USB or RCA?

bigaudiofanatic
bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
edited December 2009 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
The pioneer I have has a built in audio card of some sort that I have been suing with my mac. Just plugged it in and knew what it was. Anyway what is better using the usb or a Y adapter from the headphone jack? I am leaning toward the usb as it does seem to have a bit more detail in it.
HT setup
Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
Denon DBP-1610
Monster HTS 1650
Carver A400X :cool:
MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
Kef 104/2
URC MX-780 Remote
Sonos Play 1

Living Room
63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
Polk Surroundbar 3000
Samsung BD-C7900
Post edited by bigaudiofanatic on
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Comments

  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited December 2009
    probably usb is better, but...im confused as to the y adapter for the headphone jack.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited December 2009
    Headphone male on one end rca male plugs on the other.
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited December 2009
    Knucklehead wrote: »
    probably usb is better, but...im confused as to the y adapter for the headphone jack.

    He's talking about a 1/8" jack to l/r RCA cable. Typically, they sound like garbage.

    The USB is better, because instead of a cable messing with the signal and not taking advantage of the better DAC in your pioneer vs. the crap that's in your laptop, you're sending a digital signal to your Pioneer and letting it do it's thing.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited December 2009
    concealer404 wrote: »
    He's talking about a 1/8" jack to l/r RCA cable. Typically, they sound like garbage.

    The USB is better, because instead of a cable messing with the signal and not taking advantage of the better DAC in your pioneer vs. the crap that's in your laptop, you're sending a digital signal to your Pioneer and letting it do it's thing.

    LOL nice a tad harsh on the laptop :rolleyes::p but thanks. I figured it would be better.
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited December 2009
    concealer404 wrote: »
    He's talking about a 1/8" jack to l/r RCA cable. Typically, they sound like garbage.

    The USB is better, because instead of a cable messing with the signal and not taking advantage of the better DAC in your pioneer vs. the crap that's in your laptop, you're sending a digital signal to your Pioneer and letting it do it's thing.

    AHHHH...gotcha, yeah that couldnt sound too good.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited December 2009
    bigaudiofanatic wrote: »
    LOL nice a tad harsh on the laptop :rolleyes::p but thanks. I figured it would be better.

    Why do you think there's so many external sound cards on the market? :p Because there's not room in a laptop for anything worth a damn.


    You've got a great receiver. Let it do the work whenever possible. :D

    But this is why i like my receiver.... there IS no conversion necessary. ;) Digital input + digital amp FTW.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited December 2009
    LOL nice ya it is a great receiver and love it so far.
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited December 2009
    Agreed. The 1/8" out is definitely not the way to go for anything hifi.
    Jake
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited December 2009
    The USB should sound better than the DACs in the laptop.
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
    polkaudio 255c-RT Inwalls
    polkaudio DSWPro550WI
    polkaudio XRT12 XM Tuner
    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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