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TeTsuo36
05-06-2009, 14:20
Hi all,

i'm currently running my 7520 DAC over USB from the laptop. Working fine but limited to 24-bit/48kHz. I have FLAC up to 96kHz.

My lappy has no SPDIF/Digital out, so i am stuck with the USB, or so i thought.

It appears i could use the firewire connection to an audio interface/sound card and then SPDIF/Digital out to the DAC to give better results and get to my 96kHz files? Anyone have any experience with firewire audio?

I have been looking at solutions and am unable to find anything at a reasonable cost ie; up to £60.00, i am only wanting to pass through a digital signal and most firewire devices like M-audio or Edirol are really aimed at the music recording market and £150.00+.

Regards,

Mark.

DaveK
05-06-2009, 14:44
Hi all,
My PC has 24/192 capability and firewire outputs so I would be interested in audio connections using this output. Thinking aloud, as I only have optical, co-ax and line/phono inputs on my other bits of kit, I guess some sort of adapter/converter would also be required.
:cool:

TeTsuo36
05-06-2009, 15:04
Hi Dave,

as i understand it, if you have optical/digital coax out on your pc these will put out up to 24-bit/96kHz. This is the max for the 7520 anyway.

I think it is just a PC USB output which is limited to 48kHz? I'm a bit stuck as my lappy only has USB/Firewire/Headphone out. But hey that's what you get from Dell!

Hopefully someone will correct me if i'm wrong.

Cheers.

DaveK
05-06-2009, 15:35
Hi Mark, :)

Hi Dave,

as i understand it, if you have optical/digital coax out on your pc these will put out up to 24-bit/96kHz. This is the max for the 7520 anyway. You are correct !

I think it is just a PC USB output which is limited to 48kHz? I think that you are correct. I'm a bit stuck as my lappy only has USB/Firewire/Headphone out. But hey that's what you get from Dell!

Hopefully someone will correct me if i'm wrong.

Cheers.

:cool:
from Dave, hailing from Sheffield, in the less cold, less bleak and much more pleasant North of England (than Leeds !!)

purite audio
05-06-2009, 18:16
There is the fireface 400, I can't offhand think of anything cheaper, but I am sure there is, I use ( and sell ) the Weiss DACII, firewire imho is the best connection for sound quality, and of course you can hear everything up to 24/192.

TeTsuo36
08-06-2009, 10:06
Hi, thanks for the input.

I have spent many, many hours searching and a cheap solution just does not exist for the PC.

The best item i could find was the M-Audio Solo, £120.00.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWireSolo.html
Good specs for the money.

This is just too much money to pay (for me) for a simple pass through of a digital signal firewire IN to SPDIF OUT. I might not even see a sound improvement as its another load of wiring and components in the signal path, before the DAC.

I think i will see more benefit investing the £120.00 in better headphones, as i do have a severe case of upgraditis at the moment. :smoking:

nb2
08-06-2009, 12:15
I was recently told about the Chordette
There is only Bluetooth et USB input, but it seems the USB can handle 24/96
Never heard it myself, but the person who listened to it told me it is by far the best USB dac he ever heard below 1000 euros.

StanleyB
08-06-2009, 12:38
Never heard it myself, but the person who listened to it told me it is by far the best USB dac he ever heard below 1000 euros.
Ah, but that's because he hasn't listened to the TC-7520.

nb2
08-06-2009, 13:27
Ah, but that's because he hasn't listened to the TC-7520.
So you compared the TC-7520 and the Chordette ?
I'm interested in your comparison result.

TeTsuo36
09-06-2009, 14:21
Hi nb2,

i just got the 7520 a few weeks ago and I love it, so i won't be buying a new DAC for a while. I wanted to try the firewire route out of my laptop to try to get to that extra 1-2% of sound quality because as i understand it, firewire is just better than USB for lower audio noise.

I am though a tight arse and wanted to do it for less than 30 GBP and therefore i failed!

nb2
09-06-2009, 17:39
Hi nb2,

i just got the 7520 a few weeks ago and I love it, so i won't be buying a new DAC for a while. I wanted to try the firewire route out of my laptop to try to get to that extra 1-2% of sound quality because as i understand it, firewire is just better than USB for lower audio noise.

I am though a tight arse and wanted to do it for less than 30 GBP and therefore i failed!
Hi, I also own a TC-7520 upgraded with LM4562NA
I think it sounds good, but not so good as I would like.
The person who told me about the Chordette knows the Dac Magic, and found it way better than the Dac Magic.
For me the Dac Magic and the TC-7520 are more or less in the same league, so I am interested in the result.
Note that Chordette is more expensive than TC-7520 and Dac Magic though ... (I think it is 399£ but I'm not sure)

TeTsuo36
10-06-2009, 08:49
I had a look at the Chordette on audio affair. Pretty innovative, although i'm not sure who really has lots music on their phone and would also buy it. Phones/music mixed is usually rough kids on the bus banging out drum or bass, irritating the elderly.

At £390 it is not exactly cheap, but it gets great reviews. Ahah but it does look well gay (in the S.Park way).

Codifus
24-06-2009, 01:13
Just a quick note: all Macintoshes from the Power Mac G3 onwards (G4, G5), came with (minimum) 2 firewire 400 ports......built in. Firewire is Apple's baby. As firewire advanced, newer Macs like the PowerMac G5 came with Firewire 800 and 400.

And, I would like to make clear that I am not affiliated with Apple or any Firewire company. I'm just a big fan of good technologies and firewire is one of them. I also think that USB is a great technology, but it's design is not better suited to the demands of digital audio. The proliferation of USB audio devices, I believe, is mainly due to USB's extreme popularity, like MP3.

With specifics to this thread, the original poster may want to consider getting a used G4 Mac to interface with your Firewire device. VNC would be used to remote control the Mac from your Windows PC.

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