Submitted by blindjim on Tue, 03/16/2010 - 15:24
Hello all…
I sincerely need info here or to be pointed towards it regarding the following few items…. Please.
Going in the pc is a new Dell Optiplex 760 w/XP Pro SP 3 32bit, 4GB PC 2 6400, w/2.7 DC intel Pentium ? CPU; with SQL server tech …. Whatever that is… and a 1 TB WD SATA HDD, NTFS drive w/1TB NAS AS SERVER/ storage.
As I’m about to pull the trigger on a better sound card & digital link from SC to DAC than my M Audio delta 24/192..
The primary use is to export the digital signal expressly to a Bel Canto DAC 3 for 2 ch audio reproduction. It’ll have to pass 16 to 24 bit, 44K – 192K using MC 14 software.
At some point… perhaps…. I’d like to be able to import & capture audio either digitally or via analog in’s. It’s more an after thought but a condsideration I thought to examine now rather than later. For costs purposes.
I see a lot of talk about the Lynx. Which Lynx for me is one question?
Should I go PCI OR PCI Express?
Why should I add or do I need to add, a reclocking device outboard of it is one more question?
Finally, if the proposition for the digital link is any but glass optical, and the output of the DAC is going to be single ended (RCA) anyhow, should I get AES, BNC, or merely SPDIF RCA cable for that interface? The length will be fairly short… no more than 2M.
On that note, I’ve got in mind either the Stereovox Ultra or a HT Magic link II digital…. I’ve heard neither, but will soon hear the Ultra. I own an XV2 now. Obviously I don’t mind spending some, but prefer not to drop an exorbitant amount, so any other recommendations will obviously be well received..
Any insights or input here as to which card, and the other why’s of this all will surely be most appreciated.
Thanks much!
__________________
Dell 760, DC P4 2.7Gz 32B 4GB; Hiface 192BNC; Oyaide DB510 BNC cable 1.3M; Bel Canto DAC3, Thor MK II preamp; Dodd EL34 MK II EL34 mono blocks; NOS RCA, Amperex, Tungsol tubes; Silverline Sonata III; Velodyne DD15; Elrod; Nirvana; SR: HT; VooDoo; Shunyata; Stereovox; RSA: PS Audio; Sound Anchor, etc, etc.
C[mon... someone here must be up to speed on why and which Lynx card... and the bit on re-clocking.... I'd sure appreciate some input... see previous post for more info... please.
Thanks.
Dell 760, DC P4 2.7Gz 32B 4GB; Hiface 192BNC; Oyaide DB510 BNC cable 1.3M; Bel Canto DAC3, Thor MK II preamp; Dodd EL34 MK II EL34 mono blocks; NOS RCA, Amperex, Tungsol tubes; Silverline Sonata III; Velodyne DD15; Elrod; Nirvana; SR: HT; VooDoo; Shunyata; Stereovox; RSA: PS Audio; Sound Anchor, etc, etc.
People reclock to reduce jitter. If the reclocker has less jitter than the signal then it will improve the signal. Presumably, some reclockers have less jitter than the lynx so improve upon it. The PCI lynx is reportably the better one, though this may be because of the hardware before it ie. the G5 vs intel processor. If you want to digitize vinyl, then I'd get the L22 because it has both AD and DA and will output spdif.
BNC will provide the theoretical advantage in a short length because AES and RCA can't hold a 110 Ohm or 75 Ohm signal (respecitvely) properly.
About how much jitter reduction and the associated cost for one of these reclockers, are we talking about here?
I must be well off the mark somwhere... my thinking when I got the BC DAC3 was that jitter had all but been eradicated by the time the signal saw the final analog output stage.
though I'm near certain it's not down to zero... just what amount is perceivable?
I doubt capturing vinyl is going to happen around here.. i was thinking of some DVDA and inspirational tapes.... maybe.
the aES 16 lynx does not have BNC out?
thanks much
Dell 760, DC P4 2.7Gz 32B 4GB; Hiface 192BNC; Oyaide DB510 BNC cable 1.3M; Bel Canto DAC3, Thor MK II preamp; Dodd EL34 MK II EL34 mono blocks; NOS RCA, Amperex, Tungsol tubes; Silverline Sonata III; Velodyne DD15; Elrod; Nirvana; SR: HT; VooDoo; Shunyata; Stereovox; RSA: PS Audio; Sound Anchor, etc, etc.
For inputs, I'd look for something like a ULN2, were it me, and not a sound card at all. I think there are great solutions out there, but $10k for a card seems excesive to me.
That said, the outputs are where you can really do something great that is truly affordable: get yourself a Legato. In a head to head, it was audibly superior to a Lynx. No question. It's also transparent to the PC (no drivers) and provides galvanic isolation -- which the Lynx doesn't. Best of all, it's cheaper than a Lynx. Try it, you'll love it.
Scot
PowerMac G5 >> ART Legato >> Berkeley Alpha >> Système du Jour
"I might remind you that whilst your ears are on the side of your head mine are near the top and may well hear nuances that you cannot."
If you have a DAC that requires an AES or SPDIF, I agree with Socrates7, go with an async USB-to-SPDIF BNC interface.
If you can live with just 16/44.1 support than the Legato would be a great choice. Until we can compare the Legato to the growing list of USB-SPDIF converters we won't know which is overall superior, but I suspect it will be difficult to beat it on 16/44.1 since it side steps the inherent challenges of building such a device with multi-format support. If you must have 24/192 support then I would still go with an async USB-SPDIF interface. By specs, and to my ears, it is superior to using a Lynx AES16. The old addage "garbage in/garbage out" applies here. You feed a DAC an input with less jitter and noise and you will get better sound quality out.
If you want/need ADC for ripping your vinyl collection, then as Socrates7 noted, you could consider a ULN-2. In addtion to ADC duty, it has an excellent async firewire-to-AES/SPDIF converter. How it stacks up in that role to the Legato or other async USB-to-SPDIF converters remains to be heard.
Mac Mini / Pure Music > Firewire > Metric Halo LIO-8 > Atma-Sphere M60 Mk3.1's > Geddes Abbey Speakers > Rythmik Servo Subs // ASI Liveline Cables, HRS MXR Isolation Rack, PurePower 2000, Elgar 6006B