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Need help with digital connections (streamer to DAC)

F

Fisten

New Member
Hey folks.

Slowly building up my digital audio knowledge, but it's lacking vs USB, and Im hoping someone can fill the gap.

Im thinking about getting a FIIO SR11 Streamer, which has a USB C out port. https://www.fiio.com/sr11

I'd like to connect it to a FIIO K11 R2R DAC, via its USB C in port. https://www.fiio.com/k11r2r

1) Is this possible, and 2) advisable?

From what I understand, USB offers more resolution than coax and optical, and I'd like to connect via USB so I can reserve the DAC's coax-in port for my CD (blue-ray player) transport.

The DAC would connect to my vintage receiver via analog, obviously. The receiver already has a great phono-in, so the streamer/dac combo would cover off all remaining bases, including the CD player, at their theoretical max resolutions, pretty inexpensively.

Thanks for any forthcoming advice!
 

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DeadTrader said:
From what I saw in the specs, USB C connect should work fine.
Click to expand...
thanks for looking it over.

My experience with USB audio is a little old school: where the player is reading a drive, rather than the one device actively streaming to the player in realtime: Didn't realize that was possible until now-ish

I've heard that USB audio quality is very good (better then coax and TOSLINK, maybe not as good as HDMI ARC, thou?), but there can be some noise over USB? Does the quality of cable make much of a difference, especially given it need be only 20 or so cm?
 
Quality of USB: depends. On the one hand, USB can handle higher bitrates. Coax and TOSLINK usually top out at 24bit / 96 KHz at this budget, depending on the DAC. On the other, you'll find arguments about how noisy USB can be (that is: USB can be a conduit for noise coming from the computer itself).

Some would argue that using the FiiO streamer with wifi would let all sorts of RF noise in, too. So best would be: ethernet to streamer, USB from streamer to DAC, and then whatever you use to get to your receiver.

Whether you can perceive that noise depends on other factors in your system and your ears. Much more expensive products allocate chunks of their budget to shielding and other methods to prevent RF noise from influencing the DAC and people still argue if any of that is effective.

I find the noise floor on my (also vintage) receiver is high enough -- I hear some noise if I get really close to the speakers when the receiver is idle, depending on volume -- that it will override any noise issues arising from a streamer.
 
Hey Justin.
With the fridge in the next room, and my tinnitus, Im sure environmental noise is higher than the noise floor of my 2325!

Generally, how does USB-C compare with coaxial, especially for short interconnects?
 
Weirdly, the noise floor in my room is around 30-40dB, so, yeah. That noise covers whatever noise might be in the signal at my usual listening levels.

The loudest I tend to get is low 70dBs. Most of my listening is done in the 50dB to 60dB range. All of the rooms where I listen are small enough they might count as all near-field.

As to USB-C vs. coax? I don't know, but I can imagine they're similar in small interconnects (lets say 1 foot to 6 feet? I'm never sure).
 
I think it's a practical matter. None of my computers have optical out. My TV and DVD players have optical out.
My DAC has input for optical and USB. There is a switch on the front to change back and forth.
If your DAC has both optical and USB with a switch to choose then I would think your questions are answered.

As to what works better. If your computer has optical out then you can try it and make up your own mind.
If your computer only has USB out you can purchase USB to optical adapters. The only reason I can think of is if your music tracks are high definition with more resolution than USB is capable.

If all of your files are CD quality then USB output works perfect.

I have over 3K CDs ripped that play 24/7. I have experimented with this stuff.
 
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