04-May-2016, 21:49
(04-May-2016, 15:47)Antoine Wrote: Again I don't agree. If it would be a problem most of the USB DAC's out there wouldn't work. Power is a standard requirement in the USB specs so this shouldn't be an issue as well. Also there's plenty of USB powered DAC's, the Mutec's aren't really that different.
Here I disagree, Antoine.
As many of us have experienced the Devialets do NOT need the 5 Volts power from the source to use the USB input. Moreover it is a known fact that the power supply inside an USB cable can degrade the SQ. Because of that some people have modified their USB cables for the use with a Devialet to improve the SQ. Additionally some reference grade USB cables (such as the fabulous JCAT Ref. USB) come with two cables (one for the signal only, the second to provide the power (which must not be connected to a Devialet)).
Furthermore some dedicated high end USB add-on cards come with jumpers to switch off the power supply of the USB output for better SQ.
I didn't mean with my hint that the MUTECs are special but I thought it is worth a reminder to those who use an USB connection without the 5 Volts with their Devialets. In fact this caused us some serious headache the first time we tried to install the MUTEC MC-1.2 between our source and the Devialet while still using a JCAT USB card with disabled 5 Volts....
In Dubio Pro Audio
Jan
