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Thread: Maximising sound quality from USB

  1. #41
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

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    I have just installed my Asus Xonar Essence STX II sound card. Using the analogue out direct to my pre-amp I am struggling to tell a big difference between this and my external DAC set up.
    Further listening is required, but the DAC on the sound card seems very good. There is a big price difference between the two set-ups for just the "HiFi" part.

    The PC I am using is one I had lying around and is an old Intel Core Duo E8400, on an Asus P5K motherboard fitted with 4GB of RAM. It still has a couple of fans that I am thinking of getting rid of if I can.
    The external DAC is a CAIMAN SEG with MCRU linear Power Supply and the Halide Design SPDIF bridge.

    There is a small difference between the two, but I can change the op amps on the sound card to tweak the sound for the better.
    It is really making me think about getting rid of the external DAC set up.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  2. #42
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

    Default Maximising sound quality from USB

    That sound card is no slouch, and it won’t even have burned in yet. A better PSU in your PC may also help, but some opamp rolling will make an audible difference, and not always for the better.

    However, you really need to be using ASIO or WASAPI, as mentioned, to get the most out of your Halide Bridge. What operating system are you using?
    Last edited by Yomanze; 09-08-2018 at 17:05.
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  3. #43
    Join Date: Mar 2017

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    I'm Edward.

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    Quote Originally Posted by struth View Post
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    Rock solid and fast - both within the local LAN and externally via port forwarding.
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  4. #44
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Yomanze View Post
    That sound card is no slouch, and it won’t even have burned in yet. A better PSU in your PC may also help, but some opamp rolling will make an audible difference, and not always for the better.

    However, you really need to be using ASIO or WASAPI, as mentioned, to get the most out of your Halide Bridge. What operating system are you using?
    Windows 10 64 bit, with ASIO installed and running with the card.
    There really is very little between the two to my ears.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  5. #45
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Gerrards Cross

    Posts: 2,991
    I'm Tony.

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    DO you guys really think that the DSD are better or it simply the music you want to listen to is on this format curious?
    Coherent Systems
    Real high end sound with musicality not hifi

  6. #46
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

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    I'm Kevin.

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    I think it is more convenient.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  7. #47
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Gerrards Cross

    Posts: 2,991
    I'm Tony.

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    In what way Cagey, not a loaded question really interested in why people feel dsd is a light they need to have on their dac?

    Not sure if you are aware that to mix DSD it has to be re-sampled to PCM to achieve then re-sampled to 2.8s or 5.6Mhz
    Coherent Systems
    Real high end sound with musicality not hifi

  8. #48
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

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    In the way that ASIO was installed automatically when I fitted the sound card.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  9. #49
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Gerrards Cross

    Posts: 2,991
    I'm Tony.

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    Cagey

    I was only mentioning the process that DSD has to go through to be mixed in the studio that was all.

    DSD is different rather than better than PCM, same for MQA which is a solution to a problem that does not exist imho
    Coherent Systems
    Real high end sound with musicality not hifi

  10. #50
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

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    My card gives me the choice of playing PCM as well.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

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