Bull-X

I want to begin in the computer audio world, but it is very difficult, actually I have a Cary 306 SACD Professional player, that has digital inputs (toslink spdif and AES/EBU), so I can use it like a DAC that can read digital inputs of 44, 96 and 192 khz and HDCD. I have many options:<br /> 1.- Sell the Cary and purchase one firewire or usb dac like Weiss Minerva (firewire), Wavelength Cosecant (USB), Empirical Audio Spoiler (USB) or even Red Wine Audio Isabellina (USB nos battery dac). With this option I don't know if those dacs will have an audio quality at the level of the Cary, and furthermore I should to renounce to the possibility of to hear SACD.<br /> 2.- To build a fanless PC (which is difficult and expensive) with the Lynx AES16 and use the Cary as a dac with AES/EBU connection.<br /> 3.- Purchase a Mac mini and use the Minerva Vesta for firewire to AES/EBU to the Cary.<br /> <br /> What would you choose of this 3 options? <br /> <br /> Chris, for your experience with the Linx AES16 and the digital output of the Weiss Minerva (same as Vesta), what do you feel that is the better option in sound quality, apart of cost?. <br /> <br /> If some of you know the sound of the Cary compared with any of the above DACs (Alpha, Cosecant, Minerva... including the Berkeley Alpha Dac) your comments will be WELCOME.<br /> <br /> Chris, with respect the Berkeley Alpha Dac, what do you think of its digital volume control?, do you think that degrade the sound more than an analog volume control?. Thanks for your advice-comments.<br />

Thanks Gordon for your coment, I haven't read that it doesn't support USB Audio Speakers. With your USB DACs do you hear a big difference between a laptop running in batterie mode and a desktop like for example a Mac mini?. Thanks.

Hi, this is my first post here, I want to migrate to computer audio like source of my audio system and I think that my first option is an USB Dac. I thought in purchase a dedicated computer like Mac Mini only for Audio, but thinking in other ways more simple I have found this option http://www.iogear.com/product/GUWH104KIT/ It is a wireless USB Hub that can be used for audio and video purposes. Have some of you proved it into an USB Dac?. How do you think that it would be que quality of the audio, would it be the same that an USB port of the computer.