# computer audio output adapter?



## swong46 (Sep 25, 2009)

Hey, I just bought a Rotel RSDX-02 and am looking for something to hook my computer to the receiver. From what I understand, stereo jacks suck and I should use something else. I want either a PC express card or USB device that will output sound in full quality.

Can someone recommend me one? Also, is RCA outputs good (isn't it same as a stereo jack) or is there something better?


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

On the cheap side, the Behringer UCA202. 

BEHRINGER: UCA202


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## swong46 (Sep 25, 2009)

That is what I was looking at, is RCA is the way to go?


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

sure, it's easy.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

swong46 said:


> That is what I was looking at, is RCA is the way to go?


Your receiver has a toslink optical digital input option. Using the toslink output from the UCA202 would be a better way to get the signal out of the PC (in _this_ case). 


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Unless otherwise stated in the UCA202 manual:

Make sure that all of the volume sliders are always set to max on the PC software playing the music. 

Also check the manual for the UCA202 and see where it recommends that you set the windows audio slider to (ie WAVE, MONITOR OUT). These will usually be set to max as well. These steps are very important, so make sure you check all possible sliders, they could be hidden in the background somewhere.

Check that under control panel>sounds and audio devices>volume tab>speaker settings "advanced"> performance tab> you have "hardware acceleration" set to "max" and "sample rate conversion quality" set to "best".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Never control volume from the PC, unless you must. Use the receiver for this. 

Make sure that if the media player software used has the option to set "bit depth" output that it is set to 16 bit to match CD files being played.


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## swong46 (Sep 25, 2009)

sounds good, whats difference between the 202 and the 222?


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

swong46 said:


> sounds good, whats difference between the 202 and the 222?


The 222 comes with a "massive software bundle" which you won't need for this application.


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## ryan s (Dec 19, 2006)

My cheap little $20 Creative USB card has every feature of the Behringer including an optical out :surprised:

Theoretically, how much would a card contribute to sound reproduction...since we know "all solid state amps sound the same"?


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## Se7en (Mar 28, 2007)

Check these guys out.

TrendsAudio - High end but not high priced audio products !


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## MarkZ (Dec 5, 2005)

ryan s said:


> My cheap little $20 Creative USB card has every feature of the Behringer including an optical out :surprised:
> 
> Theoretically, how much would a card contribute to sound reproduction...since we know "all solid state amps sound the same"?


Depends on the card. A lot of times cards can introduce pretty significant digital artifacts, often because they use crappy software drivers. I look for cards with native ASIO drivers and then use a player that's capable of output ASIO.

It's quite a different issue from the whole "do amps/sources/crossovers/whatever sound the same". We're talking software and not hardware.


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## ryan s (Dec 19, 2006)

What if no software is used? Creative provides their CD of stuff that I've never used :laugh:


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

ryan s said:


> My cheap little $20 Creative USB card has every feature of the Behringer including an optical out :surprised:
> 
> Theoretically, how much would a card contribute to sound reproduction...since we know "all solid state amps sound the same"?


On top of what Mark mentioned, if we're talking about analog outs, there's also noise floor differences. The same way there is in amps that sound the same. 

There's also output voltage concerns. 1 volt might be good for a car head unit which has an AUX in sensitivity of 1 volt, but try putting it on a bargain home theater receiver and you might have to bump up the volume knob to a point where the preamp's own noise becomes audible.

Which Creative card do you have?


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

ryan s said:


> What if no software is used? Creative provides their CD of stuff that I've never used :laugh:


Then the card uses the same Windows USB Speaker driver that all these simple USB to digital out devices use. It will have the same digital output performance but the analog out will depend on all the circuitry after the USB transceiver chip.

That being said, you shouldn't have to pay more then $100 for a soundcard with stable driver, strong analog outputs that are cleaner then what a CD file can reproduce. IOW you can use a $200-$1000 mastering grade soundcard that has -120dB noise rating on the analog outputs and it won't matter because a CD file can not be cleaner then ~-98dB. You are wasting money.


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## ryan s (Dec 19, 2006)

It's a Creative Labs USB Sound Blaster MP3+ Electronics

Can't find much about it and it's not on Creative's support site.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

ryan s said:


> It's a Creative Labs USB Sound Blaster MP3+ Electronics
> 
> Can't find much about it and it's not on Creative's support site.


Sound Blaster MP3+: New USB Solution from Creative (page 7) - X-bit labs

That card appears to do what it is supposed to do when it comes to digital output. 

On the other hand, the analog output looks no better then the onboard sound of a motherboard from early 2000. Pretty bad by todays standards.










"SpectraLAB tests showed that this sound card is pretty “noisy”, that is why I wouldn’t even try to compare it with any integrated solutions. Although I would like to point out that Sound Blaster MP3+ can blame some of the peripheral devices for the EMI, which spoilt the picture most. When I was listening to the “Zero Bit (Total Silence)” test track, which is just a recording of silence, I could certainly hear a stable hissing sound. However, the working hard disk drive, active optical drive or moving mouse also affected the distortion level of the played sound immediately. Of course, you will not feel these distortions that much if you listen to some music rather than silence, but the results of SpectraLAB were completely spoilt by them."

It's noise floor is 16-20dB louder then a newer card costing the same as that one did back then or even an newer iPod.


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## ryan s (Dec 19, 2006)

Aha, interesting info, thanks. Maybe it's due to processor fans and background noise, but I've never noticed a hiss with this card. It sounded good to my ears even using the RCA outs to my 1986 receiver and speakers.

Must be one of those things I never paid attention to :laugh:


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## morepower (Feb 16, 2010)

Is something like the Behringer worth the extra money over a headphone cable with rca's?
Will the SQ be noticeable over the headphone jack output?
My daughter is getting her first apartment, her entire music library is on her laptop. I'll be giving her my old Sony receiver which has an optical in.
Thanks


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

morepower said:


> Is something like the Behringer worth the extra money over a headphone cable with rca's?
> Will the SQ be noticeable over the headphone jack output?
> My daughter is getting her first apartment, her entire music library is on her laptop. I'll be giving her my old Sony receiver which has an optical in.
> Thanks


IME it is. You don't really need the Behringer though. All you need is a USB to S/PDIF soundcard. Something like a Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro Or micro II should do the job. Just set it up according to me previous post and it will sound great. I'm not sure if you can play DRM protected files through the digital out though.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

morepower said:


> Is something like the Behringer worth the extra money over a headphone cable with rca's?
> Will the SQ be noticeable over the headphone jack output?
> My daughter is getting her first apartment, her entire music library is on her laptop. I'll be giving her my old Sony receiver which has an optical in.
> Thanks


For the love of god people it's like THIRTY DOLLARS!!!


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## morepower (Feb 16, 2010)

Who the hell cares what it costs if it doesn't work, did you not understand the question.
Why pay only $30 if the $8 cable at best buy did the same thing.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

epic facepalm


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