Got new bda 1, but no spdif from mobo, what to do?

[ltddrop]

Hello,

 

I'm new here, recently I built a new pc. Been doing the dppoweramp/jriver14 thing. And, I've been really excited about getting it running thru my main system. I'm sitting here listening thru my proceed old school square box player into the bda1, and I can tell u its resolving a ton more detail than the old proceed pdp. Anyway, that was to be expected. My pc has onboard realtek 889, the specs looked ok... s/n 108 or some such...but no matter what I do I can't get any spdif out of the mobo. The worst part is the realtek software says its playing, and the bryston says I'm locked at 48...but no sound at all. I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas. I'm already thinking if there's a bunch of additional crap needed to patch it up then I could just send this dac back and get the weiss dac2 demo price...and be done. I was planning on running an apogee wyde eye digi cable in the crawl to my system. My pc goes in my desk and it can be closed. So I had a plan.....anyway first impressions with this bda 1 are that I am really impressed, much more bass texture and low level detail than I've been accustomed to. My front end was in need of an upgrade. System is audio research ls 15, proceed cdp, bda1, rotel 1090, signal cables thruout, paradigm studio 100 v2. I guess if I can't get it figured out the question is how much better is the weiss?

 

Thanks,

T.J.

 

[ltddrop]

Ok I downloaded newest driver from realtek and I've got sound...now I'm gonna have to do a/b. Cheers

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Wonderful, thanks for the follow-up :~)

 

[stefpark]

That is great. I would be curious to hear more of your experience - I am about to pull the trigger on a new DAC and the BDA1 is a top choice (the Berkeley is another...). Let us know how it works out!

 

[ltddrop]

I'd like to begin by saying that I had fun last night. I had a hum at first which I solved by plugging the computer into a different circuit. I don't know if its synergy or not, but I really, really like this bryston unit. The buttons make doing an a / b comparison a breeze. I realize its not supposed to sound good spdif out from mobo, but in my system its the best sounding option for now. The dac takes me into the music a lot deeper than I've been used to. Everything has improved top to bottom, but most notably the treble is just much more delicate and airy, cranberries sounded better than ever. Soundstage opened up a lot with better spatial cues and inner detail. Great sense of presence and vocals on dylan's live in 66 at royal albert hall, Tambourine man was cool. Even metallica's harvester of sorrow: great dynamics and kick drum and cymbals very defined, system played louder without sounding compressed. I did play around with the usb input, and quite frankly I felt the soundstage got closed in comparatively speaking. I think I can live with it like this for a while then maybe get a lynx down the road. I can't get the mobo to output above 48khz, so that bothers me, but for most of my collection I'm already slightly ahead of my transport to my ears. I guess eventually I'll have weiss money in the lynx plus this unit...but I've already dusted the shelf on my rack for my new dac! I feel its a good match with the gear I have.