Sound Card, or external DAC? Very confused!

[PaulWog]

I have a setup decided upon. My Kef Q300 speakers are paid for and are being shipped on their way. I'll be picking up a Marantz PM-6004 stereo amplifier tomorrow to pair with that.

The only thing I need to decide upon now is how to interface my desktop computer with the stereo amp.

I've been looking at the Asus Xonar Essence ST sound card as one possible choice. On the other hand, I haven't a clue where to start if I chose to go with a DAC.

Originally I thought I'd be done with just an amp and my two speakers. I had thought the amp would receive an SPDIF digital signal from my computer, but didn't realise that's not the case. This is an unanticipated cost; however, I do not want to bottleneck my investment from the get-go.

So, my question is this: what should I be considering? What are my options? Googling the topic has provided me with some information, but I don't feel informed enough to make any decision in one way or another. The Asus Xonar Essence ST is $200 and seems great to me, but I'm not sure if jitter could be an issue (not sure if that's the only point of concern)... and yeh... I'm just confused all-around.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Again, my main point of concern is to not bottleneck my setup: I want things to sound excellent. Thanks.

 

[musicbee]

The Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX will be a great choice and will compare favorably with most budget DACs. If you really want a good DAC then Rega DAC is the one to go for but its 50K (around 900 CAD)... so I would recommend the Asus for now unless you have the budget for the Rega.

 

[corElement]

The asus STX is a good value for money versatile budget solution under 150$ I use one. Compared it against higher value cdp's with dual dacs and the only major difference i found was the sound on the stx being about 10% leaner. Other than that it's got good transparency and accuracy.

 

[PaulWog]

The Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX will be a great choice and will compare favorably with most budget DACs. If you really want a good DAC then Rega DAC is the one to go for but its 50K (around 900 CAD)... so I would recommend the Asus for now unless you have the budget for the Rega.

How would you rate the Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX against the Cambrige Audio DacMagic Plus? That's a $200 versus $650 comparison.

I'm looking at options that are local currently.

The asus STX is a good value for money versatile budget solution under 150$ I use one. Compared it against higher value cdp's with dual dacs and the only major difference i found was the sound on the stx being about 10% leaner. Other than that it's got good transparency and accuracy.

Thanks for the input. Definitely helps me with my decision. Cheaper is absolutely better, if it ends up being better bang-for-the-buck. The thing I like about a sound-card first is that it's cheaper, and I'm not left with a dead product even if I choose to upgrade. However, if a DAC does end up being significant bang-for-the-buck over a sound card, I would want to go that way right away. From what you're saying, and from the input I've gotten overall so far, it seems a sound card might be the superior option unless if I'm spending significant amounts of money?

 

[mpw]

look at ODAC from JDS Labs

simple to use, easy on the pocket and good sound.

mpw

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

A sound card is a two-way street: input as well as output, recording as well as playback, and both in analogue or digital.

A sound card is a DAC. It's an ADC too.

A sound "card" may be external. Interface is a better word, but "card" has stuck, even when it isn't one.

A sound interface may be very expensive, even absurdly so for pro equipment. Do not think of it as being necessarily inferior to a stand-alone DAC.

Even the most basic sound card will do two to four times as many things as a DAC --- but it sounds like, for the foreseeable future, you are likely to be doing only one of those things: stereo playback. My personal conclusion, then, is that the DAC option is likely to be the best for you at this time.

Pause to double check: do you have a box of cassettes you might want to digitise one day? A stack of LPs you would rather listen to from the computer rather than a turntable? Are you likely to start a band? If yes to any, then go the sound card route.

If not, then look at NwAvGuy's blog to find out how and why he designed this thing (one doesn't have to follow all the engineering details; I don't) and

look at ODAC from JDS Labs

simple to use, easy on the pocket and good sound.

(I'm a sound-card man, but I enjoy NwAvGuy's writing, and have the combined ODAC/Headphone amp on my probable-purchase list)

 

[musicbee]

How would you rate the Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX against the Cambrige Audio DacMagic Plus? That's a $200 versus $650 comparison.

