Audiophilleo 1 USB audio to S/PDIF converter is really high-end, really expensive
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 29th 2010 6:45PM
posted April 29th 2010 6:45PM
We don't see too many USB-to-S/PDIF converters 'round these parts. Really, who but the most insane audiophile (the type who thinks they can discern frequencies well outside the human range) actually needs one -- especially when they can cost as much as a new laptop? But then again, insane audiophiles (as well as, quite frankly, the plain ol' insane) do read this space, so we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that an outfit called Audiophilleo has put together something called, oddly enough, the Audiophilleo 1 Advanced USB to S/PDIF Transport. Even gadget blog editors who still listen to their old Big Audio Dynamite cassettes can appreciate something as feature-packed as this: not only does it handle up to 192KHz / 24bit audio (with drivers for Windows, OS X, and Linux), but the manufacturer developed its own USB firmware and output stage hardware (in this instance, it looks like "off the shelf" just didn't cut it). This thing even has a JitterSimulator, so you can, you know, make sure Jitter is being eliminated. Or simulated. Or something. Sounds awesome, right? Is it $900 of awesome? We'll let you decide that for yourself.
@pgruebele
Hi please explain how your product helps towards better sound, if any modern DAC reclocks the signal with its internal clock to more or less remove jitter?
@pgruebele This seems like a TOTAL waste of money. My integrated sound card's coaxial out will send out the exact same bits that this "audiophile" converter will, while not costing me an arm and a leg. People need to understand that, when it comes to digital, as long as the quality of a product crosses a certain threshold, (>99% of all products) then digital is digital is digital.
All this is doing is converting one digital signal to another. Only once it hits the DAC does expensive gear start to matter... to an extent. This should be where jitter correction should take place, in or just before the DAC of a high-end product. You'd have to have some SEVERE jitter to need something like this. Don't get sucked into the marketing!
@pgruebele
Yes it does, but not at all in digital-to-digital conversion, only in analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog.
No hard feelings though, you're like some kind of natural selection for rich uneducated people, and as such I think I even like you :-)
@whiplash
Thanks for the interest whiplash.
The problem is that a DAC receiving SPDIF input is extracting its own internal clock from the SPDIF signal. You see, the SPDIF signal carries not only the audio data, but also the audio clock. If SPDIF did not also include the clock, then of course any SPDIF device would be good enough since there would have to be a huge clocking error to cause any problems. Unfortunately both the data and clock are important. DACs therefore use PLLs and other mechanism in order to try to extract as jitter free of a clock from the SPDIF signal as possible. Some DACs are actually pretty good at this and other are quite bad. This clock noise causes problems in the DAC's conversion to analog as described in this paper: http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/jitter1_e.html.
I also explain the same thing in more detail on this web page: http://audiophilleo.com/definitions.aspx?jitter
I believe in science and things that are measurable. There is no snake oil here, only sound engineering and science. That is why unlike many audiophile companies we publish specs like SPDIF clock jitter for our devices. Jitter is the single most important spec for an SPDIF device (or any clock/timing device for that matter), and some SPDIF outputs like those integrated into the PC motherboard can have 100 times more jitter in their output than our device.
Cheers
Philip
Audiophilleo.com
@pgruebele I have no problem with the theoretical idea of jitter, nor that it is measurable. But given all the error-correcting that goes on in the D/A process, is it audible? That, in essence, is my problem with most of the highest-end audiophile products. They address an issue that may be real, and may even be measurable, and automatically assume that it is therefore audible, when most of the time, it's wishful thinking at best, and underhanded money-grubbing at worst.
There will always be people who want to waste money on over priced audio gear for no logical reason, just like there will be people that waste money on Apple kit for no logical reason.
Not expensive enough for serious audiophiles.....
Read the following and make your own conclusions:
http://www.audiocraftersguild.com/AandE/npt.on.jitter2.htm
Good job noticing that it has an OLED screen.
FFS. It would be great if you guys actually had someone half-knowledgeable with audio to write this shit.
It even has 12v triggers for starting amps; this is so obviously not a product tailored towards your average person, and if that is you, then why do you give a shit?
They make expensive peripherals for gamers,
They make giant expensive-ass screens for graphic designers/rich people
What about expensive over the top cars? Clothing? Jewelery?
At least this is an expensive thing that does something. If you wouldn't buy this then why bitch about it?
@samuraisam
Downranked.
Aren't thero other HIFI solutions??? I can remeber Onkyo ND-S1 or Cambridge Audio Azur Dacmagic
I feel like the person who wrote this article doesn't understand what the device is. This gives any computer with a UBS port a DIGITAL out. This is actually a very simple device that can be had on