Signal quality from PC to Pre-Amp? For the Experts

[Mike82]

I am wondering what the cleanest way to hook my PC up to my Sunfire Theater Grand II Pre-Amp. I understand you want to get the signal as least decoded as possable to the pre-amp. You want the pre-amp to do all the decoding considering it is better at it. I am just wondering the best way to do that. I am guessing when it is coming from my Sound Audagey sound card it is getting decoded some if not all then sent to my pre-amp. I have a Optical out on my motherboard but that to is tied into my sound card. To keep it short what is the cleanest and best way to send the signal so I am not loosing anything.

 

[markw]

It's either decoded or it's not.

If you send it in digital format, via either digital coax or toslink, then the unit on the far side of the interconnect does all the decoding.

If you send it in analog format, then the computer did the decoding.

 

[Mike82]

I am a newbie when it comes to this stuff just to get that out of the way. So you are saying if I send it out my sound card to my pre-amp the pre-amp would be doing all the decoding. How do i know if I am sending it digital or analog, would it all not be digital being it is coming out of a PC. If that is true why can I run straight to my Amp and it is already decoded, how well I don't know?

 

[OttoMatic]

The optical connection is a digital signal (as is "digital coax" which looks like a single RCA cable). The little headphone jack lookin' connection is analog. If it has a pair of red and white RCA connections on the end of the cable, then you know it's analog for sure.

Go with the digital. See my comments in your similar thread at HTS as well.

Good luck.