[Dragon Rider]

Buy the E-MU 0404 USB, and use the $500 you saved, by not wasting it on the $700 CD player, for better speakers.

 

[M3NTAL]

Do these USB soundcards (0404), or Digital (AV-710) only put out 2 channel audio or are you stuck with 2 channel on your computer?

 

[Ahriman4891]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cotdt /img/forum/go_quote.gif even the Lynx Two which is the king of all soundcards can't match up against even mid-fi external DACs. however, if you're handy with a soldering iron, you can mod your X-Fi to beat out some really expensive DACs.

And what DACs might that be? Links for measurements?

 

[Dragon Rider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M3NTAL /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do these USB soundcards (0404), or Digital (AV-710) only put out 2 channel audio or are you stuck with 2 channel on your computer?

My response concerning the 0404 USB was directed to the OP who was interested in music = 2 channel source.

 

[Whitebread]

I vote DIY USB DAC.

I can't wait to get my hands on a TubeDAC........

 

[Gurra1980]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragon Rider /img/forum/go_quote.gif Buy the E-MU 0404 USB, and use the $500 you saved, by not wasting it on the $700 CD player, for better speakers.

The first thing that appears in my head when I read about the E-MU is that it is a tool for making music, I mean it could be really good, but it's hard to know. The thing I think about, is that maybe it is to analytical and cold sounding and maybe not so musical?

And does it work as good with loudspeakers as with headphones?

 

[Ahriman4891]

One thing that is pretty noticeable going from x-fi to 0404usb is that it's less cold, both bass and highs are less edgy, and the timbre is natural and non-metallic. Of course, I don't have much basis for comparison and I'm biased since I own one. However, I'd think that a CDP would have to be 2-4 times the price of a soundcard to beat it in SQ.

 

[Gatticus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurra1980 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The first thing that appears in my head when I read about the E-MU is that it is a tool for making music, I mean it could be really good, but it's hard to know. The thing I think about, is that maybe it is to analytical and cold sounding and maybe not so musical?

There is a post in the source components forum where a person says he prefers the EMU 0404 USB over a $1000.00 and $2000.00 DAC he tried precisely because it sounded more musical and less cold and analytical than the expensive DAC's.

 

[oqvist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurra1980 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The cd-player I am looking at if I don't choose to use the computer as source is Marantz SA7001 wich costs 840$ I guess it's hard for a soundcard to beat that one. (the reason I can get it cheaper, around 700$ is that I in such case buy it together with speaker and amp)

Yeah though it was a print error. should be 100$ not 1000 buck lol.

I meant a 100$ audigy beat most 100$ cd players by miles lol.

I wonder where the limit goes where the average cd player start to get better?

 

[mobayrasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatticus /img/forum/go_quote.gif What mod is that?

Look at the mod in my sig. That is what he is doing to my card. The X-fi is a very well made card with crappy components. By getting rid of the crappy op amps , PSU's and adding EFI shielding it should greatly increase the sound quality. He has modded other cards such as EMU's with great success also.

 

[dukpoki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobayrasta /img/forum/go_quote.gif Look at the mod in my sig. That is what he is doing to my card. The X-fi is a very well made card with crappy components. By getting rid of the crappy op amps , PSU's and adding EFI shielding it should greatly increase the sound quality. He has modded other cards such as EMU's with great success also.

Wow i didn't know you could mod x-fi card. Hmm i never soldered anything and wouldn't even know where to begin. I think you mention "someone" modding your x-fi. Who is this "someone" and can i get him/her to do the same for mine?

 

[mobayrasta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukpoki /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow i didn't know you could mod x-fi card. Hmm i never soldered anything and wouldn't even know where to begin. I think you mention "someone" modding your x-fi. Who is this "someone" and can i get him/her to do the same for mine?

Contact "codtd" he posted earlier in this thread. He has done it for a few soundcards for other head-fiers.

 

[Joshatdot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobayrasta /img/forum/go_quote.gif Look at the mod in my sig. That is what he is doing to my card. The X-fi is a very well made card with crappy components. By getting rid of the crappy op amps , PSU's and adding EFI shielding it should greatly increase the sound quality. He has modded other cards such as EMU's with great success also.

You mean something like copper wire mesh, surrounding the card? Is there any thing wrapped around the copper so you dont short out stuff?

 

[Gatticus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobayrasta /img/forum/go_quote.gif Look at the mod in my sig. That is what he is doing to my card. The X-fi is a very well made card with crappy components. By getting rid of the crappy op amps , PSU's and adding EFI shielding it should greatly increase the sound quality. He has modded other cards such as EMU's with great success also.

OK thanks. Looks interesting but I don't think I'll bother modding my X-Fi as it is just for games and EMU 0404 USB is for music.

 

[Ingo]

To the original poster,


I think that if you go with a nice soundcard, be it, USB or PCI you will be blown away if you have only heard consumer grade junk. You will be blown away in a similar fashion by a $$$ CD player. The thing is the gap between that good soundcard and the $$$ CD player is nowhere near the gap between those two and consumer grade equiptment (CDPs or soundcards).

If you decide for the cheap transport+mid-fi DAC option I think you might spend too much for too little. Most people around here seem to think the opposite, but I have heard people compare things like the E-MU 1212m and 0404USB favorably to things like the Zahlou DACs. On the other hand, if you by a Benchmark DAC1 or one of the other top-notch DACs the sound will probably crush anything in the sound card range.