Media center PC audio

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone

Sorry for the triple post, my Internet Explorer apparantly does not get along with this forum. Editors please delete the empty threads.

So, I am building a new audio system for my living room and intend to use digital sources.

I am considering building a fanless media centre PC in an Impatics C3LH-B cabinet. The requirements for the PC are only to be capable of HD video and high-res audio playback. The motherboard I have chosen for this is a Zotac H67ITX WIFI. In the specifications for this motherboard it says 8 channel audio up to 24 bit. I intent to use audio output through USB then convert to optical with a product like a Musical Fidelity V-LINK. Then the optical signal goes to a DAC, most likely the Rega DAC.

My question is, will the audio from the motherboard be sufficient for this use, or would investing in a standalone soundcard somehow provide a better USB audio output.

Cheers.

 

[quadpatch]

The Motherboard's audio capabilities are irrelevant for outputting audio through USB. A soundcard will be bypassed for such a connection. I am curious why you want to convert your audio to optical for the DAC. I see the Rega will only input USB up to 48khz, is that why? Do you already have Rega DAC? If not would the Audiolab M-DAC be a better option since it's USB input is pretty awesome (imo).

 

[fr0g]

That motherboard has optical out. So there is no need to use USB and convert.

And it will be absolutely fine.

 

[skippy]

Click 'Tools'... on the dropdown click 'compatability view settings'...then you can either add this website to the box or click 'display all websites in compatability view'

Hopefully this helps

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your replies.

The reasons of which I am probably going for the Rega DAC is because i havent been able to audition the MDAC because there is no retailer near me, and also because it matches the Rega Brio-R which is probably my amp of choice visually.

The reason for converting to optical is as you say because the limitations of the DAC and also because of some issue i read about with asynchronous and adaptive mode. For all i know this might be bogus. Using the optical directly is probably a cheaper option.

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your replies.

The reasons of which I am probably going for the Rega DAC is because i havent been able to audition the MDAC because there is no retailer near me, and also because it matches the Rega Brio-R which is probably my amp of choice visually.

The reason for converting to optical is as you say because the limitations of the DAC and also because of some issue i read about with asynchronous and adaptive mode. For all i know this might be bogus. Using the optical directly is probably a cheaper option.

Cheers

 

[SteveR750]

In my albeit limited experuience of DACs async USB is an improvement over optical, sounds more vibrant and more detailed to my ears.