[JennaFF]

Hey, I own an x-fi usb sound card, and it came with software. How exactly do the "crystalizer" and 3D effects work?

 

[JennaFF]

Also, I want to add, would there be a night/day difference between what I have now, and the NuForce uDAC?

 

[JennaFF]

Also, im buying all the CD's for my mp3 music and ripping them as 1400kbps WAV files.

 

[Dalamar]

The difference between dacs is never night and day unless it's something poorly designed like most onboard audio.
uDAC is incredibly overhyped, it can't even compare to cheaper sound cards.
 
Crystallizer is just a gimmicky dsp effect (use search on the page): http://ixbtlabs.com/articles2/multimedia/creative-x-fi.html
 
Don't use WAV, it's a waste of space. Use a lossless codec like FLAC.
Also, why bother buying a cd if you paid for the mp3? IMO if you paid for it you have the right to replace it with a better quality download.
As a side note, most music is mastered terribly, loudness war B.S full of clipping and distortion, classical being pretty much the main exception. I will never pay money music that looks like a brick wall or has lots of clipped peaks in an editor. Because in doing so, you're telling them it's ok to continue their anti-hifi trends.

 

[JennaFF]

Okay, thanks, what better USB DAC would you recommend? I want something with RCA outputs. Also, where else could I find FLAC songs to download legally?

 

[Dalamar]

I don't use such services, I couldn't tell you.
 
Apple's store won't use flac, but they do have apple's lossless format as an option. You can either use it as their format or convert it to another lossless format.
 
As far as an external DAC in that price range, it's pretty hard to say, there aren't many. EMU 0404 (used) is your best bet IMO but no W7 support, and you'd need an adapter to use RCA, I think.
 
Edit: Oh, you were the guy who already has a card. Just use it, and get an 3.5mm TRS to RCA adapter. Monoprice has good, inexpensive cables and adapters.

 

[JennaFF]

Don't I need an iPod for that though?

 

[Dalamar]

No, don't think so. I'm sure there's other stores that sell lossless format music but I'm not going to look for them for you. And read my previous edit.

 

[JennaFF]

Thanks, I think ill just go with iTunes and find a way to convert it, or buy used but in good condition CD's...

 

[Dalamar]

Foobar has a nice converter (supports parallel conversions/rg scanning, so if you have 4 cpus, all 4 will be used if you have >4 files to convert/scan) but I don't think it has any paranoid-features audiophiles swear by.
 
Most of the devout Audio Religion followers use cuetools for conversions, splitting, etc.

 

[JennaFF]

I used EAC and FLAC to rip and convert the CD's

 

[digger945]

I'm listening to the 0404usb on a W7 Lenovo laptop atm. I haven't listened to it in quite a while. No love lost for the lack of detail and muddy bottom end. Absolutely no soundstage or realism whatsoever.
 
Yep, you need an adaper to use RCA cables.
 

 

[revolink24]

Quote:

I don't use such services, I couldn't tell you.
 
Apple's store won't use flac, but they do have apple's lossless format as an option. You can either use it as their format or convert it to another lossless format.
 
As far as an external DAC in that price range, it's pretty hard to say, there aren't many. EMU 0404 (used) is your best bet IMO but no W7 support, and you'd need an adapter to use RCA, I think.
 
Edit: Oh, you were the guy who already has a card. Just use it, and get an 3.5mm TRS to RCA adapter. Monoprice has good, inexpensive cables and adapters.

What do you mean no W7 support? I use Windows 7 and my E-MU just fine. And yes, the outputs are 1/4" TS, not RCA.
 
And Digger, you're doing it COMPLETELY wrong. You are double amping. Bad. Bad. The internal amp headphone amp is dreadful. I can't even imagine doing that.
 
You should be using the 1/4" plugs in the back. Otherwise you're getting garbage in, garbage out.
 
 

 
Notice the blue cables in the back, which are these.
http://livingcatskills.com/cables2.jpg

 

[JennaFF]

So if i get a headphone amp, and 0404, i should be set? What is the little dot I+ like?

 

[Dalamar]

Your current headphones nor the Grado's you posted about won't benefit in the least bit from a headphone amp. 0404's amp should be fine for the majority of headphones.