# USB to optical sound quality.



## Imagewerx (Nov 30, 2012)

Thinking of building a Nexus 7 front end to replace my Squeezebox Touch I'm not getting on very well with.
I've already got the nano DIGI with optical input that I'm using,so would be using a USB to optical/Toslink convertor.Is there any audible loss in sound quality doing it this way over the dedicated optical output from my squeezebox?

Chris.


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## santiagodraco (Feb 9, 2012)

Imagewerx said:


> Thinking of building a Nexus 7 front end to replace my Squeezebox Touch I'm not getting on very well with.
> I've already got the nano DIGI with optical input that I'm using,so would be using a USB to optical/Toslink convertor.Is there any audible loss in sound quality doing it this way over the dedicated optical output from my squeezebox?
> 
> Chris.


Does such an animal exist for the Nexus 7? I assume yes or you wouldn't have asked 

I'm running a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 outputting to HDMI (via the USB port) and the sound output is far better than Bluetooth or audio sourced via my head unit. In full disclosure I've not run an analog jack from the Note 3 back to test, which would be a more accurate comparison, but other than that I can say that digital out sounds great. 

If there's an adapter than gives you direct digital out (not HDMI that you'll need converters for to get optical/spdif) then that's a great way to go imo. The best way to tell is to just test both outputs and see what you think. Then play the same source via a normal headunit and compare that.

Far as things go I'm very happy with this route. I do plan on doing some testing with a non factory HU (running my Infiniti FX50 headunit) such as an Alpine using either AINET or analog to see how much my existing HU might be coloring the test.


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## Imagewerx (Nov 30, 2012)

santiagodraco said:


> Does such an animal exist for the Nexus 7? I assume yes or you wouldn't have asked


Not as such specifically for the N7,just a generic USB to optical/coaxial/headphones etc convertor. There's a few people on here using them that way.This will always sound better than Bluetooth A2DP which has limited bandwidth as far as I'm aware and was never really designed as a true hi-fi format.You just need to tell the device to send digital audio to the USB port which they don't by default.

So does anyone have any comments on the sound quality of these devices please?

Chris.


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## SPLEclipse (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm working on a Nexus7 install right now mated with a Behringer 202 DAC. The difference between the DAC and the analogue (headphone) out is just silly. There's no comparison; my 80 year old grandmother could tell the difference, and she's not even alive.

I should also point out that although I could tell a huge difference between the analog output straight from the Nexus and the output from the exsternal DAC, I couldn't perceive a difference between the analog output from the DAC or optical out from the DAC. Both sounded fantastic.


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## bigfastmike (Jul 16, 2012)

I should also point out that although I could tell a huge difference between the analog output straight from the Nexus and the output from the exsternal DAC, I couldn't perceive a difference between the analog output from the DAC or optical out from the DAC. Both sounded fantastic.[/QUOTE]

That's great to know.  
I'll be using Toshiba tablet mini HDMI out to digital converter. 
I use HDMI out from galaxy note now in other vehicle and works flawlessly connected to bit one. 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2


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## Imagewerx (Nov 30, 2012)

SPLEclipse said:


> I'm working on a Nexus7 install right now mated with a Behringer 202 DAC. The difference between the DAC and the analogue (headphone) out is just silly. There's no comparison; my 80 year old grandmother could tell the difference, and she's not even alive.
> 
> I should also point out that although I could tell a huge difference between the analog output straight from the Nexus and the output from the exsternal DAC, I couldn't perceive a difference between the analog output from the DAC or optical out from the DAC. Both sounded fantastic.


Thanks for the answer but I'm aware the big sound difference between headphone (or any analogue) output and pure digital PCM,there'd be something wrong if there wasn't a difference IMO.This is about the conversion from what ever format USB digital audio is in to PCM (that is assuming it's not already in PCM) compared to a system that has it in that format all the time.


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