[Garret Jax]

I have to start with this: I have a B.S. in computer science, so I am familiar with general computer software/hardware principles - so I know that a digital signal is the same regardless of how it's transported (e.g. Coax v. Optical).

However, I am trying to decide between using my HT Omega Claro+ digital output (optical) OR using my motherboard's onboard Realtek ALC889A digital out (optical) and using the HT Omega on another computer that needs analog out. So of course, assuming the HT Omega and the Realtek aren't screwing with the signal before sending it out over the optical line to my DAC, the two should sound identical. What concerns me is that it may be the case that one or the other or both DOES screw with the signal before sending it out. For instance, if I am listening to some FLAC music using the digital out, and I enable Dolby Headphone DSP in the HT Omega control panel, this obviously messes with the sound. Same with the EQ. But are there other settings/processes messing with the signal behind the scenes that I don't know about? Does the Realtek do this?

I would really like to pull the HT Omega and use it on another PC where it's badly needed, but I am afraid that the Realtek onboard soundcard is going to mess with my FLAC, DD, DTS, etc. data before sending it out over the optical connection. With the HT Omega, I can turn off most (all?) of the DSP stuff. Perhaps I can do the same with the Realtek.

What say you, friends?

 

[fjf]

I use the digital out of my abit IP35pro to my DAC (ubuntu linux) and if I output a flac from a CD, the DAC says it gets 44.1KHz, and sounds good too. It seems to me the new AC codecs are improved over the older ones. Dunno what window$ may do with the digital signal. I've read it resamples to 48 KHz.

 

[floydenheimer]

There shouldn't be a difference if you're doing bit-perfect output to an external DAC. Just make sure ASIO or WASAPI work with your 889A chip. (iirc they both do)

 

[Claude]

I have an Asus M3N78 Pro board with an Realtek ALC1200 chip, which is probably very similar to the ALC88x.

With the drivers integrated in Vista 32bit SP1 I got perfect sound out of the coaxial S/PDIF out, connected to an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 DAC. Foobar2000 can get exclusive control over the digital out, while other applications use the analogue out.

I also tried out the Realtek audio drivers on the driver CD, but while these offered many additional features (sound manipulation, surround setting), they messed up the exclusive control over the digital out. so I reverted back to the Windows drivers.

Playback is also rock stable, I never hear a click or worse, even while burning a DVD or converting WAVs to FLAC during playback.