best way to hook up computer to receiver

[AliG]

hey I'm looking to get my first legit sound system and I figured you guys know what's best.

As it is, I have a creative extreme music that I snagged for $30 shipped off the classifieds year a while ago. I ended up buying, but then returning an asus xonar d2x because of a pci_e slot malfunction.

I figured instead of wasting my time on getting a pci sound card, I might as well get a receiver so that I can get some legit loud speakers.

for the receiver, I think I'm going to buy a refurbished harmon kardon 247. That should be more than enough for my needs, and they end up on average $170 (so same price as xonar, tight budget). Any thoughts on that receiver? I should note that I am a musician myself, so sound quality is more important than volume.

More importantly, I was wondering what is the best way to connect the receiver to the computer? I could buy the i/o add on for the extreme music and connect via optical to have perhaps a bit more software control, or just go straight optical to receiver and just put the sound card in a different computer?

Thanks ahead of time, sorry these questions are so n00bish. I've been building computers since I was 12 but have never really put much thought into quality sound products before.

[RAW-Raptor22]

I just run 5.1 output (analog) from my Audigy 2 ZS to the 5.1 input on my Kenwood receiver. I use a set of three minijack out to 2x RCA cables. Good luck with your venture into real stereos.

[trance565]

im not sure about what board your using, but mine comes with realtek hd output (7.1) which also has an optical out. i would suggest using optical.

straight optical would probably be fine, the only control you really need is an equalizer, which im sure you can download one to effect the sound for everything, or just set it up in your media player.

and sound quality wise, i doubt your mobo has anything worse than a ps3, and honestly i think it sounds fine.

[Computurd]

There is a multichannel cord that creative sells that will output 7.1 audio for your reciever. I bought it on their site for 12 bucks, outputs 7.1 to my onkoyo reciever. I also hooked up optical, just because i have a spare optical cord laying around. Both work well, bu the multichannel out is way better as you can isolate speakers, etc.

[AliG]

is this what you were talking about?
http://us.creative.com/products/prod...t=1780&listby=

I figured that would probably give me the most control

[Donnie27]

is this what you were talking about?
http://us.creative.com/products/prod...t=1780&listby=

I figured that would probably give me the most control

He's talking about this one.

http://www.soundblaster.com/products...&product=14309

Sound Blaster Home Theater Cable. It's nice but not the only thing that will work. There is a very good connection explanation on this page as well.

I have the HK 247 and the main thing about it is that it needs very Efficient speakers to work better. Use the Auto set up and then make whatever fine tuning adjustments.

Games work better in Direct analog mode on the receivers with Music being a mixed bag! I still like Old School Receivers better. I like the old school receivers Headphone out that render little can HP amps useless and their Brute force amps can't be touched.

Please note, Creative sound cards call for the speakers to be placed behind or at the rear of the listener. Normal THX--Dolby placement is to the side or about 90 degrees.

[PaganII]

I use those Creative Home Theatre cables to get 7.1 for gaming and DVD-A. Ya, when you switch from 7.1 to 5.1 using Creative it disables the side speakers.
The Harmon Kardon receivers have 2nd room feature on the rear surround amps. It is possible to use the rear channels for radio, CD etc while using the front, center and side surround for gaming but not with the way Creative disables the side speakers for 5.1 using the HT cables. You need the 3 mini to RCA cables to do that.
Have fun! It will sound great!

[AliG]

hey what do you guys think of the Marantz SR5600?

I might be able to get one real cheap because one of the optical inputs are defective (not a big issue to me, I can manage without it).

[AliG]

I also just found an interesting craigslist deal. Someone is offering a harman kardon 154 for $65 (with no known problems). That is almost dirt cheap and the sound quality should be good. However will 30w be powerful enough for polk monitor 60s and a cs2?

[PaganII]

It would be ok for 5.1 gaming with near field speaker setup. Better look at the back of the HK154 first to see if it has MC direct inputs. I lucked out and scored an HK245 7.1 refurb for $100 on ebay. Avoid the X35 series HK. X45s have HDMI pass thru and pre-outs.
Edit: Looks like the 154 has direct inputs.
http://www.harmankardon.com/en-US/Pr...t.aspx?SID=AVR
The newer models have cut back on the features of low end models. For instance, on the newest model you have to get the 3rd one up from the bottom just to get pre-outs to use external amps.

[AliG]

Man, some deuche bag snagged the marantz at the last second from me.

