[lessblue]

I currently have the AV710 but I'm not using it for bit perfect playback. I was wondering what pairs well with the Swan M200s.

Sound card suggestions?

If I kept my Chaintech card for bit perfect, what DAC would pair well with the Swans? I prefer a warm and a little laid back sound.

My budget is about $200. I was looking at the X-Fi Elite Pro, looks neat. I really only use the sound card for music playback. Zero gaming
or watching movies. Just looking for the best I can do for music with my budget and M200s.

 

[infinitesymphony]

If you're looking for a warm, laidback sound, the X-Fi Elite Pro probably is not for you. It has the CS4398 DAC, which in my experience is tipped toward the mid-to-high ranges; you might find that it sounds a little cold and forward.

I've also heard the AV-710, and in my setup, it sounded slightly warm with a low treble boost and slightly recessed low and high frequency extension. Basically, a "good" sounding card. The CS4398 is much more revealing than the Wolfson DAC in the AV-710, but in terms of pure musicality, it's really up to how you prefer the frequency range to be represented.

 

[lessblue]

Thank you, that is VERY helpful. I was considering a 1212M but I understand that card also has the CS4398 DAC. How revealing the card is matters somewhat. I listen to lame/vbr rips and flac rips. Would you recommend another card for the Swan M200s?

I have a noob like question. For something like a 1212M or similar cards, how would I listen to through the speakers and switch to a headphone? Do the sound cards also have an auxiliary/secondary output to connect to the front of a PC?

I found the breakout box of the x-fi elite attractive in that sense.

 

[infinitesymphony]

If you're looking for a sound card solution with a built-in headphone amplifier (which the 1212M doesn't have), you might consider the E-MU 0404 USB. In addition, some people prefer the sound of the 0404 USB when compared with the 1212M, stating that they found the 1212M to be too analytical and not enough "fun."

Normally, my personal preference is toward a sound that's as neutral as possible, but for me the 1212M is useful in a studio application simply because it's so analytical and revealing, especially of the upper-mid to extreme high frequency ranges, and the extreme low end. (After all, the CS4398 is used in Digidesign's top ProTools HD I/O box, the $3995 MSRP 192 I/O.) The rest of the frequency spectrum (i.e. lows, upper-bass, mids) is well-represented, solid, and natural, but might sound recessed in comparison to the other ranges, which could lead some people to call it "cold." If the Swans M200 tend to be overly-warm speakers (I've never heard 'em), the 1212M would probably synergize well if you're looking for a neutral sound. But, like I said earlier, if you want a DAC that's not as detailed, the 0404 USB might be a better choice for your purposes, especially since it has a decent built-in headphone amplifier.

It's difficult to make the choice between analytical and musical equipment. I think that if you can look past the MP3s' inherent flaws, you'll appreciate the sound quality of a good rip that much more with a revealing DAC.

 

[lessblue]

I hadn't even considered the 0404 USB but I like what I've read. I think I will try this one out. The headphone amplifier sounds decent and will be above and beyond where I am right now. I was concerned about using USB devices (does anyone buy dedicated USB cards or is onboard USB generally fine I wonder) but it seems I can use the digital out from my AV710 to the 0404 USB and try it that way if I want to mess with two soundcard drivers.

Thank you

 

[lessblue]

So I have a bit of a noob question. I've got the Swan M200s sitting right here and the E-MU 0404 USB as well. The main outputs for the 0404 are TS while the input for the Swan M200s is RCA.

Will I need to purchase a TS to RCA cable? If so, any chance radioshack/circuitcity/bestbuy sells this kind of cable?

Balanced or unbalanced?


The M200s do come with a 1/8" jack and there is also an 1/8" output jack on the 0404. I suppose I can use that but would I be better off getting the TS-to-RCA cable later on?

 

[Dragon Rider]

You can use TRS balanced cables out of the E-MU 0404 USB to RCAs L/R in the powered Swans. TS and TRS to RCA cables are available at the large music stores. You won't find them at Best Buy or Circuit City. The E-MU 0404 should make those Swans sing like nothing else could. Please let us know. I use my HD595 headphones to the headphone amp in the E-MU 0404, and it is stupendous.

 

[infinitesymphony]

You really have a lot of options for connection between the 0404 USB and the Swans M200s. It's not so clear which will sound the best, though they'll probably all sound comparable. The cheapest solution would be to use two RCA cables to connect with the M200s, and use two RCA to 1/4" adapters to connect to the 0404 USB.

You could also go the other way and use two 1/4" cables with the 0404 USB and two 1/4" to RCA adapters to connect to the M200s.

A more expensive option is to buy two cables with RCA to 1/4" terminations, as Dragon Rider suggested. This is probably the best method if you want to use the RCA inputs on the M200s, but always keep in mind that cable quality matters. A good RCA cable to an adapter will sound better than a cheap RCA to 1/4" cable.

Your final option is to use a male-male 1/8" cable. This is usually a good option for computer speakers, but it's more difficult to find high quality 1/8" cables than TS/TRS or RCA cables.

In case you were still curious, onboard USB interfaces are just as good as dedicated USB cards. Also, whichever cable type you buy, the connection will be unbalanced because the M200s don't have balanced inputs. Perhaps a good future upgrade for you would be to buy balanced speakers (ex. studio monitors) and run TRS cables straight from the 0404 to them. Then you'd pretty much have a completely balanced studio setup.