Your current computer audio setup? (feel free to post pics)

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by Nick The Slick

Just thought I'd add my piece to this thread and help it grow a bit.

I use my desktop I built as my media center. Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit with XBMC as my media center (found here) so i can use it with my Harmony remote (with the HP infrared adapter thing, search OVU422000 to find that). All music I actually listen to anymore is in FLAC. Radeon HD 6870 video card outputs via HDMI at 24/196 to my Yamaha RX-V667. From Yamaha to Crown XLS 1500 power amp and Dayton Audio SA240 sub amp. Mains are Polk Audio Monitor 70's and sub is a DIY I put together with Dayton Audio parts. I have surround but keep it in 2 channel for music and it's amazing. Hardly even watch movies anymore, just sit and jam

Nice setup dude. You sure you have enough power?

[Nick The Slick]

Thanks, haha! You may be joking, but no, I still want to get an XLS 1000 for my surrounds and a good monoblock for my center. I want to squeeze every bit of performance out of this system I can Don't have the room or funds for that right now though and what I do have is absolute and complete overkill for the room I have, but I'm planning for the future. I want to be able to already have everything I need when I move out and get a dedicated space for it~

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by Nick The Slick

Thanks, haha! You may be joking, but no, I still want to get an XLS 1000 for my surrounds and a good monoblock for my center. I want to squeeze every bit of performance out of this system I can Don't have the room or funds for that right now though and what I do have is absolute and complete overkill for the room I have, but I'm planning for the future. I want to be able to already have everything I need when I move out and get a dedicated space for it~

I do understand. I've been lazy as of late but I have an Adcom GFA-1(200X2) waiting in my living room for my mains. And I know that if it was in a dedicated HT room I would want more for all channels.

[Uriahheep]

Laptop>JRiver 17 > Musiland Monitor 2> Nad 3020B> AR18LS speakers

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by Uriahheep

Laptop>JRiver 17 > Musiland Monitor 2> Nad 3020B> AR18LS speakers

Vintage audio fan I see Had a friend who had the same receiver and remember it being very nice.

[i007spectre]

Logitech X-530 on my desktop. My laptop I sometimes run through my home theater receiver.

[lucv13]

I have a pretty basic set up as you can see in the schematic by Brettallica



The breakdown

61" Samsung HL-T6189S
Anthem MRX 300
Sony BDP-CX960 400 Disc blu-ray Changer
Sony 160gb PS3
Ultralink PGX-500 Power Center
Speakers Front and Center - PSB Synchrony 2B L & R Synchrony 2C Center
Surrounds Paradigm ADP 350

Only using one Rotels in the system and downgraded to 5.1 since I purchased my Condo, just don't have the room for 7.1

The HTPC on the left side of the picture is HDMI out from the Mobo to the Anthem negating the need for a separate soundcard, I am considering adding a DAC to the mix

Case - Nmedia HTPC-8000
Mobo - Asus P8H67-M PRO/CSM
CPU - Intel Core™ i5-2320
Ram - Kingston HyperX Genesis 8GB DDR3-1600MHz
PSU - Corsair 620w modular PSU
OS Drive - CrucialM4 64gb SSD
Western Digital Green 2tb
Western Digital Green 1tb
Samsung 400 gb drive
Windows 7 Home Premium

HTPC now using XBMC - while I loved WMC and have used it since inception XBMC is so much more user friendly...

[pentatonic]

damn buddy, that's what I call a PC setup

[lucv13]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

damn buddy, that's what I call a PC setup

Thanks, been gaming on the PS3 last couple years, but if I ever feel the need to play a pc game I can add a video card and am good to go. Sure wish hard drive prices would come down again I'm going to need another 2tb drive soon paid $66 + tax for the last one before the big tsunami that drove prices up...

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by lucv13

Thanks, been gaming on the PS3 last couple years, but if I ever feel the need to play a pc game I can add a video card and am good to go. Sure wish hard drive prices would come down again I'm going to need another 2tb drive soon paid $66 + tax for the last one before the big tsunami that drove prices up...

Prices are slowly coming down. I see you're using Western Digital Green also. I've had great success with WD in the past but have to say 1 of my 1.5 just died after barely 6 months (had 1.1 gb of music on it, lucky I have a backup drive) and my backup one is starting to give me problems. I don't know if it was a bad batch or what but I'm kind of disappointed with them right now.

[Bigdog]

Originally Posted by lucv13

Thanks, been gaming on the PS3 last couple years, but if I ever feel the need to play a pc game I can add a video card and am good to go. Sure wish hard drive prices would come down again I'm going to need another 2tb drive soon paid $66 + tax for the last one before the big tsunami that drove prices up...

They have been dropping lately, i have been shopping for a ssd to give my older pc a little bump and have been watching prices.

