Splinters . . . DAC, optical cable???

CJSF

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Scratching head again . . . just ordered a new computer HP P6-2029. An unusually pleasant experience considering the amount of redies I parted with. Buying computers is hard work for me, I know in my way what I want, but putting it over to a sales assistant who knows little more than me apart from the blurb written on the sales ticket . . . I was lucky, I got a clued up salesman.

Anyway, I will be taking my downloads untampered with by the computer straight to the DAC. At present this is via a USB cable to the HRT DAC, and from there to the amplifier 'line in' via phono lead.

The computer has an 'optical output' . . . will this be any advantage, in to an appropriate DAC? or is this optical output using the computers on board DAC? I'm getting confused . . . any one point me in the right direction. . . . I did not buy the computer because of this optical output, it was something we noticed later.

CJSF
 
A

Anonymous

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As far as I know optical are digital. Meaning your computer DAC is not implicated.

After that, is USB better then optical? That would be best for you to give a try and see. I suspect there plenty of people with idea on the topic...
 

Overdose

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Both optical output and USB are digital signals. If you have the facility, optical would, on balance, be a better output choice, as it electrically isolates the Pc from the rest of the audio chain.

Either method correctly implemented will sound just fine.
 

CJSF

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Overdose said:
Both optical output and USB are digital signals. If you have the facility, optical would, on balance, be a better output choice, as it electrically isolates the Pc from the rest of the audio chain.

Either method correctly implemented will sound just fine.

Thats fine, thanks Overdose . . . I dont have to worry about getting a new DAC, keep the 'status quo' . . . :type:

CJSF
 

SteveR750

Well-known member
CJ, welcome to the dark side, or maybe the enlightened side, who knows. I'd recommend you visit the pages of The Well Tempered Cimputer (google just that) which will give you a pretty good guide to getting the best out of a PC source. The software you sue is key - for windows then windows media player and itunes are not good enough, as they do not allow for exclusive and direct control over the soundcard (which inclues the optical out or USB drivers when installed). I use J River Media Centre, it's very good, but there are other equally as efficient and of course you may prefer them. The key is ensure that windows does not "interfere" with the data before streaming it to the DAC, so look up ASIO, WASAPI.

As for the best connection I thought that optical was preferebale until I got the dacmagic plus which seems to have a well sorted asynchronous USB mode. The advantage of optical out though is isolation from ground loops and RFI, a laptop PSU is a very noisy device indeed.

When you're set to go, take a trip to HDtracks.com and browse the hi res catalogue (make sure you dac can receive the data at the sample rate of te tack otherwise you'll need to upsample, or worse downsample which means you'd be missing the whole point of the higher rate.)

Enjoy!
 

CJSF

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SteveR750 said:
CJ, welcome to the dark side, or maybe the enlightened side, who knows. I'd recommend you visit the pages of The Well Tempered Cimputer (google just that) which will give you a pretty good guide to getting the best out of a PC source. The software you sue is key - for windows then windows media player and itunes are not good enough, as they do not allow for exclusive and direct control over the soundcard (which inclues the optical out or USB drivers when installed). I use J River Media Centre, it's very good, but there are other equally as efficient and of course you may prefer them. The key is ensure that windows does not "interfere" with the data before streaming it to the DAC, so look up ASIO, WASAPI.

As for the best connection I thought that optical was preferebale until I got the dacmagic plus which seems to have a well sorted asynchronous USB mode. The advantage of optical out though is isolation from ground loops and RFI, a laptop PSU is a very noisy device indeed.

When you're set to go, take a trip to HDtracks.com and browse the hi res catalogue (make sure you dac can receive the data at the sample rate of te tack otherwise you'll need to upsample, or worse downsample which means you'd be missing the whole point of the higher rate.)

Enjoy!

Thanks Steve, its something I will be able to look at now you have pointed me in the direction, at least I can take my time . . . Keeping Windows out of it seems good, there seems to be a lot of 'auto' options in the new operating system . . . I am into photography, getting a clean unadulterated picture on the monitor will be an issue, especially as the monitor and its software is older than Windows 7. Next expense, a new monitor, just because the old one is no longer supported, I will need to have a dig around, see if I can find an update for the software? The computer world lead us by the nose . . . ?

CJSF
 

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