Actually my idea is something like this, See below the Cooler Master HAF Evo Case (PC) and above the monitor. (Large Image)
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PC for MUSIC ONLY
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Yes, Even I was thinking about touchscreen monitor , that would be awesome :yahoo: but the touch sensitivity/response should be like iPad/iPhone etc. :yahoo:
panditji
Well-Known Member
Even I would like to control foobar through a tablet....hence I was looking at an all in one to be eventually controlled by a tablet.... Although a Champagne Gold Laptop by Acer really caught my eye since it goes very well with the Luxman I have...
Amitkg
Active Member
If you want buy ASUS sound card, go for XONAR DX (PCIe), it costs around Rs5000/- If you want to forget (and forgive ) all DACs---Desi, Firangi , Satarangi, buy 'M-Audio' soundcard (model - Audiophile 192 ) priced around Rs 9500 /, it will beat all DACs hands down. but make sure system motherboard has at least 1 PCI slot.
Sudeep Audio: M-Audio products in India
If you want buy ASUS sound card, go for XONAR DX (PCIe), it costs around Rs5000/- If you want to forget (and forgive ) all DACs---Desi, Firangi , Satarangi, buy 'M-Audio' soundcard (model - Audiophile 192 ) priced around Rs 9500 /, it will beat all DACs hands down. but make sure system motherboard has at least 1 PCI slot.
Sudeep Audio: M-Audio products in India
@Thad, what's your call?
@Amit, may be it is good soundcard but I didn't like this wired stuff, I/O connectors are looking like 3.5mm females.
dheerajin
Well-Known Member
He is just quoting about soundcard. He is not familiar with DAC and what external DAC can do. The level of ADC recording studio has is very difficult to achieve with normal or 1-2 lakh DACs. Anyway kishore kumar will sound kishore kumar and even cheapest MP3 player has onboard DAC andwill do the same.
But in audiophile world definitions gets changed, for a minimal change in SQ people can spend $$$. So if you are building a PC for music only then dont go by the definitions of PC world rather audiophile world and dont compromise on DAC.
Cheers
Dheeraj
I completely understand your concern, the thing is; now I should invest in good (expensive) sound card (said good inbuilt DAC) or use a card which has Digital out (like I have mentioned ASUS Xonar) and add an EXTERNAL DAC with it?
dheerajin
Well-Known Member
either you have to put a sound card or add an external DAC. Keeping both will not serve purpose. Yes..for comparison purpose you can keep both-DAC will be connected via USB port and sound card will be connected internally, however you can use one at a time.
by definition-sound card & DAC both are doing Digital to Analog conversion so, it is meaning less to keep the both and increase the cost..
Initially you can do with sound card...
I hope you got my point..
Cheers
Dheeraj
dheerajin
Well-Known Member
Panditjee,
If you have android mobile , then you can control your music PC/Laptop free of cost. Lot of free apps available for the same. Initially I was told that for controlling or streaming you need apple airport express or bluetooth link device, which costs around 20K-40K INR excluding streaming device, now they are barely surviving with advent of apps available for remote desktop.
I am using team viewer and from this app I can control my PC anywhere from the world.
But I dont think there is champagne Gold colour available for Mbiles
Cheers
Dheeraj
Agree, I know I can use USB for DAC. My question was
I should go for GOOD soundcard (which is famous for good digital conversion)
or
buy an external DAC?
Budget for this : 10-15K
dheerajin
Well-Known Member
Go for xonar..as u mentioned earlier...and later on..you can loan from someone, Dac for comparison..
I just introduced the facts with DAC and what it can do..
I just introduced the facts with DAC and what it can do..
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manniraj has posted a few times re using a headless system.
Quoting him below from other threads
"I have been using a dedicated fanless music-pc along with Audio-GD DAC as well as a Raspbmc+PI with ODAC. The second option is a VFM but there are some disadvantages like playlist creation/maintenance is a pain. But overall its a best bang for the buck that you can get. When it comes to the music-pc its a great combination with Foobar+WASAPI+Audio-GD to my ACA (AmpCampAmp) with my DIY Frugal horn speakers. Both the systems are headless as I use the respective apps on iPhone/Android phones/tabs to control the playback."
"I have tried JRMC 17 & 18 for couple of weeks after using Foobar since 2 years but went back to Foobar + WASAPI for convenience. The reason being that my music-pc is headless and I use a iPhone/Android tab/phone to control the playback and hence the UI of these apps should be good/useful. The JRMC official app is pathetic when compared to the Foobar and this clinched the deal for me. Otherwise as Hydra pointed out the bass was crisp and clean on JRMC when compared to Foobar but not sure whether any DSP was being used in the background."
