[johnbon]

It's probably been almost or about a year since I've used my home CD player, and I think I've been using my computer 100% of the time now for everything from headphones to speakers to transferring to my old iriver mp3 player.

I've just sold my speakers now and have nothing but my longtime beloved Ultrasone PROline 750's left. I'll be moving in about 2 months time so now I am thinking about compiling a new audio rig, I don't know what will be involved just yet but only that I will definitely be buying a new computer too and want to invest in using it as the dedicated source for everything as well.

So what I want is to find some solid components for my computer rig. I'm using an M-Audio card in my computer right now, and like it and may get another. But wanted to get a RME card or something higher end because I do a lot of vinyl recording and possibly may start digital audio production sometime soon (always wanted to and may have incentive to start with a proper computer). Would an RME card be worth it or are there are other products which might serve me a bit better?

Does anyone have any suggestions? Budget is roughly $1000-$2000 I guess. If there is something nice please don't hesitate to suggest it, my budget can stretch if necessary. I don't know all that much about DAC's or anything, I've always just hooked my amplifier up directly to the soundcard and it's been fine. Would appreciate any input.

 

[TheVinylRipper]

I use two separate computers for ripping vinyl, trying to do a lot of other things on your recording computer can lead to glitches in your recording.

There is a pic and explanation of my setup on this thread.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=253567

Dedicate your old computer to recording and your new one to everything else, link the two of them together with an 802.11g network. For vinyl ripping an M Audio card should be sufficient since the dynamic range of the best vinyl records is around 55 db.

If you use WinXP remote desktop you can carry the monitor audio on that..

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb457044.aspx

 

[infinitesymphony]

What's left to buy for your audio setup? Do you need any specific types of inputs or outputs?

For example, are you going to be using balanced monitors, or will you be hooking up the sound card to an unbalanced amplifier/speakers?

Also, do you need microphone preamps or headphone output?

 

[TheVinylRipper]

What kind of digital audio production?

 

[johnbon]

I was planning on dedicating one of the computers to audio recording, I'm well aware that a lot of system processes, automatic functions and programs (excess or not) interfere with recording. So this is something I've been wanting to do for awhile, have just been waiting for computer parts & prices to get to what I felt was a good point to upgrade for me.

As for the proposed setup, well, details are still scarce. I use my PROline 750's from my Sony HD/Mini-Unit (from like 6 years ago when they actually built these things quality and not 90% plastic like nowadays) ran out of the soundcard directly, and most likely will continue to do so until I truly feel the calling to try out a proper headphone amp. The other equipment I'll be running from my computer will be a yet-to-be-determined unbalanced pre/power amp combo powering two y-t-b-d monitor bookshelves. I'd also like to include a DAC in there, I am trying to read up about them now. I am set on thinking that a DAC bridging my computer to my amplifiers would just make everything sound leagues better, am I right there? Or should I maybe just go give a Squeezebox a try before I get all set on expensive DACs?
What about that digital Transport they make too, is that thing remarkable for use with a computer as a source? Or is just a bit unnecessary, and more than I need?

Oh and VRipper: I do editing/re-editing/extending/remaking/remixing and a tiny bit of sound creation with Adobe Audition. Nothing special at the moment, nor anything quite as extensive as I'd like to be doing. Digital audio production is a huge and intimidating world, and has the potential to become ridiculously expensive quite easily. Putting together and sticking with a $15,000 home audio rig sounds comforting compared to all the gear I'd be tempted to buy if I were fully involved and obsessed with producing sounds.

 

[TheVinylRipper]

Given the way progress in digital audio is going, I would say that the longer you wait to buy your expensive gear the more you are going to get for less money.

I just sold a digital camera for which I paid nearly $800 a few years ago, I got $87. I won't make that mistake again.

The transporter looks very nice but it sure is a lot of money.. I would definitely wait on that to see if the price comes down or something better comes out.

Squeezebox is nice if you want to play remote audio.

I haven't heard these but their design philosophy makes a lot of sense to me.

http://www.abluesky.com/asp/news/newspage.asp?id=75

 

[Bootleg]

Benchmark DAC1 USB - Any PC Will Do

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bootleg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Benchmark DAC1 USB - Any PC Will Do

x2... That was going to be my recommendation if you didn't need microphone preamplifiers. It also has balanced outputs if you ever decide to run studio monitors. Plus, it has a decent built-in headphone amplifier.

 

[vcoheda]

or an apogee mini-dac usb (see sig).

 

[fordgtlover]

The apogee mini-dac reviews very well. I'm saving for one.

 

[Lord Chaos]

For playback, I use a Mac Powerbook G4 and an offboard USB hard disk. Outputs are through Ethernet to a Squeezebox in the bedroom and a DAC1; and to a DAC1 USB at my desk. I'll never go back to a standalone CD player. This is too convenient and sounds too good to give up.

Recording isn't computer-based yet. I use an Alesis Masterlink ML9600 recorder to record at 24 bits, 96kHz, do the basic editing of the record such as breaking into tracks, and then make a Redbook CD. This combination works very, very well... but I still have my eye on a Benchmark ADC1 and a computer.

 

[mojo]

Think about how much power you need and look in to low power processors etc. That way you make the system nice and quiet. For a soundcard, either get a cheap one with bit-perfect output and a DAC, or get an Onkyo.