Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming Explorer vs USB input on G68

If I use the USB input on the g68 from a computer source is it providing the same functionallity as an Explorer? (re-clocking, sample rate, etc...)

Hi Halej, do a Google Search (top left link) for "USB asynchronous G68". It seems like the G68's audio USB input may not be asynchronous. Whether or not this is true and whether or not the audio data are routed via the de-jittering circuits, I don't know.

Thanks Virus Killer! - will do a little more research

I suspect the USB chip may not even take 24/96.

No, IIRC, it doesn't.

I suspect the new USB input boards on the 8xx units is similar to Explorer capability.

I'm 99% sure (from postings by people very much in the know) that the 818 was the first M processor with an asynchronous USB input.

Therefore the only devices with asynchronous inputs are:

818v1
818v2
861v8
808v5

There are currently no versions of G-series processors with asynchronous USB inputs.

EDIT: I realise I forgot the AC200 which does have USB. I'm not sure whether its Asynchronous but I suspect so. Perhaps someone else knows?

I'm not sure what you mean. Can you clarify?

If you mean that the USB input on the above listed reference products goes through SPDIF, then I very much hope you're wrong. That setup was used for example by Audio Research in the DAC7 and they were severely criticised for it in some reviews.

I suspect though that the USB inputs go straight to the bus (similarly to an ID40 which also doesn't go through SPDIF). Therefore I would expect them to be better than plugging an explorer into an SPDIF input on the same processor.

I expect it is straight in. The 818v2 accepts 24/192, sounding very good indeed.

The 818 is doing the same job as the Explorer acting as external sound card.

As far as I can recall (and find via Google), the Audio Research DAC7 did not have synchronous USB input, so wouldn't have had the same effect/benefit of, for example, using an Explorer to convert to SPDIF to pass into an older Meridian processor (one without USB input or without async USB input).

I'm still waiting for my Explorer to arrive in the post, but am expecting to see some benefit when piping a digital signal from a mac mini into my processor via it rather than using the Mac's optical out, but we'll see... In any case, I intend to mostly use the Explorer as a headphone output from a laptop, but may just need to buy another one if it works well as an async USB input into the processor.

Michael.