But what’s the difference between a mobo with optical output, and using a good quality USB to optical converter? How do we know the mobo output is better than what a converter’s output would be?
I think to take advantage of how awesome the BF2 is, you wouldn’t want to use a cheapy usb to optical device that may add more noise and less quality into your system that would be nullified with using the unison usb and Windows 10. In your case, That’s where a good quality ddc/re clocker would come in. Like a singxer ddc. So USB from PC either use AES out or Coax out into the BF2. Optical tends to be the lowest quality digital signal path.
Optical in general is somewhat limiting, so it wouldn’t really matter whether direct from mobo or through a USB to optical DDC. A soundcard that offers coax SPDIF could also be an option and would be better than optical. Otherwise, as others mention, a decent DDC (Matrix, Singxer, iFi offer entry level) or operating system update may be your best bet.
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That looks pretty good given the price, certainly will give you way better output that anything coming from your PC given the fact that it reclocks as well. Give it a good 5V ps and I think you’ll be in business. You can do better than that, but it’s worth a try and you’re going to spend $300 to $400 for it but if you want to keep your Windows 7 this is a good price to try.
I wouldn’t use optical though.
Ok, so that converter I ordered has coax. And 12S, whatever that is. Guess I need a new cable for either of those.
Coax is fine, BF2 doesn’t have iis (i2s, also a digital data transfer format/protocol)
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Can I use the same optical cable for coax and SPDIF? With the little pointer adapter, instead of the squared end? Or what cable do I need here?
Coax is just like an RCA cable except it’s specifically 75ohm resistance. A good cable should cost you no more than $15 or $20 bucks. Obviously you need only one. 
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Ah, very interesting! This shall do nicely Likely a cable I don’t already have, easily mixed up with RCA…
What if you use RCA instead…? Works, but a terrible signal?
You can, a lot of RCA cables are 75 ohm. You just need to make sure it it. The have to be coaxial like the type of cable the cable companies use. Not a twisted pair type of cable.
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It will probably work if it’s short.
The issue is that SPDIF cable carry high enough frequencies they are considered what’s called a transmission line, and if the endpoints and cables aren’t impedance matched, part of the signal is reflected back down the wire, which can lead to issues. Most likely all you’d see is an increase in jitter on a short cable.
Standard RCA cables are I believe 50Ohm Impedance, SPDIF cables are 75 Ohm. Note this is not the resistance of the wire.
BNC is a better connection if you can run it.
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Ok. I think my d50s has the BNC input, but sadly my converter just has the RCA style plug.
I’m pretty sure it’s RCA?
BNC looks like this AKORD 10 m 50 Ohm RG58 BNC Coaxial Cable: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo
You’re saying BNC and RCA-style coax connectors/cables fit each other? The BNC looks like a threaded latch/screw, so I wouldn’t guess it works on the RCA style coax port. But on the threaded d50s port, probably. Oh, that port on the d50s is for an antenna lol, my bad. But RCA style VS BNC style coax compatibility, I dunno.
Am I the only Mac guy out there? B2 works great with usb on my Mac…can’t comment on Windows.
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Ah no I meant I thought Bifrost 2 only supports coaxial RCA and not coaxial BNC because they are different things?
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I have some PVMs (old production tube TV monitors) that have BNC connectors, and I just use a small adapter to RCA and plug everything in with RCA cables, so for what it’s worth, in my experience BNC and RCA have mostly been fairly interchangeable.
EDIT: Something like this is the kind of thing I use, though it’s the opposite direction of what you would need if you wanted to plug a BNC cable into the Bifrost’s coax port.
EDIT 2: I’m also using a Mac! Currently working out of a home office and using a MacBook Pro for work, so most of my daily driver audio gear is hooked up to my work machine. And yeah, the Bifrost 2 works without any problems for me.
Do yourself a favor then and don’t ever listen to a quality USB reclocker in the chain! The end result will depend on how good your chain in but in most cases, MAC, PC, os doesn’t matter. It’s a noisy and jittery AF environment.
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RCAs are all over the place.
“Digital” cables are 50 or 75 (depending on, ehm, luck?)
The “Not resistance of the wire” but wave resistance (is that the correct English word?), yep.
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What are the chances of BF2 working off my Android phone’s USB…? Does Schiit consider Android a “modern OS”, I wonder… 
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