Rizlaw
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2010
- Posts
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Question:
Assuming a computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) properly configured for bit-perfect digital audio output with superior grade parts and power supply, are there any (negative or positive) quantitative differences which would ultimately affect the final analog sound signal heard, between the following two digital signal paths:
(a) ALC889 coax s/pdif digital out signal from a motherboard sound chip to an external DAC (i.e., W4S DAC2) > AMP > headphone/speakers;
(b) coax s/pdif digital output from a PCIe Asus Xonar STX card to an external DAC (i.e., W4S DAC2) > AMP > headphone/speakers.
I ask this question, because, although there may (or may not) be quantitative differences, in my own experience, I hear no negative qualitative differences either through headphones or speakers using FLAC 16/44.1, 24/96 and 24/192 source material. This suggests to me that if one is simply outputting an unaltered digital signal to an external DAC > AMP > headphone/speakers, there is really no need for a high quality plug-in sound card as the real audiophile work is being performed by the external DAC and AMP.
Assuming a computer (Windows, Mac or Linux) properly configured for bit-perfect digital audio output with superior grade parts and power supply, are there any (negative or positive) quantitative differences which would ultimately affect the final analog sound signal heard, between the following two digital signal paths:
(a) ALC889 coax s/pdif digital out signal from a motherboard sound chip to an external DAC (i.e., W4S DAC2) > AMP > headphone/speakers;
(b) coax s/pdif digital output from a PCIe Asus Xonar STX card to an external DAC (i.e., W4S DAC2) > AMP > headphone/speakers.
I ask this question, because, although there may (or may not) be quantitative differences, in my own experience, I hear no negative qualitative differences either through headphones or speakers using FLAC 16/44.1, 24/96 and 24/192 source material. This suggests to me that if one is simply outputting an unaltered digital signal to an external DAC > AMP > headphone/speakers, there is really no need for a high quality plug-in sound card as the real audiophile work is being performed by the external DAC and AMP.