Sneak Preview: Scott Nixon USBTD. . .

mshan · « **Reply #20 on:** 6 Mar 2006, 05:00 am »

I currently own a Chibi Saru with 3XDC psu.

Any idea how the USB Tube DAC will sound relative to my current reference?

boead · « **Reply #21 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 01:00 pm »

Quote from: Hantra

All:

The coolest thing about it, aside from the improvement, was the way it installed. I plugged the USBTD into my PC, and sat down. I launched Foobar, and went to Prefer ...

Does it replace your windows sound device?

In other words, does it play all the Windows sounds, including games and multimedia?
It should.

Under Start > Control Panel> Sound and Audio Devices > Audio tab, under Sound Playback, how is it listed?

Thanks!

BTW: There is a plugin for iTunes that allows foobar to be the playback engine which uses its own ASIO.

Hantra · « **Reply #22 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 02:58 pm »

Quote from: boead

Does it replace your windows sound device?

In other words, does it play all the Windows sounds, including games and multimedia?
It should.

Under Start > Control Panel> Sound and Audio Devices > Audio tab, under Sound Playback, how is it listed?

You CAN use it for playing your Windows sounds, but I don't. Not sure I want to be listening to a live show at 75 on my preamp, and have a Windows DIIIIIIIINGGGG!!!! come through at 125dB and fry my ears and tweeters.

It's listed as a USB Audio Device I think.

boead · « **Reply #23 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 03:55 pm »

Quote from: Hantra

Quote from: boead
Does it replace your windows sound device?

In other words, does it play all the Windows sounds, including games and multimedia?
It should.

Under Start > Control Panel> Sound and Audio Devices > Audio tab, under Sound Playback, how is it listed?

You CAN use it for playing your Windows sounds, but I don't. Not sure I want to be listening to a live show at 75 on my preamp, and have a Windows DIIIIIIIINGGGG!!!! come through at 125dB and fry my ears and tweeters.

It's listed as a USB Audio Device I think.

Hehehe, well you can turn off any of the specific Windows sounds you want. I usually turn off most so I don’t hear the bings and bongs. You can also substitute the associated sounds with others of lower gain so the sounds are ‘softer.’

boead · « **Reply #24 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 04:13 pm »

The important question is how to handle the data between the computer and the converter.

As I understand it USB, Firewire, AES/EBU(?) transfer digital data much like a hard drive, in packets or groups and this digital signal needs to be converted into SPDIF so it can be clocked and feed into a DAC.

This leads me to believe that it something like jitter as a component that degrades data is a non issue and that in all reality, the data fro the computer to the device that converts to SPDIF is irreverent to Audiophile integrity. I assume this is why devices like a squeezebox can transfer data via RJ45 or wireless and still be HiFi!

On the flip side, sending a digital SPDIF signal through a LONG wire can degrade sound where something like jitter is a issue. This apparently holds true with both optical AND coaxial.

However, since USB needs to care some voltage to communicate with the hardware chips that are talking to each other, long runs can be problematic. Someone told me they use a 18 foot USB with a Scott Nixon TubeDAC+ with NO apparent problems.

It leads me to believe it would be better to deliver a USB signal to an all-in-one device (like a USB DAC) then it would be to send out a 75ohm signal over lets say 25 or 50 feet of wire to a traditional DAC.

Am I on the right track?

chadh · « **Reply #25 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 04:53 pm »

That conclusion seems to mesh pretty well with what is widely believed. The optimal coaxial digital cable length is a debated issue, but I doubt anyone would advocate using a 25' run. On the other hand, relatively long runs of USB cable don't seem to be a problem.

One comment, though, about USB DACs. It is not necessarily the case that a USB DAC takes the USB signal and converts it to SPDIF. This, unfortunately, is a common approach as one could take a standard SPDIF-input DAC, append some sort of USB-to-SPDIF conversion on the front, and have a USB DAC.

Other USB DACs, however, utilise a chip that converts the USB signals directly into I2S. This sort of conversion is supposedly superior, as it avoids all of the evils of SPDIF. The advantages are apparently limited by some other technical issue though (I think there are different types of USB transfer, and one is superior to the other but is essentially never implemented for audio purposes). JonL has some more informative posts on this issue, either here on AC or in the PC audio forum on Head-Fi.

Chad

chadh · « **Reply #26 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 04:54 pm »

By the way, the new Scott Nixon USB Tube DAC is one of those DACs that converts the USB signal directly to I2S (so is the USB Chibi Saru, or whatever it's called).

Chad

mcgsxr · « **Reply #27 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 05:27 pm »

I know that the DIP Superdrive was optimized for long runs of digital cable..., so that might assist with the situation.

boead · « **Reply #28 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 06:15 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr

I know that the DIP Superdrive was optimized for long runs of digital cable..., so that might assist with the situation.

