Anyone using the M-Audio USB Audiophile?

Here's my setup:
Laptop running windows XP. On board soundcard disabled
Foobar running with ASIO plugin (to bypass windows crap)
Plugged into Tape Monitor on Pioneer SA-8500 via RCA (aux has cd player)
Ripped Nora Jones, Gordon Lightfoot and SRV to FLAC for comparison purposes.

When I did a comparison between the cdp and the M-Audio, I found the M-Audio to produce a thin sound stage. The music wasn't as full. The bass seemed short, the voices seemed almost set back from the sound stage.

Has anyone else done this sort of comparison and found the same? If not, what other DAC's within a reasonable budget, let's say sub $300, would anyone recommend.

Try Foobar with Kernel Streaming as opposed to ASIO. What other settings are you using in Foobar?

I use the M-Audio USB Transit and find it sounds very good. The sound improves even more with an external DAC and using the digital out of the USB soundcard.

When I did a comparison between the cdp and the M-Audio, I found the M-Audio to produce a thin sound stage. The music wasn't as full. The bass seemed short, the voices seemed almost set back from the sound stage.

Has anyone else done this sort of comparison and found the same? If not, what other DAC's within a reasonable budget, let's say sub $300, would anyone recommend.

Consider that it's not the DAC, it's the phono amp that is the problem. Hagerman makes some nice products - Bugle and Ripper.

Did I miss a reference to vinyl in the original post?

Guess I was thinking about ripping records.

Johncan,

I will give that a shot. Kerrnel streaming. So obviously my understanding of asio is not all that correct, and that kernel streaming is in fact by passing kmixer and dsp?

Johncan,

I will give that a shot. Kerrnel streaming. So obviously my understanding of asio is not all that correct, and that kernel streaming is in fact by passing kmixer and dsp?

Yes, kernel streaming and ASIO both bypass the kmixer. You may also try changing the output to 24 bit.

John

Ok, can I PM you if I still find the sound is flat? I had it set to 24 bit. I also left everything else pretty much default.

Yes, PM anytime.

Mine sounds great, no exotic settings.

dew.