Sound card: NuForce Icon (Anyone use it?)

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Jim Horn

Jim Horn

New DJ
Jan 23, 2007
105
1
56
Gautier, MS
www.jimhornentertainment.com
ahoustondj said:
For the price of that I would buy this, which I already own. http://www.google.com/products/cata...log_result&ct=image&resnum=3&ved=0CDgQ8gIwAg#
Click to expand...


I'm actually in the middle of a set of DAC ear tests through my new system.

The Giga HD is not doing well at present... ;)

It has virtually no sound stage, although it is loud and fairly clear.


I have 2 async USB DACs on the way though, that are within a reasonable price range (<$300), and I'll be trying them as soon as they come in (probably next week)...


In the meantime, I use the Behringer UCA202 -- it's far more analog sounding than the Gigaports, and presents a wider sound stage. I took it apart, and it has a Burr-Brown TI2902E DAC chip @ 24/192.

The Gigaport HD has an AKM AK4358 DAC chip @ 24/192.


There's clearly a difference between the sound of those two chips, which is probably why more manufacturers use the Burr-Brown...
 
SoftJock Rick said:
I'm actually in the middle of a set of DAC ear tests through my new system.

The Giga HD is not doing well at present... ;)

It has virtually no sound stage, although it is loud and fairly clear.


I have 2 async USB DACs on the way though, that are within a reasonable price range (<$300), and I'll be trying them as soon as they come in (probably next week)...


In the meantime, I use the Behringer UCA202 -- it's far more analog sounding than the Gigaports, and presents a wider sound stage. I took it apart, and it has a Burr-Brown TI2902E DAC chip @ 24/192.

The Gigaport HD has an AKM AK4358 DAC chip @ 24/192.


There's clearly a difference between the sound of those two chips, which is probably why more manufacturers use the Burr-Brown...
Click to expand...

Rick,
The reason I opted for the Gigaport over the Behringer is that I only need one USB port for the Gigaport which in turn gives me 4 pairs of outputs and a headphone output. There are times I use them all since Traktor Pro has 4 decks.

To do what I do I will have to use 4 -5 Behringers. Multiply that cost times 4 and its more expensive than the Gigaport. I am not arguing about quality just the convenience of ports.
 
ahoustondj said:
Rick,
The reason I opted for the Gigaport over the Behringer is that I only need one USB port for the Gigaport which in turn gives me 4 pairs of outputs and a headphone output. There are times I use them all since Traktor Pro has 4 decks.

To do what I do I will have to use 4 -5 Behringers. Multiply that cost times 4 and its more expensive than the Gigaport. I am not arguing about quality just the convenience of ports.
Click to expand...


You can get 4 Berry's for the cost of one Giga -- just saying, y'know... ;)


Either way, you are doing your audience a disservice! You are running 4 adaptive USB sound cards, through one single port, and using one inferior DAC chip to do it all simultaneously.

If the outputs were split over multiple root USB hubs, you would have less jitter in the signal, and each DAC would handle a single output, instead of multi-tasking them all through one.


I suppose you could compensate in some other way, say moving the speaker positions or something... :yothumbsup: :yoBiggrin:
 
SoftJock Rick said:
You can get 4 Berry's for the cost of one Giga -- just saying, y'know... ;)


Either way, you are doing your audience a disservice! You are running 4 adaptive USB sound cards, through one single port, and using one inferior DAC chip to do it all simultaneously.

If the outputs were split over multiple root USB hubs, you would have less jitter in the signal, and each DAC would handle a single output, instead of multi-tasking them all through one.


I suppose you could compensate in some other way, say moving the speaker positions or something... :yothumbsup: :yoBiggrin:
Click to expand...

It is apparent that you are not reading what I have typed. I ONLY HAVE ONE AVAILABLE PORT! HOW CAN YOU PLUG 4 Soundcards into one port?

I do not get any jitter.
I already have a gigaport why would I get rid of it to buy 4-5 other soundcards?
Lastly, I do not believe that Traktor Pro allows you to interface more than one soundcard at a time. I really have not tried.
 
ahoustondj said:
It is apparent that you are not reading what I have typed. I ONLY HAVE ONE AVAILABLE PORT! HOW CAN YOU PLUG 4 Soundcards into one port?

I do not get any jitter.
I already have a gigaport why would I get rid of it to buy 4-5 other soundcards?
Lastly, I do not believe that Traktor Pro allows you to interface more than one soundcard at a time. I really have not tried.
Click to expand...


What I said (in Texan layman terms), was that you are using a Gigaport, which is effectually turning one USB port, into 4 USB ports, and making a single DAC, do the work of 4 DACs.

You have lots of jitter -- you just don't know what jitter is...


Jitter is a timing issue, and the Gigaport is an adaptive device -- meaning, it accepts whatever the USB on the computer sends, and then sends it out to the output chain. The timing could be way off, depending on how busy the USB bus is -- hence jitter. The music is not playing back at the speed it should be, and is varying, which inevitably destroys the sound stage and tonal quality.


Spread yer speakers farther... ;)
 
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