Kriton Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Hello gents, been lurking for a long time, but I come out of the shadows to ask a DAC question... I have been running a music server (XP Dell server) with a decent Asus soundcard via RCA minijack into my JM BBX, into tube amps...So the question is, how exactly would one implement a USB DAC with a computer? The one I am looking at says that it would come with "drivers" for Windows, so what does Windows see? If I am using a player, say VLC to play .flac files, what would it play *through*? If over USB, it obviously wouldn't be coming out the sound card? What am I missing? Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 It will show up as another sound card. You will be able to select it as the output device, and set its parameters, in the Windows Control Panel or in whatever player you choose, just like any other sound card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Interesting...ok, then how would say the spdif or optical work? Is that one of the options? Thanks for the reply... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Interesting...ok, then how would say the spdif or optical work? Is that one of the options? Thanks for the reply... Usually the usb is limited lower (less bit and/or hz) and the coaxial or optical outputs are more often better quality than the usb. I am using a nice Auzentech sound card using coaxial out to my processor's DAC right now on my home built music server, this sounds very good but I am thinking about trying out the MHDT Labs Havana external DAC. http://www.amazon.com/MHDT-Labs-Havana-Tube-DAC/dp/B004ZFPJ3Y'> http://www.amazon.com/MHDT-Labs-Havana-Tube-DAC/dp/B004ZFPJ3Y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Interesting...ok, then how would say the spdif or optical work? Is that one of the options? Thanks for the reply... They're all options in the Control Panel. From the Control Panel window, look for "Audio Devices", or "Sound Devices", or just "Sound" (the actual name varies with the version of Windows that you are using). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 OK, laststupid question - under what circumstances or implementation would a computer have an optical port or coax connector that wasn't an option on a sound card? And if this is the case, and wanted, say to direct the signal from my computer to the DAC via coax, then I would have the signal sent through the sound card (which assumably ports the signal to all ports on the sound card) and then I just hook up a 75 ohm cable to the coax and it is routed to the DAC - doesnt the sound card them wash the signal through whatever DAC the soundcard possesses and the outboard DAC does the same? I like the look of that tube DAC, but I have tubes in every aspect of the path right now, CD player is tube, BBX is tube, amps are tube - and my speakers have a tendency to roll off in the high notes anyways, so I am thinking more tubes in the path is not necessarily what I need! I have a friend who mentioned getting me a Shiit DAC for B-day, I am just trying to see if I can use it! Thanks for your time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 OK, laststupid question - under what circumstances or implementation would a computer have an optical port or coax connector that wasn't an option on a sound card? Some computer motherboards have built-in sound cards, and some of those have optical or coaxial S/PDIF outputs. Similarly, some plug-in sound cards have optical or coaxial S/PDIF outputs. And if this is the case, and wanted, say to direct the signal from my computer to the DAC via coax, then I would have the signal sent through the sound card (which assumably ports the signal to all ports on the sound card) and then I just hook up a 75 ohm cable to the coax and it is routed to the DAC - doesnt the sound card them wash the signal through whatever DAC the soundcard possesses and the outboard DAC does the same? I'm not sure that I understand your question, but the optical or coaxial signal is digital. You need a DAC to convert the signal to analog. That DAC will reside either on the motherboard sound card, or the plug-in sound card, or the external USB or S/PDIF sound card. I have a friend who mentioned getting me a Shiit DAC for B-day, I am just trying to see if I can use it! From what I can see on the Website, it should be fine. If your computer has an S/PDIF output, then you can save $100 by deleting the USB input on the BIFROST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 There are several options for optical/coaxial outputs, some computers already supply them if not you might be able to add them if your motherboard supports S/PDIF by using an add on card that connects to the motherboard. The other option is to use a sound card that has them, this is probably the easiest if your computer does not already have the outputs. Since the optical/coaxial outputs are digital they won't use the sound cards DAC and will use the DAC that they connect to, either an external DAC or a DAC inside your receiver/processor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Excellent! Thank you gents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Dump the soundcard and use the USB...........but make sure it can do 24 bit. The advantage of the USB over the soundcard is to simply stream the direct unadulterated NATIVE musical data to the DAC with absolutely no processing by souncard DSP software, or Windows Kernel software. When you get the PC settings right so that this occurs............there is really nothing that could be better because your DAC is operating on an untouched digital file, which is what you want. I have a very nice ASUS soundcard that does up to 24/192............and I tried every type of output it was capable of. Nothing beat turning the sound card off and going USB direct to my Benchmark DAC. For a Benchmark DAC there are no drivers to install..............you plug in the standard USB cable, the PC recognizes the DAC, and off you go. You need to make sure there is no other software running in between which depending on your operating system is just a few clicks. I was able to funnel my video from the PC out the HDMI port to my HDTV and the audio goes out the USB. So I get all PC video on the big screen and the audio out my sound system. This is nice for streaming concerts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 The advantage of the USB over the soundcard is to simply stream the direct unadulterated NATIVE musical data to the DAC with absolutely no processing by souncard DSP software, or Windows Kernel software. