Chaintech AV710 vs DFI Karjan Audio Module

[wmansfield]

I've considered buying an AV710 card for my computer, but not sure if it's going to be any better than the current Realtek 850/Karjan audio I have attached to the DFI NF4 Ultra-D. Anyone have experience with this to compare? The plusses for the AV710 seem to be limited to an optical digital out instead of a coax. I know it's a better connection overall, but if the audio chip is bunk then you'll get to the GIGO (garbage in garbage out) scenario.

 

[Arcanedeath]

If your doing Stero the Dac's on the AV710 are better if you use the Wolfson DAC for chanel 5/6 (as a stero output) but for multi channel audio the Karjan audio module should be pretty similar if not better w/ lower cpu usage.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Digital optical isn't really any better than digital coaxial. Some would argue that coax is the better connection even.

Are you using the digital connections? What are you connecting to?

Is this for music or games?

 

[wmansfield]

It will be used for music, movies, games, but not many games. The digital coax on my receiver is crap so I've been using the separate 3 miniplug connectors thus far. I plan on getting another receiver in the future.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Your digital coax is crap but the optical works well?

 

[wmansfield]

I've never had anything to use the toslink connector with. The receiver is a cheapass KLH I got for $100 and it has bad buzzing when using the digital coax. I plan to get something new in the near future.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

If you think it's the reciever that has the issue with the digital coax signal you might want to wait until you get a new receiver and test the digital coaxial again. If the integrated coax is working, then the Chaintech is probably going to perform the same as the integrated digital out.

 

[SonicIce]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Digital optical isn't really any better than digital coaxial. Some would argue that coax is the better connection even.

Are you using the digital connections? What are you connecting to?

Is this for music or games?

really? why would coax be better?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Digital optical isn't really any better than digital coaxial. Some would argue that coax is the better connection even.

Are you using the digital connections? What are you connecting to?

Is this for music or games?

really? why would coax be better?

More bandwidth?

 

[Meuge]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Digital optical isn't really any better than digital coaxial. Some would argue that coax is the better connection even.

Are you using the digital connections? What are you connecting to?

Is this for music or games?

really? why would coax be better?

More bandwidth?

No, optical has more bandwidth, AFAIK. Either way, the SPDIF standard is limited to 24/192x2 in realtime anyway.

SPDIF sucks big floppy donkey penis, in that it's a unidirectional flow of information. Thus, a lossy cable may actually lead to the wavefront being more ambiguous, and loss of some information. Same goes for conversions of the digital stream into a different medium (electric->optical).

A USB or firewire connection is bidirectional, with active error correction, which allows you to use a $2 cable and still get a bit-perfect transmission.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

From spidey07 in a different thread:

"Just to clear up some misinformation...

Coax does indeed sound better. But you generally have to have a nice stereo to hear the difference.

Digital is not digital. It is an anlog waveform interpreted to represent 1s and 0s.

Coax is better for longer runs. You really don't want to have a toslink cable greater than 5m.

Coax can handle higher bandwidth.

Toslink optical connections are horrible, so are the transceivers in consumer electronics.

So after all that will you be able to tell a difference between the two? Probably not.

Keep in mind I'm talking about consumer digital products here. I also work and spec out fiber optic cable plants. These have a heck of a lot of advantages over coax. But we're not talking telecom, we're talking stereos. and the "fiber" and connectors in stereo land are absolutely abysmal."

 

[wmansfield]

Well even if I used the analog 6 channel outs would the AV710 produce a better overall sound or is it a waste? The Karjan sounds ok except in music it doesn't seem to be "right" somehow. It sounds kind of muddy in the mid range and no adjustments of the EQ seem to help. It's just cheap onboard sound... no getting around that. It seems to kick ass in games... not sure why music seems to be inferior.

My main reason for asking is if I buy a nice receiver and speakers it still won't make crap sound into gold. Goes back to the GIGO idea of garbage in garbage out. If trhe av710 just won't improve anything I may look at a Creative Xfi

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Music is where faults are going to show a lot easier. Games will sound pretty good on anything.

The AV710 has nice stereo out if you set it up right, but the multichannel out isn't anything special.

If you find music the lacking part though, that should be fine as music is meant to be listened to in stereo anyway.

You could hook up the first three jacks to the 5.1 analog input and then connect the 7/8 wolfson DAC jack to a different input on the receiver (CD or something) and then switch to that when you want to listen to music.

EDIT: going along with GIGO, do you have good sources for your music to start with?