Usb 24 192khz M2tech Hiface

[aimlink]

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The testing was done years ago,  it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how it applies today.
 
http://www.stereophile.com/features/368/index4.html

 
I found this paragraph from your referenced article to be quite fascinating.  It reads:
 
 

[size=small]I repeated these measurements using a prototype jitter-reduction box that uses the new Analog Devices AD1890 Asynchronous Sampling Rate Converter chip described in last May's "Industry Update" (Vol.16 No.5, p.41). The prototype box, designed by Bob Katz (Digital Domain, Chesky), greatly reduced the jitter of high-jitter sources (from 4250ps to 45ps—an order of magnitude greater reduction than the DTI), and very slightly degraded the low-jitter Lambda (from 32ps to 42ps). All jitter-reduction devices are, however, limited by the fact that their reduced-jitter outputs must still then pass through another jitter-inducing interface between their output and the digital processor.[/size]

 
 
[size=small]Firstly, the sample converter in the UltraDesktop Amp uses the AD1896 chip and I should be able to conclude the possibility that it could be impressively lowering jitter in my alternate transport options from my iMac such as the optical out.  Secondly, do we have good evidence that a change in jitter from 32ps to 42ps is actually audible?[/size]
 
 

 

[leeperry]

 

 
[size=small]a change in jitter from 32ps to 42ps is actually audible?[/size]

 
night and day.

 

[Dynobot]

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night and day.

LOL....You and Steve with your super hearing.  SETI has a job for you....
 

 

[macrog]

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Can anybody explain why the DACMagic does not do well with the Hiface?
 
I'm really in need of a USB to RCA Coaxial converter.

I had the hiface on my dacmagic and thought it was a great improvement. The usb input on the dacmagic was shocking and clearly outperformed by Musiland monitor 02us

 

[ccbass]

I'm looking for a better connection to my DACMagic.  If sound quality increases, then great, but I'm really just interested in a better connection.
 
Toslink is giving me crap with anything over 48khz sample rate.  And given that I have a few hours of 24/96, it really doesn't help that I need to hold the toslink cable perfectly for it to work. 
 
I'll probably buy this next month because I'm sick of dicking around with the cable to listen to better quality music.
 
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Hi ccbass,
Some are using the HiFace to improve the sound of their system.  Some are using it for your purpose, i.e., in that you need a USB to RCA Coaxial converter.  For your personal need, you'll find that the HiFace works a treat and I'd highly recommend it.
 
However, if you're looking out for an improvement in sound as well, then that's another matter.  You may or may not hear one, even with the DacMagic.
If you hear an improvement in sound, that's great since it's apparently expected.  However, if you don't, this is apparently not what should be and the main argument that would be given for this is that the DacMagic is an upsampling DAC.
 
Apparently, upsampling can be deleterious to the quality of an already highly jitter free signal.  Just how deleterious this is and whether or not this is at all audible in all setups is left to be settled.
 
I'm personally on the skeptic side in that I too have an upsampling DAC.  My HiFace works well, but it doesn't improve on the optical output from my iMac.  They both sound great to me and I'm not really surprised with my findings, to be honest.  A lot of claims are being made, but with very little backup through controlled testing.
 
So if you really need the rca coaxial interface, then go for it.  If you don't really need it and are trying to tweak your system's sound further, then your mileage will vary.

 

[aimlink]

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I'm looking for a better connection to my DACMagic.  If sound quality increases, then great, but I'm really just interested in a better connection.
 
Toslink is giving me crap with anything over 48khz sample rate.  And given that I have a few hours of 24/96, it really doesn't help that I need to hold the toslink cable perfectly for it to work. 
 
I'll probably buy this next month because I'm sick of dicking around with the cable to listen to better quality music.
 

 
You should find that the HiFace works well for you so I'd go for it.  Even if the DacMagic holds it back a bit, this shouldn't deter you from getting one from the reason you describe.   Are you using a Mac or Windows?

