Help with basics !

[admin_exported]

Ok. I'm actually a complete newbie to hi-fi systems as such. Even to sound really. I picked up a what hi-fi magazine for the first time a few days ago and was shocked by the sheer amount of knowledge that i lack in terms of sound technology. Though i wouldn't go as far as to call myself an audiophile, i still have a good ear and have always been a hell bent on quality. I first started off with an iPod classic that i loved and still do for the amazing quality that it provides when coupled with a good set of earphones. I've read countless articles about some really superior headphones that were supposed to be ground breaking in terms of quality but neede an amplifier. I never quite understood what that meant. I'm swaying off topic now. My main question again stems from a lack of knowledge in sound so bear with my stupidity.

I just got myself a new computer rig with the following specifications.

Gigabyte P67A UD7

Intel Core i7 2600k

AMD Radeon 6950

Corsair HX 850W PSU

Seagate Barracuda 1TB

Corsair 2x2 GB RAM

I have enough money left to afford eithe the ASUS XONAR DX or the ASUS XONAR D2X. I read the reviews of both the cards and with exception of a few extra ports and difference's in the DAC there doesn't seem to be a huge performance change. One website claims that the DX actually performs better than the D2X. So my first question would be which one should i buy ? My need as such is for a 2.1 system which at the max i'll update to a 5.1. Good music quality is my main criteria so keeping that in mind please advise.

I have a few more questions.

1) i read about how a standalone DAC is a better performer for music from a computer so i was wondering whether i can attach a DAC to a soundcard with an existing DAC in it i.e. The asus xonar. Will it result in some kind of incompatibility ? And if yes should i not get the sound card ? Another thing i wanted to ask was how exactly does a DAC connect to a computer ? Is it with the 3.5 mm jack or something else altogether ?

2) after getting a DAC what setup will i need to go forward with ? I tried researching this online and from what i've gathered a hi fi system generally includes a source, amplifiers and the speakers. I'm giving an extremely simplified version of an hi fi system but i know we can add a preamp between the source and the main amplifier and then we can also have different amplifiers and speakers for the low's, mid's and high's. I do not intend to make such a complicated setup but i'd like to clear my doubts anyhow. So does the DAC connect to the Amplifier directly ?

3) also will adding a direct speaker system like the promedia 2.1 to the sound card actually result in a boost in audio quality ? Or should i still get an amp ? And can a soundcard do justice to a high end pair of headphones or does that too require a amplifier to unlock its full capability ? Incase i do have to end up buying an amp i was looking at the yamaha a-s500. Will that suffice ? Can that amp handle headphones as well as 2.1/5.1 setups ?

I was also thinking that maybe after i save up on some money i could go with the marantz cd6003 cd player and hook it up with the yamaha to make it a standalone player. Will this combo work ? And yes my budget for the 2.1 speaker setup is approximately 300 dollars so i'd like a few suggestions for which setup i should buy with the soundcard or without the soundcard.

Ummm....i know my whole post is convoluted and haphazard and i apologise in advance for any difficulty that you guys might face in answering my questions. I'm sure i've forgotten a few questions so i'll ask them later.

And thank you in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

I have no idea why all my paragraphs have merged into each other. I probably shouldn't have posted this with a phone. God this looks awful. I'll repost this query through a computer later. Sorry !

 

[Anonymous]

Ok. I'm actually a complete newbie to hi-fi systems as such. Even to sound really. I picked up a what hi-fi magazine for the first time a few days ago and was shocked by the sheer amount of knowledge that i lack in terms of sound technology. Though i wouldn't go as far as to call myself an audiophile, i still have a good ear and have always been a hell bent on quality. I first started off with an iPod classic that i loved and still do for the amazing quality that it provides when coupled with a good set of earphones. I've read countless articles about some really superior headphones that were supposed to be ground breaking in terms of quality but neede an amplifier. I never quite understood what that meant. I'm swaying off topic now. My main question again stems from a lack of knowledge in sound so bear with my stupidity.

I just got myself a new computer rig with the following specifications.

