[misterawesome]

I have what may be a basic question, but one I haven’t seen answered in my searches. I’m looking for a quick/easy way to “bump up” the sound from a basic home audio system. I’m asking to help a family member, so I don’t have specific model numbers – but my question isn’t about the equipment as much as the connection process. Here is the setup:
 
Denon bookshelf system (with AirPlay) with speakers. This is not the standard AVR – it’s a bookshelf system with a built in tuner.
PC running iTunes, throwing to Denon via Airplay
Basic record player (an entry level Audio Technica model), connected to Denon.
 
I was looking at the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD external soundcard with Phono preamp. Would the signal from the sound card pass through the receiver as-is, or will the receiver do processing for output that will alter the sound? My goal is to get improved sound from the entire system. But if the sound card is overrun by the receiver, I might just connect the record player to the receiver via a standalone phono preamp unless there’s another option I’m not considering.
 
Am I thinking about this the right way? Thanks in advance.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I'm guessing(?) it would take more then the Creative Labs X-Fi HD sound card to make a noticeable improvement in audio quality, with the Denon.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by misterawesome /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I have what may be a basic question, but one I haven’t seen answered in my searches. I’m looking for a quick/easy way to “bump up” the sound from a basic home audio system. I’m asking to help a family member, so I don’t have specific model numbers – but my question isn’t about the equipment as much as the connection process. Here is the setup:

 

Denon bookshelf system (with AirPlay) with speakers. This is not the standard AVR – it’s a bookshelf system with a built in tuner.

PC running iTunes, throwing to Denon via Airplay

Basic record player (an entry level Audio Technica model), connected to Denon.

 

I was looking at the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HD external soundcard with Phono preamp. Would the signal from the sound card pass through the receiver as-is, or will the receiver do processing for output that will alter the sound? My goal is to get improved sound from the entire system. But if the sound card is overrun by the receiver, I might just connect the record player to the receiver via a standalone phono preamp unless there’s another option I’m not considering.

 

Am I thinking about this the right way? Thanks in advance.

 

 

First off...are you sure it's a "phono preamp"? All I see on the X-Fi HD page is that it has a phono/line input and a line output. Neither of those are phono preamps. A phono preamp is to the analogue output stage of a CDP (with HDAMs or op-amps or discrete output stages) where the cartridge is like the DAC (and needle = laser head).

 

Basically, the phono/line input just means it takes a line input to record an analogue signal going into it; they just used the word "phono" much like how some integrated amplifiers have one input labelled "phono" in the rear with a corresponding switch on the front with the same label, and not a real phono preamp in the sense that you can skip the actual phono pre. Look at the specs - it doesn't even state whether you should get an MM or MC cartridge, since some phono preamps only work with one type, and those that work with both will have a switch.

 

Second, once you hook up the TT (whether you have a separate phono pre or not), will that even work without a computer running? And even if it did it might run the signal through the ADC anyway. In short, before you worry about whether the receiver might 'overrun' the X-Fi, the X-Fi might just 'overrun' the TT anyway while putting wear on the vinyl. You might as well buy the X-Fi HD, rip all of the vinyl, then use the computer to play the ripped files with the X-Fi HD as the DAC.

 

Lastly, even if those weren't an issue, I don't see how the X-Fi fits into all this apart from recording if the TT is the only source, and as it is it's more likely to add another point in the signal where you might just lose part of it. If you get it to rip the vinyl into 16/44.1 digital files then play those off the computer, then it will work. The thing is though unless you need the headphone amp in the X-Fi or the recording function, there's a decent phono preamp out there for only $129 that works with all cartridges too.

 

http://schiit.com/products/mani

 

[misterawesome]

Thanks for the responses.
 
As for whether the X-Fi has a phono pre-amp, I was going off of the product description from Creative: “The rear panel features optical I/O, gold-plated stereo RCA I/O plus an integrated phono preamp for direct recording of your vinyl collection from your turntable.”
 
I was willing to commit to the TT running through the X-Fi (and thus requiring a computer running), in order to improve the quality of both the computer system AND the TT, based on the understanding that the PC would be playing more audio than the TT. In essence, I’d be improving the quality of the both the PC sound and the Turntable, in that order. For the record, recording of vinyl is not important here – it’s a nice bonus, at most.
 
I realize that might sound like backwards logic. My goal is to improve the sound quality of the system. If the X-Fi can do that working with the Denon (and accommodating a TT along the way), great. If the X-Fi isn’t going to make a difference, I’d be happy to just go ahead with a decent phono preamp.  

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by misterawesome /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

As for whether the X-Fi has a phono pre-amp, I was going off of the product description from Creative: “The rear panel features optical I/O, gold-plated stereo RCA I/O plus an integrated phono preamp for direct recording of your vinyl collection from your turntable.”

 

Yes but it doesn't state in the specs as to whether it works with either MM or MC carts, or both, so there's the likelihood that it means you still need an actual phono preamp. You need to clarify that with Creative.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by misterawesome /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

I was willing to commit to the TT running through the X-Fi (and thus requiring a computer running), in order to improve the quality of both the computer system AND the TT, based on the understanding that the PC would be playing more audio than the TT. In essence, I’d be improving the quality of the both the PC sound and the Turntable, in that order. For the record, recording of vinyl is not important here – it’s a nice bonus, at most.

 

I realize that might sound like backwards logic. My goal is to improve the sound quality of the system. If the X-Fi can do that working with the Denon (and accommodating a TT along the way), great. If the X-Fi isn’t going to make a difference, I’d be happy to just go ahead with a decent phono preamp.  

 

 

If the goal is to improve the sound quality of the system then get a good phono preamp. If you prefer this soundcard because you're going to run it with the DSP, then why have the TT play and the DSP tweaking the sound on the fly? You are adding wear on the vinyl when you have the means to record it and not have to worry about wearing out that copy, given it's going to go through a computer anyway.

 

In any case the difference a phono preamp will make depends on whether the one you're using now sucks or not. If it sucks then any decent phono pre will sound a lot better. If it's compared to the X-Fi, this one has a DSP which once you dial in the sound you like can sound better, but again I don't really see why you need to do this on the fly. For one, it may not even work as such if the ADC of the X-Fi only works to create the digital file, not run an analogue signal through the DSP to work it on the fly.