[Frihed91]

I am wondering about the conversion from USB to SPDIF out to a DAC.  I have a PC without SPDIF and I am looking at one Dac that has SPDIF and one that has USB not SPDIF.  I like them both.

Given my existing PC (no SPDIF) what do YOU think the best option is SONICALLY.   If you have a product in mind, descrbe the basic function, its name, and say something about why you like the sound.

Thanks. This is a real revelation to me.  Before yesterday, I was 100% anti-PC as source.  Now I am positive. 

[Christof]

Without starting another thread I would like to add one additional question to Frihed91's post. 

Is it necessary to spend a heap of money to achieve this USB->SPDIF conversion?  Do all the USB->SPDIF converters do the same thing?  Do some just wear a high 'botique' price tag but perform the exact function as the less expensive models?  This is assuming, of coarse, that the DAC is seperate from the converter.

[brj]

Many people looking to use USB as the input on a DAC are hoping to avoid S/PDIF completely, instead hoping for a straight USB->I2S conversion.  (I2S is one of the more common DAC interfaces.)  The catch is that the USB inputs on many devices actually convert USB->S/PDIF->I2S, rather than USB->I2S.  In the first case, the USB input is effectively just an S/PDIF input with a different port type and yet another conversion.

Is the USB input on the DAC you are considering converting to S/PDIF first, or does it convert straight to I2S?

If straight to I2S, then I'd go that route, as it is likely to be the lower jitter option.  Of course, this statement assumes that the DACs themselves are otherwise equal every other way and that all of your other system issues are addressed to the point that you even need to worry about jitter!