INTERACT FORUM

Devices => Sound Cards, DAC's, Receivers, Speakers, and Headphones => Topic started by: rufuspotter2 on October 13, 2016, 02:10:14 pm

Title: Basic Sound Card for Bit Perfect SPDIF on Win 10
Post by: rufuspotter2 on October 13, 2016, 02:10:14 pm

Hi

Can anyone recommend a fairly cheap (and current) sound card that will allow MC22 to stream bit-perfect stereo to my DAC over SPDIF?

I have a lot of music from CDs ripped (using MC) to lossless WMA or FLAC files.

I used to be able to play these using MC and my M-AUDIO DELTA 2496 streaming bit perfect 44.1kHz/16bit data to the DAC as SPDIF.

But the 2496 isn't supported under Win 10 and now I have to replace it.

The key criteria for the soundboard are:

     - SPDIF Output
     - Win 10 Driver supports a lossless output mode

The DAC (Musical Fidelity X24K) has both coax and optical SPDIF inputs.

Thanks!

Rufus Potter

Title: Re: Basic Sound Card for Bit Perfect SPDIF on Win 10
Post by: rufuspotter2 on October 15, 2016, 09:23:56 am

Ok so I can confirm (having bought one and got it working) that a Creative Audigy Rx is on option, which has the advantage of an optical SPDIF output.

Title: Re: Basic Sound Card for Bit Perfect SPDIF on Win 10
Post by: Don W on October 16, 2016, 11:04:49 am

Its a strange thing, but there really isn't a good way to get SPDIF directly from PC to DAC. Or at least there wasn't a couple years ago - I spent a long time looking. Some PCIe sound cards will do it but they won't have the best sound. There are good network based solutions but they're very expensive. What's commonly used is a USB to SPDIF converter. They range from the very inexpensive to the very, very expensive. I can say from experience that the Audiophilleo is very good, but its not exactly cheap - $575 for the base model. The iFi iLink is more affordable (around $260) and is well liked. I don't know your budget, but if you look around you will be able to find something to fit.

Title: Re: Basic Sound Card for Bit Perfect SPDIF on Win 10
Post by: astromo on October 16, 2016, 01:57:38 pm

Many motherboards have SPDIF Optical Out as a standard port on the backplane. Have you checked whether that would work?

Again, many mobos have a SPDIF header. You could source an adapter and operate that way. Check your mobo manual for details.

Title: Re: Basic Sound Card for Bit Perfect SPDIF on Win 10
Post by: astromo on October 17, 2016, 02:07:44 am

This is the sort of thing I was thinking of as far as getting a SPDIF Coax out is concerned:
https://www.amazon.com/SPDIF-RCA-Plate-Cable-Bracket/dp/B0035J9Z7W (https://www.amazon.com/SPDIF-RCA-Plate-Cable-Bracket/dp/B0035J9Z7W)