Htpc

[ASLayerAODsk]

ok...I have my pc setup for home theatre...with my ML Aerius I's. i use a Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS. Does anyone else use their ML's for this purpose as well? thru a PC i mean...and what hardware do you use? They didnt have any real answers for me from ML as i inquired there as to what might make my speakers sound just even a bit better I already use FLAC/MA religiously and foobar2000 for playing software...im just poking around to see if theres anything better out there that i might not of heard of or tried out.

Oh...and looking at the specs for the Audigy 2 ZS, what kind of receiver does it compare to for specs...or preamp i guess it might be? hmm...ive been testing out an Anthem AVM 30 at my local audio store with a set of Acents just for comparison reasons and its a total world of difference..but so is the price..blah hehe oh well, i knew what i was getting into when i started this hobby...i just need to win the lottery now

 

[DTB300]

Here is what I use... HiFi Link...cheap works...have not compared to others as I only use it to listen to sometimes listen to Rhapsody Audio....

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/s...tops-1_blended_10129542_2/102-7734252-6630535

Dan

 

[ASLayerAODsk]

i just use straight 1/8 - RCA cables..using something in the middle degrades quality does it not?

 

[DTB300]

All this unit does is enable you to route the sound out a USB instead of out the Sound Card after processing by soundcard. The only thing the little cigar shapped device does is convert USB to RCA as the unit also comes with a 50 ft USB-> RCA cord.

This unit with take care of problems some people have with hum/noise/etc. from soundcard outputs. I have never compared against striaght out the soundcard so I cannot comment on sound quality issues. To change output, just go into the Windows Audio dialog box, and select HiFi Link instead of Audigy (recognized by Win when USB is plugged in - no additional drivers required)

Note I use this is only for the times I want to play streaming audio as I do not use the PC for music. So it is convienence more than anything and I never had to deal with any issues with soundcard outputs to Pre Amp.

Just showing people that there are other options out there. And also note, that I purchased this item before things like Squeezebox or any other such device existed.

Dan

 

[Peter Hogan]

Hi,
I use a Soundblaster Audigy2 NX on mine. It is an external USB based unit, and has better signal to noise specs by not being inside the PC case with all the digital 'noise' there.

I use the NX's optical output to feed the pre/pro, and use the pre/pro's D to A converters. The ones in the NX are similar (24 bit/192Khz) but I have the computer in another room, for noise reasons. It is on a different AC circuit, and I get some hum if I connect the computer to the pre/pro with copper wires, hence the optical connection.

I use the 1/8" audio jack output of the NX to feed my headphone amp. Presently, I use the PC only for audio storage/playback, all video comes direct from broadcast (Sat and OTA HD locals), or 2 DVD players...1 jukebox player and 1 universal player for SACD and DVD-A.

Peter