[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medikit Can someone explain to me how you hook up to a DAC, do you use digital in? So if you go digital from your cheap soundcard to a high end DAC then it totally ignores the soundcard? I don't think I really understand how DAC's work and what kind of source they need. Where is a good place for me to study this?

You can use digital/optical or USB, usually.

If you go USB, it totally ignores the cheap soundcard, since the DAC becomes your "soundcard." If you use the optical cable to go from soundcard to DAC, your cheap soundcard becomes the limiting factor - any kinds of RF interference or jitter in the internal soundcard will be passed on to the DAC. Along with a previous poster, I don't really see a reason to go from internal soundcard to external DAC via optical cable, when USB DACs are available. I would think that minimizing the number of things in the signal path, and taking all the audio processing outside the computer's case, would be preferable. But I guess having the flexibility of using non-USB DACs is nice.

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ypoknons Honestly I don't see why you have to get a soundcard and a DAC when you have USB enabled DAC's - I'd love to see some of the arguements in favor of this.

Single sole reason for me not to use the common generic USB audio device is it's limited to 16bit and 48khz.

I don't buy the it's outside the computer makes it good enough at least for me. I'd have to listen to the device before I judge it. There are still many factors in sound quality.

 

[AdamWill]

Also I think most USB DACs work by converting the USB input to S/PDIF internally. Which, if you're a worrier, could possible have some sort of quality implications, and you might feel 'purer' using an optical / coax connection instead of USB. I've no idea whether doing such a conversion truly causes any quality problems or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if some people believed it does.

 

[TheReds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas For US$600 a Chaintech AV710 or E-MU 0404 paired with the CEC DA53 would be a good combination. Or, skip the soundcard and just use its USB input plus the USB ASIO driver from usb-audio.com. It has balanced XLR outputs too, for the inevitable upgrade to balanced amps.

i have never heard of this CED DA53 before, any reviews or anything, it sounds very very interesting. My "finalized" decision of the apogee might have just been altered. Any info is appreciated. I googled it but only came up with crazy asian writting stuff

^no ofense intended


peace

 

[Borat]

TheReds, there's a CEC DA53 on Audiogon right now:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....onv&1142538764

 

[uzziah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamWill Also I think most USB DACs work by converting the USB input to S/PDIF internally. Which, if you're a worrier, could possible have some sort of quality implications, and you might feel 'purer' using an optical / coax connection instead of USB. I've no idea whether doing such a conversion truly causes any quality problems or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if some people believed it does.

but doesn't your soundcard have to make a similar conversion to spdif?

 

[epion2985]

I dont mean to steal the thread but I was wondering if I can ask a question that is on the topic of the thread title, I made a thread but then I found this one and it seems appropriate.

I am looking to get a external DAC and AMP for my A900LTD's for music and gaming, however talking about this in the amp section someone said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamWill You can certainly use the external DAC to play your games, but you'll just get basic stereo with none of the spiffy environmental effects that Creative cards can do in games

My question is I dont quite understand this. Isnt all game audio prerecorded, and then effects are calculated in by the card and then all this data is sent throught the DAC on the card and then to your headphones/speakers. Why cant this data be output though digital out to an external DAC and work the same way?

 

[TheReds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Borat TheReds, there's a CEC DA53 on Audiogon right now: http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....onv&1142538764

sick, thanks. I have no idea about this though, except that it looks promising. USB2.0??!?!?! doesnt that mean its capable of carrying over a 192kpswhatever signal?

here i found this: http://www.cec-international.de/pages/s60.html
could someone tell me what they think?? and if anyone has experience with this piece please pm or post it

sorry to hijack the thread


peace

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheReds i have never heard of this CED DA53 before, any reviews or anything, it sounds very very interesting. My "finalized" decision of the apogee might have just been altered. Any info is appreciated. I googled it but only came up with crazy asian writting stuff

Written by crazy Japanese, no doubt.

There's a PDF datasheet you can download at CEC Europe's site:
http://www.cec-international.de/pages/s60.html#

From what I understand, the CEC DA53 was designed (and made?) by Candeias Engineering for CEC. It seems to have similar specs to the AQVOX USB 2 DAC and is more oriented towards home use as opposed to pro studios. I bought mine new for about US$510.