[pretzelb]

I'm just starting to learn about DACs and considering something like a Pico but I'm about to rebuild my main machine on Vista and reusing some parts I'm wondering if I should bother with an extra sound card or just go with the one on the motherboard. If you use a DAC then aren't you just bypassing the sound card? I bought an X-Fi card with the front panel last year and was going to re-use it but now I'm wondering if I just give upon it and go with the built in sound on the mb, then use something like the Pico. Probably a very beginner question but I'm still learning.

 

[glenmorangie]

does the built in soundcard have the ability output bit perfect to the dac through coaxial or glass? and maybe sometimes you will want to play games or watch movies and use the x fi capabilities to alter digitally then send to your dac. i recommend the xfi
for music i use foobar with kernel streaming in audio creation mode....for movies i use entertainment mode so i can control bass and use volume management..and for battlefield game mode is a must