[linux-audio-user] External DAC for mastering use?

[Steve Harris]

On Thu, Mar 18, 2004 at 09:51:57 +0000, Daniel James wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I'm setting up a system to use for mastering stereo output with Jamin 
> (I have a lot to learn...)
> 
> Has anyone tried using a motherboard S/PDIF output with an external 
> DAC designed for hi-fi use, such as a Musical Fidelity unit?
> 
> I'm guessing that the analogue hardware would be much better than you 
> find on a typical PCI card, but the limitations would be that the 
> system would have no analogue input, and would probably be limited to 
> 44.1/16 bit, since these units were designed for CD players.

Yes, the analogue hardware should be much better, but you might want to
beware of bad spdif hardware. I've no idea if its a big problem, or even
how you'd tell, but it could make the performance of the DA worse than it
should be if the signal quality is poor.

A collegue of mine said a cheap USB->spdif box was making his DA sound
"odd", he replaced it with an maudio one and its better now, but I never
heard the bad one, so cant really comment. The most obvious thing I can
think of that might be different between them is the clock.

- Steve