Jump to content
IGNORED

Best AES output from Mac: Weiss Vesta/AFI1 Vs. Lynx AES16e


Recommended Posts

Dear Chris,

 

Thanks for your great articles, particularly the reference music server.

 

My current set-up is

LaCie 1T external HD

iMac 2.4G (Supernova Toslink cable)

Lavry DA10 (Wireworld Silver Eclipse XLR)

K&H O110 active monitor

 

I'm going to upgrade my DAC Lavry DA10 to alpha DAC from Berkeley Audio Design. You've mentioned that the AES is the best way for this new DAC, I just wonder how big is the difference by using the Toslink cable with mini-Toslink adapter.

 

If there is huge difference, apart from switching to the Mac Pro + Lynx sound card, can I use the Weiss AFI1 firewire interface to connect my iMac to the new DAC? How dose it sounds compared to your reference music server?

 

Regards

 

Link to comment

The Trends Audio UD-10.1 is the best usb to AES/EBU interface I have heard to date for the Mac. It is extremely well bult and can be even battery powered (or self powered over the USB bus). Gives extremely tight bass and clear highs. Excellent for about US$180.

 

Link to comment

Chris, enjoy it - I have one sitting on my desk :-) Its really really good! The only "drawback" is that it can't do all HD sampling rates and you need an external DAC, in other words the only other box I can compare it to (which gives more functionality) is the Weiss DAC2 or Minerva which are both in a totally different league! This means I wouldn't exchange the UD-10.1 for no other USB converter, no Benchmark, no nothing, but only for the Weiss DAC2.

 

PS: talking only 2-channel stereo devices here, and not comparing anything that does more, like Lynx AES16e, etc

 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

I am very interested about this thread...thank you for the answer(s).

 

l.

 

1stSYS...[iPad with MPaD like remote]Auraliti PK100(HD 1Tb W.D.)=>W4S dac1=>Megahertz audio integrated valve OTL amplifier=>SonyMDR-10(the King)headphone.[br]2ndSYS...iMac w/iTunes=>HRTstreamer II=>Adam A5 powered speakers.

Link to comment

Absolutely amazing and highly recommended.

 

I can advise anyone prior spending $3k on an esoteric USB converter with "very low jitter", please do you a favor and invest in top speakers, then in amps and *then* in anything like DAC or transport. You will get incredibly better sound spending $3k on speakers and $200 on something like the UD-10.1 than the other way round! This is even more valid for $100 USB cables.

 

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...