Computer Audio Asylum

Toslink

216.177.161.207

In Reply to: RE: Good for it's price posted by cawson@onetel.com on February 27, 2008 at 02:56:06

I have a Mac Mini and used it's Toslink output directly into a Musical Fidelity X-Dac v3. I thought it sounded great. I then bought a Trends UD-10 thinking it would sound better fed by USB. But it didn't. In fact, I thought the Trends/X-Dac sounded nowhere near as good. So, I went back to the Toslink.

Then I got a Benchmark Dac1 USB and I compared both the Benchmark via USB versus the X-Dac via the Toslink.

It took me a month to decide that I preferred the Benchmark. I then tested the Benchmark fed by USB and then again with Toslink. I don't think I ever was able to determine a clear winner with this test. But I went back to USB anyway. I did use a very good quality short glass Toslink cable.

So, do you need a USB Dac with a Mac? I wouldn't say so. But really, the USB interface is a more optimal choice than the Toslink.

By the way, Gordon Rankin, has checked out the Toslink on the Mac and he said that the USB circuitry is what derives the Mac's Toslink output. The optical signal chip is feed by the USB output.

(Also, I don't think there is a battery powered, remote volume controlled USB Dac that converts USB to I2S.)

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