# USB DACs limited to 96kHz



## gimp (Sep 13, 2011)

Why is it that so many USB DACs only go up to 96kHz instead of 192kHz? For example I'm very interested in the Classé Audio CP-800 Stereo Preamp Processor but the USB input only supports up to 96kHz.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Perhaps the DACs are less expensive overall? Most downloadable Hi Rez is in 24/96. I would like to see this standardized, and 24/192 would be better, yes?


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## gimp (Sep 13, 2011)

tesseract said:


> Perhaps the DACs are less expensive overall? Most downloadable Hi Rez is in 24/96. I would like to see this standardized, and 24/192 would be better, yes?


192 is theoretically better than 96, but it certainly does not sound twice as good.


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## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Agreed, but it would be nice to nail down a standard. My vote would be for 192.


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## gimp (Sep 13, 2011)

tesseract said:


> Agreed, but it would be nice to nail down a standard. My vote would be for 192.


+1


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## FLAudioGuy (Sep 21, 2011)

The specification has been "nailed down" in USB audio. The standard for USB Audio Class 2 is 192KHz/24bit. However, only Mac OS X and Linux have native support, nothing yet from the Windows camp. For Windows support, you will need proprietary drivers and that is the _fly in the ointment_. Do not confuse USB Audio Class 2 with the USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 spec, they are two different things.


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