[MrViolin]

Hey guys, I've come up with a question regarding using my computer for audio. I have an on-board sound chip (realtek) and was thinking of buying a DAC (Schiit Audio's Modi along with its amp the Magni). Now I'm not exactly sure how it works when it comes to whether the sound goes out through the USB or one of the jacks which are:
along with an HDMI port. And there's also the option of
 

I think I have read somewhere on the forum saying that the built-in chip IS a DAC, so I'm not really sure whether I need a DAC and thus can save some money. I'll be using a z1000/7520 which has a pretty low impedance of 24 ohms (there again, I'm not sure if I need an amp either). I'll using windows media player and ripping CD's in WAV format. An answer would be much appreciated

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hey guys, I've come up with a question regarding using my computer for audio. I have an on-board sound chip (Realtek) and was thinking of buying a DAC (Schiit Audio's Modi along with its amp the Magni). Now I'm not exactly sure how it works when it comes to whether the sound goes out through the USB or one of the jacks which are:
along with an HDMI port. And there's also the option of
 
I think I have read somewhere on the forum saying that the built-in chip IS a DAC, so I'm not really sure whether I need a DAC and thus can save some money. I'll be using a z1000/7520 which has a pretty low impedance of 24 ohms (there again, I'm not sure if I need an amp either). I'll using windows media player and ripping CD's in WAV format. An answer would be much appreciated

The Schiit Modi is a USB DAC, so it connects to the computers USB port, but using USB bypass some of your computer's audio features, if all your doing is 2-channel (stereo) audio, like music, then USB is fine.
The audio processor (Realtek) is not a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter), so an audio processor and a DAC are two separate chips and your motherboard comes with one each built into it.
There are a few Audio processors with a DAC built in (Realtek 898?), but I would think the built in DAC would be barely decent quality, at the best.
24-Ohm headphones would not work at their best connected to a sound card's headphone jack or the motherboard's headphone jack (high impedance issue)
But i believe the Schiit Magni head amp comes with a very low impedance, which should be a good match for 24-Ohm headphones.
I would say to read up on several different reviews on the Magni & Modi, before buying them (But I'm gong to guess they are fairly good at what they do).
 
Try using Foobar2000 for play music audio files.

 

[MrViolin]

So by using USB, I bypass the sound features such as surround sound, but should be fine as long as I'm just listening to music. As for the DAC, how would it work? Would I just attach it to a USB port and see how it does through fubar? I'm assuming I can forget about the pictures I posted. Would the sound work juts as it would on youtube/win media player (adjusting the sound on the player and the volume on the lower right corner)?
 
As for the gain on the amp, from what I've read the higher the gain, the more power it puts out. So, I'm guessing that for a 24-63 ohm headphone it'd be best for it to be on the -1db than the -3db? I'm not sure how it'd affect the frequency response either. Thanks a bunch for the answer and quick reply PurpleAngel.

 

[Roller]

When you connect the USB DAC, it replaces the Realtek onboard audio chip as the main system output device, so all software will send audio to the USB DAC. Exceptions to this are software where you have specifically selected the Realtek onboard audio chip rather than the default system output device.
 
Most USB DACs lack processing features like surround, which for music listening alone shouldn't be an issue, barring personal preferences.

 

[MrViolin]

When you connect the USB DAC, it replaces the Realtek onboard audio chip as the main system output device, so all software will send audio to the USB DAC. Exceptions to this are software where you have specifically selected the Realtek onboard audio chip rather than the default system output device.
 
Most USB DACs lack processing features like surround, which for music listening alone shouldn't be an issue, barring personal preferences.

 
So this applies to software and not hardware (all the jack ports use realtek, and if I have anything plugged in, then the realtek n speakers/phones hooked up to them will not be used, but rather the dac/amp/phones). But if I have nothing plugged in but the USB port, then everything should be fine. Thanks Roller

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

So this applies to software and not hardware (all the jack ports use Realtek, and if I have anything plugged in, then the Realtek n speakers/phones hooked up to them will not be used, but rather the dac/amp/phones). But if I have nothing plugged in but the USB port, then everything should be fine. Thanks Roller

There are up to three possible digital outputs on your motherboard, USB and S/PDIF (optical & coaxial).
If you connect an external DAC (with headphone amp) to the (S/PDIF) optical or coaxial output, you have access to all the Realtek's audio features, like any Realtek headphone surround sound features.
Have no idea on how good the Realtek's headphone surround sound is, never heard anyone brag about it, or even if your Realtek has and headphone surround sound features?
At least make sure your updated to the latest RealteK audio drivers/software.
What is the make and model of your motherboard?

 

[MrViolin]

Oh no, I was just wondering about it. I was playing around with my sound settings yesterday n today and found, but I'm not sure n won't be using anything but stereo.
 
 
Atm I'm not sure about the mobo or the sound chip (except that its driver date was 2/11/09). 

 

[Roller]

What's the brand and model of you desktop/laptop PC?

 

[MrViolin]

HP pavillion m9715f. Found the things for it regarding mobo 
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=120&prodSeriesId=3953004&prodTypeId=12454&objectID=c01804106

 

[Roller]

But do you plan on using the onboard audio chip after you get your DAC?

 

[MrViolin]

No since I'll just be listening to music, and even then I have only 2 speakers. Wouldn't it be better to use the DAC w/ out the audio chip? Thanks again Purple and Roller 

 

[Roller]

It's indeed better to only use the DAC as it's an overall superior device. Adding the amp will allow you to drive a very wide range of headphones. After that, you won't need to worry about the onboard audio chip at all.

 

[MrViolin]

May I also ask about gain and what it does specifically? I've seen specs w/ high gain having a wider frequency range. Does it also have something to do with the power output? 
 
Put it on a new thread in its section at 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/641501/impedance-sensitivity-efficiency-gain

 

[bobbmd]

with the schiit dac the pc sound card will be bypassed it will be music from your cd collection or streaming music from say MOG to the dac then rca out to you avr or preamp/amp to your speakers
same thing when listening with headphone amp ie pc hdd/streaming music to dac to headphone amp to your ears(headphones)
soundcard has nothing to do with the music its bypassed bobbmd

 

[MrViolin]

Thanks bob! Would this be the case for optical?