Hey guys ,
I bought a new laptop this year after 16 years with my old one with XP. It is a Dell and like some other computer makers they use the mediocre Realtek chips not just as codec but also as output amp. They are not good. My old Dell computer from 2006 sounds much better. Then there is the problem of Dell's audio "enhancement" with MaxxAudio/waves that really is very bad and an absolute no-no for audiophiles. I have managed to get this off my computer at great cost, but that is another story.
The Realtek chip can't even go higher than 48kHz audio , so all the 96k or 192k files I have are for nothing. A stark warning for Dell buyers !! (Then for the linus folks , it seems linux converts everything to 44k ). Both are so outdated in a 2023 computer.
Obviously I'm thinking about an external DAC. Just straight 2 channel stereo , no enhancements , no 5.1 7.1 stuff. Next month I'll be visiting my home country where I have the DAC's from my SONY MD and DAT players through an Elektor USB to coax or optical circuit, but they only go 48kHz too and those are 1996-7 tech, they can handle 300 ohm HP's though. The MD player is light enough to bring with me but not the big but better DAT player.
I need an compact audioplayer too (DAP), since my low cost/low quality Cowon player died. So I'm thinking of something like a quality player like Astell&Kern SR25 II or 35 , that I can use as DAC too. But they are hard to buy in europe and freaking expensive.
https://www.astellnkern.com/product/product_detail.jsp?productNo=143
When browsing around for just USB DAC's there is a lot of choice , how to choose ? I want something better than the crappy Realtek and just buying blind from the internet might not be better.
Yes I've read the whole thread : https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/what-do-members-of-diyaudio-use-as-music-players.386298/
Didn't really find a good one. This is do-able : https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/hi-fi/dacmagic/dacmagic100
But it is only a DAC , I rather have a DAP with a useable quality DAC .
I bought a new laptop this year after 16 years with my old one with XP. It is a Dell and like some other computer makers they use the mediocre Realtek chips not just as codec but also as output amp. They are not good. My old Dell computer from 2006 sounds much better. Then there is the problem of Dell's audio "enhancement" with MaxxAudio/waves that really is very bad and an absolute no-no for audiophiles. I have managed to get this off my computer at great cost, but that is another story.
The Realtek chip can't even go higher than 48kHz audio , so all the 96k or 192k files I have are for nothing. A stark warning for Dell buyers !! (Then for the linus folks , it seems linux converts everything to 44k ). Both are so outdated in a 2023 computer.
Obviously I'm thinking about an external DAC. Just straight 2 channel stereo , no enhancements , no 5.1 7.1 stuff. Next month I'll be visiting my home country where I have the DAC's from my SONY MD and DAT players through an Elektor USB to coax or optical circuit, but they only go 48kHz too and those are 1996-7 tech, they can handle 300 ohm HP's though. The MD player is light enough to bring with me but not the big but better DAT player.
I need an compact audioplayer too (DAP), since my low cost/low quality Cowon player died. So I'm thinking of something like a quality player like Astell&Kern SR25 II or 35 , that I can use as DAC too. But they are hard to buy in europe and freaking expensive.
https://www.astellnkern.com/product/product_detail.jsp?productNo=143
When browsing around for just USB DAC's there is a lot of choice , how to choose ? I want something better than the crappy Realtek and just buying blind from the internet might not be better.
Yes I've read the whole thread : https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/what-do-members-of-diyaudio-use-as-music-players.386298/
Didn't really find a good one. This is do-able : https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/hi-fi/dacmagic/dacmagic100
But it is only a DAC , I rather have a DAP with a useable quality DAC .
If you just need a small inexpensive portable DAC better than your laptop headphone jack, a quality usb-c to TRRS jack headphone adapter will work fine. I use the Apple USB-C to 3.5 jack adapter (part number MU7E2ZM/A ). The built-in windows 11 driver does recognize it, and the audio quality is only marginally worse than my desktop DAC.
I guess it is a matter of taste but unless you want to spend a lot a USB DAC based on ESS chips is most likely the way to go.
So, good but cheap options are Hidizs or you could pay a lot more for the same in the Audioquest Dragonfly's.
If you want something with full size connectors (meaning not a 3.5mm or 4.4 mm output) then the price will jump but all you are
paying for is chassis and connectors. In order to be significantly better - meaning better power supply, then you are a couple of
price brackets up again.
You could build one yourself using Rasberry Pi units and get upgraded power supplies, filter boards and more.
You can apparently make something quite extraordinary this way, but I don't have any personal experience.
Best of luck..
So, good but cheap options are Hidizs or you could pay a lot more for the same in the Audioquest Dragonfly's.
If you want something with full size connectors (meaning not a 3.5mm or 4.4 mm output) then the price will jump but all you are
paying for is chassis and connectors. In order to be significantly better - meaning better power supply, then you are a couple of
price brackets up again.
