Playback only

  • Thread starter Thread starter mikgag
  • Start date Start date
M

mikgag

Guest
I have 2 PCs
One for recording (Audiophile 2496) and one for listening/editing/mastering/occasional mixing

After I transfer my recorded .wavs to the second PC, I'm usually listening through some AKG K240s

The soundcard in that PC is just an old SB Live! Sounds decent. What would be a step up in cards for just playback (I'm assuming the only real spec I care about is the D/A converters then?)

Audigy 2 Pro?
TerraTec Aureon ?
?

Not looking to spend a fortune, just a step up, if even necessary...
 
Pretty much anything would be a step up, your typical pc soundcards are the bottom of the barrell as far as sound quality goes. You're right, the DAC's are critical. I'd trust the Audiophile a lot more than any consumer sound card, which typically make their DAC's with the best parts 27¢ can buy. M-Audio makes good stuff, why not get another one of those?
 
What about the M-Audio Revolution? Does it have the same DACs as the 2496?
 
A little googling reveals that the Revolution 5.1 (and the audiophile 192/24) uses the AKM AK4358 8 channels DAC. The Audiophile 96/24 uses AKM AK4528VF. The Revolution 7.1 uses the AKM AK4381 DAC on the front L/R channels, and the AK4355 6 channel DAC for the rest.

The dacs in the 192/24 would presumably be better than the ones in the 96/24, so a revolution 5.1 may be better than what you have now. From what I read, the 5.1 dacs are better than the Rev 7.1's. I also read that the Rev 7.1 front L/R dac is higher quality than the other 6 channels on that card, so I don't know where they fall in the ordering quality-wise.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top