Bel Canto's USB Link 24/96 converts USB audio to S/PDIF

Wait just a second there, vaquero. We know you're invigorated, but you should probably attempt to digest the price tag here before blowing a gasket in excitement. Bel Canto -- not known for trickling out low-end gear -- has just introduced the $495 USB Link 24/96, which presumably does an impeccable job at converting high quality USB audio (up to 24-bits and 96kHz) to S/PDIF via a single 75-ohm BNC cable. The unit works natively in both Windows and OS X, comes bundled with a Stereovox XV2 BNC / BNC S/PDIF cable (with RCA adapter) and gets all the juice it needs from your powered USB socket. Now, if only five unclaimed bills weren't so difficult to obtain...

[ProfessorKaos @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:27AM]

Wouldn't it be easier to get the external Creative sound blaster thats on the market, this seems a little much to spend on dead on audio conversion.

[Nick @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:47AM]

I agree it is a ton for an average user, but if it does as good as it says it does bit-perfect, then its not all that expensive for audiophile setups. Also, 90% of the other cheaper USB converters only handle 16bit via USB. Very few do the full 24bit so you don't have many other choices. As far as the creative, Ive hear it takes almost 100% CPU from 1 core to run at 24/96 and even around 70% to run at 16/44.1.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:29AM]

More like something you pump your car tyres up with.

[somedude @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:43AM]

This is for sending the music to digital audio converters much more costly than "5 unclaimed bills" ;)

[B Riley @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:43AM]

This is kinda a bad idea. USB audio delivery is SOOOO much better than SPDIF. People just need to let SPDIF die. Check out the USB DAC from http://www.scott-nixon.com/dac.htm . . . Once you've heard that via USB, you can toss your old and busted DAC. ;-)

[Bad Beaver @ Dec 2nd 2008 11:52AM]

While I do not condone marek's choice of words, I essentially second what he said.

[anon6-53 @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:54AM]

There are no DACs there, so it's a purely digital device .. $500 for a $20 chip? Those guys are worse than mApple..

[x0rn @ Dec 2nd 2008 10:35AM]

...and Steve Mobs pees on every one they make.

[Charlie @ Dec 2nd 2008 11:06AM]

ding.

I can see people with really discerning ears overpaying for anything that involves a D/A or A/D conversion, but repackaging the same bits from one transmission standard to another shouldn't cost half a grand.

[Chris Park @ Dec 2nd 2008 11:23AM]

What I would really like is device that takes TOS optical in and has those three audio jacks (orange, green, and black) out that most 5.1 computer speakers use.

[Funtek @ Dec 2nd 2008 11:29AM]

After doing some basic googling, it looks like bit-perfect 24/96 USB audio dongles aren't that common. I'm assuming that's because any serious audio gear uses firewire or is internal. With that said, this is only good for 24/96 audio originating on your PC, because most USB Spdif dongles can do pass through (for AC3/DTS).

[Bad Beaver @ Dec 2nd 2008 11:59AM]

Even if it does what it does very well it *is* a wee bit on the expensive side. Even with all the considerable audiophile and "hey, it's a Bel Canto" taxes involved this should not be more than what, $199? It's just a signal converter after all.

[ryanwalklin @ Dec 2nd 2008 12:28PM]

You're kidding right? $25 on eBay (I own one): http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=UDA1321. Uses a commodity Philips USB audio chip and a TI commodity SPDIF encapsulation chip. Does DD/DTS too.

[mangadget @ Dec 2nd 2008 12:37PM]

Xitel has had a USB to coax/optical unit for years....i think it was $60 about 6 years ago and sounds great....movies trigger the proper modes on my receiver

[Robsta @ Dec 3rd 2008 4:23AM]

These have been around for years. My 5 year old Sony Minisystem came with a free adapter to plug from the PC over USB to it's optical in port. It was called a Sony PCLK-U5 (CAV-U5) adapter, and it looks like there is on available at this address:

http://uk.nine.ebid.net/perl/auction.cgi?auction=1221141286-10613-0&mo=auction&from=froogle

But yes, some Creative solutions also feature this port.

$500 seems a little steep in my opinion!

[Larry G @ Dec 5th 2008 1:13AM]

Many of you guys just don't get it. This is intended for turning a computer with hard drive into a high end jitter free digital audio transport for true audiophiles who are using a high end stand alone DAC and audio system. This is no lousy $25 USB to SPDIF dongle that are a dime a dozen. My Apogee DAC, Synergistic Research coax cable, Woo electrostatic headphone amp and Stax headphones cost $5,000. I don't plan on using a $25 POS dongle to feed this fantastic rig, and something like this will be in my future someday. Just call me HeadphoneAddict.

[Frank @ Jan 3rd 2009 12:36AM]

I think you need to look at the Blue Circle Thingee - at $169 it is a no brainer: http://www.goodsound.com/equipment/blue_circle_usb_thingee.htm