best possible sound card
- Thread starter Btone
- Start date
no pref on the connection as ive yet to buy the amp (looking hard at the denon a1xva) i just want which ever card that can output the best quality (for music and films can't see myself play much games on this PC) if the best out put is digital ill work that in to the complete system and if the best output is analogue then ill work that into the system.
i can go higher on the sound card but it will mean cutting back else were on the total budget which i don't really want to do
i can go higher on the sound card but it will mean cutting back else were on the total budget which i don't really want to do
Emu 0404 sounds perfect for you.
I have a modded emu 0404 and it's fantastic. With mine the digital section is standard, but in the analogue section ive removed the output buffers + capacitors, replaced the other important capacitors with a few expensive Black Gate caps, Sanyo oscons for the others, and removed the 'average' op-amp and replaced it with an lt1364.
Plus i had a custom output cable made to go from the 'PC serial type connector' to x2 phono's which connects directly to either my arcam integrated or tube headphone amp. Mods cost about £30, £35 for cable, so overall about £135 (£70 card).
Much tighter bass with more impact, smoothed out and less piercing treble, and a wider soundstage.
Have a look here at the creative professional site: http://www.emu.com/products/category.asp?category=505
I have a modded emu 0404 and it's fantastic. With mine the digital section is standard, but in the analogue section ive removed the output buffers + capacitors, replaced the other important capacitors with a few expensive Black Gate caps, Sanyo oscons for the others, and removed the 'average' op-amp and replaced it with an lt1364.
Plus i had a custom output cable made to go from the 'PC serial type connector' to x2 phono's which connects directly to either my arcam integrated or tube headphone amp. Mods cost about £30, £35 for cable, so overall about £135 (£70 card).
Much tighter bass with more impact, smoothed out and less piercing treble, and a wider soundstage.
Have a look here at the creative professional site: http://www.emu.com/products/category.asp?category=505
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Look at the Auzentech range. I can confirm that the X-Meridian is excellent quality. You can also replace & upgrade components on the board.
Can I link to the manufacturer?
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/feature.php
Can I link to the manufacturer?
http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/feature.php
It has features a average person will never use, and in fact is detrimental to sound quality. What is the point of realtime DD & DTS encoding?
If it's going to be used in a HTPC, digital out to a av amp then analogue section on the soundcard is irrelevant. You don't use DD & DTS encoding when sending to av amp, you leave it as pure signal. That level of connectivity isn't required either, a digital out is only thing you need (at least unless you need recording from external devices)
If it's going to be used in a HTPC, digital out to a av amp then analogue section on the soundcard is irrelevant. You don't use DD & DTS encoding when sending to av amp, you leave it as pure signal. That level of connectivity isn't required either, a digital out is only thing you need (at least unless you need recording from external devices)
Slam62 said:
And that is why it's bad. If it's PCM or FLAC/MP3/OGG then you're chucking away data and transcoding. If it's pro-logic then your amp can do this (Pro Logic II) if it's DD anyway your amp decodes it.
Waste of time.
A Revo 5.1 has digital output too, that sends data as it is, no conversion to my av pre-amp for decoding/processing.
ok in reading this and other threads would i be right in thinking that cause i am planning on using a high end av amp to process the sound, my best bet is to simply use a digital out to the amp with NO processing on the signal at all (ie iam send the pure digital sound out to the amp)
if this is the case is there big difference in digital outs of sound cards. or if the MB i buy has a digital out will that do, and i could use the money saved from the sound card to say better leads for the speakers or better connection for the amp/dvd/tv
if this is the case is there big difference in digital outs of sound cards. or if the MB i buy has a digital out will that do, and i could use the money saved from the sound card to say better leads for the speakers or better connection for the amp/dvd/tv