External DAC is better... does it matter which input/output?

[guy48065]

This question is directed at those who CAN hear an improvement when using an external DAC:
Can you also hear differences depending which digital connection you choose?
Experienced any reliability/dropout issues that might cause you to choose a sonically inferior connection in favor of stability?

 

[Mr Ee]

I think it very much depends on the dac itself, and sometimes the cable.
One of my dacs limits optical to 96khz.
One of my dacs limits usb to 96khz.
Not that 96khz max is necessarily an issue in and of itself, but higher rate source material needs to be down sampled, which wiims can do.
One of my dacs seems to sometimes like adding slight pop noises between tracks (and not only on sample rate changes it seems) when using usb.
Some here report issues with some optical cables not supporting 192khz, or dropouts at high sample rates when optical is tightly bent.

Can I tell the difference between ultra rca out vs digital to a dac? Yes, I think I can (and most especially to the vibelink).
Can I tell the difference between the different inputs on my dacs? No, I don't think I can.
Can I tell the difference between some of my dacs? No, I don't think I can. (And this stopped me picking up two 2nd hand 'bargains' recently!)
Can I tell the difference between the different settings on my dacs? Maybe. Sometimes.

Could I pass a rigorous scientific test? Probably not, but who cares, I'm having fun.

 

[guy48065]

Yesterday I got my set of balanced interconnects. Nothing expensive--just some from World's Best, made with Canare wire.
I've been playing around switching the IC between the DAC & amp. Amp accepts both so it's as simple as clicking 2 toggle switches.
I'm surprised that I can hear several differences--but then I'm comparing these balanced cables to the cheap rca cables that came with the Wiim.
I have some Mogami rca cables I should try--just to be more apples-to-apples.

What really blows my mind is the improvement from switching from optical to usb digital connection from Wiim to DAC. More immediate, more precise imaging, less glare to female vocals.
Just sweeter & more natural sounding.
The improvement was heard at 44 to 196 streams, whether from my in-house library or a streaming service like Spotify or Qobuz.

Looking forward to replacing my cheap speaker wires next.

 

[Musician]

This question is directed at those who CAN hear an improvement when using an external DAC:
Can you also hear differences depending which digital connection you choose?
Experienced any reliability/dropout issues that might cause you to choose a sonically inferior connection in favor of stability?

Its important to , in the WiiM meny select 24 bit 96 kHz ( the default toslink in is 16 bit 48 kHz ) .
Theres a bug that makes the 16 bit 48Khz sounding worse than it should.
Amirs review at ASR shows this 16bit 48kHz as a much worse measurement result than a ”real” 16 bit resolution should provide.
According to Amirm, there are some kind of noise shaping going on .

 

[harkpabst]

( the default toslink in is 16 bit 48 kHz )

Same here: You're talking about the output, right?

 

[EddNog]

Its important to , in the WiiM meny select 24 bit 96 kHz ( the default toslink in is 16 bit 48 kHz ) .
Theres a bug that makes the 16 bit 48Khz sounding worse than it should.
Amirs review at ASR shows this 16bit 48kHz as a much worse measurement result than a ”real” 16 bit resolution should provide.
According to Amirm, there are some kind of noise shaping going on .

What if I have mine set to 192/24 (not locked)?

-Ed

 

[adias]

This question is directed at those who CAN hear an improvement when using an external DAC:
Can you also hear differences depending which digital connection you choose?
Experienced any reliability/dropout issues that might cause you to choose a sonically inferior connection in favor of stability?

If one is connecting to an external DAC with a filtered USB input and better clocks - connect via USB, as the USB connection is asynchronous and the DAC will reconstruct the audio stream.

 

[guy48065]

If one is connecting to an external DAC with a filtered USB input and better clicks - connect via USB, as the USB connection is asynchronous and the DAC will reconstruct the audio stream.

I'm not sure what you mean by "a filtered USB input" and "better clicks".

I can say... I'm somewhat surprised to find when I switched from optical to USB that the instruments became more immediate and female voices became less edgy, less glare... Sweeter & more natural. Same with piano.

I expected zero difference. I was listening to mostly 16 bit 44.1k so it was well within the capabilities of toslink.

So for the time being I can't print from my computer. That was the only USB A to C cable in the house

 

[Musician]

Same here: You're talking about the output, right?

Yes

 

[slartibartfast]

I'm not sure what you mean by "a filtered USB input" and "better clicks".

I can say... I'm somewhat surprised to find when I switched from optical to USB that the instruments became more immediate and female voices became less edgy, less glare... Sweeter & more natural. Same with piano.

I expected zero difference. I was listening to mostly 16 bit 44.1k so it was well within the capabilities of toslink.

So for the time being I can't print from my computer. That was the only USB A to C cable in the house

Better clicks = Better clocks

 

[adias]

I'm not sure what you mean by "a filtered USB input" and "better clicks".

I can say... I'm somewhat surprised to find when I switched from optical to USB that the instruments became more immediate and female voices became less edgy, less glare... Sweeter & more natural. Same with piano.

I expected zero difference. I was listening to mostly 16 bit 44.1k so it was well within the capabilities of toslink.

So for the time being I can't print from my computer. That was the only USB A to C cable in the house

Filtered USB - noise filtering, galvanic isolation.

Typo - clocks not clicks.

Those are likely the reason your USB connection sounds better.