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Is this usb/DAC chip worthwhile for use on the usb ouput port of a PC-based (linux) music server ?Here are a few DACs that use it.
Fubar II DAC
Silverstone EB01 ( see pics of this DAC below)
I know the biggest problems are the terrible power supply from the usb port. If that can be modded (separate PS), I'm still interested in how good this BB chip is.
Follow Ups:
The '02 has PLL and timing issues leading to jitter and 100Hz clock interference. The '04 (and '05,'06,'07) is a much improved version. Most of the issues were solved with their SPACT PLL technology. I'm suprised anyone still uses the original generation, given the known problems with it.The USB power supply is not as bad as most folks make it out to be ("knowledge" passed on by all sorts of people who don't have a clue). It's just a matter of cleaning it up before you use it. A separate supply isn't going to be any better, you still have to clean it up too. Look at it this way, everything pretty much gets plugged into the same AC outlet. A laptop has the advantage of running from batteries. A good designer will recognize the noise and crap on the USB power line and deal with it appropriately. It takes special filtering and subsequent regulation. Eventually, a proper design will end up with a clean, low impedance output that's every bit as good as an external one (which has pretty much all the same issues).
There is no argument that a clean supply will result in the best sonics. The issues is how to get there. Do you start with a noisy 5Vdc input, or a noisy 120Vac input? Does anyone here really think a wall-wart is the ultimate solution?
Thanks Jim.I crossed the product with that chip off my list.
Does your usb-S/PDIF converter include this filtering and regulation to provide a clean signal to the DAC ?
Yes, of course it does. But it's not an all-out effort. I could have thrown a LOT more money at it. I chose the simplest topology that would do the job. A lot of the beauty is in the layout itself.
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