You could build one yourself using Rasberry Pi units and get upgraded power supplies, filter boards and more.
You can apparently make something quite extraordinary this way, but I don't have any personal experience.
Best of luck..
Forgot - there is also the option of getting a M2tech USB to SPDif adapter. They can often be found used for cheap and offers quite good
output with low jitter.
Also, Hidizs as I mentioned above does make a player that quite close to the A&S players. So check them out. Believe they have a new years sale
closing today..
output with low jitter.
Also, Hidizs as I mentioned above does make a player that quite close to the A&S players. So check them out. Believe they have a new years sale
closing today..
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/328...zuCr7gjy&utparam-url=scene:search|query_from:
CM6631A digital interface USB conversion I2S SPDIF coaxial output 32Bit to 24Bit 192K sound card Decoder Audio DAC Board.
Best DAC I own for general use. Even has a headphone output. I agree about the sound output from Dell laptops. I tried using one in my test set up and they output so much noise/digital hash it was unusable. You may find even the above DAC does not sound great when used with it. I switched to a Microsoft Surface Pro which is brilliant, especially when running on just the battery.
CM6631A digital interface USB conversion I2S SPDIF coaxial output 32Bit to 24Bit 192K sound card Decoder Audio DAC Board.
Best DAC I own for general use. Even has a headphone output. I agree about the sound output from Dell laptops. I tried using one in my test set up and they output so much noise/digital hash it was unusable. You may find even the above DAC does not sound great when used with it. I switched to a Microsoft Surface Pro which is brilliant, especially when running on just the battery.
I've had good luck with Fiio DAPs, having owned the X3 and X7mkII in the past, and I currently have their M11 Plus Ltd. I see Fiio were mentioned at least once above, but I wanted to add that you can use one of their DAPs as a USB DAC for your computer, if you are so inclined. I suppose this would be true for most DAPs.
How about Cayin N3Pro tube dap?
https://en.cayin.cn/features/7/15/340.html
I still use the old N3 and happy using as a dac or dap or just as a Bluetooth aptx receiver.
https://en.cayin.cn/features/7/15/340.html
I still use the old N3 and happy using as a dac or dap or just as a Bluetooth aptx receiver.
The USB output from any PC/laptop is far from clean especially when the charger is connected. The DEL laptop being the worst I've seen. The noise consists of high frequency spikes which should get filtered by the DAC before the audio reaches the output.
I use the aliexpress DAC as part of the test set up in my workshop and for the most part it works fine but when connected to the DEL there was so much noise breaking through I could not make any measurements.
Agreed its a very cheap DAC but compared to using the laptop audio outputs it performs surprisingly well.
The reason for me suggestion the M2tech USB to SPdif is that, as far as I can recall, they are electrically isolated from the pc's USB plug.
Many, if not most of the better DAC's have galvanic isolators - ie 1:1 transformers in the signal line.
However, getting old so may be remembering incorrectly. You could find some way to use a Toslink optical connection but most optocouplers used in low to mid range gear are pretty shitty.
So, I would again recommend getting some adapter with galvanic isolation and then use an external DAC. Also if possible some kind of isolation from the polluted power coming from the wall.
So - did a quick search and could only find information on the oldest M2tech SPdif adapter and id did NOT have galvanic isolation. They DAC has it.
The newer version I could not find any info on. Sorry.. Mea Culpa.
Many, if not most of the better DAC's have galvanic isolators - ie 1:1 transformers in the signal line.
However, getting old so may be remembering incorrectly. You could find some way to use a Toslink optical connection but most optocouplers used in low to mid range gear are pretty shitty.
So, I would again recommend getting some adapter with galvanic isolation and then use an external DAC. Also if possible some kind of isolation from the polluted power coming from the wall.
So - did a quick search and could only find information on the oldest M2tech SPdif adapter and id did NOT have galvanic isolation. They DAC has it.
The newer version I could not find any info on. Sorry.. Mea Culpa.
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iFI does make a Micro iUSB 3.0 that does isolate the USB signal and adds it's own power to the USB signal.
Have not tried it so cannot give an opinion. Alternatively take a look at this article from Digikey about USB isolation.
http://www.digikey.se/en/articles/techniques-and-solutions-for-usb-power-and-data-isolation
Have not tried it so cannot give an opinion. Alternatively take a look at this article from Digikey about USB isolation.
http://www.digikey.se/en/articles/techniques-and-solutions-for-usb-power-and-data-isolation
You mean the 5V USB output of Dell computers has noise or the USB signal ?
A DAP always has its own battery , so no problem. DAC don't always have their own power source.
http://www.digikey.se/en/articles/techniques-and-solutions-for-usb-power-and-data-isolation
Link doesn't work for me , aarsoe.
Does Toslink optical connection support high res audio ? Like 96 or 192k , 24 bit ?
Link doesn't work for me , aarsoe.
Does Toslink optical connection support high res audio ? Like 96 or 192k , 24 bit ?