Cheap sound card with perfect digital out

jermmd · « **on:** 11 Jan 2005, 11:30 pm »

This discussion on Anandtech might be of interest to people:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=40&threadid=1440808&enterthread=y

Basically, this $24 card can be flashed for bit perfect digital out. The analog out is crap but if you're using an external DAC/processor, the PC will make an exceptional transport.

Unless you want to use your PC for gaming and video, a cheap PC (such as a Dell 420SC) this card and a big hard drive will give you a really great transport for under $500. A good video card and a DVD burner can be had for another $300. An arguably superior transport and DVD player with all the PC extras (internet, office functions, games etc.). There is the usual hassle concerns, but I think this is the future.

Joe M.

ted_b · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Jan 2005, 11:42 pm »

I have this card, and I will tell you that the analog outs are not crap; they aren't Lynx quality, but they best most average cards or gaming-type cards (Audigys, etc) for 2 channel audio The fact that this card is bit-perfect, and has a decent 24/96 dac in its own right, and is $25, is tough to swallow. Lots written and good support over at the computer-as-source forum at headfi.org, including setups, etc. This card has some idiosyncrasies, but once past them in setup and you're golden.
Edit: BTW, I never needed to flash my card to get bit-perfect.
Ted_B

jermmd · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Jan 2005, 11:49 pm »

Ted_B.

I stand corrected. I only know what I have read about this card. How do you know if digital output is bit perfect? Is my Audigy 2 cards' digital out bit perfect?

Joe M.

ted_b · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 12:04 am »

The bit perfect test is a bit (pun) goofy, but is described over at head-fi. Basically, you need to find a DTS reciver and a DTS sound file. If your dig output passes it, it's bit perfect. The instructions and files are over at head-fi. Try this for starters:
http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=83397&highlight=perfect+dts

Also, I'm not saying that flashing the Prodigy drivers aren't worth it, just that my native card passed without it. I guess the Prodigy drivers are more stable, etc.

Audigy cards output an upsampled 48k, which is not bit perfect of course. I guess there are ways to get around this with mods or flash eproms, but I don't know how. Search head-fi computer-as-source forum again for that info; it's there.

Edit: I don't use the Chaintech for my home audio, BTW. I use it for computer audio and for my headphone amp (Senn HD580's). The analog audio is very good, though.

ted_B

Marbles · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 12:12 am »

Ted, how do you think it would do in your home audio system feeding a standalone DAC?

jermmd · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 12:59 am »

Wow did my computer fail the bit perfect test! Thanks for the link. Can DTS DVD's be played over the computer using this card?

Joe M.

ted_b · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 01:30 am »

Quote from: Marbles

Ted, how do you think it would do in your home audio system feeding a standalone DAC?

I've used it feeding my Scott Nixon DAC (which will go on Audiogon or here asap) and it sounded great. I used flac files from my hd, through foobar. For a myriad of other reasons I went the Modwright 999ES route, though (for this discussion, it's truly irrelevant; i.e wasn't related to sound quality, per se).

Ted

Marbles · « **Reply #7 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 04:00 pm »

I see it has an optical digital out, does it have a coax digi out?

Thanks