pcaq dragontail>aq jb with vbus cut>1.5m aq diamond usb>startech USB2004EXT2 transmitter with regulated lps>5m aq diamond cat7 cable>other side of startech>1.5m aq diamond usb cable>ipurifier>aq dragontail>dac>balanced odin 2>ayre qx-5 twenty.>odin 2 speaker cables> sonus faber extrema 2>rel stadium with rel blue cable. anaconda power cables.. pc and stereo powered by separate online ups's(full time battery power). in fact lps is redundant then but i like it.
I found some dacs failed to operate or recognize the signal. others worked but I liked the same usb chain without the ethernet better. some agreed, some did not. the startech is not cheap at $400. Luckily i can return all of this no hassle as i am a good customer. used usb sticks with both setups. i do find that makes a nice difference to internal drives as i said. i found that balanced is a must with most very high end dacs. in fact, to me night and day.i know of Tim de Paravicini and fully agree. i just do not prefer tubes. as with the usb i just prefer plug and play. i am using sandisk ultra usb sticks. i am one who just prefers the straight usb signal chain. i chalk this up to a lot of conversion between two very different formats going on. it does have a "sound". i just did not prefer it. that is just personal, as are all aspects of audio. ymmv. currently i use a startech hub to provide the vbus with a regulated lps and 3 256mb usb sticks. it is just a sonic preference and everyone has theirs. except due to streaming being converted to packets and back some dacs will not handshake let alone sync. so that is the only caveat. i am sorry at first i was being a jerk. it was because it did not work with the codex and i was unhappy because that is where i would have used it. it turned out i did not care for the sound anyways. the qx-5 twenty has ethernet built in so no need for the startech. as does the msb select which interestingly it did work with. to be honest the codex is a bit picky about signal. i will probably get the ifi iusb3.0 tomorrow when i return this stuff. that is much more advanced than jb or ipurifier. i will see how it sounds to me. i wil not use ifi's lps because it has a habit of dying. i have the wyred4sound lps which is obviously much better. so, where it worked usb over ethernet was just not my sonic cup of tea. to be fair audio is highly subjective and not everything appeals to everyone. if it appeals to you that is fine. in my original post in this thread i was just venting anger but i apologize for that as i should not have done so. or at least have gotten to the point instead of insult this. there is no reason to insult it. many people may like it and some don't. including myself. that is all. i do apologize for being a jerk about it though.
Hi Musicman,
Some nice HiFi. I have been tempted by Ayre & Sonas Fabus gear in the past, never heard Ayre. Healthy investment in cables.
The StarTech that Rob is pointing people to is the Gigabit version, USB2G4LEXT2 - can you borrow one of these?
Can I clarify - are you using the StarTech in a similar fashion to the LANrover? Where do your files reside?
WRT your comments:
I liked the same usb chain without the ethernet better.
In my system I do this twice, and definitely prefer it IN. The second time is with this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004XYEXX4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For a mammoth £12.50. I use this between my microRendu (mR) and F1:
Home Network > Switch (LPSU) > Cat7 > EMO-70-HD > AQ Cinnamon > mR > USBtoRJ45 > Cat7 > RJ45toUSB > AQ JB > IFI iP2 > F1
Tried taking it out everything between the mR and F1, then put things back in different configs, the full thing is better ....in my system.
Used usb sticks with both setups. i do find that makes a nice difference to internal drives.
I first came across this when I bought my Naim DAC, many people said the best way to feed music into the DAC was via USB. In those days they were all small and inconvenient, and I hadn't cottoned onto how sensitive these electronic audio chains are; wish I'd played a LOT more.
I found that balanced is a must with most very high end dacs.
Most of the DACs I have used do not offer balanced, e.g. Chord and Naim. The Bel Canto does, but it sounds good through SE or Balanced/AES. I generally pick which way to go based on my ears. As you say YMMV.
I am using sandisk ultra usb sticks.
Thanks, these are amongst the ones I am looking at. I am thinking of swallowing some moolah and just buying two 512GB USBs.
It does have a "sound". i just did not prefer it.
I am certainly not persuaded by the 'it has to sound like a live performance' POV. If it ain't for you then you are obviously right to send it back. BUT, it would be good if you can get to listen to the right StarTech before you park it.
It did not work with the codex and i was unhappy because that is where i would have used it
I hear you ....BLOODY COMPUTERS.
The qx-5 twenty has ethernet built in so no need for the startech.
I have attacked Naim for building in their network interface to 'other' elements of their digital chain. Only through doing some of this experimenting did it occur to me that this might be a very deliberate sound quality decision, rather than sales.
Be interesting to see if you still feel this way about the StarTech if you get Rob's choice ...and use it as an additional file store, which is what I am doing via my NAS.
I have the wyred4sound lps which is obviously much better.
Please say more. Which PSUs have you used/tried. How many modules do you have plugged in .....etc.
Look forward to hearing more.
ATB,
M