Quoting him below from other threads
"I have been using a dedicated fanless music-pc along with Audio-GD DAC as well as a Raspbmc+PI with ODAC. The second option is a VFM but there are some disadvantages like playlist creation/maintenance is a pain. But overall its a best bang for the buck that you can get. When it comes to the music-pc its a great combination with Foobar+WASAPI+Audio-GD to my ACA (AmpCampAmp) with my DIY Frugal horn speakers. Both the systems are headless as I use the respective apps on iPhone/Android phones/tabs to control the playback."
"I have tried JRMC 17 & 18 for couple of weeks after using Foobar since 2 years but went back to Foobar + WASAPI for convenience. The reason being that my music-pc is headless and I use a iPhone/Android tab/phone to control the playback and hence the UI of these apps should be good/useful. The JRMC official app is pathetic when compared to the Foobar and this clinched the deal for me. Otherwise as Hydra pointed out the bass was crisp and clean on JRMC when compared to Foobar but not sure whether any DSP was being used in the background."
Panditjee,
If you have android mobile , then you can control your music PC/Laptop free of cost. Lot of free apps available for the same. Initially I was told that for controlling or streaming you need apple airport express or bluetooth link device, which costs around 20K-40K INR excluding streaming device, now they are barely surviving with advent of apps available for remote desktop.
I am using team viewer and from this app I can control my PC anywhere from the world.
But I dont think there is champagne Gold colour available for Mbiles
Cheers
Dheeraj
@dheeraj
Even I use the Teamviewer to control my headless PC but now I realize that it takes a huge amount of PC/RAM processing and my CPU usage shoots up to 80% when using this. I am planning to uninstall the same as I do not have anything on the PC except Windows 7 and Foobar. I was using Teamviewer to make/edit playlists as it was becoming difficult to do the same on the app. But looking at the consumption of CPU/RAM I think I will fall back on the app even with its shortcomings.
Even I use the Teamviewer to control my headless PC but now I realize that it takes a huge amount of PC/RAM processing and my CPU usage shoots up to 80% when using this. I am planning to uninstall the same as I do not have anything on the PC except Windows 7 and Foobar. I was using Teamviewer to make/edit playlists as it was becoming difficult to do the same on the app. But looking at the consumption of CPU/RAM I think I will fall back on the app even with its shortcomings.
Actually if I will need to add DAC to get good audio in future then why spend (waste) 2K for basic Asus soundcard now?
Anybody heard the difference between good sound cards (Asus) and good DAC?
Sunderpalanivel
Active Member
IMHO there is no need to be so confused about the external DAV vs sound card. An External DAN will be better any day. After all we choose an external DAC to the built in DAC of nice CD players, imagine where is PC soundcard then
Thad E Ginathom
Well-Known Member
If you want buy ASUS sound card, go for XONAR DX (PCIe), it costs around Rs5000/- If you want to forget (and forgive ) all DACs---Desi, Firangi , Satarangi, buy 'M-Audio' soundcard (model - Audiophile 192 ) priced around Rs 9500 /, it will beat all DACs hands down. but make sure system motherboard has at least 1 PCI slot.
Sudeep Audio: M-Audio products in India
My call is...
First, foremost and most important, I don't have personal experience of Ausus, M-Audio or ESI cards so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut on the specifics
hyeah:.My thoughts, though, are... The M-audio cards have been well regarded for a long time. I'm sure that the Audiophile 192 would give you good results.
If it were me buying right now, I'd do another round of research, read another bunch of reviews, etc, before making the purchase, but I have a suspicion that I'd end up with a Juli@. My speculation is that it would give a lot of hifi-world/audiophile-so-called DACs a good run for the money, and probably a much, much better price-performance ratio.
One thing to remember is that the hifi companies have won the marketing war hands down, which means that the hifi world is prejudiced in their favour and against other devices. But we are all subject to such things in one way or another. I fancy Ms Juli@! Why? Well, you know... nice sockets and all... I have my prejudices too
. But google, and you will find very good reports, both subjective and by measurements. Her measurements, in a Gearslutz test thread, are extremely desirable.If I were buying in an entirely different price range, which I'm unlikely, now, to ever afford, then I would be looking at such brands as Lavry, Grace, etc.
I exclude Lynx purely due to lack of Linux support, otherwise the Hilo (external USB) is a bit if a dream DAC/ADC/Headphone/etc combination.
I exclude my old favourite, RME, because all their stuff now has too much unwanted functionality.
Both Lavry and Grace make superb DAC/Headphone-amp models. People will argue the nano-hair-splitting at any level, so long as their are competing models, but allowing for that, I doubt that a Lavry stand-alone DAC could be beaten. This is real studio gear: my supposition is that it is a better buy than "real audiophile gear." Companies like Antelope have a foot in both camps.
