Most of the posting on Xonar shows up in the AVS "Home Theater Computers" forum.
But music server is a 2 channel thing and it belongs here.
Newegg shows quite a number of different Xonar cards, ranging from $50 to $240.
I've a Asus Xonar Essence STX ATI-e (1x) and it works great as a 2 channel music server.
Bottom line at this point:
1. The Asus Xonar Essence STX PC sound card (mine is a PCI-e (1x) version; Newegg shows quite a number of different Xonar cards from $50 to $240) is a very very good sound card for a 2 channel music server PC setup.
2. There is a SQ (Sound Quality) difference depending on the card's output used. With the digital coax output providing the best 2 channel SQ. A solid center cable works best in my experience, see www.bluejeanscable.com for digital cables; which is what I'm presently using (Belden 1694A cable with Canare connectors), even though I have more experience with the similar Canare cable.
3. The free EAC ripping software (for CD discs) has shown me why I sometimes get dropouts from some of my audio discs (both CD and hybrid SACD). Solved the problem. It puzzled me for a very long time; drove me crazy at times; tried different things but nothing worked. This alone makes the whole thing worth while.
Cheers
= Edit 1 & 2 (below); July 6, 2010 =
A couple months before this first post, I made the assumption that I had to have a *separate* sound card in my PC in order to output digital from the PC via s/pdif.
Appears that that assumption was not correct, as most (all?) current mobo's have on-board audio circuitry built-in.
What a high end sound card provides is analog sound that is likely better than that of the on-board audio circuitry.
Thanks to those who've posted.
After sleeping on it, I'll leave this thread open.
Currently, I have the STX soundcard pulled out of the computer, but expect to put in back in and revisit the card's analog out L/R sound.
= =
But music server is a 2 channel thing and it belongs here.
Newegg shows quite a number of different Xonar cards, ranging from $50 to $240.
I've a Asus Xonar Essence STX ATI-e (1x) and it works great as a 2 channel music server.
Bottom line at this point:
1. The Asus Xonar Essence STX PC sound card (mine is a PCI-e (1x) version; Newegg shows quite a number of different Xonar cards from $50 to $240) is a very very good sound card for a 2 channel music server PC setup.
2. There is a SQ (Sound Quality) difference depending on the card's output used. With the digital coax output providing the best 2 channel SQ. A solid center cable works best in my experience, see www.bluejeanscable.com for digital cables; which is what I'm presently using (Belden 1694A cable with Canare connectors), even though I have more experience with the similar Canare cable.
3. The free EAC ripping software (for CD discs) has shown me why I sometimes get dropouts from some of my audio discs (both CD and hybrid SACD). Solved the problem. It puzzled me for a very long time; drove me crazy at times; tried different things but nothing worked. This alone makes the whole thing worth while.
Cheers
= Edit 1 & 2 (below); July 6, 2010 =
A couple months before this first post, I made the assumption that I had to have a *separate* sound card in my PC in order to output digital from the PC via s/pdif.
Appears that that assumption was not correct, as most (all?) current mobo's have on-board audio circuitry built-in.
What a high end sound card provides is analog sound that is likely better than that of the on-board audio circuitry.
Thanks to those who've posted.
After sleeping on it, I'll leave this thread open.
Currently, I have the STX soundcard pulled out of the computer, but expect to put in back in and revisit the card's analog out L/R sound.
= =