USB2 vs. USB3

ALL212

I've been running a Bottlehead Crack headphone rig with Roon Server as the source. I had a very small PC running Roon Bridge via USB2 to a Dragonfly black DAC - then off to the Crack. Last night I wanted to use the Schiit Bifrost instead of the Dragonfly. The small PC was running Win7 and it did not appreciate the change in DAC's so I changed it out for something a bit more modern running Win10. Win10 immediately recognized the Bifrost and I attached them via USB3.

I went through 4 tubes thinking that I had bad ones. There was a lot of noise through the headphones that I had not heard with the initial setup. Couldn't figure out why the tubes had gone bad but then realized the only other change was running USB3 instead of USB2.

Switched the connection to the DAC to the USB2 port and all noise disappeared. I'll run the rest of the tubes tonight but I believe my noise issue disappeared when I used USB2 instead of USB3.

msg

Indeed, I've heard something similar with audio over USB 3, and how USB 2 can be preferable in some cases.

I vaguely recall reading it not uncommon to have to fiddle with various drivers with some Schiit DACs, too.

This machine is headless, yeah, and with no other devices on the USB bus?

ALL212

Headless...handless...footless. I remote to it so it is completely dedicated to servicing the Schiit Dac.

I've had the drivers working on the same PC - I moved it and "plunk"....no more worky. Reloading the drivers didn't work, uninstalling the drivers, restarting, reloading - same. So fooey...done with the Win7 box.

USB2 with another tube - dead quiet between tracks. So USB2 wins.

SCompRacer

You are not straining the bandwith with USB2 so no biggie. Quiet is preferred.

I prefer USB3 for backups though.

EndersShadow

Its just 1 and 0, whats noise? 2's?

pitdogg2

.5