24/192 Firewire Interface

http://www.zzounds.com/item--EDIFA66

Has anyone tried a firewire 24/192 interface such as this?

The price is right, and its by Roland. Wonder how it sounds?

Jeff

Hi Jeff - I think other people around here have tried it, but the unit has some non traditional outputs that consumers are not used to. Pro audio has used these for years, but not consumers.

I've heard many good things about Edirol.

Speaking of such things has anyone noticed that the smaller of the new Apple laptops has no firewire port? It seens they've finally succumbed to USB dominance.

Tim

Hi Tim - I take it you haven't browsed the front page of CA for a day or so :-)

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/apple_drops_firewire_400_macbook_pro

No, I generally come straight to the forums. I'm probably missing a lot. Maybe I should slow down a bit.

tim

I am not familiar with some of the pro-audio outputs, but I believe it did have SPDIF and TOSLINK.

I used to have Edirol FA-66. I ripped all my vinyl collection at 24/192 through its Firewire connection. Very decent device, but I'm not using it as DAC, only as ADC (Analog to Digital Converter).

I was thinking about using it as an output device from my firewire port to my DAC at 24/192.

Jeff

If you look at the specs these smaller firewire units will not do 24/192 on their digital outputs; limited to 24/96; only ones I am aware of are the RME Fire Face units and a few other much costlier units.

I just got a TC Electronic Konnect 8 FireWire interface; same kind of unit, about the same price. limited to 24/96 on the digital out as well. The Konnect 8 has the same Dice II Firewire to spdif chip as the Weiss Minerva as well as the Jet PLL jitter elimation technology ( created by a TC Electronics subsidiary). From the glorious sound I am getting out my system with the Konnect 8 feeding my Tact amplifiers; the Dice II and JET PLL probably contributes a great deal to the glowing reports about the Minerva.

If your budget is around $300.00 I would definitely look at the Konnect 8 I think you will amazed with the results.

Shawn

Thanks Shawn for the info, I will definitely have to look into it.

I see in your signature that you have an Apple TV, how are you fitting or using that in your system?

Right now that is my interface to my HiFi, but looking at other options, I believe it will not support 24/96, but I am not sure.

Some also say the sound is not as good as other solutions, although I am enjoying it feeding my Benchmark DAC1. This is my first forray into external DAC's.

Jeff

The TC Electronic unit replaces the apple TV in my system. I just updated my signature. I love the Apple interface and ease of use but always felt the sound could be a lot better.

While researching alternatives I stumbled upon the Facts about the conversion chip and clock circuits in the TC Electronics Firewire units being the same as the Weiss units. Several other Pro audio companies also license the technology from them as well. For $300.00 I figured it was worth checking out. I was not prepared for the difference!

The TC electronic unit trounces the ATV by ridiculous margin; in my opinion like going from Mid-fi to close to SOTA.

I have owned some close to 5 figure front ends and the sound I am now enjoying is the best digital I have ever heard.

From what I read good choice on the DAC and would benefit greatly from a better source.

Cheers

Shawn

Thanks for the recommendation, i will definitely have to give it some serious thought, before spending any more money on my system.

So do you have your computer in close proximity to your HiFi, or do you have another solution to feeding your dac? Or does the TC act as the dac?

My problem is getting a PC or Mac close to my HiFi. That is one reason I went with ATV to stream wirelessly (which is lousy).

So I assume I will need a dedicated music server/PC/Mac close to my system. I guess then I could control it via Front Row, or do you use another software other than iTunes?

Thanks,

Jeff

You can get firewire cable up to 32 ft from Granite Digital, I have my computer about 15 feet away at the listening position. Tact amplifiers are a unique beast in that are not really amps but D/A converters that just happen to put out enough current and voltage to drive speakers directly. They perform the functions of: D/A converter, Preamplifier and Power Amplifier. They only accept a digital input unless you add an optional A/D card.

I use cplay as my player which is a very basic player that actually plays the songs from RAM (see Audio Asylum). It takes some elbow grease to use , but to my ears sounds a fair bit better than any others I tried foobar, itunes, Jriver, XBMC, more natural sounding better bass and dynamics. cplay also incorporates an advanced software SRC which I use to convert everything to 24/96.

JRiver and Media Monkey which Chris recommends can be controlled by a PC remote or itouch with additional software.

cplay is controlled with a wireless mouse. (I Could not get Media Monkey to work, ASIO drivers will not load)

Both have an itunes type interface and sound better on a PC than itunes. JRiver can be configured easily to function like front Row.

Regards

Shawn

I just joined up here and was reading some posts. I want to do a few things:

1. rip a lot of my 50's jazz vinyl at 24/192. I also want to play them back!

2. transfer a lot of dat's

3. play flac files that I have gotten off Dime A Dozen

4. play some hi res files that I have accumulated

I have:

HP 6910p laptop - has usb and 1394 i/o

Linn Majik-I integrated amp

Linn LK85 amp

Rega P3 TT

Linn Keilidh speakers

Tascam CDRW700

I guess I need something like the Edirol FA-66 but am pretty much clueless how to get this done. I used to transfer vinyl by recording the vinyl to the analog input of the DAT. Then would edit DAT and give track numbers. Then record DAT to CDRW by digital transfer.

So please help!

Jud Warren

Jeff:

Here's something I posted on another forum, I've been at it about five years:

My hard drive music experiment started five years ago when I wanted to catalog about 2,000 LPS at hi rez and I started then with an early version of Wavelab:

I have employed all of the following methods:

(All use Basis 2800 vacuum turntable, Graham 2.2 tone arm, Koetsu Urishi cartridge)

1. TT direct to Wavelab via Lynx soundcards, first One, then 2.2

2. TT to Ayre K1x with phono stage to Lynx

3. TT to Ayre PH3 phono stage to Lynx

4. TT to Ayre PH3 phono stage to Korg MR 1000, further processing done in Wavelab

5. TT to Ayre PH3 phono stage to BAT 52SE balanced in, balanced tape out to Korg MR 1000, further processing done in Wavelab

All of the above methods have produced superior fidelity to Red Book CD's and my CD players during this period have either been an Ayre D1xe or an Ayre C5xe.

Much to my surprise, I have concluded that # 5 produces to my ears the best of the bunch with # 4 being a close second. The Korg MR 1000 is one of the best values in audio, rivaling the Grace 902, especially if you are also a musician.

I have done extensive comparison between 24/96 and 24/192 and have used Wavelab to create 24/192 DVD-A

physical media which the Ayre C5xe will play. My conclusions are that 24/96 is the point of diminishing returns (with the exception of REALLY FINE pieces of vinyl) and that the files played back directly from the hard drive are superior to physical media played in the C5xe regardless or resolution.

Wavelab software is the straw that stirs the drink with all of this.

John

Hi Jud - Welcome to Computer Audiophile. I won't be able to help with most of your needs. Many others around here have done what you're trying to do.

Since your laptop has a FireWire interface and you want 24/192 capability you'll want a FireWire DA/AD device or devices. The Edirol you mentioned looks like the AD/DA can convert to 24/192, but the device can only output up to 24/96. Kind of weird.

For 192/24 capture via Firewire you could use our ADC2-FW A/D Converter:

http://www.weiss.ch/adc2/adc2.html

And for playback the Minerva Firewire DAC which handles 192/24 as well:

http://www.weiss-highend.ch/minerva/index.html

The ADC2 has also a Firewire to AES/EBU feature, so if you have a DAC with AES/EBU or S/PDIF input you could use the ADC2 as an interface for playback.

Daniel

John

Thanks for the reply. I looked around for the Lynx stuff but all I found were PCI internal type cards. Is/was there a card to fit a laptop?

The Korg M 1000 also looks very impressive thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Jud Warren

I'm being lazy and asking rather than looking; did we ever get to the bottom of the USB vs Firewire debate.

I've been chatting to support at Roland regarding the Edirol FA-66 and their brand new UA-25EX. I explained my needs.

The FA-66 is firewire and the UA-25EX is USB. They said the UA-25EX has newer audio circuitry which is better than the FA-66, although the FA-66 is better used with a Mac, he recommended the 25EX for use with Windows.

It will happily work with high resolution data to 24bit/96khz.

Am I confusing myself or have their been comments on here suggesting USB could not do this ??

Regards,

Matt.

"...Am I confusing myself..."

You said it not us :-)

USB can do 24/96 easily.