setup changes

[Riddleofsteel]

I am switching to a new motherboard and will be moving from a pci-e sound card to a pci one instead. I have the titanium hd, I wonder how much difference there is between the Titanium HD and an Asus Essence ST. I would go for an external device like the HRT Music Streamer but I don't know how to connect my speakers and/or receiver to it. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Procyon12]

all 3 of those devices use unbalanced Analog RCA outputs. they will all connect to your speakers and receivers in the same manner.
i vote HRT.

 

[Riddleofsteel]

My speakers are bare wire, how will they connect to the HRT? Thanks.

 

[Procyon12]

My speakers are bare wire, how will they connect to the HRT? Thanks.

you need an amp.
this is true regardless of sound card.
do you already have a receiver?

 

[Riddleofsteel]

Yes I do.

 

[Procyon12]

what is your reciever?

 

[Riddleofsteel]

Harman Kardon HK-3490

 

[Procyon12]

connect the HRT with something like this:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=2864&seq=1&format=2

should be very straight forward.

 

[450]

Don't bother buying a soundcard or a DAC.

Assuming your motherboard has a coaxial or optical output just connect that to the HK-3490's coaxial or optical input.

 

[Riddleofsteel]

@ 450, wouldn't the soundcard I already have be better than onboard?

 

[450]

If you connect via analog cables then the Titanium HD will be superior.

However, if you connect via coaxial or optical, there shouldn't be an audible difference from the soundcard and the internal audio.

 

[Procyon12]

If you connect via analog cables then the Titanium HD will be superior.

However, if you connect via coaxial or optical, there shouldn't be an audible difference from the soundcard and the internal audio.

you compare Titanium HD to onboard, what about analog out of a good sound card, vs digital into the reciever? the recievers digital processing is "just ok" maybe a step or two above your run of the mill cd player...i wouldnt put it in the leage of the HRT...

 

[450]

you compare Titanium HD to onboard, what about analog out of a good sound card, vs digital into the reciever? the recievers digital processing is "just ok" maybe a step or two above your run of the mill cd player...i wouldnt put it in the leage of the HRT...

Even if the HRT streamer is somehow technically superior, we have no guarantee that the benefits will be exposed by his speakers/headphones. The listening environment will make a bigger difference than the DAC. The Harman Kardon uses a decent AKM DAC, I don't see a reason not to use it.

OP: You already have the equipment. Buy an optical cable from Amazon or Monoprice and test it out.

 

[Procyon12]

Even if the HRT streamer is somehow technically superior, we have no guarantee that the benefits will be exposed by his speakers/headphones. The listening environment will make a bigger difference than the DAC. The Harman Kardon uses a decent AKM DAC, I don't see a reason not to use it.

OP: You already have the equipment. Buy an optical cable from Amazon or Monoprice and test it out.

its not just the dac chip that determines dac performance...circuit design, implementation, clocking, and overall component quality have alot more to do with it. that AKM chip probably costs about $2, if not less. not to say thats it too cheap to be a good chip, but to say that the actual DAC chip is only a small part of the performance of a DAC.

i mean hell, the $1000 Rega DAC uses a "lower end" wolfson chip than many other DACs it decidedly sounds better than...
the Burr Brown chip in the Naim CD555 costs $13. 13. 13. i cannot stress enough how little a DAC chip has to with the quality of a DAC.

$20,0000 CD Player. regarded as one of the best made. $13 DAC chip.

oh, and FYI it cost $13 back in 1998 when it was made. it probably, technically "under performs" $2 2011 DAC chips.

 

[450]

Cost does not dictate performance. The cost of the AKM chip is irrelevant.

The money he spends ($150, $350) on an HRT streamer should be spent on upgrading speakers instead.

 

[Procyon12]

Cost does not dictate performance. The cost of the AKM chip is irrelevant.

isnt that basically what i said?

look ill quote myself for you:

that AKM chip probably costs about $2, if not less. not to say thats it too cheap to be a good chip, but to say that the actual DAC chip is only a small part of the performance of a DAC.

i think i made it pretty clear that the cost of the DAC chip is not a factor. im also saying that the AKM chip is irrelevant. the fact that this DAC uses this particular chip means so little to the overall performance of the DAC. thats what im saying. you cant say this dac is good because it uses a ____ whatever fill in the blank DAC chip.

The money he spends ($150, $350) on an HRT streamer should be spent on upgrading speakers instead.

a) maybe, maybe not.
b) thats not the point of the question i asked you.
c) he may have only have $200 to spend and his speakers may not recieve an "upgraded' for a $200 budget. i can tell you that i can easily tell the difference between a asus xonar st and an HRT MSII, and it would probably take $600 or 700 used speakers for me to have a worthwhile upgrade to my speakers.

 

[450]

If you really felt that it was irrelevant you wouldn't have mentioned it initially. I felt as though your argument was about how the receiver's DAC is a small part of the price, and the HRT has $150/$350 dedicated completely to the DAC.

 

[Procyon12]

If you really felt that it was irrelevant you wouldn't have mentioned it initially. I felt as though your argument was about how the receiver's DAC is a small part of the price, and the HRT has $150/$350 dedicated completely to the DAC.

your mis understanding. the DAC is a small part of the PERFORMANCE. i only mentioned the price to show that even expensive DACs dont use DAC chips much more expensive than low end DACs.

the point im trying to illustrate that this one particular DAC chip cannot be used to determine the quality of the DAC.

saying, hey that HK has a pretty good DAC because it has a pretty good AKM chip....meaningless!

 

[450]

your mis understanding. the DAC is a small part of the PERFORMANCE. i only mentioned the price to show that even expensive DACs dont use DAC chips much more expensive than low end DACs.

This makes it sound like you are equating price with higher quality/performance.

Besides how are you measuring performance? Why are you assuming that the digital to analog conversion is poor in the HK3490?

 

[SirMaster]

If he just uses the S/PDIF port on the motherboard he won't be able to get more than 2 channels in video games though as his motherboard probably doesn't have DDL or DTS Interactive.

Not sure if that is important to him or not.

 

[Riddleofsteel]

I have to use spdif and not coaxial. I thought coaxial was better, but I am using what I have. Sounds pretty good so far. Sorry to cause a stir.

 

[450]

If he just uses the S/PDIF port on the motherboard he won't be able to get more than 2 channels in video games though as his motherboard probably doesn't have DDL or DTS Interactive.

Not sure if that is important to him or not.

That limitation is irrelevant in this case because he is using a STEREO receiver.

I have to use spdif and not coaxial. I thought coaxial was better, but I am using what I have. Sounds pretty good so far. Sorry to cause a stir.

By S/PDIF I'm guessing you are talking about optical/TOSLINK.

Optical and coaxial will get you the same sound quality.

Try fiddling with the software EQ or the EQ on the receiver to fine tune your sound.

 

[criccio]

Just peeking my head to say I'm LOLing at this discussion.

Later!

 

[450]

Just peeking my head to say I'm LOLing at this discussion.

Later!

I'm glad I was able to provide you with entertainment.