Computer Audio Asylum

Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

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M2Tech HiFace 192k usb

Posted by fmak on December 7, 2009 at 04:47:51:
I have just installed and listened to this with the 2L Greig Piano 192k downlaod. An hour ago, I listened to the same files on my minimal audio PC with rme 9362. DAC is the UA2192 thru a passive attenuator.
The HiFace is KS only, which is good as it avoids this businesee of asio and its buffer size setting. The RME is also configured to play thru KS. Foobar 9.6.5 is being used.
This little device installs impeccably. It is not subject to interference as I am using in on my Vaio desktop with tons of services and the works by way of firewall and antivirus. My audio PC has nothing and just 1.5 Gb of WinXPSP2! The Vaio also has a standard power supply. As I hear this music, I am on the web as well.
The impressive thing about the Hiface is that tempo and transparency are excellent (not as often with asio devices as one might think). Tonality is also very good. Imaging also. It is not as resolving as my RME system but very pleasant to listen to, with no hardshness or digital hash.
For e108, this device is better than the Musiland 01USD and much much better than the emu0404 and other 41/48 usb devices that I have heard. Marc, the vendor also answers every email (rare).
Technically, M2Tech says that the usb power bus is regulated and thus 'isolated'. The digital output looks fast with some ground bounce but jitter looks well controlled as the scope trace is very sharp. I can clearly hear the difference between a 50 Ohm coax coupler (to extend cable) and a 75 Ohm one.
There are already people trying to 'mod' it but I wouldn't bother as this sounds like an excellent plug and play unit about 3 in long only.
I shall try it on a laptop later.
Edit: 2 hrs later. I have heard more music and the HiFace is very good. It very slightly air brushes music on the side of being 'pleasant' but does not introduce nasties of its own. Most ideal for a working destop and allows the sound card to be dumped. I don't know if DVD software will play thru it yet.