Look at the Aune x1s USB DAC
It is a extra $$
Thanks. That sounds like the best method to use. I think I am still going to rip to .wav (or flac), and keep those files on my HDD. That way, if I want to change anything or create a mix, I can always get the original rendition. Of course I could just put the CD's into the drive one at a time, but it's so cumbersome, and HDD space is so cheap.320 is pretty acceptable...almost negligent MP3 conversion "hash".
Less than that it gets more and more noticeable..but you have to know what to listen for.
It's not really like a hearing test, where you just focus on your ability to hear the very high end. It's more about the artifacts that occur on transients and points of transitional audio "blending"...kinda like what you see on digital TV when there's a fade to black, you get the artifact halos...etc..
Start with a really low quality MP3 conversion, so that the artifacts are obvious. Then focus on that sound VS the WAV, and then move up in MP3 quality and keep focusing on the artifacts. You just have to "zoom in" on it and be aware of what it is you're listening to.
The flip side...if you can't hear the conversion "hash"...don't worry about it.
Sure is extra $$. I don't think my headphones measure up to something like that. Looking further down the page at Aune on Amazon, I see they have some with tube amps! Any reason to go with a vacuum tube rather than "newer" technology?
If you don't need high rates, a lot of old PCI cards can be found. My Blaster !live (4620?) w daughter card, Aureal 8830 (SAME AS Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, etc.), and ECHO Gina 20
Yes G, I purposely avoided S(of a) B cards because my experience of (the admittedly early ones) them was they leave a huge amount of ***t in your register when you try to extricate them.
OP will of course need nothing but 16 bits and 44.1kHz to rip standard CDs.
Dave.
" If I am driving the headphones too hard with the Realtek, that would certainly produce distortion, so the receiver will be able to correct that issue".
There is that. But I can't listen to music on any of my interfaces, or, soundcards. Monitoring is fine, and often, that seems all they were designed to do. You can find stuff with decent sounding op
Like me G, you have probably gone deaf.
Dave.