Uppgrading the analog stages of a computer soundcard?

[demogorgon]

hi everybody!

I, as many others I use my computer as a source for audio.
The quality of these solutions isn't exsactly the "fi" of hifi..

offcource, insted of bying a new card that costs more than my amps and speakers put together, i'd like to improve what i already have.
I'm currently using a Hercules Fortissimo III 7.1 soundcard.
i't one of the cheaper 7.1 solutions around, but sounds ok at the price.
I'd like to make it better offcource.

does anyone have any pointers for me as to what to uppgrade, why, and how?
I'v been serching a lot, googeling and looking on the foruj, but there is very litle info on the subject, and so i turn to you guys.

hope you guys can help me out a litle here..
really appreciate it!

regards
marius

[Havoc]

RME.

[demogorgon]

http://www.rme-audio.com/

am i correct?
why this link? i'l try to find out..

edit: this is a commercial site, not much use to me, cant afford anything of it as i wrote above..

[autoexec]

i know this isn't for your card, but it atleast points you to people you can ask about this kind of thing
http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=38123

[jaycee]

If you really want to do this, build an external DAC and feed the SPDIF output into it. There are many difficult/impossible to defeat obstacles with getting hifi quality sound out of a PC - there is an absolute crapload of EMI/RFI of allkinds to get around, then the dirty switchmode based supply that is only +12/-12v. Then to top it all off, you're working with ultrasmall SMD components.

There's a whole plethora of external DAC designs you could use that accept an SPDIF input signal, and any of these would be better than trying to modify the card itself.

[Geek]

Is this the time for one of us tube guys to jump in and say, "Throw in a 6DJ8 in there"?

(been done before - http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/20...0606012073.htm )

[demogorgon]

Originally posted by jaycee
If you really want to do this, build an external DAC and feed the SPDIF output into it. There are many difficult/impossible to defeat obstacles with getting hifi quality sound out of a PC - there is an absolute crapload of EMI/RFI of allkinds to get around, then the dirty switchmode based supply that is only +12/-12v. Then to top it all off, you're working with ultrasmall SMD components.

There's a whole plethora of external DAC designs you could use that accept an SPDIF input signal, and any of these would be better than trying to modify the card itself.

yes, this could offcource be a possibility, but i would like to keep pc audio in the computer, and the only digital out i have is optical, and i dont think i have the required skill or knowledge to come around that obstackle.

as for the links provided: thanks!

Il look into them a litle later, as my neighbor is nagging like crazy for me to play Counter Strike with him on his new PC

cheers
marius

[TC]

The RFI inside computers is an overrated fear. There's some. No more than a cheap dvd player would have. I have ben using a VRS system with a Lynx L-22 for a couple of years now. I think the best way to upgrade a soundcard is with the power supply. The analog outs are probably fine. Clean the AC and you will hear a difference.

TC

[purplepeople]

I don't agree about the analog output. In fact, I know that they are quite bad for most soundcards. While better than average for soundcards, the SNR is still poor for the Hercules. It is even less than my CD portable.

demogorgon: what is the noise spec for your amps?

Note: I found this test on the web - http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/...-fortissimo71/

and these are the specs and test results quoted from it:

The Cirrus Logic CS4294-JQ codecs' specs:

* 20bit 4-channel output and 2 18bit stereo-ins with the fixed sampling frequency of 48 kHz;
* Dynamic range: 87 dB A (DAC), 85 dB A(ADC);
* SNR + THD 74 dB A;
* Vrms = 1 V.

Mode of operation: 16 bits 44 kHz

Frequency response (40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB: +0.01, -0.02
Noise level, dB (A): -86.6
Dynamic range, dB (A): 86.5
THD, %: 0.0040
Intermodulation distortions, %: 0.016
Channel crosstalk, dB: -86.1



:)ensen

[TC]

Don't use a game-boy card. The analog outs on the lynx go up to 10v. They will drive the grid of an 845. Fantastic sound that changes sampling rates on the fly. Alot of these make the music you buy.

Lynx L-22


The Lynx L22 is a professional audio interface card intended for use in the most demanding audio recording, post-production, broadcast, and measurement applications. Based on LynxTWO technology, the L22 can capture or generate signals beyond the audio bandwidth up to 100 kHz with extreme accuracy.

Using proprietary circuit topologies and custom components in the analog stages coupled with the latest converter technology, the L22 achieves a 117 dB dynamic range. Most importantly, advanced noise-rejection design techniques are incorporated to maintain this performance in real world use from computer to computer.

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The L22 provides I/O expansion via its two LStream™ ports. Combined, these ports allow 16 channels of additional I/O from external ADAT or AES/EBU devices. The ports can also be used to route data and synchronize to other L22's or LynxTWO's to create high channel-count systems.

As with other Lynx products, the L22 provides unprecedented compatibility with a wide range of platforms and operating systems. Lynx device drivers are developed in-house to insure quality and robustness.

Download the Lynx L22 Brochure (287KB PDF), or just look at the full Lynx L22 hardware specifications.

200kHz sample rate / 100kHz analog bandwidth (Supported with all drivers)
Two 24-bit balanced analog inputs and outputs
+4dBu or -10dBV line levels selectable per channel pair
24-bit AES3 or S/PDIF I/O with full status and subcode support
Sample rate conversion on digital input
Non-audio digital I/O support for Dolby Digital® and HDCD
32-channel / 32-bit digital mixer with 16 sub outputs
Multiple dither algorithms per channel
Word, 256 Word, 13.5MHz or 27MHz clock sync
Extremely low-jitter tunable sample clock generator
Dedicated clock frequency diagnostic hardware
Multiple-board audio data routing and sync
Two LStream™ ports support 8 additional I/O channels each
Compatible with LStream modules for ADAT and AES/EBU standards
Zero-wait state, 16-channel, scatter-gather DMA engine
Windows 98 / ME / NT / 2000 / XP Drivers
Macintosh ASIO 2.0 Drivers
Suggested US List Price $749
Optional LStream Expansion Modules:
LS-ADAT: Provides sixteen-channel 24-bit ADAT optical I/O, US List Price $249 (Internal).

LS-AES: Provides eight-channel 24-bit/96kHz AES/EBU or S/PDIF digital I/O, US List Price $469 (Internal).