computers. again.

when I move house, I want the PC in the same room as the hifi.

The idea is, run a long interconnect under the carpet, and when I fancy a bit of internet radio or accessing music on the hard drive, I don't need to worry about squeezeboxes and the like..

I'll need a better sound card though - what's the best 'hifi' soundcard, under a hundred quid?

I don't want to spend more, it's not worth it.

CHeers
Chris.

 

You are probably best looking at stuff like MAudio and Terralec.

Something like this: http://www.dv247.com/invt/2062/

 

... or the next model up from the 2496, the m-audio 192 £95
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/4802
terratec phase 22 is another to consider £65
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/3596

also heard this one mentioned with +ve reviews
e-mu 0404 £69
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/3844
review here http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep04/articles/emu0404.htm

 

Have you actually tried using a squeezebox?

 

Hi David - just don't want to spend the money on one - there's no point for me.

Id want internet radio (like Pandora) so that's a couple of hundred quid on a SB2 or 3.

Looks like I can get a decent soundcard for £50-£60 - and the interconnect will be pence... so that's the one

plus, no new user interface to need to learn..

 

Oh no you don't! You'll change your mind when the fan noise has you either shutting down the machine to silence it, or going over to (quite expensive) water cooling

BTW, a squeezebox has very little in the way of user interface. You need to live with one for a while, and then you won't want to go back to using CD's. [It does for CD's what TiVo does for TV.]

 

a computer fan?

its pretty quiet.. and I'm not a traditional audiophile fineckety type

besides, at the volume I play at, a little fan on a pc doesn't stand much chance

 

E-MU 0404 is one i recommend highly. But make sure you buy one of the custom breakout cables. The standard is such low quality its laughable.

Oh and find out what ASIO is. If you download the ASIO dll file for winamp you would not believe the sound difference over routing the sound through windows nasty k-mixer.

 

I looked into a squeezebox but have to agree they are quite expensive.
Though to get a really quiet pc is also expensive, so what do ya do, well if ya me, you use a notebook! no fans, sorted.
Got a really cheap p3-500, runnung Ubuntu Linux. Ok so you dont get a say on the quality of the sound card, but come on its internet radio, not like source is any good to start with.....

 

Erm I use a notebook and it has a fan. Annoys the teets offa me at times.

 

I was looking at a card a while back, which I think may have been similar to the M-Audio 192, but it also had a front MOunting control/connection plate. Can't remember the price, but was very well reviewed.

I beive you play guitar Chris? Do you ever record to pc?

 

Hi Mo

Nope, don't record on the pc. Hearing myself play always makes me cringe!

 

Chris, please contact me by email!