Before its over with, I'll own a CDP with a digital input. My computer is on the opposite side of the room from my rig. Currently I have a long USB cable running from the computer to the back of the Aqvox. Whenver the Aqvox gets replaced, I'll need something to do the USB -> Toslink/Coaxial thing. The name I remember the most from researching this kind of thing a while back was the M-Audio Transit. Is there any other piece I should consider?

E-MU 0404 USB would work as well

granodemostasa likes the M-Audio Audiophile USB (that only does coax). humanflyz had the Trends Audio UD-10. Does the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro (only toslink-mini) count as well?

There are more cheap options that I can think up, but I can't say whether their quality is up to Head-Case standards...

E-MU 0404 USB would work as well

true, and it seems like it would be a handy piece of gear to have around anyway. also its way fotm so...

does the 0404 have asio drivers?

http://www.hagtech.com/hagusb.html is a possible choice.

m-audio transit does toslink

btw, dont get the TBAAM, it resamples the data twice or something, not bit perfect

m-audio transit does toslink

btw, dont get the TBAAM, it resamples the data twice or something, not bit perfect

yeah, I don't want it to do anything to the signal besides pass it on.

http://www.hagtech.com/hagusb.html is a possible choice.

very cool, I like this. looks like a good, clean option.

Interesting words from Hagerman about the HagUSB:

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?topic=31581.msg281365

I highly respect Hagerman. He seems to have proven himself to be a rather competent engineer.

I have both the E-MU0404 USB and M-Audio Transit.

The Transit has flawless, rock solid, simple drivers with bit perfect without having to use ASIO.

The E-MU has more complex drivers, and requires some monkying to get bit perfect working, but it has a lot more features compared to the Transit. I haven't compared the two side by side to see which sounds better.

I thought since it is USB it didn't have drivers.

both of them have custom drivers if im not mistaken

I like the ones where you don't have to worry about the drivers... but the extra features on the external EMU are probably worth it.

well it came down to a compromise. In the world of USB -> Toslink/Coaxial devices, you can either have audiophile grade parts OR manufacturer supported drivers. I've decided this go round to opt on the side of audiophile grade parts. All these devices are so inexpensive that I'm sure one day I'll be able to try out the other side, but for the time being my positive experience with ASIO4All/Winamp and USB Dacs tells me to just stick with what I know works for me in my system. I'll either be getting the HagUSB or the Trends UD-10.

both of them have custom drivers if im not mistaken

Yup that's correct. The M-Audio drivers are extremely simple, and IIRC what Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio based his drivers off on the old Off-Ramps.

But the driverless soundcards are very nice.

The only reason I have the E-MU0404 USB is because I use it as a DAC/headphone amp at work.

Yup that's correct. The M-Audio drivers are extremely simple, and IIRC what Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio based his drivers off on the old Off-Ramps.

But the driverless soundcards are very nice.

The only reason I have the E-MU0404 USB is because I use it as a DAC/headphone amp at work.

the m-audio transit headphone out sucks?

the m-audio transit headphone out sucks?

It's a line out, not an actual headphone amp.

It's a line out, not an actual headphone amp.

oook, but cant you use the line out as a headphone out, or is it too weak?

I have both the EMU 0404 usb and the HagUSB (w/ asio4all drivers)... my take? I vastly prefer the EMU 0404 usb though I haven't used it as just an usb -> coax but as a dac as well.

Why? Well, my Hagusb has HUGE problems with snaps/crackles/pops aligning with tiny bursts of cpu usage... mainly opening applications etc. While my EMU 0404 usb with all the buffers turned on thread priority going good has 0 issues. I do the same settings and more for Hagusb.. less problems but I still expect to hear at least 3-4 crackles/pops every 4 songs.

It's very annoying. I'm probably going to buy another EMU 0404 usb and have it shipped to a modder and just use that with my Wavelength or if its mod viable at work and use my stock one at home.

oook, but cant you use the line out as a headphone out, or is it too weak?

I've only tried it with my Sennheiser HD580, it gets loud but it sounds like crap.

ok, so I got the M-Audio Audiophile USB for $75 used on the other site, and damn, it owns my iriver as a transport. And also, I get to hook up both my iriver (optical) and the M-Audio (coax) as transports at the same time

This makes me happy

you should really buy a Lite DAC Ah, jinp. i got to hear the Lite DAC Ah and an Entech 205 out of a Zana Deux (using it's switchable inputs), and the Lite DAC was hugely better.

jinp, PM me. The Lite DAC AH that Reks is talking about just might be available.

I would if I had more then $15 in my paypal account