External Sound Card or Straight to DAC?

[admin_exported]

Hi,

Just to say I know there are a lot of similar threads to this which I have trawled through but none help me that specifically!

I've recently upgraded from my Cyruslink Linkcentre 2.1 speakers which I was running out of my laptop through a Creative Xmod. I've just gone and bought a Marantz PM6002 amplifier and a pair of Mordaunt Short Aviano 1 speakers. I listen to music almost exclusively through my computer and I simply want to know the best way to get decent sound quality from my laptop (so an internal sound card not really feasible) to my amp.

Bearing in mind I'm a student and money is tight, I was thinking of getting a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi 5.1 (Creative Labs Online Store (UK) | Sound Blaster | Buy Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1) and either using its on board DAC and running straight from the RCAs to the Amp or using it's optical out to a Beresford DAC and then to the amp. Also, the majority of my music is in compressed mp3 form, the Creative's 'X-Fi Crystalizer' apparently fills in frequencies lost in compression and basically restores the quality somewhat. I don't know if this is just a gimmick or genuinely useful.

I must stress that money is very tight and I'll have an absolute maximum of £200 to spend on the solution, ideally a lot less.

Absolutely any suggestions, within the parameters of my current thoughts or completely new ones, would be very gratefully received.

Will

EDIT: Just looked some more and see that Beresford TC-7520 has a USB input. The Question really is then, are my amp and speakers sufficiently good that I would be doing them a disservice by going for the Creative rather than the Beresford?

 

[PJPro]

teeter:......the Creative's 'X-Fi Crystalizer' apparently fills in frequencies lost in compression and basically restores the quality somewhat.....
I'd expect that to sound nasty. I'd go with USB into a Beresford or DACMagic.

Oh, and have you checked whether your headphone socket on your laptop doubles up as an optical out?

 

[Alec]

I'd agree with PJ.

Before i discovered this place i used various kinds of audio enhancement software, and all they ever seemed to do is add what i can only describe as "noise".

However, while I agree with PJ, i would say that you would get more benefit from a DAC if your files were uncompressed. So, if i were you, i would consider re-ripping the tracks if you have the original CDs. If you dont, or you just dont want to do it all again, just get a DAC as and when you have sufficeient funds but, without uncompressed files, I'd say there's no rush.

EDIT And, in response to your edit, i would have to answer "yes". While i have not heard either of the sets of speakers you mention, i have heard speakers at similar levels, with low quality MP3s and with and without, imo, gimmicky enhancemet software.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for both your replies!

I'm now pretty set on getting an just an external DAC with usb input, but the Beresford TC-7520 is around £180 with VAT and postage. Any suggestions for one I could get for around the £100 mark? I know the cheaper ones tend to be 16-bit rather than 24, would this make a big difference to me? Thanks

 

[Alec]

You could try ebay and the like if you're comfortable with that. Or just save bit longer. I dont want to be negative but, as i said, im not sure how much a DAC will help with lossy files, so id relax and not rush, personally (tho must confess much of my collection is at relatively low bit rates just now).

Ive never been too sure of the 16/24 thing myself, but i dont think it would matter unless you are going to listen to hi res downloads from Linn et al. Hopefully someone will orrect me if need be.

 

[idc]

I would be very suspicious of anything that claims to restore lossy files with any form of 'enhancement'. I suspect all it will do is boost bass or treble like a tone control.

I agree with al that unless you are getting high resolution 24 bit music from somewhere, 16 bit will be fine as that is CD sound, which is obviously fine.

 

[Anonymous]

There's not many 16bit DACs around nowadays, except for those limited to USB -- most USB inputs are 16bits. So is optical in on some cheap DACs.
However, there's no reason to go for something technically inferior, if you can get the superior for the same price... And starting with technical limitations, you might face problems later.
I doubt you'll hear a difference between 16 and 24bits anyway. Myself I can't distinguish between 'studio master' quality 24bits FLAC and the same files converted to 16bits ALAC; despite giving it a hard try.

'Enhancing' software should be avoided. Nothing can bring back data that's removed by compression. In my experience, hearing differences between lossless and high quality AAC or MP3 is hard, unless the music is very complex. In a room with average acoustics and every day noises I'd say you won't hear it. But comparing 'enhanced' sound to the original is easy enough -- the 'enhanced' version usually seems muddled.

 

[Anonymous]

The above posters are right... Audio "enhacement" software should be avoided, it's all just marketing nonsense IMO. Don't let that put you off using a dedicated soundcard however, just make sure you stick to high bitrate compression or FLAC and you'll be sorted...

I have recently purchase a Asus Xonar ST soundcard, which sounds excellent through my hifi. It has been given great reviews by Stereophile this month and even has removable op-amps if you choose to upgrade it. The best solution for PC playback is Foobar with ASIO output. The xonar supports ASIO playback out of the box with it's drivers which is a big plus. I have built it around a cheap old workstation PC (costing me £30) and it easily rivals my far more expensive Trichord DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

Oops just read it's for a laptop so internal soundcard is out of the question! Umm, in that case perhaps a seperate DAC is the best route to take.

 

[Anonymous]

Excellent, thank you to everyone who posted. Most of my files are 320kbps mp3s but I do have quite a lot of FLACs as well so I think I'm going to try and get my hands on a Fubar.

 

[Anonymous]

I have this as well as my Dacmagic and think it's great value for money. Don't worry about the 16Bit limitation. For PC music i think this will be perfect for you.

http://www.russandrews.com/product.asp?src="google&lookup=1&region=UK&currency=GBP&pf_id=4588&customer_id=PAA1273114709614WRJIWSLRIBTCEIPV"