Receivers, DACs and Laptops

[jgstudios]

I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-33 AVR. According to the specs, it has a Burr-Brown DAC built in. My Sony Vaio laptop has a noisy audio card, so the 1/8" stereo port sucks. it has a static hiss going on all the time. I thought about getting a DAC to push out a good audio signal from a USB port to the Pioneer, but then I found out it had the DAC already built in. What's the best way to connect the LT to the Pioneer? I've been using an HDMI port just because I happened to have a long cable laying around. Signal is nice and clear. Is that a good method and is it making use of the BB DAC? Is there a better way or is the HDMI the appropriate method?

 

[TheoN]

If the Vaio has an HDMI port, by all means use that. Double check the audio sampling rate of the HDMI output. Typically you have the option of sending bitstream or PCM (or at least you should have that option). While you can certainly send PCM, I suggest sending bitstream so that the Pioneer is handling everything. .

 

[lovinthehd]

If the Vaio has an HDMI port, by all means use that. Double check the audio sampling rate of the HDMI output. Typically you have the option of sending bitstream or PCM (or at least you should have that option). While you can certainly send PCM, I suggest sending bitstream so that the Pioneer is handling everything. .

What difference does it make as to which unit converts the codec, tho?

@jgstudios In any case I'd agree, use the hdmi output if you have one. As long as it's exported from your computer to the avr digitally, you'd be using the dac in the avr....

 

[TheoN]

What difference does it make as to which unit converts the codec, tho?

@jgstudios In any case I'd agree, use the hdmi output if you have one. As long as it's exported from your computer to the avr digitally, you'd be using the dac in the avr....

I don’t know the particulars of the settings on that unit but if you convert to PCM you may have to then specify the bitrate. I haven’t fooled with that in some time.