Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] "optical digital sound cards" OR "what's the best way to play MP3 files on stereo system?"

["Mark Rages" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On 9/1/07, Stephen Montgomery-Smith <EMAIL:PROTECTED> wrote:
> Mike Miller wrote:
> > I have a Sony tuner/amp that accepts an optical digital input from my CD
> > player.  This is supposed to offer the highest quality of sound, but I'm
> > not sure if I can tell the difference between that and the ordinary
> > analog connection.  Anyway, I'm wondering if any of you knows anything
> > about sound cards that can put out an optical digital signal.  It seems
> > like maybe a sound card that does that would be giving me the best
> > quality I can get from my MP3 files.  I think these are available but
> > they might be overpriced and they might have a cap on kpbs throughput
> > (e.g., 192 kbps) I'm not sure how the kbps limit would affect sound --
> > my MP3 files typically go up to 224 kbps but some are 320 kbps.
> >
> > On the other hand, maybe any good sound card would be good enough for
> > me. Any thoughts?  My real question is this:  What's the best way to
> > play MP3 files on a stereo system?  (both "money is no object" and "best
> > cheap solution" answers are welcome!)
> >
> > Mike
>
> Some people claim that they can hear the difference between MP3 and WAV
> (i.e. CD) recordings, because with MP3 compression there has to be some
> kind of loss of data.  So maybe by using MP3 you have already lost any
> advantage that optical output might bring.
>
> But really I don't know.
>

It's easy to hear the difference at 128kbps mp3.  Try a single
instrument like solo piano or acoustic guitar.

To address the original question, the bitrate of the optical out is
uncompressed digital data.  As an example, an mp3 ripped from CD will
uncompress to 44.1kHz * 16 bits * stereo = 1411200 bits per second.
The important question is, does your computer or receiver have a
better DAC?  Analog technology like DACs are one area where the best
technology is an order of magnitude more expensive.  Just don't walk
into the golden-ear audiophile store and tell them you're buying an
$800 DAC to listen to MP3's!

Regards,
Mark
EMAIL:PROTECTED
-- 
Mark Rages, Engineer
Midwest Telecine LLC
EMAIL:PROTECTED

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