Audio Advice

[kalikka]

From what I hear the T40/T20 suffers from bass/bassreflex being directed towards the roof --> under 100Hz bass may reflect completely over the listener to the middle of the room.

Meaning that the bass is non-existent when you sit right next to the speakers, and too much when you are away from the speakers. This is coming from 3 different Finnish T40/T20 users.

 

Do I need a soundcard?

VT1708S
7.1 Channel
Output: 24-Bit, 192KHz, 100dB
Input: 24-Bit, 192KHz, 90dB

 

So if you hear hiss/pops from your onboard audio, a card like Xonar DG(X) would be a good buy. And by the looks of it, your mobo has better PCI connections. So DG (that is cheaper than DGX) is a better choice.

Edited July 9, 2013 by kalikka

[FMod]

You are left with 2 50$ (maybe less) plastic cans and a big ass box that makes farting noises...

 

Way less. They have plastic cans in Asia selling for less than $10 equivalent for a pair that sounds very similar to expensive Logitechs and Creatives. I usually buy these whenever I stay for a week or so in non-fancy places - beat even best laptop sound by far, and I travel luggage-free - and just leave them there when I check out.

 

 

Speakers:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836116044

 

All right, this isn't total crap.

I wouldn't call it a fairly $129 pair (much less $200!), but it's half a step between disposables above and $50-$90 no-frills MDF boxes. An equivalent Chinese noname would still run well over a hundred yuan.

 

You should've been able to hear the difference, in volume if nothing else, from your presumably much worse old speakers.

 

Generally this sort of pair is something you don't need a sound card for, but a low-cost card wouldn't be a total waste. Xonar DGX (or DG) would be an overkill for these, but it will come useful if you eventually upgrade (an upgrade can cost as little as $100 - http://reviews.cnet.com/separate-speakers/m-audio-av-40/4505-7869_7-32381162.html ).

 

These could be then relegated to surround duty or something, if placed flat on a shelf behind you, even this as a surround is better than nothing. Or still sold, because the cheapest MDF boxes are still better.

[Ssyyddii]

This is an audiophile audio quality question that I have not been able to find an answer to.

 

I use an ipod through a fatman system running my music files at mp3 320 bit rate. Sound quality is good and I am happy with it.

 

but I switched to a streaming method.

 

I am now streaming audio google premium 320 bit rate through my nexus 4 phone running cyanogenmod 11, 4.4.2 and the nexus 4 for some reason has a very poor internal music engine. I've installed a ziddey modified kernel of faux audio which has boosted gain and have added another mod which apparently raises the native nexus bit rate from 96 bits to 288 although can't confirm it. Sounds the same to me.

 

My idea is to use the hdmi out through the slimport and then using a hdmi splitter run the audio through my dac which is the fatman ipod base.

 

I presently use the ipod dock to connect a 3.5mm jack to a 30 female and able to use the dock as a dac for my nexus 4.

 

My question is will the audio out through slimport be of better quality than through the 3.5mm jack? I am unable to find an answer to this question.

[Thor.]

Hey if you are still the market for a sound card, get the Creative Sound blaster "z". It may be in 5.1, but it has full 100% support for HD receivers via toslink 5.1 out..

Edited January 21, 2014 by Thor.

[FMod]

 

It may be in 5.1, but it has full 100% support for HD receivers via toslink 5.1 out..

So do most motherboards - for (effectively) free.

 

 

My question is will the audio out through slimport be of better quality than through the 3.5mm jack? I am unable to find an answer to this question.

No idea TBH.

 

It might be better, probably not going to be worse.

[Thor.]

On board sound is for the birds, if you want quality, Discrete sound cards is the way to go,

[FMod]

On board sound is for the birds, if you want quality, Discrete sound cards is the way to go,

If you use an external DAC, sound quality is the same.

 

Only thing you get is an added feeling of self-satisfaction.

[Thor.]

I have a external Dac, and it does make a big difference.

 

I know my audio, i can tell you what sounds better and what doesn't.

 

[FMod]

Remind me again, what's your setup?

IIRC it was a digital receiver and a 5.1 kit that's right about the first step up from plastic. It's not even the kind of gear you'd hear the difference on if it existed.

 

But what important is that it, at least in theory, shouldn't. I've met enough audiophiles that I'll just smile and get silent when they talk about differences between power cables. That's why I put it this way.

 

The only time you should have any difference whatsoever (not necessanoticeable, just any at all) between digital audio from motherboard and separate audio cards is if one of them is malfunctioning. Which is not uncommon, it's enough if it's just the drivers have a serious bug or you neglect to turn off sound "improvements". But it takes a bug or a user mistake, it's not automatic.

 

If you have deficiencies WRT digital audio from onboard, upgrade. If you're running a $5k+ system - that said, I know someone who runs a $20k+ system off a mITX HTPC with onboard sound, and it sounds fine with a Benchmark DAC1 - upgrade just in case. If none of that applies, don't bother.

[Thor.]

Your asking fro it :D

 

A Pioneer HD 7.1 1000Watt receiver.

 

Boston acoustic High end bookshelf speaker-really high OHM quality speakers, they range around 8.

 

Boston Acoustic 200watt Subwoofer, may need a new sub soon.

 

Coming from me a discrete sound card makes a big difference, make sure to look at the db range, anything higher then 116db your golden.

I am very much considering getting a HDAV pci sound card. Sense my gtx780 ti has some decent sound but limited to hdmi, the thing about those Xonars they have Digital Coaxial out as well.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Thor.