Adda
Super Member
Hello
I have recently setup my ThinkPad W510 with Win7 as my main computer as I found r3dfox an up to date web browser, this will probably be it's last run before obsolescence.
Anyway it has firewire and will accept my Echo Audiofire2 firewire studio audio interface.
The Echo is picky and will only accept the W510 built in firewire using the 5.2.1 driver, which is cool!
I used to use it with a Expresscard firewire interface, and the latest drivers, but the Expresscard slot is placed on the right hand side of the laptop, under the palmrest.
So after a couple of years with the Echo it got enough of that and got an M2Tech HiFace Two with an Aqvox low noise power supply.
But why use those?
Well I have an Atoll DAC 100 v1.4 which has a rather poor USB implementation, also it's SPDIF inputs are not re-clocked so I need a good low jitter transport to get the most of it.
Now I have been very happy with the M2Tech and remember I was quite impressed by it when I got it.
It has a kind of fresh sound to it, and good punch in the bass region.
It is based on the popular XMOS chip and re-clocks the USB input and uses dual oscillators for the output.
It has ASIO drivers and supports up to 192KHz 24bit playback.
It's drivers provide quite low latency but can crash when changing sample rate or if I skip around in tracks, especially with small buffer sizes.
In my experience small buffers sound better, so I accept it's flaw as it doesn't happen very often.
I have been using my Echo Audiofire2 a few times since I got the M2Tech and have been very happy.
Now That the W510 has been set up as my main there is really no reason not to give it a thorough test.
It's sound is a bit different from the M2Tech, the Echo has a dark and black kind of sound to it, and sounds stable as a rock, like is has a hard background from which the sound emanates.
The M2Tech seems rather fluid by comparison, I hope this makes sense.
Also the Echo sound more authentic.
I originally got the Echo back when dedicated transports where just becoming a thing (2010).
I was looking for a soundcard with ASIO drivers and SPDIF out, the Echo fit the bill.
I replaced it's mini-DIN connector with an RCA connector for SPDIF out, as this is what I need it for.
It's drivers are rock stable, and it goes up to 96KHz and 32bit playback and is a much more complex device then the M2Tech.
It contains two separate PCB's which are sandwiched on top of one another, a digital board with two massive chips on it as well as a flash memory chip and an analogue board with DAC and OPAMP's.
It even features it's own firmware which must match the driver in order for it to work.
You won't find any oscillators in it, which is strange, it must sport some kind of transistor clock.
With AKG K240DF headphones right out of it's built in headphone amp, it sound nice as well, harmonic bass and lasting appeal.
Who wins? well I'm more into the Echo, I love it's black sound and rock solidness, I attribute it's win to the lack of oscillators, but I could be wrong.
What are your experiences with transports? have you tried a pro audio interface as a transport? or do you stick with the built in USB implementation?
Pro audio interfaces seem much more advanced then your regular hifi transport.
Of course the Denafrips and Audio-GD transports are quite advanced, they sport some serious silicon just like the Echo.
Anyway I think I wrote all that's on my mind, I wonder what are your experiences?
I have recently setup my ThinkPad W510 with Win7 as my main computer as I found r3dfox an up to date web browser, this will probably be it's last run before obsolescence.
Anyway it has firewire and will accept my Echo Audiofire2 firewire studio audio interface.
The Echo is picky and will only accept the W510 built in firewire using the 5.2.1 driver, which is cool!
I used to use it with a Expresscard firewire interface, and the latest drivers, but the Expresscard slot is placed on the right hand side of the laptop, under the palmrest.
So after a couple of years with the Echo it got enough of that and got an M2Tech HiFace Two with an Aqvox low noise power supply.
But why use those?
Well I have an Atoll DAC 100 v1.4 which has a rather poor USB implementation, also it's SPDIF inputs are not re-clocked so I need a good low jitter transport to get the most of it.
Now I have been very happy with the M2Tech and remember I was quite impressed by it when I got it.
It has a kind of fresh sound to it, and good punch in the bass region.
It is based on the popular XMOS chip and re-clocks the USB input and uses dual oscillators for the output.
It has ASIO drivers and supports up to 192KHz 24bit playback.
It's drivers provide quite low latency but can crash when changing sample rate or if I skip around in tracks, especially with small buffer sizes.
In my experience small buffers sound better, so I accept it's flaw as it doesn't happen very often.
I have been using my Echo Audiofire2 a few times since I got the M2Tech and have been very happy.
Now That the W510 has been set up as my main there is really no reason not to give it a thorough test.
It's sound is a bit different from the M2Tech, the Echo has a dark and black kind of sound to it, and sounds stable as a rock, like is has a hard background from which the sound emanates.
The M2Tech seems rather fluid by comparison, I hope this makes sense.
Also the Echo sound more authentic.
I originally got the Echo back when dedicated transports where just becoming a thing (2010).
I was looking for a soundcard with ASIO drivers and SPDIF out, the Echo fit the bill.
I replaced it's mini-DIN connector with an RCA connector for SPDIF out, as this is what I need it for.
It's drivers are rock stable, and it goes up to 96KHz and 32bit playback and is a much more complex device then the M2Tech.
It contains two separate PCB's which are sandwiched on top of one another, a digital board with two massive chips on it as well as a flash memory chip and an analogue board with DAC and OPAMP's.
It even features it's own firmware which must match the driver in order for it to work.
You won't find any oscillators in it, which is strange, it must sport some kind of transistor clock.
With AKG K240DF headphones right out of it's built in headphone amp, it sound nice as well, harmonic bass and lasting appeal.
Who wins? well I'm more into the Echo, I love it's black sound and rock solidness, I attribute it's win to the lack of oscillators, but I could be wrong.
What are your experiences with transports? have you tried a pro audio interface as a transport? or do you stick with the built in USB implementation?
Pro audio interfaces seem much more advanced then your regular hifi transport.
Of course the Denafrips and Audio-GD transports are quite advanced, they sport some serious silicon just like the Echo.
Anyway I think I wrote all that's on my mind, I wonder what are your experiences?
