USB to S/PDIF converter

[Reid Malenfant]

I'm looking for a no nonsense USB to S/PDIF converter. As long as it covers 44.1 & 48KHz that'll be 100% fine :)

Any suggestions? I see something called a Teralink-X but i'm not so sure about it as it says
There are many websites and free programmes to help you set this up.

What this means i don't know. Plug & play would be great, but if not all help would be appreciated..

Thanks in advance :)

[John]

I use this Mark I love it when people think god how does that he get away with that
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-NEW-/130434594593?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item1e5e81f721

[macnugget]

Hi Mark

I got one of this and has been serving me well, easy plug and play and no fiddling required.
See link here : http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/musicloverdigital/digital.html

Yours for £50 plus postage.

Regards

Stephen

[Ken Moreland]

Take a look at the modified Hiface http://sites.google.com/site/hifacemods/home

I use a MK2 , faultless operation and the sound quality is first class.

KM

[Reid Malenfant]

Thanks so far guys, keep them coming ;)

The only advantage that this thing i mentioned might have is that it can run off of an external PSU (good idea as PC supplies are noisy as feck :eek:) & it has a BNC S/PDIF output which is very much preferable to a phono which lacks specific impedance. It'll be plugged into something that can accept a BNC connector you see.

In all honesty though i don't know what i'm getting so sniffy about :eyebrows: Anything must beat the pants off of a laptop with built in DAC ffs :doh:

[John]

Mark I get away with the one shown in the link its laptop powered and I do not have noise issues just gets on with its job
I had a vinyl friend around a month back and he was blown away by the sound I was getting and he is pretty fussy

[Reid Malenfant]

Mark I get away with the one shown in the link its laptop powered and I do not have noise issues just gets on with its job
I had a vinyl friend around a month back and he was blown away by the sound I was getting and he is pretty fussy
It's cheap to isn't it :eyebrows:

Maybe a good start then! Cheers John :) As i say, maybe i was being too blooming fussy :D

It's only for playing 320KBPS MP3s onto my main system after all..

[John]

Yes cheap and works well in my system

[WAD62]

It's cheap to isn't it :eyebrows:

Maybe a good start then! Cheers John :) As i say, maybe i was being too blooming fussy :D

It's only for playing 320KBPS MP3s onto my main system after all..

Hi Mark,

I've got one of these...(well the DTS version, but this one's a little cheaper)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MUSE-HIFI-USB-S-PDIF-Converter-USB-DAC-PCM2704-/120571958610?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c12a61552#ht_2704wt_756

It's quite handy as you can also use it as a DAC if you're travelling etc.

Not an asynchronous hiface, but then again if you're only playing MP3s...;)

[Welder]

I may as well get the spade out and start digging myself this hole to fall in for later :lol:

“Not an asynchronous hiface, but then again if you're only playing MP3s... ”

The Hiface is a bit more than a straight USB to SPDIF converter afaik.
It’s got a clock in it hasn’t it? :scratch:
People use it not only to convert but also to give a non asynchronous Dac asynchronous data transfer ability.

With this;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-NEW-/130434594593?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item1e5e81f721&afsrc=1

suppose you use it to feed an asynchronous Dac, does it prevent asynchronous data transfer? :scratch:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Hey mark, I use an external USB creative 5.1 soundblaster soundcard ... Works just fine for spotify and the like and is very good if you want to record vinyl back the other way into the pc ... The new ones are £59 but I picked up a second hand older for £8 (if memory serves)

[WAD62]

I may as well get the spade out and start digging myself this hole to fall in for later :lol:

“Not an asynchronous hiface, but then again if you're only playing MP3s... ”

The Hiface is a bit more than a straight USB to SPDIF converter afaik.
It’s got a clock in it hasn’t it? :scratch:
People use it not only to convert but also to give a non asynchronous Dac asynchronous data transfer ability.

With this;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-NEW-/130434594593?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item1e5e81f721&afsrc=1

suppose you use it to feed an asynchronous Dac, does it prevent asynchronous data transfer? :scratch:

This could start a load of trouble...so I should write in very small font.

My understanding is that the Hiface replaces the need for an asynchronous USB port on your DAC, it acts as a small storage buffer being fed from the computer via USB (that is the clever bit), after that its a standard SPDIF synchronous communication with your DAC so it will need a clock in it for that purpose.

