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How to Hook Up Sound Card, Stereo Amplifier And Passive Monitors?

post #1 of 15
3/6/11 at 12:00pm
Thread Starter 

Hi,

yesterday I purchased a pair of Klipsch RF 82s for 660 bucks on ebay and I can't wait to hook them up but first things first:

 

- I don't have an AV receiver nor a stereo amplifier

- I don't have a clue how to hook all that stuff up even if I had a receiver

- Given that I spent a lot of money already I'm aiming at the best audio quality possible and will not make any compromises when it comes to expensive cables and so on

- In fact, I do have a stereo amplifier. I borrowed a Yamaha RX-396RDS (ancient device but fairly decent is what they say on the internets) from a friend of mine but aside from the power cord it came with absolutely nothing

 

So...um would you guys assist me in hooking all the stuff up? I did do some research before (pretty thoroughly to be honest) and I did watch YT videos but not all my questions were answered and that's why I'm crawling back to the head-fi boards again.

 

My sound card is Auzentech X-Fi Forte 7.1, my current stereo amp is the Yamaha RX-396RDS and my passive speakers, namely Klipsch Reference Series RF-82, should arrive soon.

 

So the Auzentech sound card looks like this:

 

http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/images/Auzentech-X-Fi-Forte-7.1/Auzentech-Forte.jpg

 

+ this thing:

 

http://www.auzentech.com/site/images/xfiforte/images/analogcable_lg.jpg

 

The Yamaha's rear is to be found here:

 

http:// http://img107.imageshack.us/f/dscf0115md5.jpg/

 

Unfortunately I can't seem to find a proper picture of the 82s from behind but I guess they have the same plugs ... any passive monitor has?

 

Could you guys tell me what cables I need to connect my sound card with the Yahama stereo amplifier while losing as little sound quality as possible?

 

And do you recommend a sheath current filter?

 

Are there any cables I should beware of buying on the cheap because of quality differences based on the price (I'm talking about analog cables, right?) ?

 

 

Thanks in advance


Edited by Manny Pacquiao - 3/6/11 at 3:13pm
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post #2 of 15
3/6/11 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 

Am I right to assume this cable's what I need to connect sound card and stereo amp?

 

http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/productimages/zoom/3-5mm-phono.jpg

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post #3 of 15
3/6/11 at 6:03pm

It's best to use an optical cable, specifically a toslink-to-mini cable.  One end is square and the other looks like a headphone plug.

 

15561.jpg

 

rearbrackets_both.gif

dscf0115md5.jpg

 

Next to the Yamaha logo on the back panel is a section labelled Digital Signal.  The 2 square jacks are the optical inputs.  You can use either one for the computer.  The top jack on the sound card is the optical output.  Plug the round end of the cable into the sound card and the square end into the receiver.

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post #4 of 15
3/7/11 at 1:42am

Id recommend you use a coax cable, your need a coax cable with a rca connecter each end, the coax will plug into the digital rca out on the soundcard and into the orange rca socket on the stereo amplifier , to hook the speakers up to the stereo amplifier your need speaker cable by the looks of the stereo amplifier it looks like it has 5 way binding posts , so you can use bannana plugs , spades or bare wire this end, i'm not sure what the speakers accept.

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post #5 of 15
3/7/11 at 6:00am
Thread Starter 

Guys you are great! Too bad that I'm not half as good because I made a vast mistake: the picture of the Yamaha amp is not the amp I have. :( I noticed it a few minutes ago.

 

That's what my amplifier truly looks like (I took the pic myself):

 

http://i.imgur.com/7pjOy.jpg

 

There's no digital input to be found. Do I need a DAC or can I simply use this analog cable?

 

http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/productimages/zoom/3-5mm-phono.jpg

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post #6 of 15
3/7/11 at 6:06am

You can just use that cable.

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post #7 of 15
3/7/11 at 6:15am
Thread Starter 

Excellent, thank you!

 

I conjecture using that cable is the worst way of connecting my sound card to the amp, right? What's the best way to hook 'em up? Sound card via coaxial@DAC which I would connect via analog cable to the amp? Does that make any sense?

Stereo amps with digital ins seem to be extremely rare and AV receivers (I'm planning to buy the Denon AVR 1911 sooner or later) despite having digital ins deliver worse stereo sound quality than stereo amps, right?

 

 

Alright, I did some research and to my understanding my Auzentech sound card already has a DAC (DAC AKM AK4396VF) which should do.


Edited by Manny Pacquiao - 3/7/11 at 6:27am
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post #8 of 15
3/7/11 at 6:59am

That cable will be fine, i'm pretty sure that 3.5mm jack on the back of the soundcard is a line-out not a headphone out and is able to provide at least 2vrms, it depends on the quality of the dac used in receiver how good it will sound though digital in, if it's a good quality chip and better than your soundcards chip , then use the digital inputs , if your soundcard has a better chip then connect it up via the analog rca's.

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post #9 of 15
3/7/11 at 8:14am

Auzentech uses powerful op amps in their sound cards.  Connecting the receiver through the headphone jack would cause distortion.  Use the front line-out (the green jack) on the dongle.

 

analogcable_lg.jpg

 

Also, you MUST USE A GROUND LOOP ISOLATOR.  This is what can happen if you don't: http://reviews.cnet.com/1990-6450_7-5021407-1.html

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post #10 of 15
3/7/11 at 8:30am

A ground loop isn't gonna break anything, you only need a loop isolator if you have a buzzing/huming coming from the speakers, i solved my groundloops by using power cables and a mains block that have there own groundloop.

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post #11 of 15
3/7/11 at 9:44am
Thread Starter 

Thanks a lot!

 

I bought an RCA adapter for 8€ today and I will buy a ground loop isolator tomorrow (18€). Where is the ground loop isolator to be placed? Between sound card and amplifier or amplifier and either speaker (which'd mean I need two of them and I don't even know if the 82s are connected via RCA ;) )?

 

EDIT: Crap, I read GLIs cause a noticable sound quality loss.


Edited by Manny Pacquiao - 3/7/11 at 10:04am
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post #12 of 15
3/7/11 at 10:29am

You don't need a ground loop isolator unless you actually have a ground loop.

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post #13 of 15
3/7/11 at 10:33am
Thread Starter 

Yeah, sounds reasonable.

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post #14 of 15
3/7/11 at 12:30pm

I have a PC with a Auzentech Prelude hooked up to my TV for Netflix, podcasts and other stuff.  I use a Radioshack ground loop isolator and there's no loss in audio quality.  The online content is still a lot louder than the broadcast channels.

 

I think of a ground loop isolator the same way as surge protectors and seat belts, a cheap form of insurance.  You can get away without using it 99.99% of the time but it only takes one bad incident.


Edited by batphink - 3/7/11 at 12:42pm
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post #15 of 15
3/7/11 at 1:42pm

A ground loop isolator isn't really necessary unless you actually have a ground loop, you either have a ground loop or don't your not gonna get a sudden high current ground loop that will damage all your equipment, if you have a ground loop you will notice , humm buzz disortion from speakers / screens, if you have a high current ground loop you might get sparking , hot cables/equipment.

I took care of my ground loops at the mains end as this doesn't degrade the sound quality, belden and lapp make mains cables that have there own ground loops.

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