You should try optical out of both motherboard and add-on card and see which one you like better. It is entirely possible for each to have very different sounds signitures. Maybe if you have a cd/dvd player laying around( I got one at the pawn shop for next to nothing/ Marantz DV6500 for $45 ) you could do some comparing to see where you're at wrt the computer. I have found that it takes a lot (for me and within my rig ) to equal even a cheap cd player by using a computer(not impossible and I don't mean to take away from your listening enjoyment.) Obviously by purchasing the Parasound you are looking to step up your listening experience. I have never heard the 1000, but have owned both 1600 and 2000 and they respond well to an async computer transport, and do quite nicely with a cd transport.
Have fun with it, and try different stuff out. If you have a digital coax try that also. You never know until you listen for yourself.
Thanks for the reply
I tend to rip .flacs strait from my Linn12 and port it to this computer, so I very very rarely use CD's to listen to music. After trying both out for a while I found a major flaw with my sound card's toslink out, it tends to crackle when I start a new song. IE, its fine while I'm listening to music but as soon as there is a break or a pause in the music my speakers crackle. And sometimes my DAC will respond strangly with sounds of shorting out comming from it.
I think I will stick to onboard.
Also, does anyone have any suggestions for the problem I started above?
"
Also, one other quick question, why is it that when I plug in my headphones for my Onix A-120MKII that only two of my speakers are muted? I currently have it set up to the amp is hooked up to four speakers and an bass. When I plug in the phones only 2 speakers are muted, the other two and the bass still have sound output."
