[dsavitsk]

I feel like I ought to know this by now, but can anyone recommend their favorite soundcard with the following features:

1 - Can be set up to output digital bit perfect 2 channel audio.
2 - Can output at least 5.1 audio (though I don't care so much about bit perfect here)
3 - Has at least 2 digital outputs at least one of which is coax (the other can be coax or toslink)

I am using this for a htpc. music will be decoded by one dac while 5.1 will be decoded by another.

Thanks,

-d

 

[juni0r]

Seems like using two AV-710's would be the best option...(guess you need one of the more experienced Head-Fiers to confirm).

 

[Mr.Radar]

I think the dual-AV-710 or an AV-710 + some other card would probably be the way to go. The AV-710 will do 2-channel bit-perfect with Kernel Streaming/ASIO and I believe (not 100% positive) that it will do bit-perfect with Directsound/Waveout when flashed to an Audiotrak Prodigy (analog outputs will be disabled if you flash it). The AV-710 will only output 5.1 over the digital outputs if the audio is already encoded in Dolby Digital or DTS, like on DVD movies, which means that you'll get stereo only output for games. Also, the AV-710 only has an optical output but you can use a converter like the one RadioShack sells (search their website for "digital audio converter").

 

[lan]

Is it possible to run two AV710s? Some soundcards can't do that.

 

[Mr.Radar]

I've never tried it, but if one is flashed to a Prodigy it should work.

 

[dsavitsk]

Thanks for the replies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lan Is it possible to run two AV710s? Some soundcards can't do that.

How about just using one for the bit perfect stuff, and using something else (I have a sonica which ought to do 5.1 ... I think) as the second card? This brings up the question of whether XPpro allows one to assign particular cards to particular applications?

As a second benefit, I am a bit short on PCI slots so doing one as a USB would save some space.

-d

 

[juni0r]

The reason I suggested two AV-710's is because of your two digital output requirement unless you are looking to use a converter.

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsavitsk How about just using one for the bit perfect stuff, and using something else (I have a sonica which ought to do 5.1 ... I think) as the second card? This brings up the question of whether XPpro allows one to assign particular cards to particular applications?

Yes you can use one card for bit perfect stereo and another for bit perfect DTS/AC3 passthrough.

In XP sound control panel you choose the default soundcard. In some programs you can choose the one you want for stereo.

For stereo, I'd get an emu 0404 or 1212m. For movies and AC3 passthrough, I don't have a fav since I use stereo for movies

 

[dsavitsk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lan For stereo, I'd get an emu 0404 or 1212m. For movies and AC3 passthrough, I don't have a fav since I use stereo for movies

I'll be running the stereo digital signal to a Cary 303/200's DAC section. Is an emu going to do anything for a digital signal that a chaintech (which was just ordered from newegg) or my old sonica or xitel won't do?

Knowing that not only is the power supply in my computer not as good as the ones in my DAC, but is also has to do things like run the processor, fans, and 4 harddrives, I just can't believe that an internal soundcard's analog section is worth pairing with the rest of my stereo. If it is, Cary has some explaining to do.

-d