M2Tech Hiface USB interface

[mjb]

I'm interested if anyone here is using one of these, and what they think of it. The pops and clicks have apparently been solved with the latest drivers, but I'm still not sure how much of an improvement I'll notice over a Mac Mini's optical output. Any comments greatly appreciated

[numberoneoppa]

Optical produces a digital (binary) signal. A '1' is a '1' and a '0' is a '0'. There is no difference in the output of that device and the one built into your Mac Mini if both are in working order.

[mjb]

I agree totally, but some people get very passionate about the amount of jitter over a 2 foot cable messing those noughts and ones up to the point where you hear it :E :E I'm not convinced, hence my question. Thanks for the reality check :B

[numberoneoppa]

Transfer protocols make sure that the signal arrives intact, safe and sound.

[chrispy35]

SPDIF is quite immune to amplitude errors (i.e. a bit flip) and you would definitely hear any if they did occur.

Jitter is _not_ bit flips, it is variations in timing from the ideal. Some SPDIF driver implementations produce more jitter than others.

I'm not saying that they will sound different (I have heard neither), I just want to dispell the idea that data errors are the only possible result of jitter on the interface.

AES papers have shown that jitter is audible once it reaches a certain (fairly low) level.

[numberoneoppa]

I don't really understand Jitter very well, myself, but I would have to say it's mostly superstition.

[Space]

My understanding is that even the worst case of jitter that you could find in a $50 Wal-Mart DVD player will still be below the resolution of the medium, so there's no way it could factor into the sound quality. Mostly the discussion of jitter is designed to make audiophiles feel jittery, so they will throw money at needless technology to correct imaginary technical problems.

[numberoneoppa]

My understanding is that even the worst case of jitter that you could find in a $50 Wal-Mart DVD player will still be below the resolution of the medium, so there's no way it could factor into the sound quality. Mostly the discussion of jitter is designed to make audiophiles feel jittery, so they will throw money at needless technology to correct imaginary technical problems.

Sounds likely.