Best PC to Analog Setup?

[sangdabom]

Hi, everyone.
As you can tell right away, I'm pretty new to this forum. I've read several posts regarding Transporter and Squeezebox.
I just have some questions on connecting PC(mp3 files) to Audio System.

1. What interfaces can I use to connect PC to Analog ? At this time, I connected my PC directly to my Marantz SR8200 AV receiver via Digital Optical connection.
If I use a transporter, would it improve sound quality?

2. What programs or file type should I use? As all of u guys know, mp3 is very much compressed file. Currently, I use iTune to make playlist, sort songs to play. Is there better playback software? or better file type?

3. Is there big difference between playing CD from good cd player(say around 2-3k retail), and burn that CD to PC and play it from PC? I will soon find out how much difference there is, but I just wanted to know from experienced audiophiles' opinions.


Thanks for all of your inputs.

[Mike Anderson]

If I use a transporter, would it improve sound quality?

Generally speaking, yes. But if all your music is in MP3 format with a high level of compression (e.g. 128k), you'd be better off addressing that first. If you're talking MP3s at 320k, that's a different story.

2. What programs or file type should I use? As all of u guys know, mp3 is very much compressed file. Currently, I use iTune to make playlist, sort songs to play. Is there better playback software? or better file type?

Better in what sense? Sound quality? The playback software isn't going to affect that directly. If you mean better in the sense of conveniently organizing your music, iTunes is awfully tough to beat.

As far what filetype you should use, lossless compression is best for sound quality. I use FLAC, but iTunes doesn't support that format. So maybe Apple lossless is your preferred format, if you want to use iTunes.

3. Is there big difference between playing CD from good cd player(say around 2-3k retail), and burn that CD to PC and play it from PC?

If you rip the CD properly (e.g. using error-correcting software like Exact Audio Copy), then you can get perfect, error-free rips from 99% of CDs.

Whether it sounds as good as a high end CD player depends on exactly how you get the signal from the computer to the stereo. If you use a high quality transport+DAC setup, you can match -- or even surpass -- a high end CD player.

People here love to debate this last point, but at the very least, it would not be a "big" difference.

[sangdabom]

Thanks for your input, Mike.

As far what filetype you should use, lossless compression is best for sound quality. I use FLAC, but iTunes doesn't support that format. So maybe Apple lossless is your preferred format, if you want to use iTunes.

If it is compressed already, there is no use to changing the file format, right?
I mean, data gets lost in process of compression, not in playback. In other words, if I already have mp3 files in my computer without backup CDs(for example, downloads from old napsters, etc), I'm pretty much stuck with that file that can't be improved in sound quality?

Generally speaking, yes. But if all your music is in MP3 format with a high level of compression (e.g. 128k), you'd be better off addressing that first. If you're talking MP3s at 320k, that's a different story.

How would you suggest to "address" to? Can you convert current 128k mp3 files to 320k? Would that make difference? At the time of creation of those 128k files, data already had been lost? If I convert them to less compressed files, would it improve the sound quality?

Thanks.

[Dusty Chalk]

1. What interfaces can I use to connect PC to Analog ? At this time, I connected my PC directly to my Marantz SR8200 AV receiver via Digital Optical connection.
If I use a transporter, would it improve sound quality?

Perhaps not. It depends on what you're using for a soundcard. I'm using a measly ol' M-Audio Sonica, and since the driver bypasses the kmixer, I'm getting straight digital audio (I think). I doubt one could improve on that much. What you're paying for in the Transporter is a couple things -- it has an exquisite DAC, which, if you bypass it, you should probably just stick with a Squeezebox. That and functionality, which isn't fundamentally different from the Squeezebox. One of those functions is the ability to pass sound through wireless networking.

So: what are you using as a soundcard, to provide the optical out on your computer? Does it bypass the kmixer? Do you plan on connecting the Transporter to your Marantz digitally? If you answered, "yes", to both of these last two questions, then the answer in all likelihood is, "no, it will not sound better".

[mlsstl]

> Can you convert current 128k mp3 files to 320k? Would that make difference? At the time
> of creation of those 128k files, data already had been lost? If I convert them to less
> compressed files, would it improve the sound quality?

You can re-encode 128K files to 320K, but it won't help. Once data has been discarded during the MP3 compression process, it is gone forever. What I've done over the past year or so with my system is re-rip all my CDs to the lossless FLAC format. However, if you do not have the original CDs or you obtained only the MP3 version from online, you're out of luck unless you find a copy of the CD to purchase or borrow.

[noddin0ff]

Just to add two more cents...

The biggest improvement will come first from going to preferably lossless compression formats (Apple Lossless, e.g.) or to higher res. compressed formats. The compression format supposedly makes a difference. I don’t know, I haven’t compared them. But, for example I’ve read that Apple’s AAC is better than WMA and MP3. You are correct that increasing the resolution from a low-resolution file will not help; the info is already gone.

I don't think it matters what path the digital signal takes from the PC. Digital out from a PC cards optical is fine--you could even use the USB out for that, or stream the signal wirelessly.

The next biggest effect will be the quality of the DAC that does the D/A conversion. Right now your Marantz's DAC is doing the job. A Google search says it uses a "192/24 bit Crystal DAC®" for all channels. I don't really know much about relative DAC quality. But the Squeezebox uses a Burr-Brown DAC, and that's a name that is generally well regarded. You can of course add a higher quality DAC into the stream like Mike does.

What Squeezebox gives you in addition to the DAC is a music management interface (remote control, etc.) and wireless streaming capability.

I’m slowly parting together a low cost arrangement. I like the Squeezebox, but I use and like iTunes and think I can get more flexibility with another setup. I’m going with iTunes and Apple Lossless files streaming wirelessly to the $99 Airport Express. The AE gets connected by Mini-optical jack to an optical IN on my Yamaha receiver. With AE and iTunes I can easily add wireless networking to multiple stereos in the house by adding an AE. $99 each is much less than adding Squeezeboxes and I don’t need high quality everywhere. The AE also has analog outs (it has it’s own DAC).

I don’t particularly like the quality of the DAC on my receiver. My CD player has Burr-Brown DACs and using the analog outs from the CD player sounds better to me than using the digital out to the receiver. So, I will shop around for a low cost DAC (I’m looking at Scott Nixon’s DACs) to add later.

[sangdabom]

Dusty Chalk,

So: what are you using as a soundcard, to provide the optical out on your computer? Does it bypass the kmixer? Do you plan on connecting the Transporter to your Marantz digitally? If you answered, "yes", to both of these last two questions, then the answer in all likelihood is, "no, it will not sound better".

PC that I built has Motherboard called Asus P5N32-SLI Deluxe which provides,
"This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via an optical or coaxial S/PDIF-out (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) jack. It allows to transfer digital audio without converting to analog format and keeps the best signal quality."
So, it is using on-board audio system to get the digital from PC to my AV receiver.
However, my system soon will change because I'm buying either a power amp or pre+power amps to get better sound of Stereo.

a. If I decide to get just one power amp without preamp, I will just need to use my Marantz's preamp out to get analog signal out to power amp input.

b. If I decide to get pre+poweramp, I will need to get a DAC or Transporter to get the digital to analog to preamp.