[zoom25]

I remembered out of the blue that the BDP-1 can also output audio via one of the 4 USB connections, and finally figured out to check the 'Audio Devices' Tab in Manic Moose.

Back when I compared AES against SPDIF, I preferred AES. Now, between AES and USB, I'm giving it a listen.

Anyone else with BDP-1 using USB? Do you prefer AES or USB output? Do you disable all other outputs except for the one you are using?

[artur9]

I got my BDP-1 specifically to step away from USB.  All those USB cleaners were giving me a headache.

How does one disable all the other audio devices?

[zoom25]

Go to: http://bryston-bdp-1.local/bryston/

Click on 'Audio Devices' tab at the bottom of the page (third from the left). You'll have two ESI Juli variations. One's for SPDIF and other is for AES. You can select each of them by clicking enable/disable.

Also, this is included in the manual. You can search up 'Audio Devices' in the manual.

[gbaby]

I remembered out of the blue that the BDP-1 can also output audio via one of the 4 USB connections, and finally figured out to check the 'Audio Devices' Tab in Manic Moose.

Back when I compared AES against SPDIF, I preferred AES. Now, between AES and USB, I'm giving it a listen.

Anyone else with BDP-1 using USB? Do you prefer AES or USB output? Do you disable all other outputs except for the one you are using?

AES is hands down better sounding than USB. Remember, AES is a balanced digital output with a 6db gain whereas USB is regular digital.

[zoom25]

AES is hands down better sounding than USB. Remember, AES is a balanced digital output with a 6db gain whereas USB is regular digital.

Yup, that's the conclusion I also reached. Sticking with AES on the BDP-1.

[Krutsch]

Yup, that's the conclusion I also reached. Sticking with AES on the BDP-1.

+1  ... and I did a LOT of back-and-forth testing between USB into my USB-to-SPDIF converter and just AES out into the same DAC.

[CanadianMaestro]

+1  ... and I did a LOT of back-and-forth testing between USB into my USB-to-SPDIF converter and just AES out into the same DAC.

Sorry, I'm confused...why do an extra step in converting USB to SPDIF?

AES for me, too. Alternating with BNCx2 on BDA-1. Barely a difference, to my ears.

[Krutsch]

Sorry, I'm confused...why do an extra step in converting USB to SPDIF?

AES for me, too. Alternating with BNCx2 on BDA-1. Barely a difference, to my ears.

My DAC has an older USB input that is not asynchronous and it limited to 96k (or 48k, I can't remember).
My converter also provides 3 stages of galvanic isolation, if that matters. A great sounding pairing w/ my MacBook - Bel Canto REFLink and DAC.

Just to split hairs, along the zoom25 discussion in another thread about jitter, the REFLink has a jitter spec measured in femtoseconds. So, I played around with using USB out from the BDP-1 into the REFLink to see if there would be any difference in sound. I flipped back-and-forth on the DAC using both USB-to-SPDIF and AES at the same time from the BDP-1.

Hard to say, of course, as the difference was very subtle. Initially I really thought the REFLink provided a clearer sound, et al., but after a lot of back-and-forth, I decided it was expectation bias and that any difference was so subtle that it wasn't worth the extra step to the DAC.

[CanadianMaestro]

My DAC has an older USB input that is not asynchronous and it limited to 96k (or 48k, I can't remember).

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.