Does digital source matter through a DAC?

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I recently bought the CA DacMagic to use with my CA 640A
V2 and Mission E34 Floorstanding speakers. I am using my pc as a source
for both lossless and compressed music. The difference with the
DacMagic is astounding, but now I'm wondering if there is anything else
I can do to improve quality with a minimal spend.

The guy in Richer Sounds told me not, but what if I were to upgrade the sound card in my PC instead of using onboard sound hardware. Would the digital signal going through the optical cable be improved and thus improve the overall sound? If so, does anyone have any suggestion for which soundcard to buy?

Thanks,

 

[Anonymous]

That's a doubt I would like to clarify myself for some time now...

I'm thinking of buying a DacMagic to process both my CD player and digital files from the computer and connect it to the receiver through a good quality cable. Are the cables that go from the sources (PC & CD player) to the DAC very important? Or should I put my money on the cable that goes from the DAC to the receiver? And should that cable be analogue or digital? Which is better? I am looking at the Chord Company Crimson (2x RCA), is it the most suitable? Or should I be looking for a digital one?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Many cans of worms being opened here, and subjects raised that have been flogged to death here in the past.

All I'm going to offer is that the cable from DacMagic to receiver should be standard analogue interconnects. Otherwise the DAC won't be doing anything at all.

 

[John Duncan]

To genfish:

If you're already getting a digital signal from your PC, you're bypassing the soundcard entirely, so a new one is unnecessary.

To JazzDevill:

I have very good (£200+) analogue interconnects between my DM and my amp, and a bog-standard 10 quid optical between my @TV and my DM, in the belief that analogue interconnects are more susceptible to interference.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok I am ready to get shot down by the DAC 'faithful'.... but thinking in laymans terms....

If the source is already digital and is connected by a 'good' quality digital (coaxial/optical) cable feeding into the digital connection on the amp. Whats the point using a DAC ???

Does it not make more sense to spend the extra cash on a better amp with decent a DAC inside ??? (thinking this reduces the signal path and should give better clarify and less interference from cable connections)

Just my 'tupence' worth, happy to be corrected !

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, got the message, thank you both Andrew Everard and JohnDuncan.

 

[John Duncan]

j6jno:
Ok I am ready to get shot down by the DAC 'faithful'.... but thinking in laymans terms....

If the source is already digital and is connected by a 'good' quality digital (coaxial/optical) cable feeding into the digital connection on the amp. Whats the point using a DAC ???

Does it not make more sense to spend the extra cash on a better amp with decent a DAC inside ??? (thinking this reduces the signal path and should give better clarify and less interference from cable connections)

Just my 'tupence' worth, happy to be corrected !

Because unless you have an AV receiver or one of a very small handful of stereo amps, they don't have DACs in them as a rule. Naim Nait XS and Moon i3 being ones that do OTTOMH, but they're the exception.

 

[nads]

j6jno:
Ok I am ready to get shot down by the DAC 'faithful'.... but thinking in laymans terms....

If the source is already digital and is connected by a 'good' quality digital (coaxial/optical) cable feeding into the digital connection on the amp. Whats the point using a DAC ???

Does it not make more sense to spend the extra cash on a better amp with decent a DAC inside ??? (thinking this reduces the signal path and should give better clarify and less interference from cable connections)

Just my 'tupence' worth, happy to be corrected !

Not many Stereo amps have built in DACs.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I think that's it, for the price of an external DAC like DacMagic you are very far from the price of a receiver or an amp that does the same job or better - it's a matter of economy.

To Andrew Everard

I was just thinking: if I would use the DacMagic digital out to the receiver the work done by the DAC is bypassed? I understand that DAC stands for Digital-to-Analogue but what use are the digital outs in the DAC's in that case? I'm sorry if I'm asking obvious things but your help would be apreciated...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies, i wont bother wasting my money then!

I use a standard optical cable from the pc, and a high quality RCA from the DM to the Amp.

 

[John Duncan]

JazzDevill:
Yeah, I think that's it, for the price of an external DAC like DacMagic you are very far from the price of a receiver or an amp that does the same job or better - it's a matter of economy.

To Andrew Everard

I was just thinking: if I would use the DacMagic digital out to the receiver the work done by the DAC is bypassed? I understand that DAC stands for Digital-to-Analogue but what use are the digital outs in the DAC's in that case? I'm sorry if I'm asking obvious things but your help would be apreciated...

I think the point of that was to pass through to a digital recorder if you have one in your system - ie a digital 'tape out'.

 

[Anonymous]

I've been compiling a list of amps with a dac inside as a google spreadsheet for anyone interested. see link below.

there are a few more than just the Naim and Moon ones, but it is still a niche market. Plenty of headphone amp / dacs too.

 

[Anonymous]

Depend what media player your using? Foobar 2000 is able to pass through a bit perfect data stream using wasapi, and i believe I tune's and media monkey can do the same using asio drivers! (among others im sure)

Windows media player uses direct sound and upsamples 41.1 khz to 48 very badly. The differnce between windows media and foobar with the plugin are not subtle even when connected to dac via optical