2. pc-audio
  3. 1139784453

Bit perfect digital output from pc

I'm hoping someone can help me grasp the difficulty in getting a 44.1KHz signal from my pc to dac. I'm putting together my first 2 channel HT/audio pc.

Reading this forum, I gather you firstly need a sound card that will output 44.1KHz without first resampling to 48KHz. Any recommendations?

Secondly, it appears Windows will not in fact allow a 44.1KHz output. Can someone explain why this is? Is this something that will be corrected in Vista? Are Macs similarly handicapped?

Thirdly, there seems to be some very complicated ways of bypassing whatever it is in Windows that prevents the 44.1KHz signal using ASIO or kernel streaming. Can someone please explain what these are and how to use them?

Lastly, it seems you need a software player capable of a 44.1KHz signal - I see Winamp mentioned a lot. Will Windows Media Player not do the job? Any other software recommendations?

Thanks for your help. I just want my computer to output a standard cd signal and I really don't understand why it should be this complicated.
baileyincanberra
planckscale
60 posts
 
Thanks, was just concerned with how the MP3s (the likes) are becoming commonly used phases around here. I love the idea of a hard drive as a source. I will be building mine around the Lynx one card, which is about $240 on eBay. Will upgrade to lynx 2, when it falls to $300 (I can wait!).

I am using the Aragon Aurum, which has only analog [balanced] inputs - digital out will not work for me. Besides, has anyone around here tested the electrical noise inside a PC? I know there are reasons to suspect all kinds of electro-magnetic inductions, but is it to a degree that an internal DAC will not work? Has anyone actually substantiated this impossibility? Lynx specs are pretty good considering they were done inside a PC!
gigi
20 posts
 
If you are curious about windows PC, itunes, APX and kmixer and
your setup is itunes(windows XP) --> APX --> DAC, try this little experiment on your winXP PC. Disable the sound card. Reboot to safe mode. Delete kmixer.sys to recycle bin so you can restore the file later (need to boot to safemode to delete the file though). Reboot PC then run itunes. See if you can use itunes to play to the remote speakers. This will prove that whether or not the kmixer will do anything to the audio stream. Remember to restore kmixer and re-enable the sound card when done.
mhfun
6 posts
 
Gigi,
Obviously, you have done it. What is the result?
gigi
20 posts
 
Mhfun,
It plays perfectly to the remote speaker without the present of soundcard or kmixer.sys in a Windows PC. Cheers
mhfun
6 posts
 
Gigi,
Thank you! I am getting conflicting answers and your test has eliminated any doubt.

Windows iTunes->AX->Toslink->DAC is BIT PERFECT!

I do have 1 more unclear question.
I notice iTunes allows volume control on the remote speakers. Do you know how iTunes control the volume on the remote speakers since the audio signal did not process by k-mixer?

Thanks again!

Mhfun
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