USB music data in, USB out to DAC

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Mike B.

USB music data in, USB out to DAC
« on: 17 Sep 2019, 05:08 pm »
I have my music stored on a Fathom USB drive going into a dedicated Intel I7 NUC. Signal comes out of NUC to DAC via USB. I recently saw a thread here where that was not advised by a poster. Why is this a problem if at all?

mcgsxr

Re: USB music data in, USB out to DAC
« Reply #1 on: 17 Sep 2019, 07:51 pm »
I'll be interested in the theory.

I hang a 5TB drive off my dedicated netbook - though the music is then fed ethernet to a player and then via optical to the DAC.

Mike B.

Re: USB music data in, USB out to DAC
« Reply #2 on: 17 Sep 2019, 08:31 pm »
I tied to locate the thread about it with no success. I think it was Steve N. who stated it.

Vincent Kars

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Re: USB music data in, USB out to DAC
« Reply #3 on: 30 Sep 2019, 01:23 pm »
It reminds me a bit of discussions on https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/etv.mpl?forum=pcaudio in the period 2010-2015.
Some even suggested one should use different protocols e.g. USB for data and  firewire for audio.
All of this to improve the sound quality.

If you want to experiment a little, you might try having the data and the DAC on different hubs.
Or even better, the DAC as the single user of a hub.
http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Windows/Win7/USBDAC.htm

If you do have a DAC with sufficient isolation at the USB receiver, I don’t expect any difference.
However, some USB ports might be more prone to CRC errors, in that specific case, changing ports might help.
http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/USB_Trouble.htm

Mike B.

Re: USB music data in, USB out to DAC
« Reply #4 on: 30 Sep 2019, 05:52 pm »
If I remember correctly, the person was recommending putting the data drives on a network and accessing them by ethernet. I tied it and didn't find any sonic performance difference. It did mess with my remote control of Jriver using a tablet.