PC Audio

audiocr381ve
audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
edited April 2012 in 2 Channel Audio
Brand new to PC audio and could use some help. The KECES DA-151 MKii just came in and sounds great. Really smooth & natural sounding. I bought a 500 GB Western Digital internal HD to store music.

Anyway, obviously I'm trying to get the absolute best sound out of my computer based system. I have nice FLACS ready to go. I'm on a Win 7 64-bit PC.

Here are the configurations I've tried:

ASIO4ALL > FOOBAR2000 > KECES

WASAPI > JRIVER > KECES

I haven't done extensive listening, but both sound good to me. Are their any configurations that I need to try or is this the typical setup?
Post edited by audiocr381ve on
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Comments

  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited April 2012
    You're good. Bit perfect is bit perfect. You may want to experiment with different USB cables or DAC's, but your output method is as good as PC audio gets. (this is where H9 will say wireless to a SQB is better:wink:)
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • audiocr381ve
    audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
    edited April 2012
    Cool.

    Does the SQB have a USB output? The KECES is USB only.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited April 2012
    audiocr381ve wrote: »
    Cool.

    Does the SQB have a USB output? The KECES is USB only.

    Nope, the SQB has a digital coax and analog outputs.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,028
    edited April 2012
    Audio-gd products do, have USB that is. Look for a used one around 2-3 beans. A used dacmagic would also for fairly cheap.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,221
    edited April 2012
    I use Media Monkey with the ASIO4ALL plug-in. Both are free, give MM a try and see if you like it since you are experimenting. Both Foobar and JRiver are well liked.

    Isn't that Keces a nice little piece of gear?

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,221
    edited April 2012
    audiocr381ve wrote: »
    Cool.

    Does the SQB have a USB output? The KECES is USB only.

    If you wanted to use that w/the SQB you should have thought that through before the purchase. You could use a USB to SPDIF converter. But you know, more stuff in the chain, while I think there can be some degradation I don't think something like that would impact too much on the final sound.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • 98Badger
    98Badger Posts: 317
    edited April 2012
    Stick with Foobar or JRiver if sound quality is important. You might want to try WASAPI Event Style with JRiver. I prefer it slightly over the nonevent setting. IMO the sq from Mediamonkey just doesn't cut it. I used MM and Winamp for quite a while before switching to JRiver.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,221
    edited April 2012
    Media Monkey is every bit as good as Foobar and JRiver as far as sound quality. If you aren't getting good sound from MM you don't have it configured correctly.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • audiocr381ve
    audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
    edited April 2012
    heiney9 wrote: »
    If you wanted to use that w/the SQB you should have thought that through before the purchase. You could use a USB to SPDIF converter. But you know, more stuff in the chain, while I think there can be some degradation I don't think something like that would impact too much on the final sound.

    Was just curious about it but don't plan on a purchase.

    Sounds like I'm good to go. I'll keep experimenting! Thanks guys really appreciate it.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2012
    There is a hack to make the SQB Touch output from the USB port, but it's complex. See the logitech forum.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2012
    Enjoy audiocreative! Sounds like you got her going.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • audiocr381ve
    audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
    edited April 2012
    heiney9 wrote: »
    I use Media Monkey with the ASIO4ALL plug-in. Both are free, give MM a try and see if you like it since you are experimenting. Both Foobar and JRiver are well liked.

    Isn't that Keces a nice little piece of gear?

    H9

    Realllly nice. Way bigger than I thought it was actually. In comparison to my NAD CDP, the KECES is just far tighter from top to bottom, more natural, and just smooth man. What an upgrade for $150! Very proud of this purchase. Thanks for the recommendation on it. You were spot on.
    There is a hack to make the SQB Touch output from the USB port, but it's complex. See the logitech forum.

    I heard about this, which is why I wanted to clarify. That's pretty crazy. I wonder if it's any good with the hack.
    Enjoy audiocreative! Sounds like you got her going.

    I certainly am. It's a really fun piece of gear. It seriously has me thinking about investing in a nice 27" iMac. I heard computers do make a difference?

    Thanks guys.
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  • audiocr381ve
    audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
    edited April 2012
    IMG_0517_out.jpg


    Pic of the system. I wish I had a wider lens so you could see it more in context of the room, but this is what the new setup looks like. Now I need an amp.....again....
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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited April 2012
    For added convience there are some nice remote control apps for Android and i devices that operate jRiver.I use Monkeymote on my iTouch and works like a charm.
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