Computer output to DAC, which route?

Q: Coax or toslink from MOBO?
A: Neither

Why: Using either connection from the motherboard means you are using the integrated audio device. Stay away from that entirely and focus on a separate DAC or audio interface that connects via Firewire/USB/Thunderbolt.

The type of DAC/audio interface you choose depends on your current and potential needs. If you only do playback, a HiFi DAC will do; check AudioAdvisor.com. If you have even a remote possibility for recording anything or transferring vinyl, cassette, etc. to iTunes, focus on a pro-level Audio Interface. My vote is an RME FireFace 800 for those duties. It combines in one unit top-shelf D/A & A/D conversion, great clocking and jitter reduction, pro mic preamps, plenty of versatile connectivity, integrated mixing software, and one of the most stable and solid Windows drivers in its class.

Greetings,

The on board digital outputs on the PC can playback all the sample rates from 16 44.1 to 24 192 except 24 176. Neither WASAPI or ASIO can fix that. The USB capability of USB 2.0 is limited only by the Driver your USB input DAC uses.

The Zodiac series of DACs from Antelope Audio sound fabulous from the Silver on up through the Gold with USB inputs and will play any sample rate from 16 bit 44.1k through 24 bit 192 K.

The Clocking technology in the Zodiac series gives them a very analog sound with out any of the digital nasties that cause many audiophiles to prefer Analog.

The Silver also has a pair of SPDIF coax inputs and a pair of spdif optical inputs. Single Ended and Balanced analog outputs with a analog volume control and a separate headphone volume control.
Of course I am a dealer for the Zodiacs, I sell other brands too but find the Zodiacs to offer the most pleasing sound for the money and they don't need extra devices to convert or enhance the usb output as they developed their own superior USB technology. They even include a very good quality USB cable.

The other part of this equation is the playback software must use WASAPI to play back the native sample rate of the music stored on your PC, I recommend Media Monkey or J River Media Center. They sound slightly differently and which one you prefer will be system dependent.

I build the Music Vault Music Servers and most of my customers prefer Media Monkey but some prefer JRiver, the differences are subtle.

I do encourage you to get a DAC that does support multiple inputs, USB only dacs preclude inputting your CD transport/DVD player etc and these are viable sources that will be improved from the use of a musical DAC like the Zodiacs.

Neal Van Berg
Sound Science
720 308 4000
neal@soundsciencecat.com

Gmahler wrote:
"quite hard concepts to swallow"

Well, read this carefully and maybe you will learn something:

http://www.avguide.com/review/peachtree-audio-idac-tas-214?page=1

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Neal - nice Advertisement. Maybe I should do one too. Better yet, I'll just post all of my awards and reviews:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=95464#msg960567

http://www.dagogo.com/View-Article.asp?hArticle=860

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?icomp&1301776154&&&/Empirical-Audio-Overdrive-DAC:-King-of-t

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?icomp&1301776154&&&/Empirical-Audio-Overdrive-DAC:-King-of-t

http://www.avguide.com/review/empirical-audio-ramp-3-and-overdrive-usb-dac-tas-200

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=97269.0

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1320430393&openflup&74&4#74

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/USB-SPDIF-converters-0#comment-123548

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=101877.msg1031321#msg1031321

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=89181.msg904966#msg904966

http://www.stereophile.com/content/empirical-audio-ramp-4-usb-format-converter

We dont sell through dealers, so we give you more for your money.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

I have a custom desktop PC with a very good motherboard. I've been using the motherboard COAX into a Channel Islands DAC (VDA-2) for some time now. BUT!! Recently I purchased a $20 (yes, a mere $20!!) USB to SPDIF to compare performance. Wow was I surprised. That $20 USB/SPDIF converter blew the doors off the motherboard in terms of overall sound quality. I don't have an explanation. I'm using a TOSLINK with the USB/SPDIF since it does not have a COAX out. Not exactly apples and apples and a bit broad brush but the overall result strongly suggest that most anything beats motherboard audio outputs. And for $20 you can afford this upgrade even if your results are less stellar.
Cheers!
Morten