[kellzey]

So... my motherboard MSI P67A-GD65 (B3) has Coax and Optical outs...
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130574
 
I'd like to send the cleanest signal to my DAC which then feeds into my Little Dot headphone amp...
 
Do the Coax outputs on motherboards in general, have a pretty clean signal to feed a DAC
 
Or.. the Toslink output?  I heard the Toslink can be a little "cold".
 
Just looking to get the BEST signal from my lossless audio files to the DAC, then to the tube amp, then to the headphones.
 
Thanks!
 
Q
 
 
 
 

 

[sizzlincok]

Why don't you try both and see which one you like?
 
Not like your DAC is gonna blow up if you try them both.

 

[Br777]

from what i have read here on the forums, i believe the general consensus is that coax has the upper hand.  I do not know from personal experience

 

[Mad Max]

It's all about USB, yo.
Also, get a power filter for your computer if you can, it helps a bit.

 

[Roseval]

In general the coax is lower on jitter but there is a electrical connection between PC and DAC allowing stray signals to disturb the DAC.
In case of Toslink it is the reverse, galvanic isolation by design but a bit higher on jitter.
How this works out in practice is indeed a matter of trying.
 

 

[kellzey]

They both ended up working fine.  I think the Coax has a slight advantage.
 
BTW, this motherboard has 24/192 output ont he optical and coax, so no need for a fancier audio card.
 
I don't think USB can do 24/192 without special drivers.