Weiss INT203 - 2 Channel Firewire, AES/EBU and S/PDIF Interface

Weiss INT203 - 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 INT203 interface comes in. The INT203 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 INT203 is for bidirectional interfacing between AES/EBU and Firewire and also includes an infrared remote control for volume and absolute polarity. The bit transparency of the player software on the computer can be checked. The INT203 can serve as an input to the computer, e.g. to connect an A/D Converter for transferring vinyl records.

Weiss INT203 Features

Mechanics

Both units come 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 INT203. This makes sure the transfer between computer and D/A Converter is low jitter. The INT203 in addition can be switched to external synchronization via its XLR or RCA AES/EBU inputs. 

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.
 The INT203 in addition has an XLR and an RCA connector as inputs.
 Note, a Thunderbolt equipped computer can be easily connected with the help of Apple’s® Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter.

Digital Outputs

For the INT203 there are one XLR socket and one RCA socket for outputting an AES/EBU signal.

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 INT203 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. The signal fed into the INT203 to be recorded on the computer is not affected by the remote control.

Back panel elements from left to right

The INT203 has one RCA output socket, one RCA input socket, a switch to select either the RCA or the XLR input as the sync source, one XLR output socket and finally one XLR inout socket. Note, both RCA and XLR inputs are active, this allows to record four channels via the INT203 and not just two.

Software features
The INT203 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. Plus an absolute polarity inversion feature. The INT203 in addition has a special level control mode in that if there is no Firewire signal connected to the INT203, it feeds the input signal at the RCA or XLR sockets via a level control to the XLR and RCA output sockets. So the INT203 can be used as a simple remote controllable level control between any two digital audio devices.

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 (also serve as output with the INT203)

• (1) RCA connector
• (1) XLR connector

Digital Outputs


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

Synchronization

• Sampling frequency is generated internally
• 
INT203: Synchronization can be supplied via the RCA or XLR inputs

• 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