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[Al ex]

I want to connect audio of my HTPC with my analog receiver (Harman Kardon HK 3270).

Choices I have on my HTPC:

• USB 3.0
• SPDIF OUT
• Headphone/Audio Out jack

On my analog receiver:

• Cinch In

I am not sure, if I shall use the USB, or SPDIF on my HTPC, what do you think, will be better?

And anyone, who could give me a recommendation on what to use? I have seen simple USB to Cinch cables on Amazon for 8 EUR, but also USB->Cinch DACs for 20 EUR. I know, pricewise, only the sky is the limit But I would rather prefer a solid solution <50EUR.

Thx for help

EDIT: wrong category, I think this should be rather under "Sound Cards, DAC's, Receivers, and Speakers". Please move this post, thanks

[csimon]

What's cinch?  Is this the RCA/phono type AV sockets, probably red and white, or red and black?

If so, these are analogue line-level inputs and you can only directly connect them with the audio out jack. (Obviously you'll need a cable with a 3.5mm jack plug at one end and stereo phono plugs on the other). The signals are the same.

USB or SPDIF will give best quality but they are digital and you'll need a DAC in order to convert them to analogue.

USB to cinch cables?  I'm not sure what they would do, unelss there are some devices that supply analogue line-level via USB, but I don't think a computer sound card will.

Or have I misunderstood?

[Al ex]

Thanks csimon, as you say, the red/white cables. I think the post in the wrong category, so I have reposted it: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=87928.0

[csimon]

USB or SPDIF will give best quality but they are digital and you'll need a DAC in order to convert them to analogue.

Clarification - it's generally accepted that analogue outputs on external DACs tend to be better quality than analogue outputs on onboard sound cards, but if you have a high-end sound card installed then this may not be the case! And if you buy a cheap DAC then it may not be as good as your onboard audio.

Try the audio-jack output first anyway, it's the simplest and most direct way.