[jeeger]

So I want to listen to tunes from my PC. I currently only have an intel HDA codec or a ESS-Solo1 sound card. What would be better: Buying a better soundcard (Perhaps modding an Audigy X-Fi(although I'm not clear on the linux drivers yet)), or DIY'ing a DAC as well as an amp? I was looking around and found several DIY projects that sounded nice. A selection:
DAC: Monica USB, DDDAC2000 or Alien DAC (Though it seems there are no more boards available.
AMP: Millet (Max perhaps, if I get more DIY experience), a little cmoy, maybe pimped out^^ or a pimeta.

Also, I do not want the source in my room because the PC is pretty loud. Any more recommendations/ideas how to transport the sound over longer distances?
Also, any nice DIY projects I missed? Soundcard recommendations?
Thanks

 

[spongezone]

As far as distance on the sound, you might get more enjoyment out of simply quieting the PC.

Anyway, beyond the flexibility of having a seperate DAC and amp, its fun DIYing things!

 

[Amarok]

DAC + amp. No question. At all. 0, zip, zilch, nada.

And it helps with distance. With USB cables joined with USB extenders you can get pretty far. I have no idea how far optical S/PDIF can go, but I've seen some pretty long cables.

A cheap/old/used laptop, say, ~Pentium < 1Ghz era, put linux on it, a wireless card in it and use MPD, Media Player Daemon. You can then use a USB DAC or something like the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage which is USB in and (okish) audio out and S/PDIF out. For best results send the S/PDIF to a nice DAC. Thence to an amp.
Multiple machines can then use clients to queue up mvsik. This is exactly the problem MPD was meant to (and does) solve.

Depending on your DIY-ishness and insanity level

, you could make a "S/PDIF" server. I little box with a TCP/IP server running on it that is sent audio data and outputs s/pdif. This would take a modest amount of CPU power, so there'd be no need for cooling. You could probably market this

Like one of those TCP/IP print servers in the tiny boxes. Maybe one of those runs linux and has info on the net about hacking it. If so, then this will be like the cheap laptop solution. If there're no wireless ones out there (I'm sure there are) then you'll need some kind of wireless base station / router.

There may be a wireless USB extender already out there. That would be cool.

Or look into media type PCs. HTPC systems are made to be living room friendly. One common setup is big 'ol storage box in the "machine room" providing data to the HTPC. This is pretty much the cheap laptop system with a nicer box. Box here meaning the whole computer system, not just the case. These boxen can also run DVR software and I'd imagine games, too. I'm sure there will be software to use Wii-motes pretty soon.


-=A=-

 

[brokensound]

I don't think usb will be a viable solution. They don't get much longer than 20 ft at most. There's coax or optical. But going over a long distance might degrade the quality of a coax signal. Quieting your computer might be a better choice. Also, have you looked into the emu 0404. It's got a decent amp and dac too. Check out some reviews.

 

[Amarok]

Wow! They do (get >20') now!
http://shop.lathem.com/pc-4432-221-u...150ft-max.aspx

But this seems a gazillion times better:
I *knew* someone had to be working on this. There goes another mega-buck idea.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/wireless/...+fi-249044.php


I agree coax is a no-go.
TOSLINK seems to be ~10m max.

 

[jeeger]

I read in Wikipedia that the USB2 specification provides for a maximum of 5 metres (don't know how many inches/feet that is). @ Amarok I currently have a quiet PC in my pipeline and I was already looking into getting it to provide music for me (Exact Gentoo/MPD setup). How about a homemade wood enclosure^^? But the 'double dac' thing seems to be overkill for me. But if I got an usb dac with analog and digital output, I could later extend that setup. And the USB extender looks like a nice thing too... A pity that AlienDAC pcbs are so hard to come by...

 

[LT72884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brokensound /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think usb will be a viable solution. They don't get much longer than 20 ft at most. There's coax or optical. But going over a long distance might degrade the quality of a coax signal. Quieting your computer might be a better choice. Also, have you looked into the emu 0404. It's got a decent amp and dac too. Check out some reviews.

coax can go up to 500 meters with out sound lose or signal dedragation. its still used today to carry digital data for some very rare network types like thick net. just buy some quad shielded RG6 coax and sodder on some RCA connections and your good to go. you could even use the standard RG6 coax. its like .016$ a foot at home depot

 

[uraflit]

can u stuff ur pc into a closet in the same room? that shouldnt take more than a 20ft usb cable... and yea, go the USB route!

 

[Redo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brokensound /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think usb will be a viable solution. They don't get much longer than 20 ft at most. There's coax or optical. But going over a long distance might degrade the quality of a coax signal. Quieting your computer might be a better choice. Also, have you looked into the emu 0404. It's got a decent amp and dac too. Check out some reviews.

Digital coax is very hearty! It should be the only choice when doing long digital runs.

