How best to get a digital signal from PC to DAC?

chadh · « **on:** 20 Dec 2005, 10:16 pm »

I'm looking for a simple, but excellent way of delivering audio from my PC to my headphone amp at work. I know I could go with a squeezebox, or a USB DAC, or even a high quality sound card. But I'm wondering if there's a simpler (cheaper) option that involves items I already have.

Essentially, I'm wondering what's the simplest/cheapest way to get a good digital stream out of the PC, given that my DAC takes a standard coaxial cable?

I think my SB Live! soundcard has a digital output, but with a tiny little jack. So I guess I could get the appropriate adaptor for my digital cable. This would cost a couple of dollars, but I don't trust the little radioshack adaptors. If I did this, can I trust the digital stream that comes out of the SB Live! soundcard?

I could use a Xitel Pro Hi Fi link, which takes USB out of the PC and gives me a coaxial digital out. This seems like a safe option, and would cost about $100.

I know I can find soundcards with optical digital out - but without an appropriate DAC that's useless to me. Can I find a soundcard with a standard sized coaxial out, that delivers an accurate digital stream and comes at a reasonable price (i.e. less than the $100 for the Xitel Pro Hi Fi Link)?

Once I get a digital (SPDIF) signal leaving the PC, is jitter an issue? POtentially I could employ a Monarchy DIP between PC and DAC. I think the DIP has an optical input, so I could use a soundcard with optical out into the DIP, then use coaxial digital cable to the DAC. But this is a waste if jitter isn't a problem.

Thanks

Chad

EchiDna · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Dec 2005, 04:08 am »

Chad yes you can find standard coaxial digital outputs on soundcards for well under US$100. Chaintech make/made one and the m-audio revolution is within your price range these days as well (it even has a decent DAC onboard...)

not to mention many modern motherboards also have a digital output socket in both optical and coaxial form factors.

chadh · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Dec 2005, 03:40 pm »

Thanks.

I looked for chaintech cards the other day, and I thought they only had optical digital out (there was a cheaper one, and there was this one which had the optical out: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=29-120-103&depa=0#DetailSpecs ). I should look for others, and will definitely check out the m-audio revolution.

As I'm ignorant about these things, is the digital signal received from these sound cards "good"? I guess I don't know if a digital signal is a digital signal, or whether there are all sorts of things that can screw up. I presume there's some sort of jitter issue - but is this significant?

Chad

EchiDna · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Dec 2005, 01:57 am »

actually there has been plenty of jitter comparisons - and I'm yet to see one that claims jitter is worse from a PC than from a transport - much the opposite in fact.

Here is an interesting article by Bill Gaw on enjoy the music (a bit old now, but still interesting)

regarding the chaintech - I think the model with the coaxial digital output is sadly obsolete these days.

good luck in your search - I used an m-audio revolution to a modded ART DI/O (coaxial) for a few years and it was as good as I ever heard my ssystem sound.

chadh · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Dec 2005, 03:05 am »

Thanks again.

As it happens, I'm likely to have the modded ART Di/O hooked up to the sound card too. Then into my Creek OBH 21 SE Headphone amp, and my Sennheiser HD580s.

I think I might see if I can get my hands on one of those M-Audio soundcards.

Chad