Weiss INT202 - 2 Channel Firewire, AES/EBU and S/PDIF Interface

Weiss INT202 - 2 Channel Firewire, AES/EBU and S/PDIF Interface

Your favorite D/A converter may not be the latest but you like its sound, appearance and features. So you don't want to buy another expensive DAC just to connect a computer.

This is where the Weiss INT202 interface comes in. The INT202 allow any DAC to be connected to a FireWire or Thunderbolt ported computer. This is done, optimally, by slaving to the computer's internally generated clock with absolute bit transparency.

The Weiss INT202 is a stereo Firewire to AES/EBU (unidirectional) interface with infrared remote control for volume and absolute polarity. It supports dual wire data transfer in 176.4/192 kHz mode for older D/A Converters. The bit transparency of the player software on the computer can be checked with the INT202.

Weiss INT202 Features

Mechanics

The unit comes in a silver anodized aluminum frame.

Power Supply
Power can either be fed via the Firewire bus power or alternatively via an external power supply. A power supply is supplied with the unit. If the external power supply is connected, power is automatically taken form that power supply and not from Firewire bus power.

Synchronization
The sampling frequency is generated with an internal generator in the INT202. This makes sure the transfer between computer and D/A Converter is low jitter.

Digital Input
Two Firewire 400 connectors are used to connect the computer. The second socket can be used to daisy-chain other devices on the Firewire bus. It is not possible to connect two computers to the two sockets simultaneously.


Digital Outputs

The INT202 has two pairs of XLR/RCA sockets, allowing to output AES/EBU in the dual wire format. If the dual wire format is selected it is enabled if the sampling frequency is 176.4 or 192 kHz. All other frequencies stay in single wire format.

Front panel controls
There are two switches on the front panel, one for power on/off and another one for switching the transparency checking mode on/off. Then there is the IR receiver, a power on indication LED, the power input socket and two Firewire 400 sockets.

Remote Control
The INT202 unit comes with an optional IR remote control. This remote allows to control the volume and the absolute polarity of the signal passing from the computer to the D/A Converter.

Back panel elements from left to right
The INT202 has two RCA output sockets, one single wire/dual wire mode selection switch and two XLR output sockets.

Software features
The INT202 supports bit transparency checking, i.e. by playing specific audio files on the computer (files are supplied on the driver CD) it is possible to test the playback software for bit transparency. This is a check to make sure the bits read from the computer’s hard-disk reach the D/A Converter absolutely unchanged. In addition there is a digital level control with a proper dithering algorithm applied.

Specifications

Power

• 
Either from Firewire bus power or from an external power supply at 8…12 V


Size

• 
Depth: 10,5 cm 
• Width: 10,5 cm
• Height: 4,4 cm
• Height with feet: 4,7 cm

Digital Inputs


• (2) Firewire 400 connectors

Digital Outputs


• (2) RCA connectors
• (2) XLR connectors
• Word-length up to 24 Bits

Synchronization

• Sampling frequency is generated internally
• Supported sampling frequencies: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz



DSP algorithms


• Volume control

• Absolute polarity control

• Bit transparency checking