Trends Audio, a consumer electronics brand out of Hong Kong, announced plans to begin selling a USB device which will act as a bridge between a computer and a home entertainment system. The new Trends UD-10.1 USB Audio Converter is priced at around $120.

The Trends UD-10.1 USB Audio Converter can link a Windows or Mac machine with coaxial, optical and standard AES/EBU(110 Ohm via XLR) and S/PDIF (75 Ohm via RCA or BNC). This permits a computer, said Trends Audio, to act as a high-end digital-playback device for passing digitally encoded signals into a receiver or signal pre-processor/pre-amplifier for high-end audiophile applications.

Trends Audio also mentioned a bunch of mumbo jumbo about the audiophile grade materials in this device. While we won’t bore you with the details, this device does seem to hold some promise. It’s too bad it looks so butt ugly.

Trends UD-10.1 USB Audio Converter