Upgrade of soundcard or maybe try USB DAC

[Chan_ryu 0]

Hello everyone.

 

I've juz bought my 1st cans from Wilson of Jaben for my 1st visit to his shop

 

its working great on my IBM T42 laptop which is also using Audigy 2 ZS PCMCIA.

 

Well the cans sound damn good !!!

 

but I was wondering if I should try Echo Indigo IO or a new USB DAC which IMO Jaben might be bringing?

 

Since my Audigy 2 ZS PCMCIA has a built-in amp & DAC...wun it be an "overkill"

 

thanks everyone for their feedback

[foxylady 0]

Hi,

 

Can't really help you but I am also looking at getting some improvement from my source side. Also running off my laptop, but thru the onboard soundcard. Only difference is I have a headphone amplifier in the chain. I'm either getting

 

1) PCMCIA sound card (indigo DJ since it has 2 outputs)

 

2) USB to SPDIF convertor (hagusb or m audio transit) plus conventional DAC

 

3) USB Dac

 

Solution 1 seems to be the cheapest with the indigo dj costing $300. However solution 2 is more upgradable so to speak. It can be upgraded in bits, as well as the fact that if I stop using a laptop I can still use this for my PC setup. Solution 3 is a little tricky because all the good usb dacs seem to cost a bomb.

 

In your case, I think there are two things you can upgrade. Even if you upgrade to the indigo IO, some people would say you could get further improvement from using the IO's line out into another headamp.

[Chan_ryu 0]

Hi,

 

Can't really help you but I am also looking at getting some improvement from my source side. Also running off my laptop, but thru the onboard soundcard. Only difference is I have a headphone amplifier in the chain. I'm either getting

 

1) PCMCIA sound card (indigo DJ since it has 2 outputs)

 

2) USB to SPDIF convertor (hagusb or m audio transit) plus conventional DAC

 

3) USB Dac

 

Solution 1 seems to be the cheapest with the indigo dj costing $300. However solution 2 is more upgradable so to speak. It can be upgraded in bits, as well as the fact that if I stop using a laptop I can still use this for my PC setup. Solution 3 is a little tricky because all the good usb dacs seem to cost a bomb.

 

In your case, I think there are two things you can upgrade. Even if you upgrade to the indigo IO, some people would say you could get further improvement from using the IO's line out into another headamp.

 

I would say the indigo DJ cost > $300 since i've emailed the distro and was quoted at $290 for IO (single output)

 

yeah i do agree audio clarity is very subjective, sometimes changing the headphones u can hear great difference while changing the sound card u hear little difference. Yeah so to each his own...most impt is u can appreciate the improvement in the audio heard

 

[foxylady 0]

 

I would say the indigo DJ cost > $300 since i've emailed the distro and was quoted at $290 for IO (single output)

 

yeah i do agree audio clarity is very subjective, sometimes changing the headphones u can hear great difference while changing the sound card u hear little difference. Yeah so to each his own...most impt is u can appreciate the improvement in the audio heard

 

 

I called the distri also and was quoted $300 for the DJ. I guess cuz even though it has two outputs, it doesn't have line in, which makes the price abt the same as the IO.

 

Since you have already upgraded the sound card, why not try a headphone amp? The headphone out of the audigy Zs is not known to be too good right?

 

 

[Chan_ryu 0]

 

I called the distri also and was quoted $300 for the DJ. I guess cuz even though it has two outputs, it doesn't have line in, which makes the price abt the same as the IO.

 

Since you have already upgraded the sound card, why not try a headphone amp? The headphone out of the audigy Zs is not known to be too good right?

 

a headphone amp is not really necessary for my alessandro MS2. I've consulted Wilson and understood that for a 32ohm low impedence headphone to be able to connect to my Muvo TX FM, its simply fabulous. A headphone amp is juz a waste of $$ in my opinion too in my case.

 

btw will u be buying the DJ? what headphones are u currently using? maybe a user review would be nice

Edited July 10, 2006 by Chan_ryu

[foxylady 0]

 

a headphone amp is not really necessary for my alessandro MS2. I've consulted Wilson and understood that for a 32ohm low impedence headphone to be able to connect to my Muvo TX FM, its simply fabulous. A headphone amp is juz a waste of $$ in my opinion too in my case.

 

btw will u be buying the DJ? what headphones are u currently using? maybe a user review would be nice

 

Not sure abt the DJ yet, its either that or a hagusb and a AH DAC Lite. I am using MS2i as well, and SR225 and HD600.

[Cloud 0]

a headamp can do wonders to ur MS2 despite the low impedence. i own the MS and i can tell the difference with and without amp.

 

u might be interested in this.

http://www.sgheadphones.net/index.php?showtopic=5084

its a dac and a tube amp all in 1. just that its not that portable though.

[sonq 0]

I'm also using T42.

 

Currently still looking for a good way to stream to a non-USB DAC.

 

Can someone advise if using SPDIF convertor from my notebook's USB works well?

 

New to this, never even heard of SPDIF convertor till today...

[sonq 0]

Googled on M Audio Transit & Hag and got some info on quality. Seems like Creative's NX is a better bet.

 

 

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ic...91243&read&3&4&

 

Trying to hookup to a Benchmark DAC1 that samples to 196 but all these devices carries up to 96, wonder how much quality will I be losing.