I did not like the DacMagic (have not heard the Plus but I would assume it would have the same sound signature). Sound was not musical and also it was thin. You are better off with the VDAC from Musical Fidelity (its in the same budget), its more fuller and has better soundstage. The Musical Fidelity M1DAC is better and that's what I use.

The Asus Essence ST/STX is an excellent DAC. You will not find it lacking unless of course its compared to DACs 3 times its cost. You can go with the Asus.

 

[corElement]

I did not like the DacMagic (have not heard the Plus but I would assume it would have the same sound signature). Sound was not musical and also it was thin. You are better off with the VDAC from Musical Fidelity (its in the same budget), its more fuller and has better soundstage. The Musical Fidelity M1DAC is better and that's what I use.

The Asus Essence ST/STX is an excellent DAC. You will not find it lacking unless of course its compared to DACs 3 times its cost. You can go with the Asus.

What he said ^
I also suggest trying out other opamps other than default ones on stx, they're cheap and easy to get.

 

[trittya]

Sound Card, or external DAC? Very confused!

That makes two of us, eh?
But I bet my thread is quite confusing, too. . . .
http://www.hifivision.com/computer-...1-card-cum-converter-combo-bi-tri-amping.html

 

[PaulWog]

That makes two of us, eh?
But I bet my thread is quite confusing, too. . . .
http://www.hifivision.com/computer-...1-card-cum-converter-combo-bi-tri-amping.html

Hah. Yeh.

Well... I've decided to go with the DacMagic Plus. It has one review which seems to paint in a bad light, and every other review seems to state it's quite good.

I'm afraid I'll pick up the sound card (which ends up being $220 + tax), and want to get the DAC a week later anyway. So I'd rather just spend $600-$650 on the DAC, and not have to spend $220 on a sound card.

As someone else said: the DAC looks cool too. Lol.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Ahhh... That I didn't spend enough feeling! I know it well. It haunts all my buying!

 

[musicbee]

Hah. Yeh.

Well... I've decided to go with the DacMagic Plus. It has one review which seems to paint in a bad light, and every other review seems to state it's quite good.

I'm afraid I'll pick up the sound card (which ends up being $220 + tax), and want to get the DAC a week later anyway. So I'd rather just spend $600-$650 on the DAC, and not have to spend $220 on a sound card.

As someone else said: the DAC looks cool too. Lol.

If you can audition it. The VDAC which is priced lesser sounded better to me. But then sound is purely subjective so go with your heart.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Are any of these products going to be actually bad? I'm sure that PaulWog will be enjoying the music, whichever one he buys.

The only thing I'd look for (this site and Google) if buying a DAC to use with USB is criticism of any specific USB implementation, especially on DACs that have a choice of input.

 

[musicbee]

Are any of these products going to be actually bad? I'm sure that PaulWog will be enjoying the music, whichever one he buys.

The only thing I'd look for (this site and Google) if buying a DAC to use with USB is criticism of any specific USB implementation, especially on DACs that have a choice of input.

Good sound/bad sound is purely subjective. Most of us don't even listen to the same kind of music in terms of genres or artists. I am sure the same applies to gadgets too. My only recommendation is that the OP audition before he makes a call and to not rely on only this forum, FMs recommendations and online reviews.

IMHO, the MF DACs offer better bang for buck and offer more detail and better soundstage than the CA DAC. This is from what my ears tell me but I have heard them extensively. M1DAC and Rega DAC are the best DACs this side of 50K. W4S DAC2 is the best I've heard under 1 lac and that should keep pretty much everyone happy for a long time.

But knowing us audiophiles I'm sure even those with a W4S DAC2 will be dreaming about the dCS Scarlatti DAC... unfortunately audio nirvana is a never ending quest.

PS - I still believe the OP and most of us would be extremely happy with an Asus ST/STX + Foobar with WASAPI with some tweaking.

 

[canchi]

I have the same combo - Marantz with KEF Q300s
My source is a Dell Laptop ( already had it). Did a lot of soul searching like you on DAC vs sound-card, went with the DAC option, since the laptop was already in the bag .
I bought the MF V-DAC II. Here is a thread where I have reviewed that DAC.
Have been listening to music through this DAC for over 4 months now and am extremely happy!
Cheers.