Post your desktop audio setup

[taemo]

out of curiosity, I have an Intel mobo with built-in 7.1 audio and I also have a SB Audigy 2 PCI.
which one would produce better AQ?

[msommers]

I always thought the advantage of the SB cards was the optical-out for an external DAC. What are you using to listen?

[taemo]

z5500
using optical to connect to the PS3
then the 3 regular audio cables to the PC

[msommers]

Hmm I have a feel it's using the DAC in the PS3 which I'm unfamiliar with. What connections are on the Logitech unit?

[DarkDream]

Originally posted by Alterac
I have these Speakers:

» Click image for larger version
http://www.clevo.com.tw/en/products/...?productid=383

and these headphones:

» Click image for larger version
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/produc...-sound-headset

have the same headphones, LOVE them. Can walk around the house without losing a beat.

[Recca168]

Using a Zeppelin Air for my desktop speaker


And the logitech G35 headset

[msommers]

I was quite impressed with that unit for what it was. Despite it's rather bizarre shape, the sound was quite nice albeit unable to really reach down low which is to be expected.

[jsn]

I'm using a fiio e17 with Hifiman He-400 headphones for my laptop setup.

[dragonone]

fiio e10 + denon d2k / triplefi's. deciding on the jaybird bluebuds x for commute.

[joyridder]

What connections are you guys using for audio? Headphone jack, or are you guys connecting audio via hdmi?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by joyridder
What connections are you guys using for audio? Headphone jack, or are you guys connecting audio via hdmi?

Optical off the Mobo for me.

[msommers]

Originally posted by joyridder
What connections are you guys using for audio? Headphone jack, or are you guys connecting audio via hdmi?

Depends what gear you have Really, there shouldn't be any difference between an HDMI and an optical link for straight audio because they're both digital signals, maybe slightly less ground noise on the optical if you had the gear to distinguish any differences. However for visual + audio, such as a movie for example, HDMI is actually better from what I understand because it's synchronous.

If you have optical-out (or coax) on your computer, that optical needs to go to a DAC of some kind. Either a DAC/AMP combo, a receiver, or an external standalone DAC. Many DACs do not take HDMI, I feel like this is a receiver type option.

[clem24]

Originally posted by joyridder
What connections are you guys using for audio? Headphone jack, or are you guys connecting audio via hdmi?

I am using Asynchronous USB into my DAC.

http://www.audiophilleo.com/definiti...chronous%20USB

Along with WASAPI (Windows Audio Session API), I can get bit-perfect info from my computer right into the DAC, so that absolutely no re-sampling takes place (although I suspect output is 24 bits all the time but sample rate will vary according to the file I am playing).

Should be the purest solution I think.

Since that pic, I've upgraded my headphone amp to a fully balanced head amp/pre-amp. So from the DAC, it's a balanced setup to pre-amp as well as power amp, and all my headphones are no longer single ended and are set up for balance as well (although discrete L&R is a better way to describe this as it's not really balanced in an audio sense).

I've also since added a pair of HD800s and Grado RS1i's.

I'll post a new pic once I clean up my desk hahaha.

[msommers]

Clem do you know if audio is bit perfect coming off the computer from a network cable, to a squeezebox for example?

[clem24]

Originally posted by msommers
Clem do you know if audio is bit perfect coming off the computer from a network cable, to a squeezebox for example?

Squeezebox is different. The Squeezebox clients get their info pushed from the Squeezecenter (I guess it's called Logitech Media Center now) by the server. The server does all the transcoding, and from what I know, everything is transcoded in real time into PCM/WAV format. I don't know whether it's bit-perfect or not, or if it just uses fixed sample rates like 48, 96, 192 for example. I DO know everything up to the Squeezebox 3 cannot do anything above 16/48, while all the others can.

Having said that, the Transporter is still one of the best audio streamers money can buy.

[msommers]

Thanks. I have the Touch and the interface is awesome using my phone as a remote. I'll check into the Transporter. What kind of pricing are we talking about?

[clem24]

Originally posted by msommers
What kind of pricing are we talking about?

I don't even know if you can get them anymore... The original Transporter was $1,999 but they removed the knob and slashed the price to $1,499 LOL. I think at one point they were as low as $999.

[Alterac]

The Duet is a good setup also, the Squeezebox Receiver is pretty nice for its price. (Way cheaper than transporter)



- The DAC from SB3 is a Burr-Brown 24-bit DAC, and the one on the SBR of the Duet is a Wolfson 24-bit DAC.

- The total harmonic distortion on the SB3 is less than -93.5dB (0.002%) and on the SBR of the Duet is less than -88dB (0.004%).

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...are_comparison

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...zebox_Receiver


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeezebox_(network_music_player)#Transporter_.28September_2006.29

[thetransporter]

Logitech Z305 speakers
they fill the room with audio
at starbucks i have to turn them off.....

[DJ Lazy]

I use these for music..




And these for gaming..