[dukebox_1st]

I'm currently looking at buying a new soundcard for my desktop (currently a sblive

which is quite frankly crap!) I have around £80 to spend, around $150 and have narrowed it down to the sonica or revo. The sonica would give me the advantage of allowing me to use it both on my laptop and desktop but how does the SQ compare? The revo is slightly more expensive and less convient but if it is supiror it doesn't bother me.

Opinions on both welcome, the system is likely to be Alessdro MS-1s and possiblity of adding a Grado RA1 in the summer as the amp.

Thanks in advance

Tom

 

[raif]

if you don't have an amp, you can't(re. shouldn't) use the line out to listen to headphones directly on the sonica. Something to keep in mind.

 

[lan]

Maybe the M-Audio Audiophile USB would be better for you. It has a headphone jack and you can use it on your laptop and desktop since it's USB. I'm not very fond of it's headphone jack but it's better than no headphone jack. You can't really run headphones off a Sonica as it doesn't have the power to drive them.

 

[Permonic]

Sonica is out of production. Its successor is M-Audio Transit. (about $100). It features a combined headphone/line out, so it's capable to drive headphones.

As mentioned there might be problems with low impedance headphones (like Grado's 32 Ohm). I have both Sonica and Transit and currently I am testing it without an amp. Sonica produces easy to hear clipping (it has only line out), while in Transit, the clipping is very subtle only when you upsample (I use Grado SR-80's and Alessandro MS-2's). However I need more time to fully confirm this. I would rather use it as the line out than headphone out, so it's better to buy an amp in the near future.

 

[commando]

The m-audio range marks the output as headphone out, but it's actually a line out. It will drive some headphone, but not well. You do need an amp.

The sonica's good if you can find a 2nd hand one. FYI sonica theatre's crap, avoid it.

 

[ixeo]

from the looks of it the transit has headphone out/line out
is it possible to bypass the internal amp and get a true line out?

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo from the looks of it the transit has headphone out/line out is it possible to bypass the internal amp and get a true line out?

It is a true line out - it's not really a headphone out. On the sonica it's 1V instead of the standard 2V line level, so it's a little quieter than most, but it works fine.

 

[ixeo]

sonica vs transit
which is better in terms of SQ? and is it possible to do the black gate mod on the transit?

transit seems to have line in & digital in (thats toslink in right?) and i'm leaning towards transit cause it has more connectivity...in case i need to use em in the future. and i'm getting a Minidisc recorder so the line in and out for optical can be useful.

but boy the transit sure looks ugly.. sonica looks good, sleek and blooo.
thanks in advance.

edit: i also read transit supports ASIO and sonica doesnt. whats ASIO?

 

[Permonic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo sonica vs transit which is better in terms of SQ? and is it possible to do the black gate mod on the transit?

I can recommend both, Sonica and Transit has the same sound signature.
Quote:

transit seems to have line in & digital in (thats toslink in right?) and i'm leaning towards transit cause it has more connectivity...in case i need to use em in the future. and i'm getting a Minidisc recorder so the line in and out for optical can be useful.

Then the Transit is the way to go.

Quote:

but boy the transit sure looks ugly.. sonica looks good, sleek and blooo. thanks in advance.

The shape and size of Transit is exactly the same as Sonica's. The only difference is the painting.
Quote:

edit: i also read transit supports ASIO and sonica doesnt. whats ASIO?

That's true. Transit comes with ASIO support.

ASIO (Audio Streaming Input Output): definition: "Driver architecture developed by Steinberg for the purpose of optimizing audio hardware for use with music software."
[/QUOTE]

 

[ditto_n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo and is it possible to do the black gate mod on the transit?

I don't see why not. In lamen's terms, Commando just has the two caps right near the line out replaced with black gate caps. So, inless I'm missing something here, it should be the exact same procedure with a transit. I'm actually starting to lean more twords the sonica, its about a quarter of the price on ebay, and I won't be using anything on the transit that Isn't on the sonica. But I think I'd want to put it in a better looking housing

.

 

[ixeo]

is the ASIO important? or does it make a difference? i read that the sonica is quieter than the transit, but i'll get an amp soon after the headphones so i guess that will be fine

i want to ensure that i get a good source so i can start my head-fi journey

after checking around, i wouldn't need the line in afterall since the new Hi-MD can upload audio via USB just a little PITA to do it. and i believe digital transfer would beat line in anyday.

 

[kugino]

i got my sonica on ebay for $20 shipped.

using the line-out into an amp works okay. the digital out into a DAC is the way to go IMHO. either way, it's a terrific cost:benefit device that you can use on both laptops and desktops.

 

[Permonic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ixeo is the ASIO important? or does it make a difference?

Sonica & Transit should provide the exact bitrate even with waveout (according to Wodgy). Transit works fine with ASIO, Dierectsound and WaveOut. ASIO is bypassing the kmixer.
Quote:

i read that the sonica is quieter than the transit

It's logical: Sonica - line out. Transit has a line/headphone out combo. The signal is amplified.

The Transit's software has the latency and operating mode (upsampling) options on the control panel. Sonica's control panel is provided with SRC Truesound options only.