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Asynchronous USB vs. SPDIF with regard to DAC upgrade

My system consists of the following:

  1. Weiss 204 DAC with Modwright Linear Power Supply
  2. Lumin U2 Mini  streamer with LHY Linear Power Supply
  3. Conrad Johnson Et-7 linestage
  4. Bryston 4B3 cubed power amplifier
  5. JBL 4349 horn loaded loudspeaker (sounds great at moderate levels)

Seeking a dac upgrade with a budget of $14,000.00. (new only)

At first I was only looking for Coax via SPDIF, but then an audiogon member educated me to the fact that with a USB Audio connection the internal clock is controlled by the Dac and not the streamer  as streamers usually will  not have the same clock quality as a high end Dac. I should mention do not use my computer in my system. The two candidates are the Weiss DAC 501 MKII and the Berkely Audio Alpha Series 3. I was advised that the Berkely does not come with a USB port and this is an add on.  I believe Berkely did not want to put the USB intterface in the Dac itself to avoid USB noise that comes from a computer.  My reading and research tells me a asynchronous USB port will sound better, less jitter than a coax SPDIF.  Does anybody have any thoughts or suggestion?  Thank you. 

 

kjl1065
lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
1,167 posts
 

You need AES/EBU and USB because AES/EBU is limited to 24 bit and 192 kHz.

USB can play virtually anything including DSD and can also be converted to I2s. Don't buy a DAC without I2s.

I mostly use AES/EBU for PCM and USB for DSD.

There are much better DACs than the ones you mention. 

kjl1065's avatar
kjl1065 OP
88 posts
 

This is to lordmelton.  I have no doubt that there are better dacs. I believe in dealer service.  My dealer is always there for me and supports everything he sells and is always a phone call away to come to my premises and work on any issue that I may have, I find this invaluable. Both the Weiss 501MK II and the Berkely Alpha Dac series 3 are both excellent.   The Mola Mola Tambaqui,  T&A200, and Bricasti, as well as others, may be better. But I believe that it is not worth giving up superior service for a slightly better DAC. 

 

gregjacob
126 posts
 

I moved from Lampizator to SW1X but both are great.  If with Lampi, a very high quality USB cable can get you there.  If you go with SW1X, it is designed primarily to be used with SP/DIF.  I love the sweet tone and details of the SW1X and they have a number of models that go up in price, giving you an obsessively designed DAC in a multi-tiered pricing. I swapped out my streamer for an SW1X as well, which optimizes the SP/DIF across the two components.  Since the setup about a year ago, I haven't heard a DAC that interests me more. I use them with high-end horn speakers so proof of quality in the DAC is telling. Gestalt Audio always uses them in the trade shows to rave reviews.

rossb
217 posts
 

a computer used as a streamer via USB is never an optimized streaming solution. Especially one that doubles as Roon Core. What your Matrix is doing is reclocking the USB signal as part of converting it to SPDIF. That will improve jitter levels going into your DAC and the final result is better sonics. 

With a dedicated streamer such as U2 Mini you get an optimized USB output that’s prioritized for audio. It’s never the case with a computer. 

I do not agree with this. I owned the Lumin U2 (full version) and ended up selling it, because I preferred the sound of my purpose built PC with linear PSU, especially with the Matrix converter, but even without it. A streamer is essentially a low powered PC with a decent power supply running a single application. Other than this, there is usually not much substance to the "optimised for audio" claim. In fact, I have found that higher powered CPUs in NUCs and other PCs generally sound better than the very low powered CPUs used in most streamers and "audiophile" PCs.

I also forgot to mention the Bricasti M3 in the list of DACs that I have owned. It is a very good DAC, but in my opinion the Weiss is significantly better. I have also spent time with a Meitner MA3 on dealer loan, and again felt that the Weiss was better. 

But I would not discourage the OP from listening to any of these DACs, because personal preferences vary. 

 

soix
11,230 posts
 

I believe in dealer service.  My dealer is always there for me and supports everything he sells and is always a phone call away to come to my premises and work on any issue that I may have, I find this invaluable. 

If your dealer sells both of these he should loan them to you for a few days so you can evaluate them for yourself in your system, especially with DACs at this price level.  Full stop. 

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