 

[LT72884]

here is what I would do if it was ME. this is my dream system.

ok for music i would build a micro ATX HTPC that would do my sound processing for me with either an x-fi or the new auzentech. it would have a DVD burner and a connection to the internet to download what ever i want. it would not play movies because IMHO a DVD player or xbox 360 hooked to a reciever using DTS and DD is the best. It would be hooked up to my projector and i could use it as a PC to do small things like open office. BUT i would have win amp to play music and do my visuals.

For the sound system it would be a Harmon/Kardon AVR 635 ( ilive near harmons HQ in utah so i can get good deals from my friends) I would have the fronts and center speakers be JBL 3 way or 2 way 6-8 inch studio monitors. the sub would be a 15 inch speaker in a 4ft X 3ft X 3ft encloser with a 1000 watt amp to power it. the rear speakers would be JBL's also. I would have a sub harmonic synthesizer to duplicate the lows and drop them an octave lower to create more of a dynamic base expierence, i might not have that for the movies but for my music i will. i think the new auzentech will accomplish that for me, i know my x-fi does with the 24 bit crystallizer. so basically thats my dream system. the HTPC will just be for music. maybe.

 

[Amarok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeger /img/forum/go_quote.gif I read in Wikipedia that the USB2 specification provides for a maximum of 5 metres (don't know how many inches/feet that is). @ Amarok I currently have a quiet PC in my pipeline and I was already looking into getting it to provide music for me (Exact Gentoo/MPD setup). How about a homemade wood enclosure^^? But the 'double dac' thing seems to be overkill for me. But if I got an usb dac with analog and digital output, I could later extend that setup. And the USB extender looks like a nice thing too... A pity that AlienDAC pcbs are so hard to come by...

I would definitely go wireless USB. It will be much more forgiving of any changes down the line, will allow more flexible configurations, will not require drilling/sawing/blasting/etc, and will be hard to trip over.

Exact Gentoo? Is that a particular distro, or am I misreading? I'm a gentoo type myself. Installed once years ago and just emerge -u world daily. Dunno if this is an issue, but wood does have that all important WAF boost

. If you enjoy woodworking, go for it... there's nothing better than a personalized, custom rig. What about cooling and EMI/RFI?
I don't know what you mean by the "double dac" statement?
A USB DAC w/digital out does give a nice upgrade path w/o too much waste and gives you the tunes today. I'd make sure that the DAC has bit perfect digital output, tho. Also, coax out seems to be almost unanimously considered the best of TOSLINK and coax. It seems hard to find a reasonably priced USB in -> S/PDIF coax out box. In the past I've heard unexpectedly and unreasonably large differences between different coax cables (I tried some from a friend thinking there was no way I'd hear a substantial improvement... boy was I wrong!) But I've never done a comparison of coax vs toslink, so I don't know if pursuing coax is worth it.

Now I'm off to the internet look into this AlienDAC of which you speak.
Have fun!

-=A=-

 

[Seaside]

Soundwise, simple Alien DAC + amp > most soundcards in consumer market.

Of cause, you are going to loose those fancy stuffs like EAX or Qsound, and multi channel support that comes with soundcards.

By the way, 1 foot = approx. 30.5cm. So, 5m is approx. 16.4 feet.

For your information, 100cm = 1m = 39.37 inch = 3.38feet = 1.094 yard.

 

[jeeger]

Thanks for all the replies. So, what I am going to do is get some kits: The alien DAC and perhaps the SOHA from Glassjaraudio. This is still in my budget and doesn't sound too bad I think. Maybe I can get a spare laptop from somewhere to do the playing, otherwise it's my ipod. I think that will be quite a nice step up from nothing, don't you think? Also, the Sennheiser HD 595 I bought on ebay for 105 Euros should be arriving soon... Yay!


EDIT: Yes, gentoo as in gentoo linux^^. By double DAC I mean one "DAC" to add digital out to my laptop and another "DAC" to convert that to something suitable for an amp.

 

[HIPPOhifi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeger /img/forum/go_quote.gif What would be better: Buying a better soundcard (Perhaps modding an Audigy X-Fi(although I'm not clear on the linux drivers yet)), or DIY'ing a DAC as well as an amp?

DIY DAC and amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeger /img/forum/go_quote.gif A selection: DAC: Monica USB, DDDAC2000 or Alien DAC (Though it seems there are no more boards available.

Alien DAC is a great starter but don't expect stellar performace. If you want something with a bit "more" go the DDDAC2000.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, I do not want the source in my room because the PC is pretty loud. Any more recommendations/ideas how to transport the sound over longer distances?

For no loss over distance go digital, eg, grab an external usb sound device and run a long USB cable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, any nice DIY projects I missed? Soundcard recommendations? Thanks

You have missed heaps of DIY DACs, there was a post on this recently.

 

[Chri5peed]

DAC & Amp...again.

The EMU 1812 has the same DAC chip as the MicroDAC. Does this mean identical DACing or is it better in the seperate DAC, having its own power and only doing one thing?