[AML]

Hi all,

Just found this C-Media CMI8768 PCI 8-Channel Sound Card on geeks.com. I know nothing about this card and was wondering how this would compare to the Chaintech AV710?

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...8-8C-N&cat=SND

Does anyone have this card? and would it be worth purchasing for use with HD580 phones and eventually a Mint amp. Opinons needed please.

 

[Asmo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AML Hi all, Just found this C-Media CMI8768 PCI 8-Channel Sound Card on geeks.com. I know nothing about this card and was wondering how this would compare to the Chaintech AV710? http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?inv...8-8C-N&cat=SND Does anyone have this card? and would it be worth purchasing for use with HD580 phones and eventually a Mint amp. Opinons needed please.

No. It would not be worthy of the 580s, not even close.

Neither is the chaintech. But if you want budget, thats the way to go.

 

[AML]

Thanks for that Asmo .

It has to be budget at the moment, until i can save up more $$$.

 

[Alydon]

Asmo is right, the AV-710 is a much better card than anything with a C-Media chip on it. Stick with the Chaintech. Keep in mind, though, that the outputs on the 710 aren't amped (line-level out only), meaning a 580 will sound pretty anemic out of it (relatively speaking) until you can get that mint amp.

An alternative would be to get something like M-audio's Revolution 5.1 instead. It's $69 right now, which I know is a bit more than a 710, but it has a headphone amp already built-in that I understand is about cmoy-quality, so the 580's would still sound pretty good without any external amp at all. Just something to think about.

That being said, the Chaintech is a fine card. I have one myself, and love it.

EDIT: One more thing - the Revo 5.1 uses the Envy24HT chip, whereas the 710 uses the ENVY24HT-S. If you look at this page you can see that the HT will do 24/96 on its analog outs, but the HT-S is limited to only 20/48. I'm not sure how much impact this will have on the sound quality, but I would think it has at least a little impact (on non-digital signals, that is).... The 710 is still a great card, though.

 

[AML]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alydon Asmo is right, the AV-710 is a much better card than anything with a C-Media chip on it. Stick with the Chaintech. Keep in mind, though, that the outputs on the 710 aren't amped (line-level out only), meaning a 580 will sound pretty anemic out of it (relatively speaking) until you can get that mint amp. An alternative would be to get something like M-audio's Revolution 5.1 instead. It's $69 right now, which I know is a bit more than a 710, but it has a headphone amp already built-in that I understand is about cmoy-quality, so the 580's would still sound pretty good without any external amp at all. Just something to think about. That being said, the Chaintech is a fine card. I have one myself, and love it. EDIT: One more thing - the Revo 5.1 uses the Envy24HT chip, whereas the 710 uses the ENVY24HT-S. If you look at this page you can see that the HT will do 24/96 on its analog outs, but the HT-S is limited to only 20/48. I'm not sure how much impact this will have on the sound quality, but I would think it has at least a little impact (on non-digital signals, that is).... The 710 is still a great card, though.

Thanks Alydon ,especially for your edited information on the ENVY chips.

Do the chaintech cards also come with the Envy24HT chip or is it just 24HT-S?

 

[Alydon]

Allow me to repeat myself....

Quote:

...the Revo 5.1 uses the Envy24HT chip, whereas the [CHAINTECH] 710 uses the ENVY24HT-S....

So, um, yeah..... The Chaintech uses the HT-S....

That's not to say that the Chaintech will sound bad, though. It has a pretty good DAC on it for channels 7/8 (a Wolfson WM8728), so as long as you follow the instructions here to route the sound through that DAC on the card instead of the default POS it uses for the other channels, you'll still get excellent sound from it. Just maybe not so good as the Revo 5.1...

And you're welcome.

Have I confused you enough yet?

 

[AML]

Sorry, i misread your post

And yes, you have done a wonderful job with your confusion ability

 

[Alydon]

LOL, I aim to obfuscat-- er, I mean "to please...."

So... Basically you can get either a $25 Chaintech (HT-S w/ WM8728 DAC) + $60 mint amp, or a $69 Revo5.1 (HT w/ allegedly better AKM4358 DAC + it's own integrated HP amp) by itself and no external amp. I couldn't tell you which would give you the better sound, and I honestly don't know which one I'd choose were I in your shoes....

...

*thinks hard*

...

Wait, yes I do.... I'd buy the Revo, I think. That way I'd have a better upgrade path since I could always buy an external amp for the Revo farther on down the road if I wished... But then, I contracted upgraditis from this board long ago. It's an epidemic here, ya know...

I don't know for certain, though. They're both good choices.

Welcome to Head-fi!

 

[AML]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alydon LOL, I aim to obfuscat-- er, I mean "to please...." So... Basically you can get either a $25 Chaintech (HT-S w/ WM8728 DAC) + $60 mint amp, or a $69 Revo5.1 (HT w/ allegedly better AKM4358 DAC + it's own integrated HP amp) by itself and no external amp. I couldn't tell you which would give you the better sound, and I honestly don't know which one I'd choose were I in your shoes.... ... *thinks hard* ... Wait, yes I do.... I'd buy the Revo, I think. That way I'd have a better upgrade path since I could always buy an external amp for the Revo farther on down the road if I wished... But then, I contracted upgraditis from this board long ago. It's an epidemic here, ya know... I don't know for certain, though. They're both good choices. Welcome to Head-fi!

LOL!!

I beat you too it Alydon

I have already paid for a Chaintech, and should have a Mint posted to me on monday.

It's the quick or the dead, so they say.

As you said about upgraditis and epidemics, i can always go down the Revo road - if i'm not happy with things. - See i'm a quick learner

BTW, thank you for the welcome

i think!