the value of a cable. Once you start going that route, you have to consider the stresses of a mechanical connection with the cantilevered weight of the device hanging off the end, etc. It's not a pretty picture when the USB connector on the other end is directly connected to your laptop's motherboard. Ouch!

Working in an IT shop, this is a constant problem, I thank (insert deity of choice here) at least once a month that I spend the extra $$ for the complete type of coverage that includes accidents. I think that broken USB ports in laptops are the most common issue.
I also prefer a cable although I do tend to get myself tangles up. My wife refuses to be seen with me when my portable rig gets out of control, says I look like a bomber or something...

 

[tomb]

Yep. There's also this adapter that will work with the Bantam -
USB Adaptor A M To B F USB Port Converter | Distributed By MCM | UA-002 (UA002)

I haven't found one yet for a Mini-USB, but there's got be one out there.

 

[cobaltmute]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep. There's also this adapter that will work with the Bantam - USB Adaptor A M To B F USB Port Converter | Distributed By MCM | UA-002 (UA002) I haven't found one yet for a Mini-USB, but there's got be one out there.

Isn't that the wrong one? Don't you need a USB A male to USB B male? You need to male B plug to go into the Bantam, I think.

 

[Billyk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep. There's also this adapter that will work with the Bantam - USB Adaptor A M To B F USB Port Converter | Distributed By MCM | UA-002 (UA002) I haven't found one yet for a Mini-USB, but there's got be one out there.

Yes, shouldn't that "innie" be an "outie"?

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billyk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, shouldn't that "innie" be an "outie"?

Nope -

1. Male B from Bantam plugs into Female B on adapter
2. Male A on adapter plugs into Female A on PC/laptop

 

[Billyk]

I may be confused....
I am looking at the cable I use as my bantam is at home, but the cable I have looks like it would plug into that adapter just like it would plug into my bantam???