BF2S Forums Need DAC/External Audio Card

Bevo wrote:

Zeek/minty, what would you call a "moderate" solution? Kind of baffling to think a $200 card is low-end. Is it wise to spend more than the monitors on just getting output to them (via soundcard or DAC)? Keep in mind a sub is an option somewhere down the road.


@minty: Yessuh - would I simply buy two individual TRS cables for that doohickey? Looks like there's DC power so hopefully the hissing and humming won't be an issue

a moderate solution for me is a firewire card with 4x inputs, minimum, preferably 8x with a separate headphone-cue outpout.

i use external, portable soundcards for DJ'ing on my macbook, so i look for more functionality/quality/power than just home-solutions.

the USB card you named is more than enough for what you need. what sub are you thinking of adding? the KRK one? it's nice.

Yes zeek, the krk 10 sub. $400 is steeeeep though so I may re-eval after my birthday passes.

As far as TRS cables go, are they all the same? Is there a thickness or type or price I should be looking at?

$50, jesus

Bevo wrote:

@minty: Yessuh - would I simply buy two individual TRS cables for that doohickey? Looks like there's DC power so hopefully the hissing and humming won't be an issue

Yeah, that's all you'll need to do. It should be good!

Bevo wrote:

Yes zeek, the krk 10 sub. $400 is steeeeep

xD

The sub I'm looking at for my stereo is ~1,100AUD. Needless to say, it won't be happening for a while.. (granted I can get away without one for most music..)

You don't need to spend $50 on a pair of XLR cables, Christ. Over here, at least, I've seen mic cables go for 2€/meter, and those are more than fine for connecting a speaker. Not that there's a whole lot to gain from using such over un-balanced cables, though.

.Sup wrote:

Of course you don't need to spend 50$. But I do recommend he spends that much if he's getting monitors like KRK's who deserve decent cables. Quality connectors like Neutrik cost approx 8€ (4 pieces) + 10M of cable (Mogami or Canare Starquad) is around 20€ so total of 28€ if he makes them himself or around 50€/$ if he buys them. Buying equipment worth 1k and connecting them with a pair of 2€ cables is the worst decision you can make.

As long as the cables you're using are decently shielded, there is no difference in their performance. Standard-issue XLR mic cables are usually double-shielded, so they're more than adequate for line level signals to the speakers.

.Sup wrote:

I've had cables costing from 10€ a pair to 100€ a pair and while there's no difference between 100€ and 50€ cables theres a huge difference between 50€ cables and 10 cables. First of all the grip is almost non existent on cheap cables with cheap connectors, second on longer runs the thinner cable looses consistency. The cable has very high capacitance and treble gets rolled off (that' something for you-specs...).

http://www.mogamicable.com/

http://www.canare.com/

This is no high end but it is high quality

http://www.canare.com/ProductItemContentImages/389.jpg

While you do have a point about the connectors, I don't see how it'd be a problem if you aren't un-plugging them or moving the equipment around all the time. You also won't get any trouble with signal degradation unless you run ridiculous lengths (100+ meters) of very, very poor cable. Cable capacitance is more or less non-existent as long as you've got a properly shielded cable.

My point is, that, while it's nice having rigid cables, there's no actual performance difference between them as long as you aren't comparing to a cable you cut from a wall wart.

Last edited by Freezer7Pro (2010-08-24 01:53:29)

.Sup wrote:

One of the cheap cables I used I had to actually plug them into another set of cables as the cheap cable didn't hold onto the connector in my KRK sub. And that's bad. And sub vibrates. If you really don't want to spend lets say more than 15€ for a pair then Thomann has decent XLR cables. In USA I very much recommend Blue jeans cable. Also I recommend XLR over TRS- its just safer.

I wish I could use the XLRs I already have, but there's no XLR connections on this card.

Are there any cards comparable in the same price range with XLR connections?

