Best way to hookup DAC???
Mar 16, 2007 at 5:51 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 28
JerryJ

JerryJ

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I want to purchase a DAC and would like to know the preferred way to get the signal to it. I presently have a Creative Audigy4 in my computer, but I just received an AV-710. Which of the two cards would be the one to use?

In order of preference - which would be the best way to bring the signal out of my computer: USB, optical, digital w/mini or line out w/mini?

Also, how will my speakers (Klipsch ProMedia 2.1) sound with the AV-710 compared to the Audigy4?
 
Mar 16, 2007 at 10:52 PM Post #3 of 28
USB / Coax / optical.

In that order. USB is the least likely to produce jitter. Then coaxial and optical is the absolute winner for producing cracks and what not.

You could ofcourse feed an analog signal to a DAC. Most of the times this is not the best way though. Most people buy a USB-DAC to get rid of the interference of the soundcard.
 
Mar 16, 2007 at 11:57 PM Post #4 of 28
While I've read that coax is better than optical (never heard the difference, and not true if EM noise is a factor on a long run), coax wasn't on his list of possibilities. And whether USB is the first choice depends on a lot of factors, not the least of which is what's the DAC, does it have USB, is it a shared bus, or to what great pains do you have to go to get around kmixer with that particular device.

Personally, I like listening to my music more than trying to get the ASIO crap to work properly, so the non-USB stuff tends to be easier to setup. If it's easy, great. If not, I'll take my chances with jitter that I've never heard, and survive with my 3 foot optic cable.

To me, it's all a balancing act. One which Windows does not make easier.
 
Mar 17, 2007 at 9:06 AM Post #6 of 28
Well, USB is available on your computer without a soundcard, and I think the Chaintech has both optical and coax output. In other words, you're covered for any kind of DAC you want.

As for what's best with a DAC, I've used all three methods and don't hear much, if any, difference between them. Personally, I kinda like the optical, but that's more because I think the fiber is cool rather than a difference in sound.

If you're looking for a DAC, I like the upsampling ones. I do hear a difference there and they make Red Book CDs sound better.
 
Mar 17, 2007 at 9:22 AM Post #7 of 28
I just looked at the Chaintech card and it doesn't have a coax. If I were to use optical, where can I get a decent cable - the one that comes with the card is probably not very good, or is it?
 
Mar 17, 2007 at 8:02 PM Post #8 of 28
Good cable. Hmm, there lies religion. Especially religious for optical, where shielding and wire gauge are irrelevant.

My opinion: For short runs, anything is fine. I use $2 radio shack or monoprice cables. It's a digital signal, and your DAC will either decode it or not, and any jitter issues will be far worse due to the transmitter/receiver pair than the cable.
 
Mar 17, 2007 at 8:43 PM Post #10 of 28
Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif
OK - I guess that answers my question. Thanks


No, you think it does. Just wait till you get in touch with the ERS paper people round these parts.
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Mar 18, 2007 at 2:15 AM Post #11 of 28
Quote:

Originally Posted by EnOYiN /img/forum/go_quote.gif
No, you think it does. Just wait till you get in touch with the ERS paper people round these parts.
biggrin.gif



Let's not talk about The Borat of audio, please.
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