Computer Audio Asylum

Where to start/basic questions

68.127.157.162

Question on what to start with
Want to make my foray into PC based audio (I have one P4 based PC w/ an old Audigy card w/ Windows and another P4 pc w/ no hard drive, both on Dell chassis). Question is what is a good place to start and what are some of the pro's/cons.

My goals

1. Set up a very good sounding 2 channel system. Not interested in 5.1 etc at this time.

2. Would like to control it from my smart phone, right now a HTC 8525 but open to other alternatives.

3. Primary source would be the PC.

4. Option to oversample, do higher bits (if they can sound better)

5. Q. Can I run this off Linux, or is it much easier on Windows (will determine which P4 machine I use)

Questions

1. Whats the tradeoff in a PCI card vs an external enclosure. I have read that 1212m or or M Audio 192 are great cards, think I can get both variations.

2. What about products that work off the USB port, from simple USB transports think like the UD 10, to USB DAC's. Especially versus the above.

3. The new products like the NuForce Icon and the Peachtree Decco seem very interesting as combine, everything up the chain to power amp in one product. What do I loose with these vs. separates, say a card/box, then pre and power (think I can loose the pre).

Thanks

Shriram

About me.

I am a part time audiophile, (not into cables etc) like good sounding music. I used to have a system based on a Rotel CD player, Arcam amp and Vandy 2Ce speakers then went to Acoustat 2+2 speakers (that are now sold). Right now have no audio equipment (well have a Belles 200w/channel power amp that I will be selling). Downsized my living quarters so audio is going down in size, want to keep quality (could buy speakers like Meadowlark Swift, or Green Mountain Audio Europa, or if Nuforce S1/Era are really good would consider them)

Follow Ups:

RE: Where to start/basic questions - Fstein02 09:36:58 07/28/08 (0)
RE: Where to start/basic questions - andy19191 11:05:07 07/23/08 (0)
RE: Where to start/basic questions - cics 06:56:36 07/23/08 (0)

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