Bevo wrote:

.Sup wrote:

One of the cheap cables I used I had to actually plug them into another set of cables as the cheap cable didn't hold onto the connector in my KRK sub. And that's bad. And sub vibrates. If you really don't want to spend lets say more than 15€ for a pair then Thomann has decent XLR cables. In USA I very much recommend Blue jeans cable. Also I recommend XLR over TRS- its just safer.

I wish I could use the XLRs I already have, but there's no XLR connections on this card.

Are there any cards comparable in the same price range with XLR connections?

For 100$? I will look into it, I personally don't know any.

The only DAC with XLRs I was able to find is the LD DAC_1 but it costs 260$ new unless you buy used. You get the best for the money though. Shipping is extra so the total cost will be around 300$. Bevo you might as well go unbalanced and go balanced when you actually have money to spend. In 500$ price range there are a lot more options.


http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/494 … n-buy-pt-3

Last edited by .Sup (2010-08-24 13:45:46)

Finray wrote:

Waste of money. The lot of it, imo.

I'm using a Creative Audigy ZS and 3.5mm splitter to my 2.1 Creative 250D, and a 3.5mm to RCA into a headphone amp then my HD 555s plug into that. Overall cost? Didn't buy the speakers or soundcard, bought the HD555s, £90. I don't need anything else. I don't need double-sheilded stiff cables, $7250 cables, external DACs, £300 sound cards, electricity cleaners, and whatever guff you audiophiles pour money into. At a point (maybe around the point I am, perhaps a bit higher) the price:improvement drops exponentially, and you're a fool for spending that much money for such little gain.

Bevo, unless you seriously want to start researching into this yourself to find what's best for you, I'd just keep what you've bought so far, get the cables you think are worth it, and make it work, then decide if you need to spend more money on it. From where I'm sitting you don't seem like such an audiophile, asking for all this help, so you'll probably not notice the difference.

finray just because you may know shit about graphics cards, doesn't mean you know anything about audio.

audio fidelity is a much more technical, much more diverse area of technology than computer graphics.

there really IS a massive difference between bad, average, and great.

so you have a shitty audigy ZS and some average-level headphones and think you've reached the zenith of sound? HAHAHA.

finray if you could afford great audio hardware you'd probably have it. you get into little ego e-peen battles over graphics, RAM, processors and everything else so i see no reason why you would genuinely, truthfully discredit sound. the quality of sound is very important for many people-- both professionally and as a hobby. i would invite you to go to, say, a B&O shop and to listen to some movies or some music on their specialist hardware. it will blow your mind. every single piece of hardware 'colours' your sound and produces a 'signature' in your audio-- whether or not you realize it. your audigy ZS and hD555's produce for you, as far as you understand good sound quality, a 'decent' sound. but that DOES NOT MEAN there is nothing better. there are WHOLE LOADS of better sound-sources.

basically your entire post reeks of arrogance: 'oh im a tech geek but because i dont understand or have any direct experience with audio hardware, it is thus a waste of time/money for fools who would be better off buying the latest 480GTX cards so they can play their games made 5 years ago'. no. shut the fuck up and get a clue. my sound-system > yours x1000.

Finray wrote:

Waste of money. The lot of it, imo.

I'm using a Creative Audigy ZS and 3.5mm splitter to my 2.1 Creative 250D, and a 3.5mm to RCA into a headphone amp then my HD 555s plug into that. Overall cost? Didn't buy the speakers or soundcard, bought the HD555s, £90. I don't need anything else. I don't need double-sheilded stiff cables, $7250 cables, external DACs, £300 sound cards, electricity cleaners, and whatever guff you audiophiles pour money into. At a point (maybe around the point I am, perhaps a bit higher) the price:improvement drops exponentially, and you're a fool for spending that much money for such little gain.

You're right, that point does exist. But, you're far from it, and you can't say your setup cost £90 when you were gifted components and you forgot to mention the headphone amp at all in your cost analysis.

Yes, I agree that those cables are a waste of money. But, a good DAC, amp, and set of headphones/speakers are critical components and warrant a slight investment if you are truly interested in getting good sound. You don't seem to be that interested, so you're fine being happy with what works for you.