It went for $81 + shipping. I would have one upped them except I didn't have enough time to rebid

[AliG]

I bought the monitor 60s, got them for a steal, $100 a pop. I considered the monitor 70s because they have larger woofers, but the extra $200 wasn't worth it to me. I figure that money could be put towards getting a cs2 and a powered sub or a better receiver.

[Scubar]

use SPDIF to output to your receiver, It should have better DACs than the soundcard.

[Donnie27]

I bought the monitor 60s, got them for a steal, $100 a pop. I considered the monitor 70s because they have larger woofers, but the extra $200 wasn't worth it to me. I figure that money could be put towards getting a cs2 and a powered sub or a better receiver.

Yepp, you might be right, I stopped playing with bidding kiddies a long time ago. I've mainly purchased from EBay via the Buy Only sections.

[AliG]

The monitors came in yesterday, they ARE HUGE! I guess you don't really understand how big these things are until you've seen them up close and personal. Also the color goes great with the rest of my setup, now I'm waiting for black friday to buy a receiver.

What do you guys think of the HK avr 354? Best buy has a display model available for $400, and I'm sure I could get that down on black friday, but I'd rather not pay over $200 if the feature difference isn't much. There's one thing that kinda worries me. The 645 has the same power rating and weighs like 45 pounds, where as the 354 only weighs 30? What's going on there? Did HK decide to cheap out? If anything it should be heavier due to the better video processor

[Donnie27]

The monitors came in yesterday, they ARE HUGE! I guess you don't really understand how big these things are until you've seen them up close and personal. Also the color goes great with the rest of my setup, now I'm waiting for black friday to buy a receiver.

What do you guys think of the HK avr 354? Best buy has a display model available for $400, and I'm sure I could get that down on black friday, but I'd rather not pay over $200 if the feature difference isn't much.

Again, I have the 245 and it gets blown away by the 354. You should be able to get the 354 for a better Price. The 245 can't pass through or support Dolby True HD or DTS HD. It can't pass through 1.3a/b or etc... while the 354 does.
I love how this works on my Pioneer 819 as well. Wherehouse Deals at Amazon has one repackages/openbox for $350 and one other going used for $298. $200 for a receiver with newer features like those mentioned above will be tuff but not impossible.

[AliG]

how about the weight disparity? That's what I'm most concerned about. It doesn't make sense that the new model weighs a solid 10 pounds less.

[Donnie27]

how about the weight disparity? That's what I'm most concerned about. It doesn't make sense that the new model weighs a solid 10 pounds less.

Better AMPs, as in newer more efficient technology doesn't need larger heat sinks and transformers. Compare it to some like comparing a Prescott P4 to a Penryn Core 2? Bigger and heavier isn't always the best!

[AliG]

Of course that applies to cpus, I just wondering because a lot of people told me for receivers heavier = better quality DAC

[Donnie27]

Of course that applies to cpus, I just wondering because a lot of people told me for receivers heavier = better quality DAC

DACs and Pre Amp does matter but weight doesn't unless we're talking about the same class of AMP. I still have an old 250 Power Supply that's heavier than my Current OCZ 700W (itself not light either). Yet the 250W PSU (Sparkle) will not power up my HTPC being power but a cheap 400W HEC.

[Elmy]

for those of you bidding on ebay..... esnipe ? google it ... its a program that bids for you at the last second if your max bid is higher than the bid at the last min

[crackhead2k]

A good sound card with a good amplifier(not a receiver) will sound better... I tested on my Energy RC-70s...

analog/optical would be fine unless your speakers are really good, see which sound better...

[Donnie27]

A good sound card with a good amplifier(not a receiver) will sound better... I tested on my Energy RC-70s...

analog/optical would be fine unless your speakers are really good, see which sound better...

Not always the case! There are some great receivers on the market. The minor differences isn't worth fretting over for 99.987654321% of the folks out there. I've used receiver and AMPs with the last being a very nice Crown 2 Ch 400W. Something ***LIKE*** a Carver Power AMP plus Pre AMP is the best but using Hardware like that without some top flight Source Material is a Joke!

Source Material = High Grain Albums with a minimum priced Turn Table of $1000, Super Audio CD, 24bit 96KHz Stereo DVD Audio, or High Sample rate Live Music professionally recorded. NOTHING tickles me more than some guy or chick breaking out the 100,000 system to listen to a low budget CD-Audio Disc.

[AliG]

Can you provide an example of a reasonably priced amplifier?

[Donnie27]

Can you provide an example of a reasonably priced amplifier?

I like the old Carver 2 and 5 channel amps.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Carver-M-1-5t-Am...item518e876e44

I posted this before but the site went down for me!