please forgive ANOTHER AV-710 question, but all the setup guides have confused me

[zaqintosh]

To put it simply. Right now I'm using my Sb Live! 5.1 into my go-vibe 3 amp into my HD 580 phones.

Since the AV-710 is such good quality (from what I've been told) for the price, I can't resist.

If possible I would like to use the best quality 2 analog channel out (only music listening) possible, with true "line-out" so that my go-vibe isn't amping an already amped signal. I also here there is more than one DAC on the card.

Between setting jumpers, using "high-res" mode, using the foobar software resampler, flashing the card bios, and plugging into the rear-outs instead of the front-outs.. I am left totally confused. How do acheive the best analog 2 channel out, for mp3 listening, with the lest hassle, and for plugging into my go-vibe.

Thanks!
P.S. if you think the AV-710 is a silly upgrade form the sb live 5.1 let me know

 

[tofu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaqintosh How do acheive the best analog 2 channel out, for mp3 listening, with the lest hassle

well, the first step would be to stop listening to lossy formats.

 

[Illah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tofu well, the first step would be to stop listening to lossy formats.

Psh - a well done MP3 is about 98%-99% of the SQ of the source.

Anyway, get the AV710. It'll be a world better than an SB Live. As for the setup guides, I got everything working with the kernel streaming and resampling. In short...don't bother! It's a waste of time.

Just get use the 7&8 outputs of the card (rear outs, nearest to the optical out), set to 2 channel mode non-high sample rate, and play your music. I swear there is no difference with kernel streaming and oversampling. First of all oversampling is like resizing an image in Photoshop. Sure, there are more 'samples', but they're not part of the original data - they're interpolated by the software. In other words, you're adding data that isn't actually there.

As for kernel streaming it's kind of a joke to me. ANY sound on your computer will kill the audio stream. Clicking a link in IE and getting the 'click' sound will kill your audio. After spending way too much time trying to 'silence' my computer I just turned it off...and it sounded exactly the same.

--Illah

 

[zaqintosh]

ok.. but in non-high mode it doesn't use the wolfsen dac apparently.

which is the whole point of the av-710

 

[dulath]

That is correct. I believe one of the drivers that someone cooked up for the *nix platforms allows both DACs to function at the same time, but this is not possible for a WinXP environment as far as I know.

 

[Tachikoma]

It doesn't? o.0 I thought it will use the wolfson DAC as long as you're connected to alt-out port. (which will work without high-res)

 

[zaqintosh]

You see! this is my point!

Nobody can agree on anything when it comes to what is what with the AV-710 <sigh>

I've even read the year long thread regarding the last install guide.. and it really didn't concretely explain when the wolfsen dac is being used. Nor did it even explain the line-out versus amped out jumpers.

 

[Twombly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illah Psh - a well done MP3 is about 98%-99% of the SQ of the source.

I'd go further and say --aps is indistinguishable for 95% of the population.

 

[Blitzzz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaqintosh You see! this is my point! Nobody can agree on anything when it comes to what is what with the AV-710 <sigh> I've even read the year long thread regarding the last install guide.. and it really didn't concretely explain when the wolfsen dac is being used. Nor did it even explain the line-out versus amped out jumpers.

wolfson dac is used when "hi-res" mode is selected in the software settings.

So just select "hi-res" mode and connect the go-vibe to the 7/8 jack on AV710. Follow the rest of the settings on the guide to configure foobar.

It's not that hard...and the guide is quite thorough.

 

[Tachikoma]

I've tried AB-ing with high res and non high res, with the alt-out going to my speakers, and found no appreciatable difference. My ears aren't that well trained though.

 

[fjf]

I use the high resolution and kernel streaming, but it is true that any other sound coming from the system will kill the music output. The way to avoid that is to keep using the onboard (on-motherboard) sound card for windows use and the AV710 only for foobar use. This way it works, no problems.

 

[terrymx]

its not too bad for me. i jsut go to "Sounds and Audio Devices" and turn the sound scheme to 'no sounds'. and turn off the sound from my instant messaging program. ...otherwise i dont have much other softwares that make a lot of noises.

 

[Zorander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illah As for kernel streaming it's kind of a joke to me. ANY sound on your computer will kill the audio stream. Clicking a link in IE and getting the 'click' sound will kill your audio. After spending way too much time trying to 'silence' my computer I just turned it off...and it sounded exactly the same.

Does that problem occur only with KS in use?

 

[tofu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illah Psh - a well done MP3 is about 98%-99% of the SQ of the source.

if you have a hard time telling the difference between a 320kbit mp3 and the same song in a lossless format, you are indeed deaf or have sub-par equipment.

either that, or you're simply in denial.

 

[Tachikoma]

Asio4all and the other "KS wrappers" too. I set my sound scheme to "no sounds" too