This is 2022: Why still obsession with USB interface?

[staticV3]

@radiogram I think your OP is a bit misguided.
DLNA/UPNP can be extremely convenient and seamless once set up and for the right use cases. It's fine to praise and advocate for it.
But arguing that USB is outdated and that people are dumb for still using it makes you look like a bit of an idiot. Or at least short-sighted.

 

[radiogram]

Not sure if people do this?

Lot of people have hundreds to thousand CDs (I have almost 650) and would love to stop using the physical media but are afraid of losing SQ because they do not know how modern streaming works. Tp make things worse Snake Oil companies are making up non-existent issues with Streaming to up sell their exotic products. Once they are informed lots will start using streaming their own Ripped CDs and get rid off their CD player unless fo sentimental Nostalgic reasons

 

[radiogram]

@radiogram I think your OP is a bit misguided.
DLNA/UPNP can be extremely convenient and seamless once set up and for the right use cases. It's fine to praise and advocate for it.
But arguing that USB is outdated and that people are dumb for still using it makes you look like a bit of an idiot. Or at least short-sighted.

I never said people using USB are dumb. Educate me why for the purpose of playing your Ripped lossless CDs or HiRes downloads stored on a PC, USB is better than DLNA/UPNP?
Thanks

 

[radiogram]

Specifically for music enjoyment, there are still some advantages of USB over DLNA/UPNP:

• easy setup: You buy a DAC, you plug it into your PC, you choose it as the output device, you start playing
• lower cost
• better software support (how would I cast, for example, Audacity or Winamp for Windows via DLNA/UPNP?
• (Edit: bonus point): better connection stability

Why would you want to use Audacity to listen to music?

 

[staticV3]

Educate me why for the purpose of DLNA/UPNP streaming of Ripped lossless CDs or HiRes downloads stored on a PC, why USB is better?

???
Ok now you've gone from "USB vs DLNA for audio transmission" to "USB vs DLNA for music enjoyment" to "USB vs DLNA for DLNA streaming"
In trying to narrow down the use case, you've reached a point where your question doesn't even make sense anymore.

 

[staticV3]

Why would you want to use Audacity to listen to music?

mate you can't just ignore any and every point for which you don't have a counter-point and keep steamrolling your argument.

Even now, in 2022, there are multiple good reasons for using USB instead of DLNA for music enjoyment.
Please don't ask what those reasons might be, I've already told you about them in my previous posts.

 

[radiogram]

???
Ok now you've gone from "USB vs DLNA for audio transmission" to "USB vs DLNA for music enjoyment" to "USB vs DLNA for DLNA streaming"
In trying to narrow down the use case, you've reached a point where your question doesn't even make sense anymore.

It appears you want to troll rather than engage in meaningful discussion. Very disappointed.

 

[threni]

Try reading the UPNP/DLNA SPEC.. USB audio spec is very simple by comparison.

And a dictionary! "Draconian"?

 

[staticV3]

It appears you want to troll rather than engage in meaningful discussion. Very disappointed.

Oh damn apparently answering your question qualifies as trolling now. Let me try again:

Q: "So, why people who have streamers that support Ethernet/Wifi still want to use USB and why manufacturers are still supporting USB?"

A:

• They use software that doesn't support DLNA/UPNP
• They are incapable of setting up a DLNA/UPNP connection, or find doing so too large of a hassle to be outweighed by the potential benefits
• their home network is not reliable/stable enough to transfer audio

 

[radiogram]

And a dictionary! "Draconian"?

Those OS stacks you mention are already built into Windows/MAcOS/Android/IOS and all streamers that support DLNA/UPNP. There is nothing the consumer needs to do other than enabling them. Core Protocols like TCP/IP have been in use since 1970's.

 

[radiogram]

@amirm desperately need your intervention here as it appears you will comprehend my post and will clarify everyone and also educate me if I am wrong.

thanks

 

[ThatM1key]

Lot of people have hundreds to thousand CDs (I have almost 650) and would love to stop using the physical media but are afraid of losing SQ because they do not know how modern streaming works. Tp make things worse Snake Oil companies are making up non-existent issues with Streaming to up sell their exotic products. Once they are informed lots will start using streaming their own Ripped CDs and get rid off their CD player unless fo sentimental Nostalgic reasons

Afford to lose sound quality? AIFF/WAV has been around for 30+ years, they knew it was uncompressed and the reason why they didn't jump into those formats is because of limited storage. Its not for nostalgic reasons.

