Hi,

I didn't know where to post this, so I thought it would suit the Buffalo section (since the Buffalo has basically become a new benchmark DAC and the new TP Sabre32 will have eight channel capable hopefully)...

@Brian / Russ - would you be interested in offering a "Muxit" type digital audio link kit on your site? This would be similar to what Brian Brown created....

http://www.diyaudio.com/...hp?s=&threadid=22741

This would let people upgrade their SACD player or sound card to transfer eight (or more) channels of uncompressed audio to their DAC (or DACs). I believe the TI chips can transfer standard I2S (or others) up to 24bit / 200KHz (and no doubt 32bit I2S if there is such a thing?). It should also be possible to transfer many more channels using a PLL higher clock.

I've actually had the chips for this for many months, but as usual the big hurdle for me is that getting PCBs made is expensive, and making them at home isn't usually worth the effort for the poor quality (well, mine aren't that great at least).

Ideally, the kit would have RJ-45 connectors on the boards so it would be fairly simple to hook up. For DVD / SACD players and sound card, the I2S signals would need to be found, but this is usually fairly straightforward.

I guess most people on here will realize the benefits of this, but I'll re-interate... Other than SACD, the other obviou reason for wanting to transfer uncompressed audio is that it's still pretty much impossible to add a decoder to a DIY amp for the new Dolby HD and DTS MA standards unless you buy a commercial amp or an expensive DVD player. A reasonably modern PC is capable of decoding the new HD audio standards though (with an added Blu-Ray drive), so it just means finding a way of connecting the sound card card to your DAC(s) to get the full quality multichannel uncompressed audio.

The "Muxit" boards make this easier due to the use of standard Cat-5 cable - this should be able to carry the audio over a fair distance too (20 feet or more!). The jitter is apparently very low, and according to Brian's listening impressions the interface is way better than standard SPDIF. Coupled with a Buffalo DAC, this would be a killer app.

OzOnE.

Edited by user Sunday, February 15, 2009 3:46:09 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified