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PC->Sound Card to external DAC -> stereo amp or?


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Hi all,

 

I'm looking after finishing my setup with decent sound card and external DAC. However I can't spend more than 400$ to external DAC. Therefore I'm leaning towards to CA Dacmagic. Besides I can't decide whether adding external DAC behind to sound card or skip DAC and buy better sound card

 

Here is my gear:

- HTPC vista 64(with SB Audigy)

- Roksan Kandy LII MKIII stereo amp.

- Monitor Audio RS6

 

My source are all FLAC's playing through my htpc within Foobar2000

 

My buying list

- Denon 2809 or 3808 AVR

- Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 sound card

- Cambridge Audio Dacmagic

- Monitor Audio Center+Rear speakers

 

 

After all my connection will be like:

 

For music:

1-) HTPC -> Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 -> (RCA out) to (line in) -> Roksan Kandy -> MA RS6

or

2-) HTPC -> Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 -> (HDMI out) to (HDMI in) ->Denon 3808 -> (RCA pre-out) to (line in) -> Roksan Kandy -> MA RS6

or

3-) HTPC -> Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 -> (coaxial out) to (coaxial in) -> CA Dacmagic -> (RCA out) to (line in) -> Roksan Kandy -> MA RS6

or

4-) HTPC -> Asus Xonar Essence STX -> (RCA out) to (line in) -> Roksan Kandy -> MA RS6

or

5-) different sound cards rather than asus or different connection type of your recommendation

 

For movies:

1-) HTPC -> Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 -> (HDMI out) to (HDMI in) ->Denon 3808 -> (RCA pre-out) to (line in) -> Roksan Kandy -> MA RS6 //(at the same time)// -> Denon 3808 -> Center + Rears speakers

 

This is the only sound card that supports bitstreaming of TrueHD and DTS MA. Which makes me that I need to stick with this Xonar HDAV1.3 at anycase..

Most of my source for movies are DTS coded at the moment (bluray rip mkv) but I'll grab more DTS MA and TrueHD sources after I buy this sound card..

 

So what would you choose if you were in my shoes?

Do you think it is waste of money adding an external DAC while I'd have decent AVR like Denon 3808?

What do you say of buying another sound card instead of external DAC?So there will be 2 sound card in my htpc. I use Xonar HDAV1.3 for movies and another decent sound card for music?

Or Xonar HDAV1.3 + Dacmagic at the same time is a good idea for music?

Many thanks for your comments.

Cheers,

Murat

 

 

 

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Run option #3 for audio Soundcard-Coaxial-DAC-RCA-Roksan

And run HDMI from Soundcard to Denon for AV.

Great Idea to preout from the Denon to the Roksan BTW! :)

 

 

PS3 60bg (160GB installed + Native music Browser)-AVI ADM9.1-Klipsch SW12 Subwoofer-Belkin Power Board- Custom power cables-Supra Sub Cable- No Name Toslink Cable - PROUD NZer

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