pc to amp help.
Thu, Jan 24 2013, 5:07PM
just got a new pc and was thinking of either
Asus Xonar D2X Soundcard
or
Arcam rPac
what would be better in your opinion?
i have a cambridge audio asur 640a amp
would be willing to buy new amp for improved sound,maybe with built in dac?
thank you.
Fri, Jan 25 2013, 3:06PM
#2
You have already started a thread on this subject http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/dac-or-sound-card-help-please
Fri, Jan 25 2013, 6:46PM
#3
ok,thanks 
i know,sorry i thouight i'd posted in the wrong area as got no replies.
thx again.
Fri, Jan 25 2013, 7:30PM
#4
and no i have no need for surround, just want the best audio from pc to amp.
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Hi Kev,
Well those two options are quite different. The Xonar D2X looks cool and has surround sound, if you need that then it's most likely a good idea to get an internal card unless you just output optical to a decent AV amp. If stereo is all you need and care about then definitely get the rPAC, I can highly recommend that as a portable (with a laptop) headphone amp as well as a DAC, but yeah it will also output an analogue signal from the RCA connectors at the back to a stereo amp to great effect.
It's worth noting that the rPAC doesn't support 24bit 192khz (only up to 24bit 96khz) but I wouldn't let that put you off unless you have a ton of music in the former format. Purely down to quality of DAC the rPAC will win because it's only stereo. I think the Xonar will need at least 4 DAC chips for it's surround output and thus the quality of components in the rPAC will be much better and much more focused (more simple) for stereo quality.
PC>JRiver> DAC/amps: Fiio, Audinst, Yulong, Arcam, Fostex, Audiolab, Schiit, Oppo, Ifi ●
Headphones: D7000, Q701, M80, M100, DT770, DT880, HP100, HP200, Mad Dog, HD650 ●