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily true. It is possible with ASIO or WASAPI, but it does not happen automatically -- you have to set everything up correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 OK, laststupid question - under what circumstances or implementation would a computer have an optical port or coax connector that wasn't an option on a sound card? Around 2005 or so, windows media servers were sold with a media center edition of xp. the motherboards on these things had an onboard dac as well as optical and coax Digital output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 The advantage of the USB over the soundcard is to simply stream the direct unadulterated NATIVE musical data to the DAC with absolutely no processing by souncard DSP software, or Windows Kernel software. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily true. It is possible with ASIO or WASAPI, but it does not happen automatically -- you have to set everything up correctly. Ok, do any of you know some resource that explains how to do this? Set it up right, that is? Thanks for the replies, this is awesome...I am getting excited about the DAC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Best to search the Web for "bit-perfect audio". The PC was not originally designed to be an audio platform, so getting it to handle audio properly can be quite a challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 Wow -who wouold have thought it could be so complicated - I like it! Thanks a lod, I had read about clock matching problems, deficiencies of USB, firewire, and things like that long time, ago, but as I never thought I would have a dedicated music server, it never sank in - SO what is the easiest to configure, ASIO and or WASAPI compliant/capable .flac player out there? How about a .flac to .aac converter program that doesnt take a thousand hours to convert a series of .flac file? I have FooBar, but it is just ugly and rather difficult to just get the music to PLAY (song lists etc.) - I ahve been using VLC but it doesnt support either WASAPI or ASIO apparently? Thanks for the input (or output as the pun may be)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 SO what is the easiest to configure, ASIO and or WASAPI compliant/capable .flac player out there? How about a .flac to .aac converter program that doesnt take a thousand hours to convert a series of .flac file? I have FooBar, but it is just ugly and rather difficult to just get the music to PLAY (song lists etc.) - I ahve been using VLC but it doesnt support either WASAPI or ASIO apparently? Those are two separate issues. WASAPI and ASIO support are dependent upon drivers written by the sound card manufacturers to interface their hardware to the operating system. The player just sends the audio to whatever output port you direct it to, be it ASIO, WASAPI, DirectSound, etc. I can't help you with players. I write my own ASIO software. I have no experience writing for WASAPI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 We may be talking about 2 different things. I don't even have a sound card operational in my PC. There are no drivers or other software associated with the BenchMark DAC-1 USB. You plug in the USB cable and the device is recognized. There is nothing more. Then.........on the BenchMark website they go through what couple of little tweaks need to be done in the various Windows operating systems to assure there is no Kernel or other software processing going on..........and that you are streaming direct music data files to the DAC with no other processing. It is simple to do this, and it sounds a lot better to me than when I was using my soundcard.......which I tried every which way it was capable of being used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Benchmark says that the DAC-1 USB installs as a native plug and play device, requiring no drivers. Exactly what that entails I do not know, but if it means bit-perfect audio, more power to them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share Posted August 1, 2011 Interesting, ok...in the research that I have been able to do, I think it is both...the USB DAC plugs into the computer and it is read as another sound device, but you then will need to go in and in the control panel, choose that device over your native soundcard, or on board sound, and then indicate which bit-perfect codec you want to use, or wich ever is supported by the device, in order to assure kernel bypass...does this sound right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Almost...........you go into the control panel and turn off a few things and select the BenchMark as the primary device, but you never select any codec, data format, or anything like that. It is all automatic. The Benchmark manual and website indicate you will get bit-perfect audio. Their website details the keystrokes for the different windows operating systems. It is very easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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