 

[Fazeshift]

Personally, I find 1 compelling reason to use USB instead of UPnP/DLNA over WiFi/Ethernet: Security.

USB devices are not inherently secure, however, the lack of being directly internet-routeable is a plus. Any DAC with the TCP/IP connectivity also inherits any security flaws of the underlying software stack. That would put it in the same category as a Wifi router, smart TV, or other IoT device - requiring continued software development to prevent malware. I buy my audio equipment to use long term, and the industry has shown us that we cannot depend on audio companies to release updated firmware beyond the first year or 2. I will take the antiquated simplicity of USB if that reduces the risk that my DAC won't eventually be part of a botnet, be bricked, or have firmware too old to be compatible with the latest music player software.

 

[radiogram]

Afford to lose sound quality? AIFF/WAV has been around for 30+ years, they knew it was uncompressed and the reason why they didn't jump into those formats is because of limited storage. Its not for nostalgic reasons.

My comment was based on my audio friends who told me that they were afraid of losing SQ by streaming vs Playing CD and also many audio forum posts. There is a section of people not converting because they are not properly informed. As far as storage it is so cheap today it cannot be an excuse.

 

[voodooless]

@amirm desperately need your intervention here as it appears you will comprehend my post and will clarify everyone and also educate me if I am wrong.

What? Why?

Those OS stacks you mention are already built into Windows/MAcOS/Android/IOS and all streamers that support DLNA/UPNP. There is nothing the consumer needs to do other than enabling them. Core Protocols like TCP/IP have been in use since 1970's.

Your totally missing the point here. Find me a $ 150 streamer with 110+ SINAD score? Basically not doable. Find me a bunch of USB DAC’s for that price with the same spec: easy.

A streamer and a DAC are simply not the same thing. They have different purposes, different use cases. You choose whatever suits you best.

 

[radiogram]

Personally, I find 1 compelling reason to use USB instead of UPnP/DLNA over WiFi/Ethernet: Security.

USB devices are not inherently secure, however, the lack of being directly internet-routeable is a plus. Any DAC with the TCP/IP connectivity also inherits any security flaws of the underlying software stack. That would put it in the same category as a Wifi router, smart TV, or other IoT device - requiring continued software development to prevent malware. I buy my audio equipment to use long term, and the industry has shown us that we cannot depend on audio companies to release updated firmware beyond the first year or 2.

Undersrtood. But how does using UPNP streaming of your local content within your local LAN compromise your security? Does it steal your personal info, credit card details, bank info, etc? If so where does it send to? If so, I would like to know because I have been using UPNP for 4 years now and I want to make sure I have not compromised my Privacy. Thanks

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I never said people using USB are dumb. Educate me why for the purpose of playing your Ripped lossless CDs or HiRes downloads stored on a PC, USB is better than DLNA/UPNP?

Because it is a direct connection and does not depend on the existence/status/bandwidth of a network. My setup supports both and I can easily switch from one to the other with one of my DACs but the others simply plug-in via USB. No need for an intermediary "streamer."
NAS file storage is another story because NAS' are typically very noisy.

 

[Rednaxela]

[…]

Possibly.

However that doesn’t address the line you quote.

My point is that your question seems to assume an interchangeability that may not exist.

Happy to be enlightened though. So, are there instances in which a PC is connected to a streamer using USB?

PC (Ripped CDs, Hires Downloads) ---- USB---Streamer

 

[Matias]

In my experience I moved back from a network renderer (ultraRendu) to a direct USB connection only because DLNA / JRiver could not play gapless when using convolution (room EQ FIR filters). I could live with finding the renderer on the network and the slight delay between playing, pausing and skipping songs, but gap between songs was making me crazy, and I don't think I should choose between convolution or gapless or switch software... So away the renderer went, back to a PC and USB as source to the DAC.

 

[NTK]

Hey people. Don't be fooled by the title of this thread. OP is not asking a question. He is making a statement. He is not looking for nor interested in answers.