Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question

Sound card for good DAC

Tags:
  • Sound Cards
  • Speakers
  • Components
Last response: in Components
Share
September 11, 2006 12:50:43 AM

I'm going to buy new speakers, and right now it seems it'll be a NAD C320BEE amplifier, with a pair of DALI concept 6 floor-standing speakers. Friends tell me, since it will play primarily mp3-files, a sound card with good digital-to-analog conversion is very important. I have no experience with sound cards. please help me!

- Which brands?
- Internal, firewire or USB?
- Is M-audio good? found a kinda cheap USB model called audiophile?

thanks in advance

More about : sound card good dac

September 11, 2006 6:57:07 PM

Another question;

I think there should be no question that the M-audio audiophile will be at least as good as X-fi for DAC and music. But, will X-fi be better for games/movies?
(because of EAX and stuff)
September 18, 2006 2:12:41 AM

I'd recommend M-Audio to anyone. I got a 2496 recently and really was amazed at the sound quality available from a card costing only £50. These cards are aimed at high quality stereo sound with no frills.
Related resources
September 18, 2006 3:42:14 PM

Quote:
Another question;

I think there should be no question that the M-audio audiophile will be at least as good as X-fi for DAC and music. But, will X-fi be better for games/movies?
(because of EAX and stuff)


I totally agree about the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 or 192 being as good as/or better than the X-Fi for 2-channel stereo. I think the X-Fi will provide great sound quality, of course, and more utility in its gaming and EAX features. Given the price of the two I'd opt for the X-Fi if gaming is important to you. If the purest audio is important to you I'd recommend the M-Audio cards. However, I listen to my X-Fi's daily and they really really do sound good even if they do "molest" the audio stream with their re/up-sampling.
September 18, 2006 4:37:09 PM

The DACs aren't really going to matter much at all if you are going to be playing mp3's - Unless you are using 256 kbps or higher. Even then, it seems that you are just wasting your money on better components (DACs, Amp, and speakers)

Erik
September 18, 2006 5:39:14 PM

Quote:
Creative E-MU?

I just bought it for my friend who wants to do some audio-recording for his band, but it has some of the best ADC and DAC's in the buisness

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/creative-emu-1820/

But thats if you really really care about your sound...


Yeahp, in the $200+. I still tend to think the OP would get more utility out of a less expensive X-Fi. ...just my opinion.
September 18, 2006 5:40:24 PM

The emu's are very good but some people seem to have a lot of problems getting them to work, some don't. You'd maybe put up with a bit of fiddling in a music workstation but I'm not so sure if they'd make a good day-to-day Windows sound solution. No Linux support at all.
!