Computer - long cable run to stereo - advice please

[mbay1455]

Advice please?
I have a significant amount of mp3s (some 128Kbps, most 160Kbps) on an external hard drive that I want to play through my stereo receiver. Problem is my computer and stereo are 70ft apart and whatever I use to connect them will go into the wall, up and through my attic, then back down to the stereo(total of 70ft). Computer is recent Dell desktop with integrated soundcard. Stereo receiver is older Yamaha RX-V995. Paradigm speakers. Goal is best sound I can get given the source.
Should I:
1. Just come out of the computer digitally and run RG6 to my receiver and let it do the DAC work? -or-
2. Get a good sound card and come out of the sound card analog for the long run to the receiver? or-
3. Insert a DAC at one end or the other?
4. Your recommendation on another alternative?
5. Am I overthinking thisie: either way will be fine? The long run has me wondering what will be best.

 

[baijuxavior]

Very long cables will definitely affect the audio quality. Consider wireless solution like bluetooth audio transmitter.

 

[corElement]

70 feet is a very very long length.

If I were in your situation I would get an budget HTPC with an asus xonar stx and put it beside the receiver. Or are you the not too computer hardware familiar kind of guy?

 

[mbay1455]

Familiar enough with computers, not a concern. Didn't really want to have another compute device at stereo end. Willing to run media program from existing computer and I'm looking for best advice on output from existing computer + 70' run + hrdwre or connection at stereo end.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Seventy feet ...I don't feel it's worth the risk of even buying that much unbalanced cable --- and you don't have the gear for balanced.

Seek a network solution, wired or wireless

 

[corElement]

Or move the computer

show us some pictures of your setup and computer / pathway.

 

[hydra]

Perhaps you can buy a cheapish device like a WDTV Live or something that will let you stream the files off your computer over a network? A 70ft long CAT5e cable should not cause any issues. You can probably use the AVR as a DAC (should sound better than the WDTV's built-in DAC) by taking optical digital out from the WDTV.

I'm not familiar with AVRs, so I'm guessing the AVR itself will not stream music over a network.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I was thinking... take a torch bulb and a torch battery (eg AA) and put a 70-foot cable between them. Would the bulb light up? I don't know, but I wouldn't expect more than a dim glow. I guess audio line-level voltages are similar.

Digital tranmission? No idea: obviously, fibre optics carry signals for very long distances, but I doubt that Toslink kit can be compared.

 

[ranjeetrain]

Cheap and best solution will be to use something like a Squeezebox.

Second best solution would be an HDD based media player. You will lose on convenience to a small extent, but the gain (without pain) in sound quality will over-weigh that. There are tons of cheap media player out there in the market these days that will do a great job if you feed to a good DAC.

If you do insist on only passing a digital signal, you need to order a optical cable custom made for you to your required size. Optical cables can carry signal miles and miles without any degradation whatsoever, so long as they don't get damaged.

Also keep in mind, passing cables from inside the walls is different from running them outside. Cables meant for installation (running inside the wall) must meet higher standards of manufacturing.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Optical cables can carry signal miles and miles

Wikipedia, so it may or may not be right My points in bold...

Several types of fiber can be used for TOSLINK: inexpensive 1 mm plastic optical fiber, higher-quality multistrand plastic optical fibers, or quartz glass optical fibers, depending on the desired bandwidth and application. TOSLINK cables are usually limited to 5 meters in length, with a technical maximum of 10 meters, for reliable transmission without the use of a signal booster or a repeater. However, it is very common for interfaces on newer consumer electronics (satellite receivers and PCs with optical outputs) to easily run over 30 meters on even low-cost ($0.75/m) TOSLINK cables. TOSLINK transmitters operate at a nominal optical wavelength of 650 nm(~461.2 THz).

So, as I thought, no, toslink will not do the miles and miles of fibre data networking, and, in theory, 70 feet is too far --- but in practice it might well work!

Google tells me that quite a lot of people are using RG6 to achieve much longer runs.

 

[corElement]

I know XLR will definitely work but another option might be hdmi.

There might be other technologies out there that can do 70 feet quiet easily.

 

[mbay1455]

Thanks Thad G. Thinking about your torch bulb analogy was kind of why I was thinking that the 70' run might be better made digitally. I think a slightly degraded digital signal fed to the receiver is better than a slightly degraded analog signal.(assuming some degradation will occur) Thanks also for the fiber info. I'm starting to think the right solution for my situation is RG6.

That leads me to ask...

If I'm coming out of my PC digitally for that long run... is there any point in investing in a good sound card. What does a good sound card (eg Xonar Essence STX or other) do to improve upon an already digital signal leaving the PC?

 

[corElement]

If I'm coming out of my PC digitally for that long run... is there any point in investing in a good sound card. What does a good sound card (eg Xonar Essence STX or other) do to improve upon an already digital signal leaving the PC?

Hmm, the stx does not appear to have an optical out, just a digital coaxial out. If you used a digital coaxial it would most likely suffer the same problem as analog rca, even if it's heavily shielded as 70' is just too long. If your integrated soundcard has an optical out you can use that to let the avr use it's own dac, but the question is will the signal reach across 70'. A good soundcard will do more than just improve an already leaving soundcard, it will give you lots of features to modify the sound through the OS and also a cleaner transport.

 

[jaudere]

Guys, be nice to each other. No point in fighting.

 

[thatguy]

Hmm, the stx does not appear to have an optical out,

It does have an optical out. If you put your hand in front of the digital coax out, you will notice the laser. You need a S/PDIF optical adapter (comes with the card).

ASUS - Multimedia- ASUS Xonar Essence STX

I have the ST, but have never the optical out.

 

[corElement]

It does have an optical out. If you put your hand in front of the digital RCA, you will notice the laser. You need a S/PDIF optical adapter (comes with the card).

ASUS - Multimedia- ASUS Xonar Essence STX

I have the ST, but have never the optical out.

Wow you're right, that's pretty cool.

@OP then yes you can consider the Xonar STX.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Side issue...

Whether "degraded" digital is better than "degraded" analogue is debatable. The analogue is going to loose power until it becomes unhearable: it can be amplified. Degraded digital becomes nonsense that cannot be translated back to music.

Just a digression, and my "answer" is only my theory.

Anyway, it seems perfectly possible that the digital signal may be able to do the distance without degrading.

Is the digital output of a "good" soundcard better than that from a PC motherboard? That is a whole other debate, and if there is an absolute answer to it, I don't know it. It's all digital, isn't it? Yes! So the data is just the same, right? Possibly. Possibly not... ... ... ...

 

[antokuriakose]

Cheap and best devices are wireless or blutooth...........I hope

 

[asliarun]

Audioengine sells their W3 wireless audio solution (transmitter and receiver set) for $150. Perhaps this might work for you.

Link: Audioengine W3 - Audioengineusa.com

 

[ranjeetrain]

Wikipedia, so it may or may not be right My points in bold...


So, as I thought, no, toslink will not do the miles and miles of fibre data networking, and, in theory, 70 feet is too far --- but in practice it might well work!

Google tells me that quite a lot of people are using RG6 to achieve much longer runs.

But it doesn't say you can't create a 70 ft long cable, or it won't work