Bel Canto USB Converter

I wonder if it would work with the BelCanto DAC1 and DAC2? They are great little DACs and widely available S/H

quote:

Originally posted by Skip:
I wonder if it would work with the BelCanto DAC1 and DAC2? They are great little DACs and widely available S/H

The BelCanto USB link will work with any DAC (BelCanto or others) which accepts a SPDIF input - either via BNC or Phono just need correct cable or adaptor.

Eloise

There is a decent review on Stereophile I believe. I was looking at them a few months ago. Very classy solution indeed. BNC conversion seems a bonus for sure.

Draw backs were:
- No ASIO
- Not 192/24 compatible
- Sound wise seems equivalent to M-audio transit at fraction of the price (from review)
- No DTS/DD bypass

....but I am still tempted!

If this sort of usb link really transforms the bits coming from a computer it would be nice to see Naim offering one!

quote:

f this sort of usb link really transforms the bits coming from a computer it would be nice to see Naim offering one!

I thought Naim's position on USB was pretty clear?

Jim

There is another similar device from Lindemann Audio in Germany. About €250 IIRC. Or the M-Audio is £50 or so (about 1/10th of the BelCanto one)

Eloise

quote:

Originally posted by Exiled Highlander:

quote:

f this sort of usb link really transforms the bits coming from a computer it would be nice to see Naim offering one!

I thought Naim's position on USB was pretty clear?

Jim

But they recommend a USB device from M-audio...

Isn't Naim able to give a better alternative for streaming from a computer (based on USB, firewire, ethernet or whatever)?

I have the m-audio, it works well. It is funny that how now that Naim has issued a quasi-endorsement of it, people are seeming to give it some respect.

I was wondering if the conversion to BNC could be beneficial or if it is simply the same. I wouldn't lose sleep over the exclusion of ASIO. I have never heard a difference with or without it. In fact it prevents my Foobar from being able to switch between redbook and hires on the fly without changing any other settings.

-p

-Patrick

quote:

Originally posted by goldfinch:

Isn't Naim able to give a better alternative for streaming from a computer (based on USB, firewire, ethernet or whatever)?

Maybe this is an indication that it doesn't matter/factor what is used to convert from USB.

quote:

Originally posted by pcstockton:
Converts to BNC which is unique.

Not really unique. Bit cheaper than $495 as well

Please note this is not an endorsement, or a for sale ad, as I have no experience of these products. Just that they do USB to BNC.

HTH

John

Fixie,

I apologize for sloppy language. I should have said "unusual", which it is.

-patrick

Patrick,

No probs,

John

Just using a BNC connector rather than a phono connector isn't going to fundamentally change the device unless consideration is made internally. The Musliand Monitor 01USD (one of the two eBay items mentioned) has the potential problem that it requires drivers - which currently are not available for MacOS - and may not be supported in the future, where as most USB devices use a generic driver found in Windows since XP and MACOS since at least 10.2. The driver issue doesn't make this device bad - it's just something to be aware of (I can't remember if the M-Audio Transit needs drivers?).

I think (IIRC in the white paper) using an interface from a computer Naim are promoting the use of optical so it is fully isolated electrically. You could do similar with a transformer onto BNC/Phono but a lot of devices aren't correctly isolated.

Eloise

Just took a look. Seems to upsample everything to 24/96 which means it won't output bit perfect at anything other than that rate and certainly not do it symetrically on 16/44. 16/48 could work better but who uses that for music and for many here it would still mean upsampling in the DAC besides it also happening here. Might be a bit much. None of this means it sounds bad but if I've chosen a DAC I like, I did so for a reason and would try to get it the most unadulterated signal possible.

JS,

thanks for translating things for us. Sounds like I will happily stick with my Transit.

-patrick

quote:

Originally posted by js:
Just took a look. Seems to upsample everything to 24/96 which means it won't output bit perfect at anything other than that rate and certainly not do it symetrically on 16/44. 16/48 could work better but who uses that for music and for many here it would still mean upsampling in the DAC besides it also happening here. Might be a bit much. None of this means it sounds bad but if I've chosen a DAC I like, I did so for a reason and would try to get it the most unadulterated signal possible.

If you're talking about the Bel Canto, then I think you're wrong. AFAIK the Bel Canto USB Link will pass 16 and 24/44.1 and 48K plus 24/88.2 and 24/96.

Eloise

quote:

Originally posted by Eloise:

quote:

Originally posted by js:
Just took a look. Seems to upsample everything to 24/96 which means it won't output bit perfect at anything other than that rate and certainly not do it symetrically on 16/44. 16/48 could work better but who uses that for music and for many here it would still mean upsampling in the DAC besides it also happening here. Might be a bit much. None of this means it sounds bad but if I've chosen a DAC I like, I did so for a reason and would try to get it the most unadulterated signal possible.

If you're talking about the Bel Canto, then I think you're wrong. AFAIK the Bel Canto USB Link will pass 16 and 24/44.1 and 48K plus 24/88.2 and 24/96.

Eloise

I think your correct. A review I read was misleading. Guy probably had his mixer set up to output 24/96. My apologies to the board. Actually seems like a nice piece if a bit costly for something that can't go ASIO.

quote:

[/QUOTE]
If you're talking about the Bel Canto, then I think you're wrong. AFAIK the Bel Canto USB Link will pass 16 and 24/44.1 and 48K plus 24/88.2 and 24/96.

Eloise

Would I be correct saying though, due to the lack of ASIO drivers, when used with windows, everything will get re-sampled to 48k?

Occean,

No you would not be correct.

Firstly, in Vista/7 there is no need for ASIO. Audio is handled differently, as there is no Kernal Mixer. ASIO is only used on XP machines.

Secondly, it has never been proven that the K-mixer is not bit perfect, There are cases in which it isn't, such as playing two simultaneous streams of audio, but they are rare.

I personally cannot hear a difference between Direct Sound and ASIO output. I just cant. I currently use ASIO anyway. While I cant hear a difference it has never been said that ASIO is worse, so I use it for fun... it cant hurt.

In a year or two when XP is as obsolete as Windows 98 this wont even be talked about.

i think......
Patrick

quote:

Originally posted by js:
Actually seems like a nice piece if a bit costly for something that can't go ASIO.

I agree. Unless it bests the Transit by leaps and bounds (which I doubt).

I reason I even started the thread is because with the new Naim DAC these devices are going to be discussed a lot. Given the bat ears of those around here, I am imagining much talk about how some sound better than others (which I also doubt).

Does the TC support ASIO?

-patrick

Sure but it's 1394 only. It does have output Xformers like the Belconto so grounding should not be an issue. What's nice is that you can use your own power supply which I know can help with noise. Great clocking but that may not be a big issue in the future. Can't hurt. Laptop on battery or computer on isolated mains, analog supplied TC and no ground to worry about may work well. RCA output but it will be easy to change if wanted.

quote:

Originally posted by js:
Sure but it's 1394 only.

If not a typo, what does that mean? Is that a designation for Firewire?

-patrick

Could be 2496 - if you transpose the first two numbers left one space it comes out as 1396 ...

I do this kinda thing!

ATB from George

1394 = FireWire = Sony iLink

John

quote:

Originally posted by fixedwheel:
1394 = FireWire = Sony iLink

John