[johnnylexus]

I have an M AUdio AP192 soundcard in my PC and it only has a coaxial output. It sounds pretty good going into my AV receiver which has digital inputs.

What I want to do is run the soundcard into a nice tube amp like a Singlepower MPX3, which only has analog inputs.

Is there any way to do this?

 

[Zorander]

I'm sure the AP192 has analog outputs, accessible via the break-out cable.

 

[johnnylexus]

arrgghhh

the breakout cable has analog outputs but they are not for rca stereo plugs, they are for trs "guitar cable" kind of plugs

 

[cotdt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnylexus /img/forum/go_quote.gif arrgghhh the breakout cable has analog outputs but they are not for rca stereo plugs, they are for trs "guitar cable" kind of plugs

they are balanced and go into a balanced amp. you can get TRS -> XLR convertors and plug them into the balanced amp. of course you can also use them unbalanced with an TRS -> RCA convertor.

 

[Zorander]

You can always get a pair of adapters, or get someone to build a new breakout cable (using RCA connectors) for you.

 

[johnnylexus]

Is there any way I can just plux the coax out from the soundcard into the AV receivers digital input and then "route" the signal from the receiver into the headphone amp? I have never understood how to do this.

I'm screwed, I just found this in the manual for the receiver ...
"When choosing a connection format, bear in mind that
the AV receiver does not convert digital input signals for
analog line output and vice versa. For example, audio
signals connected to an OPTICAL or COAXIAL input
are not output by the analog TAPE OUT."

Back to square one, can I buy high quality adapters from trs to rca?

 

[Zorander]

I very much doubt you can hear any signal degradation using the adapters. It is all just theory. Just go ahead and use them. You'll be happy.

Cheers!

 

[Jay B]

I'm not sure if you can split a digital signal, my guess is you can, although I know you need to match impedance... so not completely sure. If so, you could buy an RCA splitter, run one cable to an external DAC, like the Stello DA100 or Musiland MD10, and run that into your headphone amp, and run the other digital RCA to your receiver for your speakers.

An external DAC's output would be noticeably better than a sound card analog output.

 

[Jay B]

Another option is to run digital coax from the sound card to the stereo receiver, and analog RCAs from the sound card to the headphone amp. My sound card outputs to both the digital and analog outputs at the same time, so I'm assuming yours would too. Something to check.

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay B /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure if you can split a digital signal, my guess is you can, although I know you need to match impedance... so not completely sure.

I think this is asking for trouble....it's why they sell electronic splitters for that purpose.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay B /img/forum/go_quote.gif An external DAC's output would be noticeably better than a sound card analog output.

Not necessarily. His M-Audio Audiophile 192 PCI card isn't something to sneeze at, and it would depend on one's taste in DAC's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnylexus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Back to square one, can I buy high quality adapters from trs to rca?

The ones at RadioShack are just fine........part 274-884:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2103711

 

[johnnylexus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay B /img/forum/go_quote.gif Another option is to run digital coax from the sound card to the stereo receiver, and analog RCAs from the sound card to the headphone amp. My sound card outputs to both the digital and analog outputs at the same time, so I'm assuming yours would too. Something to check.

Thanks to all for your input.

I picked up a pair of rca to 1/4" adapters and I'm using the break-out cable to my headphone amp (analog) and the digital cable is running to the AV receiver ... and everything is working and sounding GREAT!!!!

.... now if I could just get the edge off this HA5000 headphone amp ...

 

[plaidplatypus]

If your A/V receiver has a pre-amp output you can feed that to whatever headphone amp you wish to use.

 

[Jay B]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnylexus /img/forum/go_quote.gif .... now if I could just get the edge off this HA5000 headphone amp ...

Not sure exactly what you mean, but you could get a tube buffer to put before the amp, and that might smooth things out. A tube buffer I know of is the Musical Fidelity X-10v3.