Like you i have been mainly gaming on my ps3 and 360 for the last couple years, but lately pc games are just crushing consoles in graphics as the cycle is now shifting back to pc as the performace gaming system of choice imo. Until we see a newer xbox or playstation i see it only getting better for pc gaming moving forward.

[steady339]

I listen to computer based digital music through a 27" iMac, two-channel stereo system running Pure Music software.

I recently purchased a WireWorld Platinum Starlight USB cable that connects from the computer to a Eastern Electric MiniMax Plus DAC. This WW USB cable really allows the DAC to produce some superb sounds in this system. The WW cable was an expensive, but very significant performance upgrade I would highly recommend!

From the DAC the signal goes over Acoustic Zen Matrix interconnects to a Philly 7B preamp with Western Electric JW 396A tubes. Acoustic Zen Silver Reference interconnects feeds the signal into a Counterpoint NP-100 hybrid power amp, then out through Alpha-Core Goertz MI-2 speaker cables into Paradigm Signature S1 v.3 speakers and a Energy Veritas subwoofer. Power cables are WireWorld Silver Electras that feed the power amp and other devices.

[bhampton]

I have an old MacBook with problems.

1) the optical drive doesn't work and will kill any discs
2) the wifi doesn't work
3) the screen flickers

It's on 24/7 with the ability to sleep. It's hard wired to the network and the only thing on the hard drive is all my CDs in apple lossless format. It's also connected to my avr via toslink.

So I can listen over the network or directly through the avr via toslink. I can control iTunes directly either way.


I recently got a free Mac mini that I was going to replace this setup with but this setup still works perfectly and the Mac mini is great for my kids to go online with.

-Brian

[onyxbfly]

Play music via iTunes or Zune or WMP depending on the format....output via Toslink/ spdif/ optical what ever (its all the same no?) into my Lexicon RV 5 out to my speakers........

[prerich]

Originally Posted by onyxbfly

Play music via iTunes or Zune or WMP depending on the format....output via Toslink/ spdif/ optical what ever (its all the same no?) into my Lexicon RV 5 out to my speakers........

Is it bit-perfect? Are you using the DAC in your Lexicon? Mac or PC? If you hav a Mac I'd add Channel D Pure Music for playback, if it's PC ...JRiver (never use WMP for music playback ...another PC option would be Foobar).

[Nick The Slick]

Originally Posted by prerich

Is it bit-perfect? Are you using the DAC in your Lexicon? Mac or PC? If you hav a Mac I'd add Channel D Pure Music for playback, if it's PC ...JRiver (never use WMP for music playback ...another PC option would be Foobar).

I use Xbox Media Center and absolutely love it. What advantages would JRiver give over something like that?

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Nick The Slick

I use Xbox Media Center and absolutely love it. What advantages would JRiver give over something like that?

Well, at one time it would give you a great advantage (and if you are into creating your own EQ filters it still is), however it has come to my attention that the newest version of XBMC (released Jan 3, 2013) is bit-perfect capable and it can also decode DTS-HD-MA and TrueHD!!!! Here's the link, and carry on!

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=AudioEngine

[Nick The Slick]

Originally Posted by prerich

Well, at one time it would give you a great advantage (and if you are into creating your own EQ filters it still is), however it has come to my attention that the newest version of XBMC (released Jan 3, 2013) is bit-perfect capable and it can also decode DTS-HD-MA and TrueHD!!!! Here's the link, and carry on!

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=AudioEngine

From what I understand my current version (11 or "Eden" as it's called) is also bit-perfect capable. In the audio settings I'm able to select between WASAPI or DirectSound. I use WASAPI of course. I'm not totally clear on what all is required to be considered "bit-perfect" capable though, so maybe I'm wrong on that? I have exclusive control selected in my windows settings and like I said WASAPI selected in XBMC settings. What else is required?

And yes I'm also aware the new version is going to support DTS-HDMA and TrueHD, as well as some other goodies and features. Excited for that haha. Guess I'll just stick with it then, especially since it plays so nicely with my Harmony remote and I love the layout/look.

[onyxbfly]

Originally Posted by prerich

Is it bit-perfect? Are you using the DAC in your Lexicon? Mac or PC? If you hav a Mac I'd add Channel D Pure Music for playback, if it's PC ...JRiver (never use WMP for music playback ...another PC option would be Foobar).

Havent really delved into the Lexicon. Its a temp soloution till I move and I can unpack and set up all my goodies.....

I have been meaning to give JRIVER a try. Might give it a shot sometime this weekend. I used foobar in the past as well as winamp. Foobar was deff the better of the two. I need to revisit that as well.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by onyxbfly

Havent really delved into the Lexicon. Its a temp soloution till I move and I can unpack and set up all my goodies.....

I have been meaning to give JRIVER a try. Might give it a shot sometime this weekend. I used foobar in the past as well as winamp. Foobar was deff the better of the two. I need to revisit that as well.

Even though I'm a jriver fanatic, you may also consider XBMC...it's free and getting better all the time!