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Audio-gd Digital Interface (Upgraded Clocks) vs Topping D10S

Krazywaffle

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G'day all,

Anyone have experience with both these USB-to-SPDIF converters? If so, any insights regarding which provides better (i.e., less jitter) signal to downstream DAC would be greatly appreciated.

They are about the same price but not sure how they differ in the number or types of crystal oscillators they use in digital audio conversion. Both appear to be well-reviewed across many sites.

Thanks heaps.
 

SIY

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G'day all,

Anyone have experience with both these USB-to-SPDIF converters? If so, any insights regarding which provides better (i.e., less jitter) signal to downstream DAC would be greatly appreciated.

They are about the same price but not sure how they differ in the number or types of crystal oscillators they use in digital audio conversion. Both appear to be well-reviewed across many sites.

Thanks heaps.

Engineered DACs are pretty insensitive to jitter at the SPDIF input. The important jitter is the one you can't see: the clock in the DAC. Likewise, audibility of jitter is pretty low- on the order of several nanoseconds, i.e., thousands of times higher than the numbers usually measured.

Bottom line: go cheap and don't worry about the magazine-created bogeyman. Ignore any review claiming audible differences unless accompanied by a controlled double blind test.
 
OP
Krazywaffle

Krazywaffle

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Thanks for the feedback.

Currently using Toslink-to-coaxial converters, which someone suggested could be adding substantial jitter to digital signal path.

I suppose the question really comes down to whether Toslink optical into a DAC is inferior to USB-to-SPDIF > DAC pathway (given that source is clock master via Toslink while DAC is clock master via asynchronous USB-to-SPDIF converter)?
 

SIY

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Currently using Toslink-to-coaxial converters, which someone suggested could be adding substantial jitter to digital signal path.

I suppose the question really comes down to whether Toslink optical into a DAC is inferior to USB-to-SPDIF > DAC pathway (given that source is clock master via Toslink while DAC is clock master via asynchronous USB-to-SPDIF converter)?

People say all sorts of irrelevant things.

All you care about is the analog output of the DAC. And unless it's so severe that you start getting pops and loss of sync, the jitter in that line is not really important. I prefer using Toslink just to prevent any potential electrical ground loops, but otherwise, there's really no reason to prefer one to the other for normal home setups using engineered DACs. Comparing the output of my DAC when driven by a cheap ($30) eBay USB-to-SPDIF to the output when driven by the high quality SPDIF from the Audio Precision analyzer on my bench, there's essentially no difference.
 
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Krazywaffle

Krazywaffle

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Thanks for the informative reply.

It seems most of the HiFi USB-to-SPDIF converters ($99-300AUD) don’t pass multichannel audio signals (AC3, DTS) on to DAC. Are you aware of any that do?
 

AdamG

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Thanks for the informative reply.

It seems most of the HiFi USB-to-SPDIF converters ($99-300AUD) don’t pass multichannel audio signals (AC3, DTS) on to DAC. Are you aware of any that do?
Welcome Aboard @Krazywaffle.
 

SIY

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Thanks for the informative reply.

It seems most of the HiFi USB-to-SPDIF converters ($99-300AUD) don’t pass multichannel audio signals (AC3, DTS) on to DAC. Are you aware of any that do?
It’s a good question and I haven’t researched that yet. I’ll be interested in the responses of others with multichannel experience.
 
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Krazywaffle

Krazywaffle

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Interestingly one of the first "cheap as chips" USB-TO-SPDIF converters that I came across when I first started the venture claims that it can pass AC3 and DTS audio onto DAC. Max resolution of 24/96. Asynchronous. No upsampling.Coaxial and Toslink output.

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/digi...terface-sa9023-24bit-96khz-silver-p-5850.html

However, I still feel hesitant over something "too cheap" (ie, in many ways you do get what you pay for in term of build quality) but perhaps this belief is unfounded.
 

BDWoody

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Krazywaffle

Krazywaffle

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Back to this question, but under slightly different circumstances.

My goal now is to convert USB to SPDIF (Toslink and/or coaxial) in order to connect laptop to non-USB DAC (Meridian 565) as well as try coaxial/toslink input on PS Audio Digital Link III as the synchronous USB input is limited to 16/44.1 while coaxial/toslink both support up to 24/96.

There are several options, but broadly it seems the question is "synchronous vs asynchronous"?

Synchronous option ($42):
USB-C to Toslink dongle

Asynchronous options ($55-100):
Audio-GD Digital Interface (private sale @ $80) NOTE: apparently this converter employs some kind of proprietary DSP-based reclocking for "pseudo-asynchronous data transfer"; however, it is quite well reviewed by many users across many forums/sites:

What would you go with? Audio-GD with DSP "pseudo-asynchronous" connection (well reviewed) or less reputable unit out of China that is "true asynchronous" type with two discrete crystal oscillators?
 

JasonC331

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Hopefully, you get some more suggestions on the same hunt. I have the D10s but have issues when it's in Exclusive mode.
 
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Krazywaffle

Krazywaffle

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Thanks. What is Exclusive Mode? Have been considering D10s as it seems a good DAC (PCM and DSD) plus doubles as USB to SPDIF converter.
 

digitalfrost

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Thanks for the informative reply.

It seems most of the HiFi USB-to-SPDIF converters ($99-300AUD) don’t pass multichannel audio signals (AC3, DTS) on to DAC. Are you aware of any that do?

You can use 7.1 with the WDM drivers, I think up to 24bit/48khz. Look in the manual for more info.
 
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Krazywaffle

Krazywaffle

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Thanks digitalfrost. My current conundrum applies to 2ch audio only.

Have figured out a workaround for the “passing multichannel audio” question previously raised :)
 
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