PC to Stereo connection - Opinions wanted

by **sunspot** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:53 pm

I'm having good luck tonite using my brand new Airport Express with the Remote Speakers Output Plugin for Winamp & Media Monkey, at:

http://emilles.dyndns.org/software/out_apx.html

So far, it works perfectly. I'm borderline amazed!

Edited By Peke: Read more about it on Remote Speakers output plug-in (AirPort Express / AirTunes)

by **Lowlander** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:15 pm

2 more options:

Stream to airport express from any audio source: http://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/windows/

C-Media Wi-Sonic solution: http://www.sondigo.com/sirocco-announce

by MW » Thu May 18, 2006 4:31 pm

CHECK OUT THE HEADROOM BITHEAD OR TOTAL BITHEAD headphone&USB DAC. It is great as a portable player headphone amp (iPOD etc) when used with decent phones. It can also be used as a line out to the home stereo. Sounds very nice in this use. Not anywhere near the Headroom MAXDAC, GRACE 902, nor WAVELENGTH BRICK, but those are 5 to 10X more money.

by **HAL 9000** » Fri May 12, 2006 4:08 pm

Vertigo50 wrote:Just do an RCA cable, with whatever adapters you need to make it work. It's VERY unlikely you will get hum or anything else.

I use an RCA cable for mixing in my home setup, straight from my soundcard. You shouldn't have any problems.

It depends on your system/wiring scheme. For example I can go from my soundcard straight into my JVC micro system without issue. If I use too long a cable, split the output with headphone splitters or switch boxes etc. I get the hum. The isolator worked a charm to solve this problem. My dad's home older rca home theatre system hums no matter what I do, even the isolator doesn't completely solve the problem in that case.

by **Vertigo50** » Thu May 11, 2006 5:23 pm

Just do an RCA cable, with whatever adapters you need to make it work. It's VERY unlikely you will get hum or anything else.

I use an RCA cable for mixing in my home setup, straight from my soundcard. You shouldn't have any problems.

by **HAL 9000** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:38 pm

If you go the cheap and dirty way (rca patch coards) and do get the dreaded hum, go get yourself a ground loop isolator.

eg.:

http://www.radioshack.com/sm-see-all-ne ... 62214.html

Or for my fellow Canucks:

http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Produ ... ct=2700054

by **Scooter** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:53 pm

My rig is a rack mounted system, not true audiophile but a solid B or B+.

I have a fast Windows XP Processor, 2 gigs ram, 2 500 gig hard drives with a Raid V interface. The Sound Card is an Echo Layla used card, which I picked up for $125. Instead of making connections at the card, the device uses a "break out box" which acts like sort of an extension cord to a piece of rack mounted hardware in which the analog inputs and outputs are made.

It has about 3x the specs of any card, and is actually used in recording studios for music.

The Echo Layla is handled by a preamp on a tape monitor setting, so phonograph records go through a preamp and an RIAA EQ before hitting the computer.

The rest of the rig is a rack mounted Adcom top to bottom, with an Elisis EQ and a Masterlink for burning Redbook CD's.

by **MasterMe** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:19 am

pah68 wrote:For me a simple cable to plug into the audio input on my stereo from my laptop (4 feet away) and a wireless keyboard mouse to control it.

Cheap, nasty, cheap, easy, cheap, reliable and cheap.

My point exactly

though i have a real remote control in stead of a wireless keyboard hehe

.

just a simple 2 channel cable to my stereo and the sound is good

by **Brain Candy** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:07 pm

I also use the Hi-Fi link by Xitel, I think a hard wired system is the most reliable, and I don't have that far to go from my desktop to my stereo. I'm not sure that the technology in this thing (the USB DAC) is any better than a regular cable from a decent sound card jack to a reciever, but mine does sound good. I do have to have the ground loop isolator, due to the bad wiring in my house.
I see that the Squuzebox unit looks pretty nice if you have a wireless network. Ultimately, it's all about how much you want to spend for what you want to do.

by **cherryplinth** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:20 am

Try Hi-Fi Link by Xitel. It is a $49 device that is basically a 20 foot shielded cable that goes from a USB port on your computer to the jacks on the back of your stereo. The connections bypass your computer's sound card, microphone jacks, etc and take digital signals right up to the stereo where the sound pattern is converted to analog via a digital-to-analog device at the end of the cable. We get absolutely no static listening to Internet Radio or to our own music on the hard drive. We are enormously impressed with this simple device. Our stereo never sounded so good. In the US you can get Hi-Fi Link at Circuit City and on the web. See the manufacturer's description below.

http://www.xitel.com/product_hfl.htm

by **Guest** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 7:03 am

Logitech also have an option which uses their WMS system, rather than FM frequency, making it legal in some countries. Comes at a price though.

http://www.logitech.com

For a good review look here:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/16 ... _wms_ipod/

by **judas** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:33 pm

I don't have any...but i do read reviews all the time....my favorite so far:

http://www.slimdevices.com/index.html

you can see a review from cnet here:

http://news.com.com/Matchmaker+pairs+co ... 37233.html

cheers.

by **mikes** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:39 am

Hi

I recently purchased a Xitel USB stereo link which is basically an external DAC. I'm using it with an old laptop plus a large external USB 2 hard drive playing through my hi-fi. I'm pleased with the results, I can't distinguish between the CD player and the Xitel. For me it was a relatively cheap way of bypassing the laptop soundcard.

by **artworksmetal** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:43 am

I hadn't thought about an FM transmitter. That might be nice for sounds out by the pool, etc. Lots of interesting comments - thanks.
Interestingly, no response from anyone that has a USB DAC at all. Anyone?

by **Lowlander** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 10:09 am

The external audigy with fiber connecion are often recomended. The external part means your sound has no interference from the PC's internal electronic parts. The fiber cable also has no problem with interference.

PC to Stereo connection - Opinions wanted

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