I suggest you try this one. The cost is trivial. I use it as a 2input-1output switch but it is bi-directional. Sabrent Switch
USB Cable Switcher?
I want the (permanent) ability to switch between two DACs from a single source, in my main system. Right now, I do that by connecting the USB output from my streamer to a DDC, which offers multiple outputs. However, it seems none of the popular DDCs include USB as an output option. What I would really like is to have a device that would accept a single USB input (from my streamer) and then offer two USB outputs that are selectable and isolated from each other to prevent ground loops and other issues that would be detrimental to sound quality.
As simple as that sounds (to me) there must be a reason it is difficult to accomplish, or maybe I am not looking in the right places. Using AI, I did find this device (link) but I am curious whether any of you have found something else that performs this seemingly simple task (of being able to select one of two USB outputs).
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Both of the DACs are fairly high quality units and one of them has a tube rectifer and tubed output stage while the other is fully solid state. Both are optimized for their USB inputs so, even though using the AES or S/PDIF outputs from the DDC has been an acceptable solution, I would like to try using both from their USB inputs. Since I listen to the tubed DAC only occasionally, compared to the solid state unit that I listen to most of the time, I will only be switching between the two USB output cables a couple of times each week, at the most. Of the two devices you guys recommended, I like the Topping unit because of the effort they have put into protecting against grounding issues and because it has one USB Type-B female input, which will match the audio USB cables I have around here that have USB Type-B male connectors for the output/receiving end. The Topping unit also has one USB Type-A female output, which is consistent with the USB Type-A male connectors on the input/source side of audio-purposed USB cables. I would however need one USB Type-C male to USB Type-A female adaptor for the second switchable output, which should be no problem. Another unit I found is this iDsonix USB 3.0 Switch (link), which has two USB Type-A female output ports but would need a USB Type-B female to USB Type-A male adaptor on the input side. If anyone else out there has other suggestions, please chime in. Otherwide, I am incliened to order the Topping unit. |
Apparently, at the level of the two streamers I have here, the Sonore Signature Rendu SE Deluxe optical and the Innuos Stream 3 with PhoenixUSB Reclocker, the USB outputs are optimized to connect directly with a DAC and stuff in the way can actually cause issues with impedances and clocking, and actually increase jitter. In trying to achieve the best do no harm hub, I found the HiFi Rose RSA720. Unfortunately, when using only the USB input and outputs on the RSA720 you do not receive the benefit of optical isolation. Also unfortunate is that the HiFi Rose RSA720 requires that the chosen output be changed within the streaming protocol, usually by selecting one of two endpoints but it simply doesn’t work with the Sonore streamer since Roon sees the streamer as the endpoint, and not the connected DACs. I am still committed to using USB with the two DACs as it sounds best but the inability to achieve a high quality method of easily switching between them without changing cables is certainly frustrating. |
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