2. digital
  3. 159217-149317

USB sucks

USB really isn‘t the right connection between DAC and Server: depending on cables used, you get very different sound quality if the server manages to recognise the DAC at all. Some time ago I replaced my highly tuned Mac Mini (by now-defunct Mach2mini, running Puremusic via USB) with an Innuos Zenith Mk3. For starters I couldn‘t get the DAC (Antelope Zodiac Gold) and server to recognise each other, transmission from the server under USB2.0 wasn‘t possible because the server is Linux based (mind, both alledgedly support the USB2.0 standard) and when I finally got them to talk to each other (by using Artisansilvercables (pure silver) the sound quality was ho-hum. While I understand the conceptual attraction to have the master clock near the converter under asynchronous USB, the connection‘s vagaries (need for exact 90 Ohms impedance, proneness to IFR interference, need to properly shield the 5v power line, short cable runs) makes one wonder, why one wouldn‘t do better to update I2S or S/PDIF or at the higher end use AES/EBU. After more than 20 years of digital playback, the wide variety of outcomes from minor changes seems unacceptable.

Since then and after a lot of playing around I have replaced the silver cables by Uptone USPCB rigid connectors, inserted an Intona Isolator 2.0 and Schiit EITR converting USB to S/PDIF. Connection to the DAC is via Acoustic Revive DSIX powered by a Kingrex LPS.

The amount of back and forth to make all this work is mindboggling, depending on choice of USB cables (with and without separate 5V connection, short, thick and God-knows what else) is hard to believe for something called a standard interface and the differences in sound quality make any review of USB products arbitrary verging on meaningless.

Obviously S/PDIF gives you no native PCM or DSD but, hey, most recordings still are redbook, anyway.
Conversely it is plug and play although quality of the cable still matters but finally it got me the sound quality I was looking for. It may not be the future but nor should USB, given all the shortcomings. Why is the industry promoting a standard that clearly isn‘t fit for purpose?

Finally, I invite the Bits-are-bits naysayers to go on a similar journey, it just might prove to be educational.
antigrunge2

Showing 1 response by instlouis

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instlouis
91 posts
 
I learned by accident that USB doesn't suck in the audiophile arena IF you have friends that have done your homework for you.  I was using JRiver on a Lenovo laptop to pull from my NAS and then ran Ethernet to the bridge on my PS Audio DAC .  Not a fan of the bridge I ran a generic USB to the DAC input which was so-so, but then I moved up to a Oyaide NEO d+ USB Class S Purple  USB suggested by a DJ friend and the improvement was substantial . 
THEN another friend lent me his Berkeley alpha which converts the USB to digital XLR into the DAC and SQ was off the charts.  I tracked down and found a new Berkeley alpha for myself. 
When I moved past the laptop to an Aurender X100L which only had a USB out,  I upgraded the USB to an Analysis Plus Purple to the alpha and used a Kimber Kable AGDL XLR to the DAC and it's a close to perfect as I have ever heard whether pulling from the NAS, the Aurender drives, or Quobuz streaming.  

Happy listening ! 

Shad 
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