Change from Auzentech forte

[Bobsama]

# Manufacturer: Pyle Audio, Inc
# Manufacturer Part Number: PT8000CH
# Manufacturer Website Address: www.pyleaudio.com
# Product Model: PT8000CH
# Product Name: PT8000CH Stereo/Mono Amplifier
# Product Type: Amplifier
# Video System: Not Applicable
# Channels: 8
# Output Power: 8 x 1 kW RMS, 1 kW RMS
# Sound System: Not Applicable
# Dimensions: 7.10" Height x 19" Width x 19.30" Depth
# Weight (Approximate): 48.50 lb




ONLY $299
Its not a receiver just AMP

You'll need a preamp to go along with that. A decent-quality 5+ch pre would run a pretty penny. I personally would never buy Pyle or store-brands, since you never know what you're really getting. With smaller speakers, a $300-500 AVR should work fine (in general, Pioneer > Onkyo > Yamaha > Sony > Samsung).

Two things, though: home theaters aren't for music and home theater equipment isn't for music, either. Even so, both will massacre computer speakers.

If you're looking for just music on the cheaper side (especially in smaller rooms), a pair of powered monitors (perhaps http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16836127004), a subwoofer, and an SPL meter (to calibrate the subwoofer).


My personal favorite setup would be an 80's or very early 90's pre & amp, a pair of full-range loudspeakers, and decent headphones. I've got a little Sherwood AI-1110 (2x40W@8ohm or so), a pair of Polk Monitor 5 (Series 2), and Sennheiser HD-555's. The Senn's need to be upgraded and I'm eying a Little Dot DAC_II (which also has a little headphone amp).

[Donnie27]

You'll need a preamp to go along with that. A decent-quality 5+ch pre would run a pretty penny. I personally would never buy Pyle or store-brands, since you never know what you're really getting. With smaller speakers, a $300-500 AVR should work fine (in general, Pioneer > Onkyo > Yamaha > Sony > Samsung).

Two things, though: home theaters aren't for music and home theater equipment isn't for music, either. Even so, both will massacre computer speakers.

If you're looking for just music on the cheaper side (especially in smaller rooms), a pair of powered monitors (perhaps http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16836127004), a subwoofer, and an SPL meter (to calibrate the subwoofer).

My personal favorite setup would be an 80's or very early 90's pre & amp, a pair of full-range loudspeakers, and decent headphones. I've got a little Sherwood AI-1110 (2x40W@8ohm or so), a pair of Polk Monitor 5 (Series 2), and Sennheiser HD-555's. The Senn's need to be upgraded and I'm eying a Little Dot DAC_II (which also has a little headphone amp).

I don't think you need a Pre-Amp with that unless you're using one of the digital Formats. You can do Direct Analog Connect to it. Pyle has been hit and miss for me with too many misses.

As for Sennheisser, I'd say 595's or better anything less is easy to find better for my ears. I'd take DT-770's over anything Sennheisser short of the HD600's.

[lowfat]

Xonar HDAV 1.3 is what you want

HDMI passthrough for 7.1 DTS-HD at max sound resoloution

Using the onboard amps to drive a reciever is a waste of time

the comparison of using optical and normal phono on my denon s101 is night and day

The HDAV1.3 is a horrible card to purchase these days. Back when bistreaming wasn't available on soundcards it was an ok purchase. If you are using HDMI it offers NOTHING over a videocard like a GTX460.

You like music? Auzentech Bravura then.. or maybe HTHD, but if its just for regular repro or headphones, I would go with Bravura. Every OPAMP upgradable. Works fine with WASAPI. And you have very decent built-in headphone AMP. Upgradable ofc.

If you for some reason want HDMI output, then HTHD from Auzentech.

Bravura is better than Forte, but Forte was never designed as "whole" soundcard, but as low-profile one for HTPCs. Which worked fine, just sound lacked a bit..

If you want to use Logitech 5.1 and Audio Technica headphones, its perfect choice..

The Bravura is not a better card than the Forte. Besides the replaceable opamps it is nearly identical in hardware, except for the much cheaper audio processor. Changing opamps does not increase sound quality. It just changes the colouring of the sound.

And like I said in the other thread the HTHD is another bad choice.

[Mescalamba]

Yea yea, sure. Its not better than Forte, it just sounds better.

And HTHD ofc isnt good choice either, cause it sounds great..

[lowfat]

Yea yea, sure. Its not better than Forte, it just sounds better.

And HTHD ofc isnt good choice either, cause it sounds great..

I'd like to know how it sounds better when it uses the exact same DAC's and a significantly more poor sound processor.

