sound card w/ coax digital out?

lcrim · « **on:** 28 Jan 2005, 05:57 pm »

Can anyone please suggest a bit-perfect sound card that includes a coax (SPDIF) digital output. There seem to a lot of inexpensive DAC's that only have coax inputs. Not too many include Toslink.
TIA

John Ashman · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Jan 2005, 06:06 pm »

M-Sound. I have one for my computer - it was the only one I could find wth coax (easily).

lcrim · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Jan 2005, 06:30 pm »

John Ashman:
Could you furnish a link? Google reveals nada.

Brad · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Jan 2005, 06:31 pm »

I think it's M-Audio

lcrim · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Jan 2005, 06:53 pm »

I found the M-Audio revolution 7.1 which does indeed include a coax digital output. I expect some complications getting it to work w/ Foobar 2K but, its a start.
Thanks

ted_b · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Jan 2005, 07:05 pm »

Also, realize that for $25-40 you can get a toslink-to-coax converter; so you don't need to limit your shopping. That being said the M-Audio's are nice, and most are bit-perfect (assuming you download the right drivers). The Chaintech AV710 (my card) is the least expensive bit-perfect card I know of ($25), but has toslink outputs, so the converter price needs to be added to your math.

A good discussion on this stuff is on headfi.org's "computer-as-source" forum.

Ted

lcrim · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Jan 2005, 10:27 pm »

ted_b:
I have an active post re: this same issue over on the computer-as-source forum @ head-fi.org.
Re: the toslink to coax converter-there is no reason to fear degradation or induced jitter from such a device?
If you don't mind-Why the Chaintech AV 710 and are you running a fiber cable to an external DAC or using the onboard Wolfson chipset for D to A conversion? If so, how is the sound and what cable adapters are needed?

ted_b · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Jan 2005, 11:06 pm »

Currently my Chaintech is my pc audio card; meaning, I use the internal Wolfson DACS and run it to my headphone amp to power my Sennheiser 580's as my home office/pc system. I use flac files and foobar2k running kernel streaming; the card is set to hirez output (which means you use the black output, which is normally set for rear surrounds). I have used it with a Rat Shack toslink converter and sent a dig coax (Stereovox HDXV) to a Scott Nixon Tubedac+ which was in my main system. It sounded great. I'm sure it's not the Lynx, but it's a great bit-perfect vehicle.

Ted

John Ashman · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 12:34 am »

Quote from: Brad

I think it's M-Audio

Doh!

EchiDna · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 03:26 am »

Quote from: lcrim

I found the M-Audio revolution 7.1 which does indeed include a coax digital output. I expect some complications getting it to work w/ Foobar 2K but, its a start.
Thanks

No issues getting it to work with foobar2k here.... I was using the exact setup described sionce the Revo came out...

CSMR · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 05:03 am »

The M-Audio Audiophile and Ego Systems Waveterminal U24 are also ones to consider. I think these have good quality digital out. Optical->coaxial by a Monarchy dip or something like that might also be an idea.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 Jan 2005, 11:46 pm »

I am following this with much interest, as I will eventually augment my cd front end with a PC solution of some kind - thanks for asking this lcrim!

Oh, and since I already have an older Monarchy DIP, that Chaintech will likely do the trick for me...

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

Do any of the motherboards with digital audio out give you a bit perfect data stream? Via coax?

Joe M.