There is a conversation between the computer and the hiface (data transfer), there is a conversation between the hiface and the DAC (SPDIF playback), it's the buffer in the middle that makes the end to end conversation effectively asynchronous...if that makes sense :)

[WAD62]

Hey mark, I use an external USB creative 5.1 soundblaster soundcard ... Works just fine for spotify and the like and is very good if you want to record vinyl back the other way into the pc ... The new ones are £59 but I picked up a second hand older for £8 (if memory serves)

Good point Hamish, I've a couple of the USB Live! 5.1s (the cream plastic box one I think, their naming conventions are bonkers), but I don't think you can get them new any more, or couldn't when I last looked.

I think i's now the x-fi crystalliser or something, with loads of DSP effects that no one wants, at about £50.

The little Muse usb DAC is cheaper and better IMHO (particularly if you use the ASIO4ALL driver with it rather than the windows default), but it takes 15 days from HK...:(

[Reid Malenfant]

Ok, maybe i should have been a little more specific :eyebrows:

I just need to convert from USB to an S/PDIF connection & i can then feed that to a dCS Purcell & Delius. I don't need a DAC, just a converter..

Thinking about it USB to AES/EBU would be even better, but i doubt such an animal exists.

As i'll just be playing MP3 files it really doesn't need to be the dogs danglies, i'm not streaming FLAC or anything like that. All i need is a method of connecting to an external DAC :)

I'm sure that there are a few bits already mentioned that'll do the job, now i'll go look into them - thanks for all the help & suggestions! I'm in no rush by the way so if there are more feel free to add to the thread..

[WAD62]

Ok, maybe i should have been a little more specific :eyebrows:

I just need to convert from USB to an S/PDIF connection & i can then feed that to a dCS Purcell & Delius. I don't need a DAC, just a converter..

Thinking about it USB to AES/EBU would be even better, but i doubt such an animal exists.



I know you don't need a DAC but the cheap ones usually do come with one anyway, along with SPDIF out!!!

If it's quality you want, and AES/EBU then you need the bigger Hiface

http://www.m2tech.biz/hiFaceEVO.asp

Not sure of the price though ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

Jeez i'm stupid at times :lolsign:

I don't need a balanced AES/EBU output to actually get one, all i need to do is make another balanced to unbalanced transformer inside of a phono plug but use it to go from unbalanced to balanced & hey presto :eyebrows: Now where are all those ferrite beads :scratch:

Ok, i'm sorted :)

Thanks guys! ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

I use this Mark I love it when people think god how does that he get away with that
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-NEW-/130434594593?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item1e5e81f721
Well i'm likely to go for one of these :) However i'll be converting the single ended unbalanced output to balanced AES/EBU. I managed to get a look inside one of these things & it obviously uses an output transformer for galvanic isolation & there is a bit of room inside which all of a sudden gave me an idea..

Off i rushed to get hold of a Neutrik XLR socket to measure the dimensions, turns out they are 30 x 25mm where as this unit is 25 x 25mm :steam: :rolleyes: :eyebrows:

I was thinking of removing the standard transformer & substituting my own, lord knows why that unit puts out 5V when S/PDIF requires only 2V. I could have easily done that by altering the turns ratio & connecting to an XLR for the output. Still looking into it as mini XLRs are available, but it'll be that unit whatever even if the TX goes inside a phono plug to connect to the standard one :)

[John]

Let us know how that goes if its worth the effort i be interested in having this done myself

[Reid Malenfant]

Let us know how that goes if its worth the effort i be interested in having this done myself
Hi John, it's definately worth the hassle chap :) The only thing is i realised a few days ago that the Purcell upsampler only has one AES/EBU input & it's already being used for the Krell transport :doh:

However, i'll be ripping everything out of the rack shortly so i'll be able to get a look at the balanced to unbalanced transformer i made with a ferrite bead that is inside of a phono plug. This was used to convert a balanced feed to unbalanced right at the end of a cable & as it's inside of a metal plug it's pretty well screened.

