[lowboy]

The sound chip on my mobo got taken out by a short, so I'm looking at getting the Xonar DX (music mostly, some light gaming). I want to get two stereo line outs to feed both my receiver+speakers and an M-Stage headphone amp. I don't care about surround, just a straightforward 2.0 setup.
 
Is there a way to configure the extra outputs to carry the main stereo feed instead of the side/rear/etc? Failing that, will a passive splitter cable degrade the sound?

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Is there a way to configure the extra outputs to carry the main stereo feed instead of the side/rear/etc? Failing that, will a passive splitter cable degrade the sound?

 
You can use stereo upmixing to multiple channels, check the settings in the Xonar audio center. However, depending on your drivers, Windows version, and the audio API your programs use, it might not always work, sometimes you could only get audio on the front channels.
A passive splitter should not in theory degrade the sound, the front channel output jack of the card could drive 10 parallel amplifiers without having issues with the increased load. The only potential problems are higher risk of ground loops with more devices connected (if you do not hear any interference noise or hum, then there is no such issue), and that the input of an amplifier that is turned off may sometimes cause distortion in the other (if both the receiver and the M-stage are turned on all the time, then this obviously does not happen).

 

[lowboy]

I'm using Win7x64. I don't like the idea of having to fiddle with plugging and unplugging inputs depending on drivers and programs.
 
I have my receiver on almost all of the time, probably will only have the hf amp on when I'm using the phones. I think I'll try the splitter cable. Worst case, I have to get/make a buffered splitter or a toggle switch. Or get another DAC for my phones down the road.

 

[cel4145]

Doesn't the M-Stage have a line out on the back for exactly this kind of use? So D1 to the M-Stage, M-Stage to the receiver? 

 

[PurpleAngel]

I would assume your receiver comes with an optical input?
So run optical from the Xonar DX to the receiver
and plug the M-stage into the Xonar DX's line-out/headphone jack. (green)

 

[lowboy]

The line out is 60Ohm and AFAIK, line in on my receiver is something like 47kOhm. If that's not a problem, then that will work.
 
Receiver doesn't have an optical in.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

The line out is 60Ohm and AFAIK, line in on my receiver is something like 47kOhm. If that's not a problem, then that will work.
 
Receiver doesn't have an optical in.

Hifimediy Sabre USB DAC, $52 on eBay.
Connect it from the computer's USB port to the receivers RCA inputs.

 

[lowboy]

Yeah, I was reading about those little guys.
 
edit Well, I think I might go for a separate DAC like that instead of a sound card. Since I've got a headphone amp coming and I'm not interested in positional sound in gaming or movies, that should suit me just fine.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

The line out is 60Ohm and AFAIK, line in on my receiver is something like 47kOhm. If that's not a problem, then that will work.

 
That is not a problem at all, it is normal that a line output has relatively low impedance, and a line input has high impedance. You probably do not need a separate DAC, but it is your choice if you want one anyway.

 

[lowboy]

Okay, good to know. Lineout from the M-Stage it is!
 
Right now I have no DAC for my computer, so I do need *something*. I like the idea of a pure, USB-based DAC solution like the Hifimediy Sabre or the ODAC rather than a sound card based on my needs.