I am currently liking Media Monkey as my music library front end/music player engine even though I still keep WinAmp 552 and Foobar 2000 0.8.3 on my computer for periodic audio player comparisons plus SongBird which has serious potential and is now out of the Beta stage but that still has a way to go before I can say it is my first choice.
The "free" version of Media monkey has a damn nice interface,does album art,ripping,burning,conversion,tagging,hell everything and sounds pretty damn good plus has a fair amount of available plugins so as an all in one media center for music is my current default player
A for the USB to PCM DAC topic,a lot of room under the "how best to do it" tent.
First off,even the the initial "opinion" when the first USB Audio interfaces first started appearing that they and USB Audio in general were "jitterless" and that they hands down blew the balls of of an external S/PDIF DAC from the soundcard was off base (and yes,I too fell hook line and sinker).
It CAN be better but as with most things it is all about the implemating and not the general idea so for instance there is currently four ways to get "there",each with its own up and downs :
1-First generation "all in one" USB DACs.These used the PCM2702 chips and was an all inclusive closed system needing only a "box" and connectors to make a usable device and the addition of a better analog stage to make it go from "entry" level to "Mid-Fi/Generally Pleasing to listen to" level.
The powering was from the USB port so the "new" analog stage either had to operate from +5 Volts or it required its own local power supply which increased the cost of the end product but is a far less comprimised option since you don't get much in quality audio or "drive" when right out of the gate you limit your levels/headroom to such a low voltage level though for a portable device using say an AD825 or OPA2134 which CAN operate pretty well using a +/- 2.5VDC power bus doable.
In the end this chi leaves one wanting and so can only be considered an entry level point for the USB Audio new having a computer with the stock sound card wanting to up the fidelity level a notch above current quality.See the "Fubar II" for an example and reviews on this type
2-The second generation PCM27xx chips combined the above "al in one D to A" operation with the choice of using an S/PDIF direct output going to an external PCM DAC thus bypassing the internal CMOS analog section and with the
potential to have a true high quality USB stream when mated to a good external DAC....
BUT !
No free rides.The USB DAC/PCM DAC combo means you are back to using the S/PDIF interface to connect the two which in combination with the known USB Clock issues (the computer clocks the DAC and there is no way around the "PC as MASTER" issue internally) plus the new information on the ACTUAL jitter levels then combine the issues with S/PDIF transmission AND the also not in doubt audibility of various coax cables and you can get anything from unlistenable to damn nice sound unless you take "steps" to eliminate the bottlenecks with these being
A-Terminate the USB DAC coax output with a good SPDIF transformer
B-Use either a 6 INCH or 9 FOOT coax cable to eliminate reflections (and this on ALL spdif runs)
C-Use a "Reclocker" between the USB DAC and the PCM DAC to eliminate the jitter inherent to the chip design/method
Mostly this is the type used in the "all in one" USB DACs and USB input headphone amps though many using the next generation are taking over this "niche",especially the DIY versions
3-Gen 3 chips.the PCM2706/PCM2707 added another output format,the I2s,which is an interface that totally eliminates the multiplexing/demultiplexing of the SPDIF data stream and i how the data is connected in "one box" closed system such as a CD player.
The "upside" is you eliminated a source of jitter.The "downside" is you are pretty much STUCK with having the USB-to-I2S interface built into the same box as your PCM DAC because you can't go more than a couple of inches with I2S without introducing MORE problems which requir ANOTHER "fix" that may or may not work.
The all in one boxes are nice but they DO lock you into keeping what you have or getting rid of the entire "system" and replacing it with another if/when you have a desire to upgrade while the "two box" system allows you to replace either/or at will.It will be more costly (it will require more cables for one) but it does allow one to change the end stage,the PCM DAC,at will which again may or may not be a plus .
Still with me ?
4-Generation 4 is the FIRST real change and while I have not heard an example of yet I can say "on paper" it makes a lot of sense because it goes away from the TI PCM27xx chips for the first time replacing them with a "programmable" TI TSUBxx chip which is pretty much a blank canvas just waiting for the "artist" to create something pleasing and as with the analogy of "artist" you have good,great and piss poor so just saying a product uses the "new" technology is no gurantee is is used RIGHT and by "right" I mean the way Wavelength Audio (and by liscence others),Empiracal Labs and possibly the new
ALL the new dacs using this technology are upscale in price level (though this may change if it becomes the standard) and it is not DIY freindly (and why the DIY for profit crowd uses the PCM27xxx chips) because you need to actually program the chip parameters so is more of an "elitist" USB DAC presently.
That it is a real step forward,will make an actual "IN SYSTEM" difference is debatable because flaws and all
any of the above can get you a very pleasing actual sound and in fact my own DAC is a combination DAC using a PCM2704 "box">6 inch spdif cable>AD1861 based PCM "box" and while I
know I should rework the DAC and place a PCM2706 I2S "direct" chip inside my PCM DAC box my current setup sounds so damn nice I have no desire to make it "better" which the way things work may be one of those things that "looks" good in theory but may or may not "SOUND" better in reality and that me not the "upgraditis" type,the type who is never happy,never actually LISTENS to music they are soo busy trying to improve things (grass is alway greener disease) once I get to the point where my music pleases me I just STOP,close up th box and start playing favorite cuts rather than wory about what is under the hood
Hope this helps
Rick out
) which combined with taking my posted informatiob solely from memory can lead to disinformation/bad content