After redecorating my lounge I decided that I am no longer happy with a tower or a wall of CD's. The neighbours kid is going to rip them with EAC, the thought of doing it myself gives me cause to feel faint and its going to take him a while.
I have a silent PC circa 2012 that I use to watch and record satellite TV using the much derided WMC7. It is an Intel 2120T on a very dated but nice Asus mobo fitted with a Radeon HD 6700 gpu.
I want a software player, perhaps the same one I use for video or something audio dedicated.
I want an output to the RCA sockets on my amplifier and I am hoping not to need a preamp between computer and amplifier.
I see external and PCI DAC's, external and PCI soundcards but the homework might be easier with a little help.Input sensitivity is 0.5V iirc.
I know I can use the Asus output or the gpu output, that so many people use a dedicated solution tells me they do it for good reason, or do they?
I do not mind spending money, just not too much of it.
I have a silent PC circa 2012 that I use to watch and record satellite TV using the much derided WMC7. It is an Intel 2120T on a very dated but nice Asus mobo fitted with a Radeon HD 6700 gpu.
I want a software player, perhaps the same one I use for video or something audio dedicated.
I want an output to the RCA sockets on my amplifier and I am hoping not to need a preamp between computer and amplifier.
I see external and PCI DAC's, external and PCI soundcards but the homework might be easier with a little help.Input sensitivity is 0.5V iirc.
I know I can use the Asus output or the gpu output, that so many people use a dedicated solution tells me they do it for good reason, or do they?
I do not mind spending money, just not too much of it.
You should be able to run a 3.5mm to RCA converter cable directly from your existing headphone output to the Quad. Just make sure to set the volume to zero before you press play, and slowly turn it up. Will you get better results with external DACs and preamps? Sure, but see if you’re satisfied with what you’ve got first.
Due to the QUADs exceptionally high input sensitivity I would highly recommend something external with a volume control.
Something like this might/should work:M-Audio AIR|Hub – Thomann UK
Something like this might/should work:M-Audio AIR|Hub – Thomann UK
There are a fair selection of outputs between the Intel based mobo and the gpu, I think TOSlink, S/PDIF, HDMI and 3.5mm analogue.
I suppose I should ask myself and forum members like yourself what price a hardware solution to easily outclass the PC hardware.
Charles Darwin has a good point above. Since the input sensitivity is high on the Quad and since it’s really easy to accidentally turn the volume all the way up on your computer (especially if it’s out of your control), you’ve got a chance of blowing something up without an external volume control. I can’t think offhand of any preamp or volume control that can’t put out more than 0.5V, but if you turn the physical volume up until your speakers start to clip, you’ll know never to turn it up past there, and the computer won’t be able to automatically turn the volume past that without your knowing.
As for your question, I’ve got no idea how much to spend to outperform what you’ve got. My computer, phone and tablets all sound great (all Apple products), but my audio gear all sounds better. Of the lot you could probably get the First Watt B1 for a few hundred dollars, and cheaper if you DIY. I got an external USB sound card for $10 that sounds utterly appalling, which I was going to use for Call of Duty, but the built-in headphone amp in my PlayStation sounds better (still not great), so I use that. In between those price points I couldn’t tell you, and besides, it all comes down to what kind of sound you like, as every bit of gear will have some kind of distortion.
As for your question, I’ve got no idea how much to spend to outperform what you’ve got. My computer, phone and tablets all sound great (all Apple products), but my audio gear all sounds better. Of the lot you could probably get the First Watt B1 for a few hundred dollars, and cheaper if you DIY. I got an external USB sound card for $10 that sounds utterly appalling, which I was going to use for Call of Duty, but the built-in headphone amp in my PlayStation sounds better (still not great), so I use that. In between those price points I couldn’t tell you, and besides, it all comes down to what kind of sound you like, as every bit of gear will have some kind of distortion.
If your amp is class I with single-ended inputs only (cinches) and the PE wire connected to the analog ground (such as this http://www.saturn-sound.com/images - cct dia/quad 405 mk1- stereo power amplifier - cct dia'.jpg ) , you are very likely to get a noisy ground loop when hooking a PC soundcard.
After some reading I reach no conclusion on which path to take but USB out from the PC to a DAC/preamp is beginning to look appealing. I doubt I will be happy with the sound from the internals, I have Realtek ALC 892 as audio and it does not get stella reviews for any part of its function. Fine for my stereo TV viewing but not for music.
So I will be spending money. I can change the input sensitivity on the amps, someone else did the legwork and the different cap/resistor values I have noted.
If it makes any difference as to suggestions on DAC/preamps I do not need an input selector, as I mentioned in my OP I am retiring the mass of CD cases to a spare room and I sold my turntable a long time ago along with the vinyl, there ain't no radio reception here so no tuner either.
I can build the preamp from knock off Chinese boards if there is a suitable candidate as long as I do not need a scope or bench PSU. As for preamp matching to a Quad 405, I am happy to try anything as long as I am not spending big.
I did think about buying a half decent DAC and a Quad 34 but the Quad 34 still fetches good money and you know you are going to replace every electrolytic and whatever else.
So I will be spending money. I can change the input sensitivity on the amps, someone else did the legwork and the different cap/resistor values I have noted.
