Motherboard SPDIF vs Topping D10 (or other USB bridge) SPDIF?

[Roen]

Are there measured performance benefits between today's latest and greatest mobo SPDIF out vs. something like a D10?

 

[Veri]

Are there measured performance benefits between today's latest and greatest mobo SPDIF out vs. something like a D10?

Many people use cheap switch boxes to easily alternate between their different S/PDIF sources, or coaxical/optical converter boxes worth like $20-30. Performance is still fine. I would not worry about "better" s/pdif signal performance benefit, it's highly unlikely there is one.

In the ENOG2 DAC review, Amir first used his analyser spdif source and then the D10. Distortion went from 0.00032 to 0.00038, no one can possibly hear the difference between those two values.

 

[gvl]

Plain SPDIF out doesn't sound particularly good, in fact it doesn't sound at all without a DAC.

 

[Veri]

Plain SPDIF out doesn't sound particularly good, in fact ot doesn't sound at all without a DAC.

Lol where are you sticking the s/pdif there exactly man do I want to know?

 

[gvl]

Lol where are you sticking the s/pdif there exactly man do I want to know?

Use your imagination

 

[Roen]

btw, I'm not talking about using the D10 as a DAC with SPDIF in, I'm talking about using it (or the mobo SPDIF) to feed another DAC that doesn't have USB in.

 

[bravomail]

SPDIF and USB-to-SPDIF are purely digital. There should not be any difference since you are sending bits. USB-to-SPDIF might introduce a latency depending on the decoder/coder performance.

Are there measured performance benefits between today's latest and greatest mobo SPDIF out vs. something like a D10?

 

[gvl]

btw, I'm not talking about using the D10 as a DAC with SPDIF in, I'm talking about using it (or the mobo SPDIF) to feed another DAC that doesn't have USB in.

This really depends on the DAC, it is pointless to discuss SPDIF in vacuum.

 

[Veri]

btw, I'm not talking about using the D10 as a DAC with SPDIF in, I'm talking about using it (or the mobo SPDIF) to feed another DAC that doesn't have USB in.

Isn't that what we're discussing? Like I said, Amir tested the ENOG2 with the D10 as spdif bridge what better real-world example are you looking for exactly....

 

[Roen]

Isn't that what we're discussing? Like I said, Amir tested the ENOG2 with the D10 as spdif bridge what better real-world example are you looking for exactly....

A/B vs. mobo SPDIF feeding ENOG2.

If that's what the measurements were, then I'm a idiot / I've misunderstood.

 

[Veri]

A/B vs. mobo SPDIF feeding ENOG2.

If that's what the measurements were, then I'm a idiot / I've misunderstood.

He first tested ENOG with analyser lab-grade SPDIF, then Topping D10 SPDIF. Your mobo will be similar in integrity to the D10 really, you can expect the same performance. Unless you notice drop-outs/instability, you are golden.

 

[RayDunzl]

I'm not talking about using the D10 as a DAC with SPDIF in, I'm talking about using it (or the mobo SPDIF) to feed another DAC that doesn't have USB in.

I've used motherbord Optical, new MB only has USB, so used a cheap $20 comverter (signstek), now using a D10 for no good reason other than it was on sale, will do higher rates than the super cheapie, and has better analog outs if I ever choose to use them.

I do in-room measurements - sound in the air - no discernable differences in measurements between the three.

A slowly rotating ceiling fan, someone walking across the room, me turning around in my chair, breathing, not to mention other ambient (quiet) noise levels, all swamp any differences in the conversion, if any exist at all.

 

[SiW]

Ray - have you compared usb and optical vs Bluetooth in your measurements?

I’d be interested if there is any measurable difference between them (assuming same 44.1kHz is used for each).

 

[RayDunzl]

I don't have any Bluetooth.

 

[Roen]

He first tested ENOG with analyser lab-grade SPDIF, then Topping D10 SPDIF. Your mobo will be similar in integrity to the D10 really, you can expect the same performance. Unless you notice drop-outs/instability, you are golden.

My hypothesis is that the D10 SPDIF out might be superior to mobo SPDIF, but that's just a feeling, with no proof to back it up.

I've used motherbord Optical, new MB only has USB, so used a cheap $20 comverter (signstek), now using a D10 for no good reason other than it was on sale, will do higher rates than the super cheapie, and has better analog outs if I ever choose to use them.

I do in-room measurements - sound in the air - no discernable differences in measurements between the three.

A slowly rotating ceiling fan, someone walking across the room, me turning around in my chair, breathing, not to mention other ambient (quiet) noise levels, all swamp any differences in the conversion, if any exist at all.

Interesting, I guess my feeling was wrong.

 

[RayDunzl]

Interesting, I guess my feeling was wrong.

I haven't heard (I'm deaf) nor observed (within the capabilities of the measurements), differences in digital implementations with my where-the-rubber-meets-the-road observations.

 

[Roen]

I'm only interested from a measurement perspective, as digital is digital.

 

[bravomail]

Bluetooth uses on-the-fly lossy compression/decompression because bluetooth bandwidth is too narrow even for audio.
There will be objectively measurable differences. I don't know if you will hear them.
My car uses SBC bluetooth which has been bashed in forums. But when you add road/motor/wind/airfans noises - it will still sound A-OK. Car audio has far lower HiFi requirements
Yet even in those atrocious conditions I can hear the difference between mp3 128k and 320k.

Ray - have you compared usb and optical vs Bluetooth in your measurements?

 

[SiW]

Bluetooth uses on-the-fly lossy compression/decompression because bluetooth bandwidth is too narrow even for audio.
There will be objectively measurable differences. I don't know if you will hear them.
My car uses SBC bluetooth which has been bashed in forums. But when you add road/motor/wind/airfans noises - it will still sound A-OK. Car audio has far lower HiFi requirements
Yet even in those atrocious conditions I can hear the difference between mp3 128k and 320k.

Just been trying usb vs Bluetooth again on my DX3PRO and cannot hear a specific difference but my brain is telling me there should be...

Much easier to multitask though with Bluetooth!

 

[bhigh]

SPDIF and USB-to-SPDIF are purely digital. There should not be any difference since you are sending bits. USB-to-SPDIF might introduce a latency depending on the decoder/coder performance.

SPDIF is subject to jitter and clock skew. A cheap motherboard could introduce it, or a bad USB implementation could.