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Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

First try some digital I/O options you already have

Hi Curmudgeon,

Your Sony STR-DH830 receiver already has a DAC build inside and you are happy with the sound quality that comes from the STR-DH830.
The STR-DH830 has a BD/DVD (digital) coaxial input and also has several (digital) HDMI inputs.
Your Dell 560 desktop (probably) has an HDMI-out.

Given these digital output and input options and before buying al kind of extra boxes too make a digital connection between your Dell 560 desktop and your STR-DH830, I would suggest too: first do some experimenting with the digital input en digital output options you already have.

You might want to listen too this connection:
Dell 560 HDMI out -> HDMI cable -> HDMI in STR-DH830.
HDMI sound quality can be surprisingly good.
Be sure too use the WASAPI (software) output in Foobar when re-routing audio through HDMI.

If the sound quality through HDMI does not meet your quality standards, then consider buying a USB too S/Pdif converter.
Dell 560 -> USB too S/Pdif converter -> 75 ohm digital (video) coaxial cable -> BD/DVD coaxial input STR-DH830.

USB too S/Pdif convertors come in different (sound) quality’s and difference price levels. Do some google-ing and ask asylum inmates which are good and which are bad (I don’t use USB, so I can’t give recommendations first hand)

In all cases be sure too select the WASAPI digital software output in Foobar / Windows 7. You will hear the SQ difference. Also disable automatic GAIN in Foobar. And don’t use any re- or up-sampling by default.
Only use it when your build-in DAC in the STR-DH830 sounds better with it, than use real time up-sampling or up-sampled audio-files.


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  • First try some digital I/O options you already have - hfavandepas 04:28:30 11/24/14 (0)

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