• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Audiophile new to computer audio would like a little advice

K

Ken90630

Golden Member
Hey, All:

I've been an audiophile for years, but I'm in the market for a nice computer audio set-up and am quickly realizing I don't know as much about computer audio as I do about home/car audio components.

What I need is a 2.1 channel set-up only -- nothing more. No gaming; my listening needs will be for music only (CDs in the tray, Web radio, etc.). All I need is a better-than-average sound card and speakers for that, with a budget of no more than $100 for the card and, say, $125ish for the speakers. What I don't want is the low-end stuff the masses use (Labtec, SoundBlaster Live, CyberAcoustics ... that stuff).

I've checked out seemingly a zillion different speakers online and at a few stores, and the only ones I'd even consider getting so far are the JBL Creature or the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's. Prob with the Klipsches is they're beyond my budget, so not an option. I read a comment somewhere about Swan speakers -- anyone know anything about them? Any recommendations for speakers similiar in cost/performance to the JBL Creatures?

Re the sound card, what I'd LIKE to have, IDEALLY, is 24/96 performance (or very similar) AND jacks on the card to output the audio to 2 RCA plugs that I can plug into a receiver. I don't need optical SP/DIF. Either two RCA outputs on the card or a 1/8" mini-jack that I can use a Y-cord with will suffice (not the headphone jack).

I also read a comment somewhere about the Via Envy 24HT-S-based cards being nice. Can anyone list a couple of such cards for me? I've been looking at cards from M-Audio, Turtle Beach, Terratec and Creative so far. Any experiences/thoughts on these brands?

I'd really appreciate any feedback from you computer audio experts out there. Thanks very much. 🙂
 
Personally I prefer SPDIF output.

This is because their is a lot of electro-radio interferience going on inside your computer case. You have cirtuits running at 33mhz, 66, mhz, 100-200mhz, whatever your cpu runs at etc etc. The powersource is a big switching power supply with big mosfets and capaciters smoothing out the AC into DC so your computer can use it, you have 200-400 worth of watts of electricity flowing thru those power codes etc etc.

By keeping it digital the entire time the sound is in your computer you aviod having any analog waves getting distorted by all this stuff going on. By it's nature digital signals are mostly immune to this sort of thing, if their signals get out of spec it just won't work correctly. Usually you don't get distortion.

That way you have your receiver take the digital information and decode it to analog on the outside of your case, and nice recievers are going to have better D-A converters then most sound cards your going to find.

M-audio has a nice card for around a hundred bucks at places like newegg.com
 
Just get a good sound card and run it through your receiver. Computer speakers are generally not grand when compared to a decent home system. :music:
 
just for music, m200 should easily stomp over klipsch; i have a s2 4100 which are much nicer than klipsch for music and the swans beat mine 😵;;

since you are short on budget your choice automatically gets narrowed down to chaintec AV-710. i suggest you head over to head-fi to ask questions as the vast majority of folks at anadntech are mainly about gaming and movies not quality music listening.
 
Originally posted by: ronnn
Just get a good sound card and run it through your receiver. Computer speakers are generally not grand when compared to a decent home system. :music:
Click to expand...

Yup, forget the computer speakers. If your receiver is one of the new digital ones, great. Otherwise you can get a card with good digital out (which doesn't resample) and a dac for under your budget without much trouble. (My M-audio transit and entech 205.2 is at your budget and gives very nice sound.)
You don't need 24/96 preformance for listening to CD's. You need 16/44 preformance.
Try lossless compression to hard disc, so the CD drive doesn't make a din.
 
I've bought two Hercules Fortissmo III 7.1 cards and for the price (around $50.00 US!), can't be beaten (they have SPDIF outputs).

You say you don't need SPDIF but with a computer you do. That is if you want for the best sound output from your machine.

Output the SPDIF to your home system and you are in for the best poissible sound from your computer.
 
It's amazing how many people have no idea what the fvck they're talking about. And people probably listen to them.
 
Being an audiophile I am sure you are well aware of the brand Altec Lancing. They make some nice speakers for those on a tight budget. I have bought them for friends and also a pair for my use. Althought they are not in service with the computers but connected to my dvd/tv setup in bedroom. I use the Nad amp and mission speakers with a Marantz cd 63SE which is connected with the computer setup. I use it just for background listening as the computer can never be a serious audio unit.

I did a review on the Altec Lancing speakers once and if you are interested in reading it for information purpose be my guest and use the follwoing link

Want to put OOMPH in your PC, Game Console or TV sound?

Generally I found the Altec Lancing range to be very decent and you can consider some newer offerings from them.
 
