Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Line out: 124dB SNR, Dynamic Range
Can out: 117 SNR, Dynamic Range
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The chances of you actually getting these measurements in a non-watercooled PC running at extremely low temperatures (we're talking -60 C or lower), with virtually no other equipment is incredibly low (in fact, I'd say impossibe due to the noise floor of components you need in a PC).
Expecting something more along hte lines of 102dB SNR for the line out is far more reasonable.
These were most likely measured in a faraday cage in a computer tweaked excessively to produce these results.
I have heard dacs with far lower SNR that sound much much 'blacker'.
If you're going to get an external amp OP (which I would recommend), get an external dac aswell. That way you eliminate the RFI present inside your computer.
Another option of course is to get the STX and stick with headphones that dont need a powerful amp.
I've got a MKIII at the moment. It is very good for a particular sound, but it doesn't really seem to do that well with detail retreival and has a bit of a bass boost and a rolloff in the high.. I like it a bit more than the STX although I'd say it probably sounds less black than the STX (although I have to turn it nearly all the way up on its lowest or second lowest gain setting to hear fuzz).
I'm using it with stock power tubes and big shield m8100s
Whether you like this or not is up to you, of course.