If it makes any difference as to suggestions on DAC/preamps I do not need an input selector, as I mentioned in my OP I am retiring the mass of CD cases to a spare room and I sold my turntable a long time ago along with the vinyl, there ain't no radio reception here so no tuner either.
I can build the preamp from knock off Chinese boards if there is a suitable candidate as long as I do not need a scope or bench PSU. As for preamp matching to a Quad 405, I am happy to try anything as long as I am not spending big.
I did think about buying a half decent DAC and a Quad 34 but the Quad 34 still fetches good money and you know you are going to replace every electrolytic and whatever else.
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I did similar. and I went with a USB DAC to a passive attenuator (just a potentiometer volume control) then to the amps. It works fine.
Also, if you're using 24 or 32 bits for your music files, you can use the computer's output volume control without losing any bits or dynamic range from your original 16 bit CD's.
Also, if you're using 24 or 32 bits for your music files, you can use the computer's output volume control without losing any bits or dynamic range from your original 16 bit CD's.
John, having never owned a standalone DAC I have to do some homework. A skim so far suggests that many manufacturers have adopted 2Vrms as output. I want to set the input sensitivity on the Quad clone boards with R4 and C2. I have the BOM for the parts I do not have in my stock and want to order as soon as. If I plump for 1.5V input sensitivity and use a pot will I be able to set a sweet spot on the pot, leave it alone and use the DAC remote to give me full gain on the amp?
The O/P voltage of DAC's does vary. Many are 2v, but some - particularly USB ones are 0.5V - because of the limited supply voltage of USB.
I generally do leave my volume pot at 1 setting all the time, and use the digital volume control from my remote keyboard.
I 'wind down' the volume pot before I turn off, and back up again for the next listening session. But that's a 'safety habit' from my days as a Sound Engineer.
I generally do leave my volume pot at 1 setting all the time, and use the digital volume control from my remote keyboard.
I 'wind down' the volume pot before I turn off, and back up again for the next listening session. But that's a 'safety habit' from my days as a Sound Engineer.
Just realized I didn't answer your question exactly.
Choose your DAC first, then set your amp gain to full O/P.
I use a 8 channel USB DAC, but that's because I run it as a 3 way active crossover, feeding into 4x Quad 405 mk 3 mega turbo xx🙂
Choose your DAC first, then set your amp gain to full O/P.
I use a 8 channel USB DAC, but that's because I run it as a 3 way active crossover, feeding into 4x Quad 405 mk 3 mega turbo xx🙂
Why don't You take a modern approach and build a network player ?
An RPI 4 with touchscreen (optional as it is indented to be headless). You put all your music on a USB stick or a networked PC & control it with Your PC/ phone / tablet. You can even synch / stream players for multi-room. I recommend a DAC unless You use a RPI4 since the newer ones have better analog output, but the older RPI 3 ones are cheaper. Check Volumio / Moode / Runeaudio. I'm testing right now Picoreplayer & works fine. You can also Your old Your PC as a music server. Check out Logitech media Server & Squeezelite. It's a small box which You can hide and does all Your audio needs.
An RPI 4 with touchscreen (optional as it is indented to be headless). You put all your music on a USB stick or a networked PC & control it with Your PC/ phone / tablet. You can even synch / stream players for multi-room. I recommend a DAC unless You use a RPI4 since the newer ones have better analog output, but the older RPI 3 ones are cheaper. Check Volumio / Moode / Runeaudio. I'm testing right now Picoreplayer & works fine. You can also Your old Your PC as a music server. Check out Logitech media Server & Squeezelite. It's a small box which You can hide and does all Your audio needs.
I use an old Quad core tower PC.
It's my music server, crossover processor, it's connected to the main TV in the house, streaming films, browsing net etc. It's controlled by a wireless keyboard.
It's been running great for 2 years +
I don't see any advantage in dumping this to get a touch screen I don't want or need. Then start re programming it all again. 😕
It's my music server, crossover processor, it's connected to the main TV in the house, streaming films, browsing net etc. It's controlled by a wireless keyboard.
It's been running great for 2 years +
I don't see any advantage in dumping this to get a touch screen I don't want or need. Then start re programming it all again. 😕
There are ready small boxes with volume pot for contoling PC speakers. Check the logitech Z5500 broken pod thread.
Mind reader! Last night I was thinking of an alternative to using my media PC. I would not use WMC 7 as a player, its good for video/TV but its too clunky as "juke box". I would need to install a decent player and that means picking up a large logitek remote that barely gets used, I just use an old Media Center controller.
I don't like spending but I might stump up and buy an android box or a Pi and start from there. I have NAS to share out so that much is covered. So now I am looking at a player box and a DAC, probably USB. Both in the same box would be nice but I don't see that being cheap if its half good.
I will look at the RPI 4 you mentioned and see what you are suggesting.
On another post in the thread I say that I have been considering a seperate box, android or Pi but I see your reply John and you are the voice on the other shoulder that appeals to my conservative nature.
Oh decisions, too much time spent on Mouser and the other places assembling a correct BOM for the amplifier boards has sorely taxed my brain. I will reconsider the upstream side of a DAC later
I am going to splash out, its only a few quid but I will just order the caps for R4 & C2 for the diffrent input Vrms.
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