But I haven't got a lakh or three to spend, and I think, at this time, neither have you, so this is all dreaming --- and there is a nice high-end DAC thread on this forum if you fancy a bit of fantasy
What's the real difference, though, between $ and dream-$? Very little if some people/tests are to be believed!
In the end, though, look at the functionality: if you want to record, then buy a box or card that does that and I don't believe that you will mind listening to either the M-Audio or Ms Juli@.
And... you know... it's not for life. You can add on or change in the future, and you wouldn't have spent so much as to make that too tough.
Or buy an ODAC... or, maybe a V-DAC --- good value-for-money stand-alone DACs.
IMHO there is no need to be so confused about the external DAV vs sound card. An External DAN will be better any day. After all we choose an external DAC to the built in DAC of nice CD players, imagine where is PC soundcard then
PC soundcard doesn't mean it will sound bad, there are many soundcards (even not too expensive) which are built far better than many DACs.
IMHO same price sound card would sound better than similar price DAC.
it's not for life. You can add on or change in the future, and you wouldn't have spent so much as to make that too tough.My call is...
First, foremost and most important, I don't have personal experience of Ausus, M-Audio or ESI cards so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut on the specifics
My thoughts, though, are... The M-audio cards have been well regarded for a long time. I'm sure that the Audiophile 192 would give you good results.
If it were me buying right now, I'd do another round of research, read another bunch of reviews, etc, before making the purchase, but I have a suspicion that I'd end up with a Juli@. My speculation is that it would give a lot of hifi-world/audiophile-so-called DACs a good run for the money, and probably a much, much better price-performance ratio.
One thing to remember is that the hifi companies have won the marketing war hands down, which means that the hifi world is prejudiced in their favour and against other devices. But we are all subject to such things in one way or another. I fancy Ms Juli@! Why? Well, you know... nice sockets and all... I have my prejudices too
If I were buying in an entirely different price range, which I'm unlikely, now, to ever afford, then I would be looking at such brands as Lavry, Grace, etc.
I exclude Lynx purely due to lack of Linux support, otherwise the Hilo (external USB) is a bit if a dream DAC/ADC/Headphone/etc combination.
I exclude my old favourite, RME, because all their stuff now has too much unwanted functionality.
Both Lavry and Grace make superb DAC/Headphone-amp models. People will argue the nano-hair-splitting at any level, so long as their are competing models, but allowing for that, I doubt that a Lavry stand-alone DAC could be beaten. This is real studio gear: my supposition is that it is a better buy than "real audiophile gear." Companies like Antelope have a foot in both camps.
But I haven't got a lakh or three to spend, and I think, at this time, neither have you, so this is all dreaming --- and there is a nice high-end DAC thread on this forum if you fancy a bit of fantasy
What's the real difference, though, between $ and dream-$? Very little if some people/tests are to be believed!
In the end, though, look at the functionality: if you want to record, then buy a box or card that does that and I don't believe that you will mind listening to either the M-Audio or Ms Juli@.
And... you know...
Or buy an ODAC... or, maybe a V-DAC --- good value-for-money stand-alone DACs.
This is the key
For now I will go for Asus, if not satisfactory then will add a DAC or
Another option is Instead of sound card, I can go for USB DAC under 15K (stretched the budget because it is for DAC)
By the way this thread was for whole music PC but we are stuck on this DAC/Sound Card :lol:
Other components (Cabinet, RAM, ROM) discussions welcome, we already discussed about the HDD (WD Green, remember?)
Sunderpalanivel
Active Member
May be true, I have not experienced that many sound cards. But I think apart from the quality the power supply and isolation will play a major role. However if you have experienced sound cards better than equally priced DAC then you know better.
Thad E Ginathom
Well-Known Member
The power supply does play a role, yes.
I suspect that this is one reason to build a machine rather than go for lap-top device. Even on hydrogenaudio (very objective, no imagination allowed ) I hear that laptop power supplies are notorious for noise, and that, yes, that noise can and does get to the audio.
I don't know how to buy a good power supply, except that, from after-the-event surfing, I seem to have been lucky in my choice but it is a big power supply (non-standard in fact) for a big PC case.
It's an easy place to get stuck. And it might be the most important thing anyway!
But, for now, you'll go with your Asus, and the thread can move on....
I suspect that this is one reason to build a machine rather than go for lap-top device. Even on hydrogenaudio (very objective, no imagination allowed
) I hear that laptop power supplies are notorious for noise, and that, yes, that noise can and does get to the audio.I don't know how to buy a good power supply, except that, from after-the-event surfing, I seem to have been lucky in my choice
but it is a big power supply (non-standard in fact) for a big PC case.It's an easy place to get stuck. And it might be the most important thing anyway!
But, for now, you'll go with your Asus, and the thread can move on....
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