advice on getting the best quality audio from my PC.

[Brodel]

Hi,

My Cambridge Azur 540r has died on me. I want to get a stereo amp instead of an AV receiver as the sound is generally superior when listening in stereo, which I do most of the time. However, I want to be able to connect it to my PC so I can play music from there also. I connected my PC to the 540r via S/PDIF to the AV Receivers Coax input but stereo amplifiers very rarely have Coax inputs, if at all. It's seems like it's a toss up between getting an AV reciever (which is lower quality than a stereo amp) with a higher quality S/PDIF connection. Or a stereo amp (higher quality than an AV reciever) and connecting it with a lower quality 3.5 to rca cable.

Am I right in thinking this? Does anyone have any suggestions as how to get the best quality audio?

thanks for your time.

[Andy98765]

You would have to go a long way to better the Cambridge Azur 540r in stereo as it is one of the best performers in its field.
What speakers are you driving?
PC sound is not great at the best of time and this will let down any stereo CD performance, especially if you are listening to MP3's.

[Brodel]

I understand that it is fairly good in stereo mode compared to other AV Receivers but I was under the impression that a dedicated stereo amp would still provide better quality audio in stereo? I have Wharfedale 9.1 speakers.

[Andy98765]

I would say your weak point is the PC not the AV amp.
I too connect through a Cambridge 540R and the sound is excellent from a PC but so much better from a CD player or even from a DVD player with an original disc inserted.
Also make sure your MP3's are not too compressed or use FLAC instead or some other lossless compression format.

[Brodel]

Originally Posted by Andy98765

I would say your weak point is the PC not the AV amp.
I too connect through a Cambridge 540R and the sound is excellent from a PC but so much better from a CD player or even from a DVD player with an original disc inserted.
Also make sure your MP3's are not too compressed or use FLAC instead or some other lossless compression format.

Thanks for the advice. I try to make sure that the audio on my computer is the best quality possible. I guess if the difference is negligible then I can get another 540r, although I may look at others after the problems I've had with mine.

[Andy98765]

We have a V2 and V3 in this house and both have been excellent. You really have to go a long way to beat the sound quality with music from something else in the 540R budget range, BUT Richer sounds seems to be depleating the stock of 540R's no doubt some new one is on the way.

[Brodel]

Thanks again.

I'm still undecided really, I connected my computer to the amp via s/pdif coax but don't think i could do that if i were to get a stereo amp and am not sure what the trade off in quality would be between the coax and a 3.5mm to 2x RCA.

[tudj]

Originally Posted by Brodel

Thanks again.

I'm still undecided really, I connected my computer to the amp via s/pdif coax but don't think i could do that if i were to get a stereo amp and am not sure what the trade off in quality would be between the coax and a 3.5mm to 2x RCA.

I run my PC to my (Stereo) Amp via a DAC. I used to use a 3.5mm to RCA and I can say that for me, the DAC has brought great improvements in music.

I connect a Coax lead from my soundcard into the DAC and then an RCA interconnect into the Line In on my Amp.

[Brodel]

Originally Posted by tudj

I run my PC to my (Stereo) Amp via a DAC. I used to use a 3.5mm to RCA and I can say that for me, the DAC has brought great improvements in music.

I connect a Coax lead from my soundcard into the DAC and then an RCA interconnect into the Line In on my Amp.

Thanks for that

What bit rate and format is the audio on your computer? or are you playing CD's?

[tudj]

Originally Posted by Brodel

Thanks for that

What bit rate and format is the audio on your computer? or are you playing CD's?

FLAC/ALAC which is lossless / CD quality.

I also have a few MP3's and they sound much better playing through the DAC than without.

[Brodel]

Originally Posted by tudj

FLAC/ALAC which is lossless / CD quality.

I also have a few MP3's and they sound much better playing through the DAC than without.

hmm, I think you are making my wallet even thinner, lol. thanks for the feedback

[Knyght_byte]

If your soundcard is decent, then it will probably provide as good a sound if not better via 3.5mm output over optical. Alternatively, get a soundcard that has 2 x RCA output. There are a few around now I believe that dont cost the earth, I think the Auzentechs might do that. My Creatives Breakout Box has 2 x RCA I believe but I cant remember now if thats line in or out..lol

From my PC which has a X-Fi Fatality Champion Series card to my Denon 3803 AV amp, the 3.5mm output is just as good as the optical connection. What I might try though this week as I'm off work is to run my soundcard via optical through the 3803, then use the pre-outs to my Musical Fidelity A5 amp and see how that works against a direct 3.5mm to the A5. Essentially the optical to the 3803 then pre-outs to the A5 is simply using the 3803 as a DAC, and it has some good DACs inside, better than those in your Cambridge Audio. Be interesting to see which works best there. Yay, a project for my week off work...lol