[noparanoia]

I have been trying for ages to get my new PC to output audio that is as close as perfect as possible (e.g good enough not to be capping the SQ of my expensive Headroom kit). I use optical out, I have tried messing around with ASIO4ALL, Wasapi, Drivers all sorts of stuff but it still sounds dead. I feel I have been banging my head against a brick wall for so long now I may soon have no head left at all.

Deciding it must be worth a few bob to be sure I am getting the perfect output the Ultra Micros deserve I started looking for a new soundcard and found this:
M-Audio Audiophile 2496 Sound card - 96 kHz - 24-bit.
Before I buy this I would like to feel sure that no audio quirks (hardware or software issues) could possibly remain after the card is fitted.

Secondly - for you guys at Headroom - this card does not have optical out but it does support coaxial. I would be interested to know how I would connect this card to the DAC's mini coaxial socket, and also whether there is any chance the sound quality would be changed due to the change in connection. I do not know much about digital audio, and what I do know I do not really understand, so thanks for your help

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

The Coax in takes a mono mini plug. Most people use an RCA-RCA cable with one of these at the end.

I can't tell you what might be wrong with your computer. Getting a high-rez sound card will improve things if you've got high-rez tracks, otherwize not so much.


I'd suggest you ask the computer questions in the computer area of Head-Fi, they know what's up and might be able to help.