Toslink / Coax in, USB out?

[sjeesjie]

I have two beautiful pieces of hardware here with a DAC in it. Problem is that the DAC is USB only. Is there anything on the market that would turn for example toslink into USB? I was thinking maybe the Auralic Mini but that seems to have disappeared from the Earth's soil...

I was reading that Schitt might be coming with a CD player that has USB out, so that brought this idea to my attention again...

 

[RayDunzl]

Is there anything on the market that would turn for example toslink into USB?

I will guess "no".

 

[ElNino]

If you're looking to do this without an intervening device, like a computer or a Raspberry Pi, there isn't anything.

If you want an intervening device, the MiniDSP USBstreamer is a good choice for getting a Toslink In. Keep in mind that if your USB DAC operates in asynchronous mode, resampling is inevitable to handle clock drift, because the Toslink clock is different than the DAC's clock, even if you set them to identical nominal sample rates.

 

[elberoth]

Auralic Mini has TosLink output, not input. It will not convert TosLink to USB.

 

[VeerK]

RME Digiface USB

 

[Veri]

RME Digiface USB

Capturing digital signals to USB, yes, but interfacing directly with an USB DAC, this won't do it. In fact I don't think any such thing exist.
@sjeesjie I don't think it's possible.

 

[sjeesjie]

I can imagine there would be some kind of delay, as there needs to be some processing to be done. Schitt can do it with their to-be-introduced cd player, I hope they might bring their insights into something that does toslink/coax to usb.

 

[Veri]

I can imagine there would be some kind of delay, as there needs to be some processing to be done. Schitt can do it with their to-be-introduced cd player, I hope they might bring their insights into something that does toslink/coax to usb.

Total conjecture that a CD player could do this... imo, there's no way :/

 

[Jimbob54]

I have two beautiful pieces of hardware here with a DAC in it. Problem is that the DAC is USB only. Is there anything on the market that would turn for example toslink into USB? I was thinking maybe the Auralic Mini but that seems to have disappeared from the Earth's soil...

I was reading that Schitt might be coming with a CD player that has USB out, so that brought this idea to my attention again...

Other than a USB only DAC, what equipment do you have with a DAC in it that is USB only?

 

[sjeesjie]

Other than a USB only DAC, what equipment do you have with a DAC in it that is USB only?

I have an integrated amplifier with a usb dac only, and a CD player. The CD player has a nice dac + tube setup.

 

[Chrispy]

I have an integrated amplifier with a usb dac only, and a CD player. The CD player has a nice dac + tube setup.

Curious, what integrated amp only has a usb input?

 

[sjeesjie]

Curious, what integrated amp only has a usb input?

I have the Moonriver Audio Model 404. But there are more, like Roksan Blak.

 

[Jimbob54]

I have the Moonriver Audio Model 404. But there are more, like Roksan Blak.

OK- silly idea maybe but have you got an old smartphone? Use that into the USB, either buy a long enough USB cable or an app that you could use to control a partner app on the connected phone?

I think Bubble UPNP might work.

 

[Chrispy]

I have the Moonriver Audio Model 404. But there are more, like Roksan Blak.

Thanks, never heard of either.

 

[gvl]

resampling is inevitable to handle clock drift, because the Toslink clock is different than the DAC's clock, even if you set them to identical nominal sample rates.

Given a large enough intermediate buffer you can get by without resampling for non mission-critical purposes given the clocks are not pathologically different. Yes it will over/underrun eventually but it may take a while if ever as you typically don't play a non-stop stream for hours. Not a pro-grade solution but for home use who cares if there is a glitch every now and then.

 

[gvl]

I have two beautiful pieces of hardware here with a DAC in it. Problem is that the DAC is USB only. Is there anything on the market that would turn for example toslink into USB? I was thinking maybe the Auralic Mini but that seems to have disappeared from the Earth's soil...

I was reading that Schitt might be coming with a CD player that has USB out, so that brought this idea to my attention again...

As others indicated you need a computer in the chain. If you're willing to drop $300-400 on it you can build a headless conversion based on HQPlayer:

SPDIF source --toslink--> MiniDSP USBStreamer --usb--> Mini PC running HQ Player Embedded --usb--> DAC

Or if you don't mind a monitor and have a computer you can dedicate to it then run JRiver on it instead of a Mini PC with HQP.

SPDIF source --toslink--> MiniDSP USBStreamer --usb--> PC/JRiver --usb--> DAC

 

[ElNino]

Given a large enough intermediate buffer you can get by without resampling for non mission-critical purposes given the clocks are not pathologically different. Yes it will over/underrun eventually but it may take a while if ever as you typically don't play a non-stop stream for hours. Not a pro-grade solution but for home use who cares if there is a glitch every now and then.

This actually doesn't work for real-world clock differences. Large buffers don't solve the problem (without resampling). This is a common mistaken assumption by people who aren't familiar with realtime programming.

Consider an example. Suppose the output DAC's clock is 1% faster than the S/PDIF input and running asynchronously. Assume a two second buffer. The user starts playback, the buffer fills, two seconds later playback starts. In just over three minutes you get the first "glitch" as the buffer runs dry. But it's not just a "glitch" in the typical sense. The buffer is dry so the glitch has to last two seconds until the buffer is refilled. The user gets two seconds of silence, then playback starts again, then three minutes later there's another two second glitch, on and on.

If the clocks are less divergent, the glitch happens less often of course, but having buffers doesn't solve the underlying problem. At 0.1% differences and a two second buffer, the user has to put up with two seconds of silence every half hour, which is still too annoying for most people.

 

[gvl]

IMO, given typical XO tolerances, even a 0.1% difference is a pathological case. And when the buffer does run dry it doesn't have to be silence, you can rewind it and play it again .

 

[Berwhale]

I have an integrated amplifier with a usb dac only, and a CD player. The CD player has a nice dac + tube setup.

If the CD player has a 'nice dac + tube setup' then surely this must have an analogue (line) output?

 

[sjeesjie]

If the CD player has a 'nice dac + tube setup' then surely this must have an analogue (line) output?

True, and it would be wild to connect a streamer to it. Or a tv.