PC to DAC to PreAmp

It's best to use the coaxial output from a soundcard to a DAC and to an amp - avoid using audio output from a soundcard for better quality. Coaxial cable gives best results connecting - also true in connecting a transport to a DAC.

M-audio is pretty good - if you want to spend more for even better quality, check out soundcards from Lymx, or RME Hammerfall - what the pros use.

I've read the reponses in this thread, and I have to recommend to stay away from the Creative SoundBlaster solutions unless you play a lot of games on your PC. If you want high end audio sound from your PC, then consider the RME, Digital Audio Labs Card Deluxe, or even better yet, the Lynx 2 or Lynx 22. These are all pro audio quality cards. To take advantage of the Extigy's higher resolution audio features, you actually have to bypass a lot of the built-in digital sound processors that Creative lumps into their systems. By then, you lose some fidelity. Going to a pro audio solution will provide much better S/N ratios, greater dynamic range and a more natural sound. With the RME and Lynx solutions, you can clock synch the card's digital I/O to your DAC to minimize jitter, a huge source for horrible digital artifacts.

i wonder: do i need a HQ pro card like a RME or the CardDeluxe or is a M-Audio audiophile satisfying enough W H E N hooking the aboves to an highly reputated birdland odeon lite dac upsampler (and then into creek/epos duo)

dividox,

Sounds like a sweet setup. I heard the creek/epos equipment at the Show and was impressed when it was setup properly. Now, the woman running the demo has a little cold.

Enjoy,

dividox, I'm not a fan of spending a lot on a soundcard. The environment inside a computer doesn't strike me as being a good one for digital to analog signal processing.

Instead, for my Windows XP Box, I use an Edirol UX-1D (I think that is the number)--USB audio device with a simple coax digital out. That goes into my Theta Pro Basic IIIa DAC. Sounds as good, I think, as I've ever heard mp3s sound. B'sides, its *cheap* compared to high end sound cards, and you can always change later if you don't like it...

I've also used the M-Audio Sonica, which is a similar device but with toslink optical out. I'm not sure what Jewel Hasan was talking about with the Sonica--there is no DAC on board. Or, maybe the Sonica has changed. Mine was a little blue thing smaller than a pack of cigs with an blue LED that showed when a signal was present, a USB in on one side and a optical connector on the other. No analog conversion.

For a while, I had the Sonica hooked up at the computer, and then a 25' run of toslink to the DAC. I found some powered USB cables, and switched it so it was 25' of USB and the Sonica right next to the DAC. The difference was not subtle. If you have a long run, go with USB.

The Windows XP integration with the Edirol seems more bulletproof than the Sonica. I seem to recall that the Sonica occasionally glitched.