[andrzejpw]

audigy is a WORLD different from the live. Well, maybe not a world. . .

Audigy introduces EAX Advanced. Also, the audigy is suppossed to have less conflicts with VIA chipsets.

 

[lini]

And compared to the Live!-series, the Audigys are not AC97 cards anymore - so resampling is not a must (as it was with the Live!-models)...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Satori]

I thought AnandTech discovered the Live and Audigy were both based on the same chip, but the Audigy had firewire built into it.

 

[lini]

Satori: The chip might be quite similar, but different dacs are used, anyway. Nevertheless, the s/p-dif-passthrough makes the Audigy a better partner for outboard dacs, now. But for line-out quality I think the Hercules GameTheater XP, the Philips Edge-series and especially the Terratec DMX 6fire sound better. Can't comment on the Santa Cruz, though, because I've never tried it...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[wallstreet]

All this audio hardware stuff is confusing me. I'm a new to all this audiophile stuff, and haven't the slightest idea what a Dac is.

 

[wallstreet]

I'm assuming though that a dac has to do with the line output on the sound card, and that and external addon Dac will clean the output and provide better sound (like an amp maybe?). Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[grinch]

i'd do a search for audio&me's sound card thread about computer audio. it had plenty of good information for pc audio.

 

[markjia]

A DAC stands for Digital to Analog Convertor, and is used to convert the digital audio output from a source into analog so it can be used for things like amps. Most sound cards (including the Live, Audigy, Cruz, etc), all have their own DAC so they can export the digital information (stored on CD, MP3, etc) into analog, but the problem is that they are not usually very good. So it sometimes worthwhile to get a seperate external DAC. The added benefit of this is that you can avoid the electromagnetic interference in a computer. But looking at your system, I doubt you would benefit from a seperate DAC (it's not as important as the source itself).

 

[markjia]

Quote:

Originally posted by wallstreet I'm assuming though that a dac has to do with the line output on the sound card

That is mostly correct, except a DAC requires digital ouput (not the usual mini jack or L/R RCA). Generally, either in coaxial or fibre optic form.

 

[wallstreet]

Thanks for the heads up grinch, audiome's post and that thread in general was very helpfull. Here is the link if anyone is interested ... http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...ighlight=audio .

Thanks for the explanation off DAC markjia, things are starting to become a whole lot clearer. I know the Audigy isn't the best source in the world, but getting decent cans are more important. I think im going to go for the Sennheiser HD-280s first, and then worry about my source in the future ... I should have more money by then, and there will be new stuff out as well.