Computer audio output questions

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Posts: 1,487
edited January 2008 in Electronics
I stream a lot of music with my computer, especially Napster. I want to upgrade the quality of the output as well as make sure I am getting the best output from CDs that I record (I have a separate hard drive to put them on).

Can anyone give me a link that will explain this process. I found a couple sites and, as an example, this interface. I know there are threads on the forum about this, but I would like to find a good source that expalins it for dumassies.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UA1EX

Is this all I would need, or does this also involve changing out sound cards? Will this help with streaming media or is their quality too low to be improved? Thanks a lot.
Post edited by NeilGabriel on

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  • Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2008
    How much do you want to spend?

    You can get a better sound card and a separate DAC, which would be best for gaming. Or you can just get a nice DAC with a USB interface if you're just using the PC for a music server and browsing.
    "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
  • Posts: 1,487
    edited January 2008
    Face wrote: »
    How much do you want to spend?

    You can get a better sound card and a separate DAC, which would be best for gaming. Or you can just get a nice DAC with a USB interface if you're just using the PC for a music server and browsing.

    No gaming. The interfaces I saw were going in the $100 range. I'll spend more to get decent sound since I use the computer as my source so often.

    Will the DAC upgrade give me better sound on streaming music if that is of limited quality?

    Mike
  • Posts: 189
    edited January 2008
    I am searching around on this topic also. How do you output music through the usb port?
  • Posts: 1,740
    edited January 2008
    http://209.132.209.149/products/en_us/Transit-main.html

    Plug this into a usb port and it gives an optical out. Make sure you install an ASIO driver (you can search for one) I use asioforall. Doing this will give you a true bit out bypassing windows' mixing drivers that mess with the digital output.

    You can then pay around with any DAC that has an optical in.
    SDA-2a, Anthem Pre-2L, Anthem Amp 1, MF A324 DAC, Rotel RCD1070

    Senn HD650 Cardas, Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD2, Kimber KS1030, Bel Canto DAC2, M-Audio Transit, Laptop.
  • Posts: 1,487
    edited January 2008
    dcarlson wrote: »
    http://209.132.209.149/products/en_us/Transit-main.html

    Plug this into a usb port and it gives an optical out. Make sure you install an ASIO driver (you can search for one) I use asioforall. Doing this will give you a true bit out bypassing windows' mixing drivers that mess with the digital output.

    You can then pay around with any DAC that has an optical in.

    How does this differ from the one I linked in my first post? I think that has a DAC in it and runs rca /analog outputs. Oh, and it provides for recording in the computer as well. Thanks lots.
  • Posts: 338
    edited January 2008
    what internal card does your pc have?
    why not consider an internal one?
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  • Posts: 1,487
    edited January 2008
    ward91 wrote: »
    what internal card does your pc have?
    why not consider an internal one?


    I don't know but I can figure that out. It would be standard grade that came with the Dell. But I would need to take it in to a shop for internal work. I switched out RAM cards, but that is the extent of my computer skills.

    I know there have been prior posts on this issue, but they get really hard to follow.
  • Posts: 1,740
    edited January 2008
    How does this differ from the one I linked in my first post? I think that has a DAC in it and runs rca /analog outputs. Oh, and it provides for recording in the computer as well. Thanks lots.

    Whoops, sorry, I never checked the link. :(

    It'll probably do the same. The important part is the ASIO part.
    SDA-2a, Anthem Pre-2L, Anthem Amp 1, MF A324 DAC, Rotel RCD1070

    Senn HD650 Cardas, Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD2, Kimber KS1030, Bel Canto DAC2, M-Audio Transit, Laptop.

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