Thanks for posting this Beowulf. I’m not tech savvy at all so I’m trying to understand the use and process.

I have a laptop. This new sound card would replace the laptops existing sound card? Internally or externally?

Then connect the laptop via USB to a DAC?

Very cool. This is the first I've heard of it, so I did some quick research - the article didn't have any photos, so I looked it up (Google is your friend).

This appears to be an audiophile grade sound card for your Desktop computer. It's an internal component - so no good for you laptop users.


So, who would use this? And how?

Well, that's a good question - I kind of feel like it's a solution looking for a problem.  See, you know how your desktop computer probably has onboard sound already? Has a typical stereo mini-jack that you plug your headphones in, or if it's a bit higher end, might have an optical out or even RCA out? Yeah, well this card is an audiophile version of that! It's nothing new or revolutionary, it's just a sound card, although a much more high end one built with better parts in the audiophile style.

So what would you do with it? Well, you would still plug your headphones into it; it does look like it's got mini and 1/4" jack. It's got the RCA outs so you could connect it directly to your Zen amp, and it's got the typical optical out.

But that's about it. It's a high end sound card - For your computer.

That's great if that's your goal, but it doesn't really help integrate anything, and anchors you to your computer.

How is this different than using a computer to stream your music to your DAC? (like the computers I build for people). Well, all your sound processing and DAC is stuck on that card and in your computer.  Which means your amp has to be by your computer. And you'd have to buy a whole new sound card if you decide to upgrade. With a typical computer streaming music to a typical DAC, you could use the network to connect to the DAC (assuming the DAC support this) and have the computer anywhere, or use USB (which does mean the computer needs to be near the DAC)....but you can always swap out your DAC and keep everything else the same.


I just really can't imagine how this card would be better than having an external DAC as we are all doing already. (shrug)

As always, thank you LR. The wonderful thing about this forum, especially to those of us that are tech newbies, is that I learn something every time I’m here. The best sound possible is what we are all after, but for some of us, understanding how to get there can be confusing. That is where people like you, Steve and the other knowledgeable folks here have helped so much.

Kind regards,

Geno

I'm glad I can help - and I'm sorry if that sounded super negative. I just got excited that this would be a cool add on gizmo to make my existing system possibly sound better. Only to found out it's just a fancy sound card, albeit a very fine audio grade one. So that kind of deflated my excitement and left me scratching my head.

If you guys are struggling trying to figure out computer based music playback, I'll see if I can find some 101 guides I can link to or post in the forums (with pictures, since guys like me caint reads good) to help you wrap your head around it and understand what you're getting into. I'd feel bad if you picked up a PC and DAC and everything, only to find it just really wasn't your thing.

That said, it's not really all that difficult, just different. It's just us audiophile nerds that make it difficult, because we like to be able to tweak everything. LOL  And I feel that we're really at the tipping point were audiophile level of digital music playback is suddenly going to be easier and better integrated into gear. It's still kind of the wild west of different file formats, protocols, drivers, DACs and everything. Hell, even Steve streams music and probably only complains about it once or twice a day!  ;D