Setting up a PC as a source

The i5-3210M is a couple of years old, that's probably why they stopped making this model.

If they stopped making this formfactor altogether, it's probably because this is a laptop, without a keyboard or screen, why not chose a laptop in stead?.
 
Laptops I've found with spdif out are generally pretty pricey. This is going to be solely for storing and playing DSD and PCM, trying to keep the cost down.

The ASUS has 4GB Ram and 1TBHD, seems like everything I need and under $600. They still make this model, but with lower speed processors.
 
Probably to keep cost down.
If it suits your needs then go for it, ASUS usually make good products.
 
I'm assuming the Yamaha is doing all of the processing and the PC is just the storage and delivery--if that's not entirely correct let me know. I haven't been concerned with a quality soundcard because I thought it would be largely a waste in my setup. If I'm wrong let me know, I haven't read up on this.
 
If the D/A conversion is done outside of the computer, as it is with the Yamaha or any other outboard DAC, then the only advantage to having a good audio interface is to get native ASIO support and/or a stable SPDIF clock.

In other words, not all SPDIF outputs are created equal, and not all USB inputs are equally good.

Research USB transports if you are curious.
 
This is a description of my player DAC:

Digital inputs, 1X optical and 1X coaxial, allow you to connect other sources such as a streamer or blu-ray player and benefit from the CD-S3000’s DAC. An asynchronous USB input accepts samplings rates up to 24-bit, 192KHZ. It uses a custom IC with an internal master clock, enabling it to perform low-jitter transmission of audio signals. Using Yamaha’s Steinberg driver, available as a free download from their website, the CD-S3000 supports the ASIO 2.3 protocol. This is the standard protocol for professional use digital audio, and allows greater throughput and lower latency than the standard USB audio driver.
 
You can just use the USB input, no need to bother with SPDIF.
My guess is that the USB input is pretty good, based on what they write there.

I don't think is supports DSD through USB though, only PCM.
 
I believe it does DSD Direct Conversion over usb, it was one of the selling points for me. What I'm not sure about is PCM, I thought I would need to use spdif--but I could be wrong. This is my first foray into using a computer as a source. Probably need to do a lot more reading.
 
As far as I can see in the description on Yamaha's site, the digital inputs, accepts up to 192KHz 24bit audio, this is a PCM format.

DSD direct conversion, I'm not sure what that is, but maybe it converts PCM to DSD internally.
 
We found the same thread.

Test it out is what I say, after reading it, follow their instructions and see if it works, if it does, come back here with the straight answer.

It seems to work, I just wonder why Yamaha doesn't mention it unless you go digging.
 
Coffeehound said:
If I'm just using the usb input does that avoid jitter issues and the necessity of a higher quality pc?
Click to expand...

The USB input uses IC's as clock generators (as far as I understand will look in to it more), that is not ideal, you want dual high precision crystal oscillators for that.
More stable clock = less jitter.
But for a stable clock, the USB transport (or USB input section) needs a stable power supply as well.

But the USB input on the Yamaha is proprietary, you may need to use it for DSD playback from a computer, but I just don't know.

The USB input only cares about two things, maybe three

1. The PC needs USB 2.0 or higher.

2. The PC needs sufficiently low DPC latency to avoid pops and clicks in the sound.

3. The USB input MAY be powered by the USB bus in the computer, we can't know for sure without testing it, using a USB cable that doesn't carry power.
If the USB input doesn't work without USB power, then it is USB powered.
If it is indeed USB powered, it will struggle with dirty power form the computer, this can be solved with a USB power supply, a AQVOX low noise USB PSU fx.
This affects ALL computers, unless some special audio grade USB controller is added (PCI/PCI-E card).

I think I remembered it all.

Edit: no I don't see any crystal oscillators in the CD-S3000.
 
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Some of their marketing:

Exceptionally High Performance 32-bit D/A Converter
The D/A converter for the CD-S3000 is the ESS Technology ES9018 SABRE Reference Stereo DAC. We selected this after careful examination of all points—not only its high-precision processing of 32-bit audio, but also the ability to handle large amounts of audio data, strength in the low register and high-quality definition in the high register. Since it is constructed with the master clock inside the D/A converter, it is also features an original jitter eliminator function, permitting D/A conversion with extremely low impact of clock jitter. Moreover, an 8-channel D/A converter is housed inside the chip, and applies double differential operation using 4-channel D/A converters on the right and left sides respectively.
 
Well, it's marketing, USB transports do have a significant impact on the sound.
This doesn't mean the USB input on your Yamaha sounds bad, it may very well be very good, but if you want to go all in, then you know how and what to look out for.

Edit: an example, I have an Echo Audiofire2, it uses an IC as it's clock generator, and it sounds very good, I used it as a transport for a number of years, first with my LD DAC_I then my Atoll DAC 100.
But the Echo is a firewire device, and firewire is being out phased, so I thought I'd get a USB transport in stead and bought a M2Tech hiFace Two.
The hiFace improved clarity and imaging significantly, not a night and day improvement, but easily worth while.
The hiFace Two uses dual high precision oscillators and everything but is USB powered.
And then recently, I got curious, how much of an improvement if I got a proper power supply for the hiFace, so I got an AQVOX USB PSU.
It cleaned up the sound a bit, and improved the bass a little as well, worth it? yes, small improvements here and there add up.

But the Audiofire2 is pretty good regardless, but there are improvements to be had.

I'd just use the USB input on your Yamaha, and worry about all this USB business down the road if you feel like doing some upgrades, to an already pretty complete system.
 
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Yamaha's biggest problem with the S3000 is distribution and by extension, marketing. Very few reviews and little information out there. The largest Yamaha dealer (only?) in Seattle is Best Buy--they never even heard of it and it wasn't in the store database. I doubt Best Buy could sell them given the cost. Whether it's by choice they aren't getting more of them out for quality control, or they just don't have the market for them--I don't know. I've known of Yamaha Pro audio since I was a kid, so it wasn't (much) a leap of faith for me. But I realize the general audiophile community doesn't associate Yamaha with quality.

I'll give it a shot with the ASUS, sounds like if I have issues I can resolve them without having to start from scratch.

Thanks for all the input!
 
I don't think there will be any problems, it'll work, at least with PCM audio.
If you get pops and clicks during playback, post about it here, there are a few tips and tricks to resolve such issues.
 
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