[blue_lammer]

Hmmmm, well you're right on the Fubar! I can't find one post that says it's better. I was basing that statement from the people who mention that an external DAC is better than a soundcard.

From personal experience with using the AV-710 --> PA2v2 --> AD 700 I don't notice any buzzing, artifacts or "fan noise". I'm quite happy with my soundcard but you're never quite sure what's "best" with your setup especially on these forums.

Well I guess a HD2 will be in my future. I read that "most headphones are able to be driven from the headphone out port" for the HD2. There is an official images of aan AKG 601 plugged into the card. I have a LD2++ and K701, would i still an amp with this card?

 

[ROBSCIX]

@fzman, a soundcard manufacturer cannot just make up #'s that the card cannot produce when measured as it would never make it through the first review.

Soundcard have been getting better and better the last few generation after it started moving form the "budget gaming" market where the market was stuck for so long. Finally we have cards that can compete with and surpass gear worth quite a bit more..

 

[FallenAngel]

Think of the obvious costs of DACs vs sound cards.

DACs have to include the following costs:
1) Transformers
2) Power supplies
3) Casing
4) Multiple digital receivers (Coax, Optical, USB, etc) vs single PCI interface.
5) "Audiophile ******** markup"

When you have to cover those costs in a $200 DAC, do you really think you can compete with a $75 card that doesn't need to worry about any of those?

 

[jenneth]

From everything I've read (of course, I could be wrong), unless you're willing to spend a bit on an external DAC, you're better off sticking with a good soundcard.

Quote:

I can comment on the sound of a Xonar Essence and I have heard quite a few external DAC's and other soundcards. I have a closet full of them. The new Essence is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

-Rob, just wondering, what DACs have you compared the Essence with?

j.

 

[malldian]

So basically laptop people get the short end here...

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by malldian /img/forum/go_quote.gif So basically laptop people get the short end here...

always have, always will

laptops trade basically any semblance of upgradability, processing power, performance, repairability, anti-theft-ability, market value holding, product life cycle, etc


all for the name of portability, and "cutness factor" (cuteness factor == whatever the majority of idiots (erm, customers) want, currently its laptops and iphones, a few years ago it was mid-tower desktops and phones with text messaging, they think they're evolving processing power and whatever, when in reality their new $1000-$1500 laptop is probably only about a 3% better than whatever desktop it likely replaced)

and the USB soundcard market is generally garbage too (excepting portable professional interfaces, but those are expensive), things like the USB X-Fi and whatever-ever else, given that you'll pay $100-$150 for something that would cost $25.99 if it was a PCI card, all because its "highly mobile and optimized for laptop users" (like I said, cuteness factor)

 

[malldian]

Sadly mine just sits on a docking station pretending to be a desktop. Atleast I get spdif from the dock...

 

[oneway23]

I agree with most of the points above. A few years ago, I may have claimed that Apple was the exception to the rule as far as after-market resale value was concerned, but since they have synced to Intel road map in the last few years, their products are just as disposable of a commodity as anything else.

I got a refurbished Macbook Pro in 2006 at an enormous discount (more than $800) for what, at the time, was only one grade below their top of the line laptop. After about 6 months, the newness factor wore of and practicality began setting in. I began feeling constricted by lack of upgradability and cost/performance considerations, along with the realization that I work from home, and the laptop sits on my desk and barely saves space (any saved space turned into an ad-hoc shelf).

All in all, I'm not complaining; I'm fortunate to have a great system that will allow me to enter this audiophile adventure without too many concessions. I just consider it a lesson learned when weighing future system purchases.