Inherited My Parents SDAs, Now What?!

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Comments

  • PumpkinStalker
    PumpkinStalker Posts: 16
    edited January 2008
    Marty913 wrote: »
    Well, we need to get your post count up so you can reply to this for starters.

    1. Where in Kansas City. I lived in Overland Park for 20 years and moved to Florida last year.

    2. Good luck with the IPOD but be forewarned the others are correct in that the sound quality will never be up to SDA standards. I've tried almost everything with my Zune (even high bit rate) but it just doesn't sound like a good CD does. Lossless compression isn't bad.

    3. Welcome to the Club (and the journey).

    I'm not expecting quality...I'm not even wanting to use my iPod with the SDAs, I'm wanting to use my computer with my TV as a second monitor. I have a remote control on my PC so that I can pull up iTunes and use it from the living room with the PC in another room. I have a very slim CD collection but with the new speakers it will be a thing I'll begin acquiring! This is merely to give me quantity, not quality!
  • PumpkinStalker
    PumpkinStalker Posts: 16
    edited January 2008
    Thanks for the welcome!
  • PumpkinStalker
    PumpkinStalker Posts: 16
    edited January 2008
    I lived in Lee's Summit but moved downtown KC where all the new action is going on and love it.

    There, I think I can reply now! Sorry to waste these pointless posts just to get my number higher.
  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited January 2008
    I have family in the Lee Summit/Blue Springs area...I live about 1-1/2 hours n.e. of there.

    We need to get together sometime and get our listen on...:D
  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited May 2008
    Hello PStalker, I am a newbie here as well as on another forum that may be of help to you as well. I don't have the hang of putting up links yet so I'll just suggest that you google CarverAudio.com and that will take you to a site thats pretty much all Carver all the time, there are a number of electronic engineers on there as well as many who have owned Carver products since back when it was Phase Linear. If you want to go another way you could sell or keep the reciever and get Carver separates.(amp/preamp)
    Good luck !! gdb
  • PumpkinStalker
    PumpkinStalker Posts: 16
    edited May 2008
    Thanks for the note and welcome to you too. I don't have much to contribute here, but lots to learn. I am keeping that Carver Receiver for sentimental value, but I might eventually start looking at adding on. I think I've come across that website once before but I need to go back and check it out again.
  • dcmeigs
    dcmeigs Posts: 708
    edited May 2008
    There is a way to get quality sound from your computer without ground loop problems. Get yourself a quality sound card that supports 24 bit 192 khz like this one here or here and use the toslink optical cable to make the connection. With no electrical connection, ground loop issues are avoided. And use lossless file formats.
    The world is full of answers, some are right and some are wrong. - Neil Young
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited May 2008
    IMO, I would get a XFi card over the EMU's, I've heard of others having driver problems. As per Creative, for our application as a music server, EMU's have no advantage over XFi's. I would also recommend digital coax over optical, optical sounds thin in comparison. But if you do have a ground loop, then use optical.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
  • Rivrrat
    Rivrrat Posts: 2,101
    edited May 2008
    Great, more money to spend on our computer.:D

    Thanks both for the info on the sound cards though. I knew I should to do something different, but I didn't know what yet.
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,846
    edited May 2008
    dcmeigs wrote: »
    There is a way to get quality sound from your computer without ground loop problems. Get yourself a quality sound card that supports 24 bit 192 khz like this one here or here and use the toslink optical cable to make the connection. With no electrical connection, ground loop issues are avoided. And use lossless file formats.
    Face wrote:
    IMO, I would get a XFi card over the EMU's, I've heard of others having driver problems. As per Creative, for our application as a music server, EMU's have no advantage over XFi's. I would also recommend digital coax over optical, optical sounds thin in comparison. But if you do have a ground loop, then use optical.

    1st, the Emu 0202 linked above does not have a digital (coax or optical) output. It is purely analog output.
    2nd, sending optical or coax digital output requires an external DAC or a receiver with digital inputs. The older Carver receiver that PumpkinStalker has does not have digital inputs.

    These suggestions do not really apply to his setup.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited May 2008
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829156001
    This is a newer card fully supported by Vista, and XP. I own it, and it is very very nice. Much better than my buddy's creative. You can change the OpAmps if you like, and it has a nice DAC that can transmit Digital in DTS to a receiver. The anolog output is high gain.
    Ben

    Edit
    BTW don't wory about the driver issues in the reviews. They have new drivers that work fine.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
  • PumpkinStalker
    PumpkinStalker Posts: 16
    edited May 2008
    Thanks for all the info!

    Lately (and I should post more pictures) I have added a Bluray player and run sound through the Carver Receiver with RCAs (HDMI for the TV). So now I burn data discs with 500 songs on them, and my bluray will show menus and I can view and pick out songs on my TV. I gave up on the computer idea after getting frustrated tearing the whole setup apart 4 times a week and trying to solve hum and buzz issues. It works just fine and I can use it basically like a computer.

    And by the way, Pirates of the Carribean on Bluray with sound coming through the SDA SRS 2s is AMAZING!
  • Phil Dawson
    Phil Dawson Posts: 288
    edited May 2008
    Some of the old Sony CD players from that era are still great players. I use a 7ES (I think) and it sounds wonderful. Don't be too quick to give it up or you can give it to me. Built like a tank is good. Best of luck, Phil
  • dcmeigs
    dcmeigs Posts: 708
    edited May 2008
    My Bad. I thought that carver had optical inputs. Nevermind, optical will not be a solution unless you get a DAC.
    The world is full of answers, some are right and some are wrong. - Neil Young