Another USB to Digital question...

[ErikRM]

This is my first post after reading along for quite some time and I'm hoping that your expertise can help me decide.

What I'm looking for is an easy/cheap way to connect my laptop to my Cambridge CXA60 via the Toslink or Coax Spdif inputs. I like the sound of the WM8740 dac in the CXA60, so I don't really want to invest in an extra dac. Initially I wanted to run my laptop's sound through the Hifiberry Dac+ DSP on my RPi, but that appears to be a no-go. So after reading a lot here, I have narrowed it down to:

- Douk U2
- SMSL PO100 Pro
- Terratec Aureon Dual USB (uses mini Toslink through the 3.5 jack)

The last one is the cheapest option by far and is mentioned on the Hifiberry site as way to connect a laptop to the Hifiberry using Toslink.

Would it make a huge difference which of these three I use?

 

[Tangband]

This is my first post after reading along for quite some time and I'm hoping that your expertise can help me decide.

What I'm looking for is an easy/cheap way to connect my laptop to my Cambridge CXA60 via the Toslink or Coax Spdif inputs. I like the sound of the WM8740 dac in the CXA60, so I don't really want to invest in an extra dac. Initially I wanted to run my laptop's sound through the Hifiberry Dac+ DSP on my RPi, but that appears to be a no-go. So after reading a lot here, I have narrowed it down to:

- Douk U2
- SMSL PO100 Pro
- Terratec Aureon Dual USB (uses mini Toslink through the 3.5 jack)

The last one is the cheapest option by far and is mentioned on the Hifiberry site as way to connect a laptop to the Hifiberry using Toslink.

Would it make a huge difference which of these three I use?

Toslink = galvanic isolation = good .
Douk and SMSL uses a XMOS at converting USB to spdif , and those units do it very well , with very low jitter and very good suppression of USB 8 KHz packet noise coming from the computer. Vintageflanker have tested both of them and I guess SMSL is the slightly better of the two.

If you ask me , I say that there is sometimes audible differences in the digital domain and you have to listen for youself to make judgements.

I have the Douk U2 , and the sound is slightly better than my Yamaha wxc50 .
But you can apparently do better :

Digital out : Yamaha wxc50, skysong , Douk U2 - soundreview.

I have recently done a test in longterm listening with three units used as digital preamps to the digital input of my Genelecs . 1 . Yamaha wxc 50 digital out , spdif , pre amp mode . AirPlay from iPhone with Apple Music lossless. 2. Sky song - a chinese USB bridge with xu208, lt1963...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Chester]

Topping D10s

 

[Joachim Herbert]

Go for the SMSL. It's the most recent design, and it works great. Used the older sibling to feed my active speakers from a pi3.

 

[BJL]

Perhaps hifime UT 23 $25 https://hifimediy.com/product/hifime-ut23-usb-to-optical-spdif-converter/

 

[Zek]

hifime UT 23 $25

Supports max 96kHz sample rate, if that matters.

 

[ErikRM]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I don't need an extra dac, so a D10 is out of the question. I will have a look at the UT23 too, but would max. 96kHz be problem?

And what about the cheap (19,95€) Terratec usb soundcard? Would that sound a lot worse than the other options for usb --> Toslink?

I must say that I like the look of the SMSL a lot, it's just that I think 75€ is still quite a lot to simply connect my laptop to my amplifier.

And what about an hdmi extractor? When I use my laptop with my amplifier it's alway connected to hdmi for my external screen and these extractors also come in at about 20€.

 

[voodooless]

Note that the Terratec Aureon Dual supports only 16 bit 48 kHz max.

Is 96 kHz a problem? Probably not.

 

[Berwhale]

And what about an hdmi extractor? When I use my laptop with my amplifier it's alway connected to hdmi for my external screen and these extractors also come in at about 20€.

That could be a nice option as it will avoid the need to plug more cables into your laptop. However, it probably limit your sample rate to whatever the extractor says it's capable of (e.g. the HDMI connection to my Philips monitor is fixed at 16/48 because that's what it tells Windows it's capable of).

