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soundcard upgrade useful with external usb dac?

post #1 of 2
7/5/11 at 6:09am
Thread Starter 

Hello, I've read some conflicting statements about this so I'm asking...

 

If I'm using an external usb dac/amp, will upgrading my on board sound card have any benefit?  Or does the signal completely bypass the sound card?  I'm tinkering around with the Dared MP-5 external usb dac/amp on a new pc.

 

Thanks for any comments,

Dave

 

 

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post #2 of 2
7/5/11 at 7:16am

When using an external DAC, the internal soundcard/onboard audio chip isn't used, as only one output device is used at the same time, and they don't chain on each other. So basically, once you plug your Dared MP-5 on a PC, it should be recognized as an USB audio device and preset as the default system output device, therefore bypassing any other audio devices you might have installed.

 

EDIT: Do note I'm only talking about you using the Dared MP-5 as a DAC, not as an amp, as an amp isn't an output device.

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