[rajs]

Recommendation Sought: Best Sound Card for G5 PowerMac.

I am thinking about using my G5 PowerMac as a source and want to output from it to a Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2 Headphone Amp which will feed sound to me via my Sony CD3000 and soon to be acquired UE10pro.

I have trolled through a few threads but wanted to see if there are any updated recommendtions you experts have out there for the G5.

Thanks a lot.

-rajs

 

[jjcapurro]

Have you considered using the optical out on your G5 and buying an outbourd DAC? I feel this would provide a cleaner signal as the conversion to analog is done outside of the computer (a quite electrically noisy environment regardless of sound card quality).

There are many to choose from, so search here and at avforums.com and audiocircle.com

a couple manufacturers are:
Chanel Islands Audio: http://www.ciaudio.com/
AOS Electronics http://www.aoselectronics.com/
Bel Canto http://www.belcantodesign.com/

Regards,
Jeremy

 

[lan]

I agree with an external DAC. What is your budget?

 

[rajs]

Would like to keep it cheap as possible though I was considering a CDP source like a Shanling CD-T100, Jolida JD-100 or a SONY ES Series CDP if I could find one even ... but then I thought hell ... why not just use my PowerMac as a source since Apple now has a lossless format and I have the Hard Drive space for it.

 

[jjcapurro]

I agree with you. Your computer can be a fantastic source! A good entry level DAC will run about $200-400 and many have upgrade path's via external power supplies or tube rolling etc. Another company to look at is Scott Nixon http://www.scott-nixon.com/. His Dackit+ gets favorable nods, and has the ever sought after 'tube sound'. If matching the aesthetics of your Mac is important, and/or you enjoy the tightness of a solid state device, then a good place to start would be the Chanel Islands DAC (linked in my previous post). Basically it comes down to this, for the DAC you can spend the same initial money as on the quality CDP's you are looking at, have comparable sound, and an easy upgrade path to boot, definately the way to go! ...oh yea, and never underestimate the ease of use that comes with using itunes as your music experience interface!

Good Luck, and let us know what you decide!
Jeremy

 

[tiberian]

an external dac is a good idea

 

[sleepkyng]

i have a modded art dio with the stancor psu upgrade i'm gonna let go of if you're interested.

it uses a coax input

 

[SunByrne]

Sound card for a Mac? Nah, it's got on-board digital out! The DAC idea is a good one. This one has been getting good reviews in other threads and is very reasonably priced, but I've not (yet?) heard it myself:

http://www.aoselectronics.com/piccolo.html

Certainly worth consideration.

 

[rajs]

Sounds like i am being steered in the direction of an external dedicated DAC. SO the setup would be optical out from the G5 Macintosh to the external DACs Optical in, and an interconnect connection from the out from the DAC to the Ray Samuels Audio HR-2 in connection. And then a connection from the HR-2 to my headphones.

I don't think the piccolo has a Optical in connection ... correct me if I am wrong.

BTW -- THank to all the advice so far -- please keep throwing suggustion to me in regards to a good external DAC with optical in that I can connect to my HR-2.

Regards,

- rajs

 

[fiddler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajs I don't think the piccolo has a Optical in connection ... correct me if I am wrong.

On the contrary, it has ONLY an optical input.

 

[endstop]

I have an Entech Number Cruncher 203.2 hooked up to my brand new G5's optical out, and it sounds awesome. Listening to Apple Lossless audio sounds better than listening to original CDs on my Arcam Alpha.

Coincidentally, I have my "extra" 203.2 up for sale on eBay. Do a search for Entech if you're interested.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajs Recommendation Sought: Best Sound Card for G5 PowerMac. I am thinking about using my G5 PowerMac as a source and want to output from it to a Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2 Headphone Amp which will feed sound to me via my Sony CD3000 and soon to be acquired UE10pro. I have trolled through a few threads but wanted to see if there are any updated recommendtions you experts have out there for the G5. Thanks a lot. -rajs

 

[TrevorNetwork]

The Picollo is an excellent DAC. I had the opportunity to spend some time with one during the meet I held last weekend. AOS is a great guy, and easy to deal with. The Picollo is highly recommended by me.

Trevor