The HTHD is even more poor. Its front DAC's are more poor than both the Bravura and the Forte. It has no market anymore. It would have been a great card if it didn't take 2 years to reach the market. After videocards could already bitstream, and with less hassle at that.

[Mescalamba]

To put it simple. I owned Forte, I own Bravura. I know what sounds better and what doesnt. Cause I have ears and heard them. Also had Xonar ST. If someone like sound-like-tin-can, go ahead and buy it. I dont.

I really dont care what specs said, cause its pretty much as dSLR market, what does matter is output, not paper specs. And thats better on Bravura, end of story.

On HTHD I can just use reviews and specs, so not sure if its good or bad, but if it works and sound same or better than Bravura, it must be great soundcard.

HDMI output from graphic cards is if my memory servers well, handled by Realtek, which can be famous only for creating "chips for almost everything, that fails at everything". Sound from Realtek sux, always.

[lowfat]

To put it simple. I owned Forte, I own Bravura. I know what sounds better and what doesnt. Cause I have ears and heard them. Also had Xonar ST. If someone like sound-like-tin-can, go ahead and buy it. I dont.

I really dont care what specs said, cause its pretty much as dSLR market, what does matter is output, not paper specs. And thats better on Bravura, end of story.

On HTHD I can just use reviews and specs, so not sure if its good or bad, but if it works and sound same or better than Bravura, it must be great soundcard.

HDMI output from graphic cards is if my memory servers well, handled by Realtek, which can be famous only for creating "chips for almost everything, that fails at everything". Sound from Realtek sux, always.

Digital audio is bit perfect no matter on the source. So the HDMI audio on a GTX460 will sound exactly the same as HDMI audio on the HTHD.

And there is no way I would ever choose a Bravura over a Xonar ST. If you do not care about EAX it is the best headphone card available by a long shot.

[Bobsama]

I don't think you need a Pre-Amp with that unless you're using one of the digital Formats. You can do Direct Analog Connect to it. Pyle has been hit and miss for me with too many misses.

As for Sennheisser, I'd say 595's or better anything less is easy to find better for my ears. I'd take DT-770's over anything Sennheisser short of the HD600's.

You almost always need a preamp or other processor. If you don't have one or use one, you're very liable to start blowing up. That Pyle is heavily overrated (which is why I said to look into AVR's).

[Rumpus01]

Alright well I would like to keep the forte, but it just keeps having issues. For example, occasionally during games all sound will stop and there will be a terrible high pitched continuous wining noise until i restart the computer. It also fuzzes out to practically indistinguishable noises and sometimes just fuzzes out minor amounts at a time and then goes away. Typically i have to restart the machine to fix this. Perhaps I should RMA the card and see if that's a fix?

[Mescalamba]

RMA is adviced, but it can be just interference from something in your PC.. Which means, even RMAed it would do same.. Though, its worth trying.

[Donnie27]

You almost always need a preamp or other processor. If you don't have one or use one, you're very liable to start blowing up. That Pyle is heavily overrated (which is why I said to look into AVR's).

Up stairs in my computer room:].X-Fi Platinum and Audigy 2ZS
I use both a Pre-amp and AMP. First I use the Pre-AMP section decoupled from is AMP on my Harmon Kardon 247 and connected it straight to the Older Harmon Kardon 730. The older AMP had more punch that the newer stuff. Once you go old school the newer stuff that doesn't cost a at least 1K doesn't cut it anymore. I also use a Digital connection to compare Certain movies and games. Digital is limited to DTS and DDL, analog kills both formats on my system. The Receivers down support the latest HDMI so nothing is connected to my GTX-460.

Downstairs in my Den;X-Fi Prelude .
Analog Direct and Digital connection. Here I get to compare the Computers' (two computer connected to these receivers) Digital and Analog as compare to a LG 370 Blue Ray Player. I'm using PowerDVD 10 for Blue Ray software on the computer and can test HDMI from my GT-240. With only a Pioneer 819 and JVC Old School class H amp monster and wayyyyy over the top speakers, I can hear everything and too many folks have underestimated my rigs! I used Rightmark to make sure there wasn't any down sampling. No Lip-Syncing issues as well.

When either of these are ran Analog Direct neither has any problem shaking the rooms they're set up in. Considering Creative based cards aren't the loudest out there makes that even better (no Pre Amp). Most amps have High and Low Gain controls and I've never had to use any High Gain setting.

I have zero problems with Amps with no Pre-Amp. I know someone with a Similar Pyle AMP but it is a strictly stereo version. It doesn't sound bad at all. I saw and heard of others just up and dying for seemingly no reason. That's why I said hit and miss. Pyle didn't sound bad but they like most other companies lie about their real power (wattage) and aren't the most reliable out there.