The Best USB or Firewire to SPDIF or AES/EBU converters

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
1,425
1,820
Manila, Philippines
Nomination Time!

Categories are Bang for the Buck and Cost No Object

Ummm. I have no nominations. I'm looking for recommendations (Bang for the Buck) actually :eek:
 

garylkoh

WBF Technical Expert (Speakers & Audio Equipment)
Sep 6, 2010
5,599
225
1,190
Seattle, WA
www.genesisloudspeakers.com
I didn't like the sound of the original HiFace, but the $500 HiFace EVO is as good as the $2000 Weiss INT202. However, the INT202 has a remote volume control.

But bang for buck (for me anyway) goes to the Turtle Beach Advantage Micro II - $25.

The biggest difference between all these interfaces is jitter. Next, galvanic isolation. So, which you choose will be extremely DAC dependent.
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
1,425
1,820
Manila, Philippines
Hi Ben,

Currently, all my files are either 320 MP3 or AAC. Almost 8,000 songs half ripped, half bought starting in 2000. The music is just for background music. My wife and I entertain a lot. So I'm actually not on the Hi-Rez bandwagon yet. I'm still waiting to see how things shape up so I don't want to spend a lot of money on what is really a lossy library. I don't know what sampling rate the industry will top out at. My Emm can only take up to 24/96 but it looks like there's a chance of 192 or higher. Serious "me time" listening is about 85% LP and 14% CD and 1% SACD. I have a tiny SACD library at probably less than a hundred titles. Thanks for the suggestion though! I've always been an early adopter but I'm trying to take it slow this time. I got burned by the SACD thing I guess. It's not that there weren't many titles out there, just not all too many I liked enough. Ouch.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
15,813
37
0
Seattle, WA

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,308
1,425
1,820
Manila, Philippines
Any news on what's inside the Sonicweld 192? Looks like a lot of dough just for the admittedly cool looking exterior. Price is in the range of the Alpha.
 

Emre Üçöz

Well-Known Member
Aug 1, 2011
161
1
925
Istanbul
how about Soulution 590 usb converter?
 

Phelonious Ponk

New Member
Jun 30, 2010
8,677
23
0
I use the Trends that's near the bottom of Vincent's list. It has bit-rate limitations that won't mean much if, like me, you don't do hi-res. Runs on USB or battery power. It sounds terrific, by which I mean it has no sonic signature that I can hear.

It isolates, re-clocks, converts USB to optical, coax or AES/EBU and costs less than $200. It even has a 16/44.1 DAC built in. I don't use it, but there it is.

Tim
 

asiufy

Industry Expert/VIP Donor
Jul 8, 2011
3,711
723
1,200
San Diego, CA
almaaudio.com
I have a Musical Fidelity V-Link 192, and I believe it's quite a good deal at $399...
I've put it up against the DCS Puccini U-Clock, both plugged via SPDIF on the DCS Paganini DAC, and while the differences are there, they're not really all that noticeable, specially if you consider the U-Clock costs $5k.
So, good deal on this one...

alexandre
 

Brucemck2

Member Sponsor
May 10, 2010
426
102
1,598
Houston area

flez007

Member Sponsor
Aug 31, 2010
2,915
36
435
Mexico City
I think that the best bang for the buck that will go up to 24/192 is the April Music Stello U3. I had the original Signature DAC, and that was probably the best USB DAC I tried 3 years ago.

I have this one! - works fine for me!
 

Audioseduction

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2010
178
8
925
FLORIDA
Cost No Object Categories I say Wavelength WaveLink HS 24/192 USB to SPDIF Converter.
 

adamaley

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2016
581
541
228
Minnetonka, MN
On the high-end of the spectrum, a Mutec MC3+ USB. On the lower end, a Schiit Eitr, or the newly introduced Sonore UltraDigital.
 

Empirical Audio

Industry Expert
Oct 12, 2017
1,169
207
150
Great Pacific Northwest
www.empiricalaudio.com
In shootouts, the Berkeley has won in the past. My Off-Ramp6 is in the same league, but it only does I2S output right now.

Off-Ramp 5 has S/DIF and AES/EBU as well as I2S outputs.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 

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