Then again, this USB to TosLink adapter is pretty small, cheap and supports up to 24/192... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubilux-TOSLINK-Converter-Compatible-Computer/dp/B0B2DBGKL3?th=1

 

[BJL]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I don't need an extra dac, so a D10 is out of the question. I will have a look at the UT23 too, but would max. 96kHz be problem?

And what about the cheap (19,95€) Terratec usb soundcard? Would that sound a lot worse than the other options for usb --> Toslink?

I must say that I like the look of the SMSL a lot, it's just that I think 75€ is still quite a lot to simply connect my laptop to my amplifier.

And what about an hdmi extractor? When I use my laptop with my amplifier it's alway connected to hdmi for my external screen and these extractors also come in at about 20€.

I have the Hifime UR23 (which works the other way, toslink to USB) and it is great. The 96kHz limitation is a matter of controversy in audio circles. I don't believe it makes a bit of difference, but some folks swear that higher sampling rate (176.2, 196) matter. I don't believe that for one second, actually, I record LPs occasionally with the UR23 at 96/24, and then export files at 48/24 after I have divided the tracks. I have purchased higher sampling rate downloads, and generally convert those to 48/24 or 44.1/24 (depending on the original sample rate). At one point I tried comparing, and couldn't hear any difference. I examined some files, and did find that high sample rate files sometimes have some signal above 20kHz, but I'm not aware of any human being that can hear signals above 20 or 24 kHz, and I suspect those signals are noise, not music. But you will find passionate opinions on both sides of this question.

I suspect that charging premium prices for quad sample rate downloads (176.2 and 196 kHz) is a marketing ploy, but, of course, there are other points of view.

Keeping the files at 44.1 or 48 kHz saves a lot of space.

 

[JktHifi]

I'm using SMSL PO100 AK, not Pro, because I cannot find any device that has I2S input only without USB input. So, the I2S will never be used.

 

[Chester]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I don't need an extra dac, so a D10 is out of the question.

Understood. I suggested the D10s as it’s an excellent, cheap, DDC with a nice display thrown in. In case you had discounted it as just another DAC.

 

[ErikRM]

Understood. I suggested the D10s as it’s an excellent, cheap, DDC with a nice display thrown in. In case you had discounted it as just another DAC.

No, I didn't. I know what it can do, it's just that I'm only looking for something simple (and preferably cheap) to digitally connect my Win11 laptop to my amplifier.

I'm not really into sample rates, but would something like the one below also do the trick? Or had I better crank things up to 96kHz or higher? Based on what @BJL said I'd say that this would be enough.

USB to SPDIF Interface PCM2704 OTG 16bit 48kHz Silver - Audiophonics

This low cost USB to SPDIF interface allows an efficient conversion of a signal from a micro USB input to SPDIF on a coaxial or optical Toslink output. It also provides a Jack 3.5mm headphone output and has its own volume control.

www.audiophonics.fr

 

[Zek]

PCM2704 is an ancient chip and I would not expect any significant measurement values.

 

[melomane13]

16 bit 48 khz is all is needed.

24/192 Music Downloads are Very Silly Indeed

people.xiph.org

so get Terratec Aureon Dual USB and another one, try if you hear somes differences ( really, not in imagination...) and request a refund for the one that does not suit you...

 

[voodooless]

16 bit 48 khz is all is needed.

24/192 Music Downloads are Very Silly Indeed

people.xiph.org

so get Terratec Aureon Dual USB and another one, try if you hear somes differences ( really, not in imagination...) and request a refund for the one that does not suit you...

Those old PCM chips have other issues though, primarily that they are not asynchronous, meaning the clock is derived from the USB clock. There are just better options out there nowadays.

 

[melomane13]

Better on paper, but not necessarily on listening, with controlled conditions.

 

[voodooless]

Better on paper, but not necessarily on listening, with controlled conditions.

Yes, I’m sure you’ll have a hard time picking them apart. Still, why buy ancient technology?

 

[melomane13]

Yes, I’m sure you’ll have a hard time picking them apart. Still, why buy ancient technology?

Because, as long as the desired function is effective, it seems better to me to take an old, inexpensive one, perhaps second-hand, and prevent it from going into the trash. the trash can is full of objects that work perfectly...

Second-hand Terratec Aureon Dual USB is here at 10€...