av710 vs revo 5.1

[binkgle]

ok, i will soon be getting some new cans (either s560s or ms-1s), and would also like to upgrade from my sb live sound card. it seems to me that the two best hoices, thinking with a budget, are the av710 and m-audio revo 5.1.

the av710 would need an amp, and i'd almost certainly get the pa2v2. does the revo need an amp? is it better to have the amp as well, just for use with my ipod, etc, which would make the av710 a better idea cause i'd need the amp anyway?

which card actually sounds better (i use foobar with ks)? i would be using the av710 in high sam[le rate mode, using the wolfson dac.

thx you guys,
Jack

 

[binkgle]

bump

 

[third_eye]

I have had both and preferred the Revo. It also has a built in amp that can do a decent job until you are ready to get a better one, so off the bat you would not need an additonal amp.

 

[binkgle]

can the revo output bit-perfect audio?

 

[binkgle]

any more opinions? i'm still leaning a bit more to the av710, but i cannt decide for sure until i get some more input

 

[kurt_fire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by binkgle can the revo output bit-perfect audio?

What is bit-perfect audio? And this is an idiotic question, but what is a DAC?

 

[sgrossklass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by binkgle can the revo output bit-perfect audio?

It has native ASIO support, so it should.

 

[Garrett Adams]

No it doesn't. The M-Audio 5.1 does have an ASIO driver but it is not bit-perfect as it cannot handle DTS or Dolby Digital. For bit-perfect playback a third-party driver is required (ASIO or Kernel Streaming). I've successfully used either the ASIOx or foobar KS drivers.

I'm looking forward to using Windows Vista which (if the advance info is correct) should allow native bit-perfect playback, even in iTunes etc.

 

[RedLeader]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett Adams I'm looking forward to using Windows Vista which (if the advance info is correct) should allow native bit-perfect playback, even in iTunes etc.

It'd be nice, but I don't have any faith in MS advance info. They've been dropping planned features like nuts lately to try and push up the release envelope, which is already woefully behind schedule.

 

[Xakepa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by binkgle any more opinions? i'm still leaning a bit more to the av710, but i cannt decide for sure until i get some more input

I recently got AV-710 and it's definitely better than Audigy2 and Live 24 I tried before. FB KS resampled at 24/96 works OK, and thru well tuned BB2132 CMoy I'm very happy with the sound from the cans. That Wolfson DAC does have some noise, but detail and dynamics are better than both Soundblasters. For less than 100$ total (SC+amp+cans), the result still amazes me

Never tried Revo.