Gigabyte P67A UD7

Intel Core i7 2600k

AMD Radeon 6950

Corsair HX 850W PSU

Seagate Barracuda 1TB

Corsair 2x2 GB RAM

I have enough money left to afford eithe the ASUS XONAR DX or the ASUS XONAR D2X. I read the reviews of both the cards and with exception of a few extra ports and difference's in the DAC there doesn't seem to be a huge performance change. One website claims that the DX actually performs better than the D2X. So my first question would be which one should i buy ? My need as such is for a 2.1 system which at the max i'll update to a 5.1. Good music quality is my main criteria so keeping that in mind please advise.

I have a few more ******** questions.

1) i read about how a standalone DAC is a better performer for music from a computer so i was wondering whether i can attach a DAC to a soundcard with an existing DAC in it i.e. The asus xonar. Will it result in some kind of incompatibility ? And if yes should i not get the sound card ? Another thing i wanted to ask was how exactly does a DAC connect to a computer ? Is it with the 3.5 mm jack or something else altogether ?

2) after getting a DAC what setup will i need to go forward with ? I tried researching this online and from what i've gathered a hi fi system generally includes a source, amplifiers and the speakers. I'm giving an extremely simplified version of an hi fi system but i know we can add a preamp between the source and the main amplifier and then we can also have different amplifiers and speakers for the low's, mid's and high's. I do not intend to make such a complicated setup but i'd like to clear my doubts anyhow. So does the DAC connect to the Amplifier directly ?

3) also will adding a direct speaker system like the promedia 2.1 to the sound card actually result in a boost in audio quality ? Or should i still get an amp ? And can a soundcard do justice to a high end pair of headphones or does that too require a amplifier to unlock its full capability ? Incase i do have to end up buying an amp i was looking at the yamaha a-s500. Will that suffice ? Can that amp handle headphones as well as 2.1/5.1 setups ?

I was also thinking that maybe after i save up on some money i could go with the marantz cd6003 cd player and hook it up with the yamaha to make it a standalone player. Will this combo work ? And yes my budget for the 2.1 speaker setup is approximately 300 dollars so i'd like a few suggestions for which setup i should buy with the soundcard or without the soundcard.

Ummm....i know my whole post is convoluted and haphazard and i apologise in advance for any difficulty that you guys might face in answering my questions. I'm sure i've forgotten a few questions so i'll ask them later.

And thank you in advance.

 

[amcluesent]

> my budget for the 2.1 speaker setup is approximately 300 dollars<

You'd be looking at Ebay for anything decent for that sort of money. If you can manage a little more, the Audio Engine A5/W1 combination and skip the soundcard.

 

[Alec]

If you got a DAC you would go PC - DAC - Amp.

And you don't need a soundcard at all if you get a USB DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

oh !...i'll try to squeeze that in but will the speakers sound good enough without a soundcard ?

 

[Alec]

Yes, I should think so. The main component of a soundcard is the DAC, so with a standalone DAC you'd just be cutting to the chase, as it were.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks !...that helps. Coincidentally are there any other types of DAC's ?...you mentioned USB so i was wondering if there were any other.

 

[Alec]

There are also coaxial digital and optical digital connections in some DACs. You would need to have the necessary connection built into your PC or get a soundcard with the right connection though, which is why I reccommended a USB DAC.

 

[Overdose]

I take it the you will be using the computer for audio playback for most of the time? If this is the case, you might like to forego the Marantz CD player and concentrate on the rest of the system.

For a DAC or external sound card try M-Audio Edirol UA25. Lots of other DACs at this price point, but pro audio might be a better bet.

Active speakers will avoid the requirement of an amplifier and the volume can be digitally controlled via the Pc if required.

 

[Anonymous]

i mentioned the Marantz player incase i thought of upgrading my system and going for a standalone hi-fi setup.

Yes, i will be using it for music playback mostly. For the soundcard i was thinking about the Asus Xonar DX. I doubt the card you've mentioned is available where i stay but i'll try nonetheless.

One query left. Will headphones work with the soundcard or do they need an amplifier ?

 

[Overdose]

Standalone hi-fi these days, does not neccessarily need to have a CD player as a source. If you have 'ripped' your CD/Vinyl collection to a computer, or even better a NAS, using a lossless codec, then you can access your entire collection using a remote without having to get up and change a disc and still enjoy the same sound quality.

Headphones can be used with a soundcard, but some types may need to be 'amped', an external DAC might provide the amplification, such as a Beresford 7520.