Your suggestion for the following set-up...

[Herr Kaufmann]

Hi there!

Help is needed! I'm currently listening music through my Denon AMP + CDP & KEF IQ3 speakers.

I've read many posts about combinations regarding pc & hi-fi connectivity, but didn't find anything that could satisfy my needs.. huh

I'm running Gigabyte M56S-S3 motherborad with onboard soundcard - moded Creative Labs dtt3500 soundsystem is connected through analog multi-channel output.

My goal is to connect Denon Amp to PC, so i could listen to high quality mp3 tracks via KEF speakers. Gigabyte Motherboard also has the coax output - maybe i could connect some kind of a DAC to it? Or should i buy a new soundcard?

What do you think?

btw. i'm planning to keep Creative soundsystem for the games, moviez, etc.

update: Denon AMP is the PMA-700AE model & CDP is DCD-700AE ... so i'm looking for some mid range DAC (maybe Beresford TC-7510 ???) which could be also used as a headphone amp...

I'm just having doubts regardin' onboard soundcard and coax output as a sound source...?

Also, is it possible to buy some mid range DAC which could be better from Denon's CDP DAC?

[Herr Kaufmann]

Anyone? It is quite urgent!

THANKS!

[Piffles]

Well, if your onboard soundcard has a coaxial digital out, the most obvious solution is to get a traditional DAC (not USB).

I don't see how the digital out of your onboard soundcard could be flawed. There's the issue of the drivers and how your operating system handles the data (kmixer and co) but a lot of people dismiss these considerations as being inaudible anyway.

There are millions of DACs about; there's a thread with an almost complete list by price here at Head-Fi.

A DAC that would be better than the DAC in the Denon CD player? Hmm, I suppose but you'd have to go higher than mid range to notice any significant difference. And with Kef iQ3s, there's not much point. It would cost you a lot for not much improvement in my opinion.

My advice: get a reasonably priced USB DAC or even USB DAC / Head Amp combo (e.g. Meier Audio Corda Cantate). That will solve any doubts you might have about your onboard soundcard acting as bitperfect transport.

The cheapest way of course, would be to get a USB Soundcard (M-Audio, Edirol etc.) which basically is a DAC and use the headphone out on your Denon amp for headphones.

[OverlordXenu]

IIRC, sometimes onboard audio's digital out isn't bit perfect. You'll have to find a datasheet or something about your onboard sound.

If it isn't bit perfect, you could just get that $30 CHAINTECH AV-710 soundcard.

[HardHeadCase]

KECES DA-151, USB DAC never sounded so good on computer - eBay (item 160196848964 end time Jan-17-08 23:11:05 PST)

The Meier Corda Cantate or its big brother the Opera are good suggestions as well. The Meier Opera are nice because it has preamp functionality for your stereo and also double's as a head amp. Kein Titel

If you want to go the cheap route then the Total Bithead from Headroom is perfect. It has 2 outputs, one for you receiver and one for your headphones. HeadRoom - Right Between Your Ears

[Herr Kaufmann]

Hi!

Here is the link for my MB spec. list - GIGABYTE - Product - Motherboard - Specification - GA-M56S-S3

...i wasn't able to find any detailed description regarding soundcard.

Anywayz - Meier Audio Corda Cantate does not have standard rca output - in that way i can not connect this dac to my AMP!

Actually, the best way would be to connect both PC and CDP source to my amp - in that way i could listen to music through KEF's and headphones.

The two questions that i need to ask now are -
-is the sound quality going to be worse if i connect my cans (ultrasone hifi650) to the denon amp instead to standalone headphone amp/dac
-if the combination that i described above (everything connected to the denon amp) is ok, which connection should i use between my pc and amp?

OR

should i connect the system in some other way? Please, keep in mind that the connection between the PC and KEF's is essential the same way as the connection between the CDP & KEF's through amp...


btw. after all, don't forget the CL dtt3500 system which needs to be connected directly to the soundcard... the sound source quality on this one is also important (concert dvd viewing), but not so as the things we were talking above...

HUH !!!

[LeonvB]

I'm just having doubts regardin' onboard soundcard and coax output as a sound source...?

The PC is just a transport if you're using the coax output of the on-board soundcard. Also, the MB you have has HD audio. Those are bit-perfect, so there's little to worry about.

Also, is it possible to buy some mid range DAC which could be better from Denon's CDP DAC?

That depends on your definition of midrange. A DA10 might be what you're looking for.

[Herr Kaufmann]

And one more thing - another combination is to connect CDP & DAC (connected to pc through usb or coax) to the AMP... and then use amp pre out connections to connect them to headphone amp...

in that way i would need to buy standalone DAC & standalone headphone AMP...

hhhmmmm

and yet, the question is wheather to leave surround system connected to onboard soundcard or not...

[Herr Kaufmann]

So, what should i do?

Buy one DAC & one headphone AMP?

[LeonvB]

So, what should i do?

Buy one DAC & one headphone AMP?

We can't tell you what to do. It's up to you to decide what you want. But in general, a separate DAC and headphone amp will deliver higher quality but at a higher price. Reason: you separate the power supplies & boards, plus you need an additional enclosure. Buying separate items also means more flexibility, as later on the amp or the DAC can be upgraded at will. With a combined piece of equipment you always have to replace all of it or (if possible) stop using part of it.