Changing PC audio hardware to AV Receiver setup

[admin_exported]

I currently have a pc under the tv with a Creative Labs X-FI Xtreme Gamer sound card connected to a set of Logitech Z5500 5.1 speakers, all my music is network accessed from the PC in another room, so being used to tweaking the EQ in the Creative Labs software or in Vista or whever I can usually change the sound types to whatever mood I am in J the question I am throwing out there is that if I add a Marantz SR6003 and the KEF KHT2005.3 or maybe the KHT3005SE budget allowing, is it recommended to also get an external DAC as well as the PC will still be my main source of media.

Any tips and advice welcome

Cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

Not if you want surround sound, no.

The DACs much raved about here can only handle stereo sound, so you really need to go straight from the soundcard's FlexiJack output in optical digital into the receiver.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick reply Andrew, but that leads to me ask another question as this is new territory for me, if I did connect a DAC to the AV receiver could this just be played through seperate speakers in a differnet zone i.e. my older Mission M72's just for stereo listening, apologies if I am asking daft questions but this AV receiver world is new to me and I would like to be able to get the most out of it.

thanks

 

[Andrew Everard]

You can do a second zone without needing the DAC - the Marantz has a Zone 2 output facility, and if you're running a 5.1 configuration you can use the two 'spare' amp channels to deliver sound in stereo to a a second zone.

This can be the same as in playing in the main room, or another input source.