DIP Superdrive?

Hantra · « **Reply #29 on:** 6 Apr 2006, 06:49 pm »

All I can tell you is that I was running my TubeDAC+ with a 3M HDXV and as fantastic as it was, the USB takes the noise floor to the level I hear from other $8,000 DAC's in my system. The soundstage widens, I hear more detail, and things sound more like music.

I personally am not as interested in the science as I am the sound. There are many ways to get to the same place, and if I can get there for $500 versus $8000, I'm on board.

L8r,

B

audioengr · « **Reply #30 on:** 9 Apr 2006, 04:39 pm »

Quote from: chadh

That conclusion seems to mesh pretty well with what is widely believed. The optimal coaxial digital cable length is a debated issue, but I doubt anyone would advocate using a 25' run. On the other hand, relatively long runs of USB cable don't seem to be a problem.

One comment, though, about USB DACs. It is not necessarily the case that a USB DAC takes the USB signal and converts it to SPDIF. This, unfortunately, is a common approach as one could take a standard SPDIF-input DAC, append some sort of US ...

This white-paper might be helpful to understand why computer-driven audio is a superior source:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue22/nugent.htm

nicksgem10s · « **Reply #31 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 03:07 pm »

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has any updates regarding this dac. I am looking at hard drive playback options again and this looks very interesting to me. Is anyone using this with a Mac?

Hantra · « **Reply #32 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 03:42 pm »

Quote from: nicksgem10s on 22 Jan 2007, 03:07 pm

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has any updates regarding this dac. I am looking at hard drive playback options again and this looks very interesting to me. Is anyone using this with a Mac?

In fact there is quite an update. Since this thread started, there's a new generation USBTD from Scott. It makes the other one obsolete. The soundstage explodes and the new one has much more control and drive. I'm enjoying it every day.

I think some have tried it with a Mac but I haven't.

nicksgem10s · « **Reply #33 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 04:36 pm »

Are the pics in your gallery the new generation dac you are mentioning or is that a different previous version?

Is there anyway to find out more details. The website is kind of confusing to me. I guess I am looking for more specifics, photos, and pricing.

I did send Scott an email last night and hope to hear back soon.

Do you connect your computer USB to this dac directly or does it have to run to another device like the Empirical Audio Off Ramp or something similar?

I am hoping to find a viable solution to hard drive playback without spending an arm and a leg and having it outperform or equal my modified cd player.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

Hantra · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 05:23 pm »

The pics in my gallery are of my first gen TubeDAC.

There's not anything on the site about the new one, and Scott is pretty busy with new product, but give him a call. E-mail is not a quick way to get in touch with him. If you can't find his number, PM me and I'll shoot it over to you.

It plugs in USB and doesn't need any other device in between to work marvelously.

B

texendo · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 06:09 pm »

Quote from: nicksgem10s on 22 Jan 2007, 03:07 pm

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has any updates regarding this dac. I am looking at hard drive playback options again and this looks very interesting to me. Is anyone using this with a Mac?

I've been using the latet version (Dec '06) on both my new MacBook and much older iMac desktop with no problems whatsoever. This is easily my favorite (and cheapest) digital front-end to date.

brj · « **Reply #36 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 06:31 pm »

Was it the DAC itself that was updated, the USB interface, or both?

Thanks!

Hantra · « **Reply #37 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 09:51 pm »

Quote from: brj on 22 Jan 2007, 06:31 pm

Was it the DAC itself that was updated, the USB interface, or both?

Thanks!

I don't know the answer to that. I just know the sonic differences really.

windwaves · « **Reply #38 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 09:59 pm »

Quote from: nicksgem10s on 22 Jan 2007, 03:07 pm

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has any updates regarding this dac. I am looking at hard drive playback options again and this looks very interesting to me. Is anyone using this with a Mac?

I have used it with my Mac and it was great, really really great. I sold it because I had just started exploring a bit dac gear for my Mac-headphones set-up and wanted to try a few more. I then purchased both a Lavry and a Benchmark and in my humble opinion the usbdac was musically way superior (yet half the price).

Note that I could not use the USB ports on my apple monitor, way too noisy, but the USB ports in the back worked w/o a glitch.

I hope this helps.

windwaves · « **Reply #39 on:** 22 Jan 2007, 10:05 pm »

For completeness let me add that I have not yet purchased it again because I had some issues with its form factor.

It is not only really small but also very light, so a bit too "mobile" on my desk and this actually annoyed me (especially with a somewhat rigid cable !!! I was trying a cable from Zu and it was a problem).

Scott was supposedly going to update it with a different, heavier, case I believe. Oh well, apparently there might be more than a new case, I have not checked in a while. But I certainly will.