I'll take some pics & post them up, though in all honesty if i remember right it was dead easy to make if a little fiddly ;)

Looks like i'll either have to convert the phono output to BNC or stick with the phono plug & use quality cable, probably the latter as i have lots of decent 75 Ohm stuff kicking about :rolleyes:

[jantheman]

Hey Mark....spent your money yet??....If not, wait for the new Musical Fidelity V-Link. Due to come out in February. I did another post on this very subject.
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9448
Might be of interest.

EDIT...Haha. Just noticed you have already seen it....D'oh. What do you think??

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Ray, yes that £18 box of wonders is on the way :eyebrows: I'll see how it performs as it'll only be used so i can output audio (mostly 320Kbps MP3s) to the main system & into the dCS upsampler.

Still might be interested in the one you pointed out though, i guess it just depends on how well this cheapy performs & how much better the newer one is :scratch:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Good point Hamish, I've a couple of the USB Live! 5.1s (the cream plastic box one I think, their naming conventions are bonkers), but I don't think you can get them new any more, or couldn't when I last looked.(

Yeah, I have one, have looked at it, gone to google to search for what it appears to be called and got other stuff come up ...



The little Muse usb DAC is cheaper and better IMHO (particularly if you use the ASIO4ALL driver with it rather than the windows default), but it takes 15 days from HK...:(

I might start a new thread about this ... I have some drivers/windows questions ...

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Ray, yes that £18 box of wonders is on the way :eyebrows: I'll see how it performs as it'll only be used so i can output audio (mostly 320Kbps MP3s) to the main system & into the dCS upsampler.

Well it has just arrived 3709 As the Beresford Caiman i was listening to last night is now boxed up i have connected up my Monarchy Audio dual 20 bit DAC. I connected everything up & finally plugged this converter into my laptop, within 10 seconds the DAC was locked onto the converter...

Queue an MP3 - :wow: Very, very surprising :eyebrows: Never heard MP3s sound quite like this before, but then i had no way of stuffing it through my main system. The laptop sounds trash with it's internal DAC, now it sounds very good indeed...

Impressed, i like it :cool: Can't wait to hear it after the dCS kit does it's thing :D

[Reid Malenfant]

I use this Mark I love it when people think god how does that he get away with that
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FANMUSIC-FM-6011-COAX-USB-SPDIF-COAX-Converter-NEW-/130434594593?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item1e5e81f721
Just installed the same bit of kit John, very good to! Cheers for the recommendation chap :) I like the way the laptop speakers are now 100% silent to, neat trick!

I have just noticed something extremely odd that i can't explain? :scratch: The volume control on the laptop itself has zero effect on the output volume of the laptop, ok so far ;) Yet the volume control on Winamp actually does effect the volume of any music played :scratch:

Am i to assume that the volume control on Winamp is in the digital domain? It's the only conclusion i can come to :hmm: Ah well, it's staying on full volume from now on :eyebrows:

[jantheman]

Keep us posted...I'll be interested to hear what you have to say after a little more time with it......

[Reid Malenfant]

Keep us posted...I'll be interested to hear what you have to say after a little more time with it......
Sure thing Ray, after all, the output stage of the DAC needs to get to optimum temperature yet (discrete class A) :lolsign:

I'm bloody impressed so far though :)

[jantheman]

The only thing that worries me is the specced 5V O/P...
Whooooaaaaa.......

[John]

I get great sounds from that little box always amazes me and anybody who hears the system are pretty impressed with sounds I get and the great thing is the cost !
Nice to hear it worked for you too

[Reid Malenfant]

The only thing that worries me is the specced 5V O/P...
Whooooaaaaa.......
It's only TTL after all :eyebrows: The DAC doesn't appear to mind :)

I get great sounds from that little box always amazes me and anybody who hears the system are pretty impressed with sounds I get and the great thing is the cost !
Nice to hear it worked for you too
Yeah, i'd call it amazing as well :) A real revelation, but then it's outputting to a DAC that cost over £1500 new after all which was about 3 times the price of the laptop :eyebrows:

Still after listening to this lappy recently i'd have never considered it possible to up the game quite this much & definately not for just £18.99 :mental:

[John]

I use mine on a DIY built DAC that I bought of Tubehunter (Duncan) and like you get great sounds.
If you have a normal DAC that does not have a USB input this makes so much sense. Some people are paying a lot more money to get
I similar sounds
Yes suprising what you can get from your laptop