An audiophile with a $100 speaker budget? 😕 Get a pair of Sennheiser HD280pro headphones, they run about $100 new. You won't even come close to audiophile-grade speakers with $100.
 
Originally posted by: Nebor
It's amazing how many people have no idea what the fvck they're talking about. And people probably listen to them.
Click to expand...

You should probably try to be more specific, because if you don't provide any actual information then people 1. have no idea what your talking about and 2. might assume some things about you that aren't neccissarially true. 😉
 
Originally posted by: powerMarkymark
I've bought two Hercules Fortissmo III 7.1 cards and for the price (around $50.00 US!), can't be beaten (they have SPDIF outputs).
Click to expand...

Only you neglected to mention that the Fortissimo is no longer supported or manufactured, and next to impossible to find new.
 
Originally posted by: Nebor
It's amazing how many people have no idea what the fvck they're talking about. And people probably listen to them.
Click to expand...

What is your problem dude.

The man wants peoples opinions............................just becuse they don't conincide with your own, does not make them wrong.
 
Originally posted by: powerMarkymark
Originally posted by: Nebor
It's amazing how many people have no idea what the fvck they're talking about. And people probably listen to them.
Click to expand...

What is your problem dude.

The man wants peoples opinions............................just becuse they don't conincide with your own, does not make them wrong.
Click to expand...

yup thats is not completly polite i agree. sorry if your having a bad day please dont take it out on others here
 
people tend to get bent out of shape when the word "audiophile" is used, as soon as someone uses that word most people automatically asume a degree of audio zeal that can be absurd. audiophile is a general term, it doesn't necessarily meant top grade, maybe just that he is a bit more serious about sound quality than the average everyday computer user?
 
I might have been an audiophile once upon a time, but the amplidyne generators I had to work around when I was in the Navy ended that for me. SoundStorm audio is better than my ears deserve now. 🙁
 
Originally posted by: AWhackWhiteBoy
people tend to get bent out of shape when the word "audiophile" is used, as soon as someone uses that word most people automatically asume a degree of audio zeal that can be absurd. audiophile is a general term, it doesn't necessarily meant top grade, maybe just that he is a bit more serious about sound quality than the average everyday computer user?
Click to expand...


Very well said!
 
Originally posted by: oldman420
Originally posted by: powerMarkymark
Originally posted by: Nebor
It's amazing how many people have no idea what the fvck they're talking about. And people probably listen to them.
Click to expand...

What is your problem dude.

The man wants peoples opinions............................just becuse they don't conincide with your own, does not make them wrong.
Click to expand...

yup thats is not completly polite i agree. sorry if your having a bad day please dont take it out on others here
Click to expand...

An audiophile setup for a computer is going to require quite a bit of knowledge about audio, and computers\electronics. It also requires money. And for $250, there's nothing you can get that's even close to "audiophile." If all you're using the system for is CDs, get a bookshelf system, you'll be better off.
 
Tubes on a Mobo? ehm. NO. Tubes sound great when done properly...and I've never seen a mobo maker do anything audio-related properly.

the computer can't be a serious audio tool? If that were true, Protools, RME-audio, ESI, apogee and others probably wouldn't have the prestige they do in the recording community. (OK, to some they don't, but those are the guys who think anything besides 2" analog tape sounds like crap)

I would agree, though that your best bet is to get the sound out of your computer digitally (non-resampled of course - no soundblaster) to your amp, or find a card with an external box for the converters. The former is most likely better than the latter (depending on the card and the quality of your amp).

I would look to the project studio recording community...alot of those devices are simple, sound good, and just plain work. Ego-sys (now ESI?) makes some good products in the slightly over $200 range, though most of those are probably overkill for your needs. The U24 has excellent DAC specs (it's one of those external box types). Its' DACs will probably sound better than those in most consumer level amps, and you have your digital options as well. You might find a discounted or used waveterminal 2496 somewhere (ebay?) for around $100. I had a 2496 for years...never let me down, rock solid drivers.

I would avoid M-audio at all costs...their drivers blow and then their support staff will lie to you about it - blaming it on windows (Really? then why don't all your competitors have the same problem?)

also - the point about lossless compression from a HD over a CDrom drive cannot be overstated. I recently started putting all my cds in flac...the differnce is night and day, even over my so-called "audiophile" standalone cd player. audiophiles extol the virtues of high end transports in standalone players, but from a HD, the transport doesn't even enter into the equation. Flac+quiet computer+quality digi-out + good DAC beats most cd players in the sub-$2000 range, in my mind.

HTH
 
Being an audiophile does not mean one has to own million dollar equipment, its a lifetime commitment to get the maximum potential from a given equipment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top