USB to SPDIF converter.

[brian2957]

Anyone got any suggestions for a decent USB to SPDIF converter.
Thanks
Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

This is what I use & I know John the music mod did as well, not sure about now though...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-NEW-/120723650645?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item1c1bb0b855


Unbeatable at the price & I'm more than happy with the results, mad as it seems :eyebrows:

[brian2957]

Thanks Mark I'll have a look at this.
Brian.

[John]

The quality of converters varies the one Mark mentions is a good starter I found it really good for 16bit playback The best I heard is JK converter and is based on the HiFace but their are lots around

[brian2957]

Thanks John , the problem is that there are so many . It's difficult to seperate the good from the bad without actually trying them in my own system . I have had good advice from forum members here in the past and now this is usually my first port of call when good accurate advice is needed.
Brian.

[purite audio]

Brian Hi, I can send you an M2Tech HiFace2 to try if you like, 24/192 from your USB port, no drivers with Mac or Linux it is a superb it of kit and a real improvement on the original HiFace which itself was no slouch.
Keith.

[Reid Malenfant]

If you need to convert files of more than 16 bit or higher than 48KHz, IE high res files then forget about the Fanmusic as it'll only do 16 or less bits.

But if that is all you want it does a superb job at the price :)

I'm in no rush to change it, put it like that :eyebrows:

[brian2957]

Brian Hi, I can send you an M2Tech HiFace2 to try if you like, 24/192 from your USB port, no drivers with Mac or Linux it is a superb it of kit and a real improvement on the original HiFace which itself was no slouch.
Keith.

Keith , I already use a fully specced Beresford TC7520 and I'm not sure that the HiFace would be compatible .
Thanks anyway.
Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

It'd be compatable, just don't try feeding the Beresford 24/192 files as it accepts up to 24/96 only.

Don't forget that the output of the converter will be the same as the input in bit number & sampling frequency.

[brian2957]

If you need to convert files of more than 16 bit or higher than 48KHz, IE high res files then forget about the Fanmusic as it'll only do 16 or less bits.

But if that is all you want it does a superb job at the price :)

I'm in no rush to change it, put it like that :eyebrows:

Thanks Mark , at this stage I'm more than happy to use 16 bit 48khz files . I've just read about how good the coax input into the Caiman is and just wanted to try it out without spending a fortune. TBH I'm more than happy using the USB input into the Caiman at the moment . Just curiosity:mental: getting the better of me.:D
Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

No worries Brian, I ought to point out something about that Fanmusic converter while I think about it & it's very handy. There is an output transformer feeding the phono socket output, it gives total galvanic isolation, which is what people that use Toslink light fibres keep crowing about :eyebrows:

But of course it doesn't suffer with the drawbacks of fibre optic connections as it's still a 75 ohm coax.

In all honesty you haven't got a lot to lose at just under £16, I reckon you could sell the thing for damn near what you'd pay for it.


But you make up your own mind... I'll sing it's praises as I'm happy with mine :)

[wee tee cee]

Brian,
I run a v-link with a mark grant trico/wtb co-ax. It is a marked improvement on the usb input on my mf m1 dac.
Regards Tony.

[pete_mac]

Depending upon your budget, the audio-gd Digital Interface is a nice piece of kit and if you get the version with the SPDIF inputs and outputs, it can be used as a SPDIF reclocker too.

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/DIv2/DIv2EN.htm

The Audiophilleo 2 is very very good but is around $USD600. The jkeny-modded hiface is similarly good.

[John]

What you will find is the fanmusic converter will over a very slight improvement over the standard USB converter If you spend a bit more and go for something like the Teres it will over a lot more and JK converter will take things even further I tested all of this when I had a Caiman in my system

[brian2957]

What you will find is the fanmusic converter will over a very slight improvement over the standard USB converter If you spend a bit more and go for something like the Teres it will over a lot more and JK converter will take things even further I tested all of this when I had a Caiman in my system

Thanks John . Is that the correct spelling for the Teres converter. don't seem to be able to find it.
Brian.

[roob]

According to a few posters on the CA forum the Hiface 2 is a significant step up from the MF V -Link

[morris_minor]

Depending upon your budget, the audio-gd Digital Interface is a nice piece of kit and if you get the version with the SPDIF inputs and outputs, it can be used as a SPDIF reclocker too.

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/DIv2/DIv2EN.htm

The Audiophilleo 2 is very very good but is around $USD600. The jkeny-modded hiface is similarly good.

+1 for the audio-gd. :)

I use it for both USB and coax; it just installs itself as another sound device in OSX.

[John]

On a personal level I perfer the JK converter to the hiface converter both using the same driver
The converter should of been the Tera its not as good as the JK but a big step up from the fanmusic
The audio-gd has a very good rep too

[brian2957]

Thanks guys given me plenty to think about.

Brian.

[morris_minor]

Brian, you may find this link (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=94016.0) informative . . .

[brian2957]

Thanks Bob , this does indeed make informative and interesting reading.
Brian.