Maudio or onboard sound

[jameson_uk]

I am currently using SPDIF out on my nForce2 mobo feeding direct into my Denon 3805 receiver. This seems to be ok but not awe inspiring, working for both music and movies.

Music is ripped in 300kbps MP3 and FLAC (moving everything to FLAC as I get the time). Output is via ASIO using BASS (music) and pass-through on Theatertek (DVD).

As supposedly everything is being transferred digitally to the amp and any decoding done there, is there any point even considering an mAudio card?

 

[Slinkoff]

the beauty of the m-audio audiophile is the ability to enable both the digital and analogue outputs of the card simultaneously, although I have only very recently found a configuration that exploits this potential properly. I use MCE.

I connect the s/pdif to Video 1 on my Denon amp and the analogue output to Video 2.

The upshot is that I can select Video 1 for movies and get DD/DTS passthru (and TV, I like the matrixed 5.1 Dolby PL11 Cinema setting the Denon has) and I select Video 2 for music and take advantage of the audiophile's great analogue output in 2ch stereo.

I have the advantage of being able to do a simple listening test by flicking between Video 1 and Video 2 on the Denon when playing music and although I'm no audiophile by any means, the difference is actually quite considerable with them both set to 2ch stereo IMO. The analogue output sounds much warmer and fuller.