2. pc-audio
  3. 1052358249

PC to DAC to PreAmp

Boy do I feel basic in my PC audio knowledge. Yes, I read many of the posts and still not sure that I clearly understand clearly how to get the best sound out of the MP3 (I know, will never get "best sound" out of MP3s) collection on my hard drive. Here's what I'm thinkin':
PC with 13,000 songs on the hard drive (most recorded at 320 bps). Use M-Audio 24/96 sound card to an audiophile Kora Hermes tube DAC. DAC to MacIntosh preamp.
Will this work? and is it a good way to go sonically? Since I'm not very familiar with PC audio, the techincal explanations and equipment in previous posts went way beyond me. Please help. Thanks...Jim
slhijb
enchanter
2 posts
 
I use a setup very similar to the one you descibed in your opening post. M-AUDIO DIO 2496 to Theta DAC to Preamp. I'm very happy with the way it sounds.
mdomnick
332 posts
 
I broke down and bought the Extigy, and am very happy with it's sound and also some of it's features. I can understand why one would say the Audigy 2 was only a slight improvement over the Audigy, but then again concider your going from 24/96 DACs to 24/192. Going from my Live card to the Extigy is a huge difference, and I like the ability to take the Exitgy on the road and get 5.1 sound from my laptop. Like most things, its good if it meets your needs...the Extigy certainly does for me.
jewel_hasan's avatar
jewel_hasan
98 posts
 
I've been wanting to play all the cool web radio stations I've been listening to at work (using just a $25 sony earphones hooked to the soundcard of a standard issue corporate Compaq PC) through my fancy 2-Ch stereo at home. After reading this thread & others like it, I went ahead purchased a M-Audio "Sonica" USB gadget. I hooked up my newly aquired Laptop to a "Supratek" tube preamp (+ Air-Tight ATM-2 tube power amp, Kharma 2.2 speakers).

Sure the setup works, in fact it cut out a lot of the line noise I'm used to hearing at work. But the overall sound quality is, well, actually I was quite embarrassed to have put my much loved 2-channel through this experiment. The sound is very dull and lifeless -- not for the a-goners I'm afraid. I'm sure if I had a separate good quality 24/192 DAC (such as a bel canto) it could have made all the difference. But as it is with Sonica's onboard 24/96 DAC, I was not very impressed... For now I'm going back to the earphones for web applications.
willmeyer
2 posts
 
Just to add to the fray, I also use an MAudio 24/96 to a Perpetual Tech P-3A and have been very hapy with it. File format is FLAC and occasionally MP3. Good luck.
gonglee3
304 posts
 
It's best to use the coaxial output from a soundcard to a DAC and to an amp - avoid using audio output from a soundcard for better quality. Coaxial cable gives best results connecting - also true in connecting a transport to a DAC.

M-audio is pretty good - if you want to spend more for even better quality, check out soundcards from Lymx, or RME Hammerfall - what the pros use.
More to discover