[GerGa]

My Emotiva Stealth DC-1 external sound card USB port stopped working some years ago, so I have been using the optical port ever since.
I need a new computer and don't think new motherboards come with SPDIF out.
Anyone ever use a USB to SPDIF(optical) converter? I could use it to get optical to my Stealth DC-1.
Do the converters have good sound quality or any loss of quality?

Here is one on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Cubilux-TOSL...57&mcid=d2968a7b718d3bc8978ac6a4532ad235&th=1

Thank you

 

[dunring]

The one I use is this one
https://a.co/d/f5gAWLT
I've never noticed a lack of sound quality and with a Topping E50 DAC it's really good. I bought a motherboard without optical and put this on a Febsmart 2 port USB card and sounds excellent.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Have a more expensive solution (around $150 w/ BF sale) that is built solidly. Has USB isolation, reclock, etc.: Singxer F-1

 

[Roseval]

Have a look here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ments-digital-usb-to-s-pdif-interfaces.29765/

 

[TheFritz]

I use the SMSL PO100pro which is a DDC with USB-C input and SPDIF optical and coaxial output plus I2S (HDMI-plug) output. It is priced in the 50 to 60 EUR/USD range. I also have a Douk U2pro which offers the same outputs but it was a bit more unstable than the SMSL one with higher sampling rates. Of course there are many of these devices and for portable use I also own the cheap and super-small cubilux (in the first link) with the USB-C plug and it works very well with mobile devices but I had the impression that there is some loss in quality. If I was you and looking for a solution for a PC, I would go for the "better" DDCs - not only because they deal better with jitter/USB-noise etc. but also because they have better output options (I2S) for possible future DACs.

 

[sajunky]

Douk Audio U2 is fine for optical, but I suggest Pro version if you want to explore other connections for better sound quality. It has an option for redirecting ground loops by connecting external 5V power source (this is what DDC do). There is isolation transformer for coax instead of a direct connection on U2. I didn't experience any instability in contrary to the previous response.

You can learn more from this thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dou...or-an-affordable-clean-digital-signal.958462/