 

[aimlink]

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night and day.

I'm sure..... 

 
From that article, I can now confirm that it's entirely possible that a DAC is making the HiFace sound the same as an alternative transport method and yet they both sound great without any appreciable degradation in sound quality of the HiFace.  Unless a 10ps jitter difference is easily audible.

 

[volume]

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I'm looking for a better connection to my DACMagic.  If sound quality increases, then great, but I'm really just interested in a better connection.
 
Toslink is giving me crap with anything over 48khz sample rate.  And given that I have a few hours of 24/96, it really doesn't help that I need to hold the toslink cable perfectly for it to work. 
 
I'll probably buy this next month because I'm sick of dicking around with the cable to listen to better quality music.
 

 

I would also recommend the audio-gd Digital Interface

 

[Currawong]

I would recommend getting a better DAC. 

 

[ccbass]

Mac.   OSX obviously.
 
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You should find that the HiFace works well for you so I'd go for it.  Even if the DacMagic holds it back a bit, this shouldn't deter you from getting one from the reason you describe.   Are you using a Mac or Windows?

I'll take a look!
 
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I would also recommend the audio-gd Digital Interface

Hey, don't rip on my DAC!  I'm looking at having some upgrades done to it!  And for $380 its price/performance is damn good.
 
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I would recommend getting a better DAC. 

 

[regal]

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I would recommend getting a better DAC. 

I agree,  I see posts with people buying this Hiface that shouldn't.   You should have a good DAC first.  And don't judge your DAC's by the costs of Audio-GD's !  The Audio-gd lineup could easily have $2k added their price (the PCM1704'd) and probably will as they gain recognition. 

 

[xdanny]

 
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I would recommend getting a better DAC. 

How about those of us who just want to make sure we get bit-perfect source out of our computers?  I'm not talking hiface in particular, but any of these new usb transports which bypass the internal sound card.  This is what led me to this forum and to getting the hiface.
 
In all honesty, I did not expect any sound differences with the hiface.  My realtek built in card upsamples and modifies sample rates at will, and I dread replacing soundcards.  The cards I wanted did not fit in my pc due to different pci slot formats, we always get a new pc, etc etc.  Just wanted a "constant" in my system where I can plug in any computer without worrying.  No matter how good a dac, isn't it better to bypass a sound card that does wild things before it sends a signal to the dac?
 
 

 

[volume]

the bit perfect can easily beachived by some plugins in foobar, another case if you are using MAC.
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How about those of us who just want to make sure we get bit-perfect source out of our computers?  I'm not talking hiface in particular, but any of these new usb transports which bypass the internal sound card.  This is what led me to this forum and to getting the hiface.
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

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How about those of us who just want to make sure we get bit-perfect source out of our computers?  I'm not talking hiface in particular, but any of these new usb transports which bypass the internal sound card.  This is what led me to this forum and to getting the hiface.
 
In all honesty, I did not expect any sound differences with the hiface.  My realtek built in card upsamples and modifies sample rates at will, and I dread replacing soundcards.  The cards I wanted did not fit in my pc due to different pci slot formats, we always get a new pc, etc etc.  Just wanted a "constant" in my system where I can plug in any computer without worrying.  No matter how good a dac, isn't it better to bypass a sound card that does wild things before it sends a signal to the dac?
 
 

I do notice an improvement in sound stage, bass/treble extension when using The Blue Circle USB Thingee when converting my USB to toslink (it can do both coax/optical, but my DAC already has the coax used by my Marantz CD player). The improvement was noticeable right away and I've tried it with both my HD800s and LCD-2s.
 
The LCD-2s saw the biggest improvement as I literally stopped using PC audio with them as they sounded just too congested. I relegated them to CDs only. But with the USB Thingee, I'm listening to PC audio again without reservation. So just another option to think about.
 

 

[OverlordXenu]

So, are the Mac OS X drivers good? Anyone have any issue with them?