Audio Question

[Konijntjes]

Atm i am using a Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 deluxe with spdif to my denon ( have a dell u2711 so cant use HDMI) for DTS and Dolby 5.1 to my reciever a Denon avr 1611 for headphones i am useing a Beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80 ohm. Do i need a amp and if so how can i use that properly?

[Cyanotical]

your best result will be to run HDMI from the Xonar to the Denon, and then HDMI again from the Denon to the U2711

the Denon has it's own build in headphone amp, if you want the tone of a dedicated amp, get a DAC/AMP combo or individual components

[Konijntjes]

The problem is with HDMI and the Dell u2711 its a 2560*1440 screen and with hdmi i cant go higher then 1920*1080

[Cyanotical]

HDMI can go higher than 1920x1080, and the u2711 will display a 1920x1080 signal

[BicycleMafioso]

HDMI can go higher than 1920x1080, and the u2711 will display a 1920x1080 signal

True, but as far as I could tell, the Denon could not output higher than 1920x1080.

[Cyanotical]

True, but as far as I could tell, the Denon could not output higher than 1920x1080.

it's not really relevant though, there is no available content higher than that, Bluray is only 1080p, so using the u2711 or anything higher than 1080 is rather pointless for that kind of content

[Shinzai]

I'm confused by this thread. Isn't the answer: Plug headphones into the amp, still using SPDIF or HDMI from Xonar -> amp. HDMI from PC graphics card -> Monitor for max. resolution.?

[Cyanotical]

I'm confused by this thread. Isn't the answer: Plug headphones into the amp, still using SPDIF or HDMI from Xonar -> amp. HDMI from PC graphics card -> Monitor for max. resolution.?

thats one way to do it, but the HDAV Xonar is also a video card, its primary purpose is for running bluray and 1080p encoded video, which has a max resolution of 1920x1080

so the max resolution of the u2711 is irrelevant, since the content is only 1080

[Shinzai]

thats one way to do it, but the HDAV Xonar is also a video card, its primary purpose is for running bluray and 1080p encoded video, which has a max resolution of 1920x1080

so the max resolution of the u2711 is irrelevant, since the content is only 1080

Yar... but both the HDAV and u2711 have hdmi 1.3 support, unless I'm mistaken? So they should natively output and receive upto 2560x1600 at 24bit~30bit? I guess that if he wants to use it as a graphics card, he could essentially output the 2560 resolutions from it for desktop resolution purposes and such?

[Konijntjes]

I will explain: i have a Asus Xonar Hdav 1.3 in my pc atm i am useing that for bitstreaming DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 to my avr a Denon 1611 thats all good. Now i have for sometime a beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80 Ohm and i plug that in my Denon 1611. Now is my qeustion can i gain better sound qualiti by using a headphone amp.


I know i can use HDMI of the Asus but my monitor a Dell U2711 doensnt support more that 1920x1080 over HDMI. There are some treaths on the web that say otherwise but i havent got to test them yet. HDMI will be a beter option because of the bitstreaming DTS HD and TRUE Dolby Digital something.


My Dell U2711 is connected with Displayport to my Asus 670 GTX for the maxium resolution of 2560x1440.

[Shinzai]

I will explain: i have a Asus Xonar Hdav 1.3 in my pc atm i am useing that for bitstreaming DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 to my avr a Denon 1611 thats all good. Now i have for sometime a beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80 Ohm and i plug that in my Denon 1611. Now is my qeustion can i gain better sound qualiti by using a headphone amp.


I know i can use HDMI of the Asus but my monitor a Dell U2711 doensnt support more that 1920x1080 over HDMI. There are some treaths on the web that say otherwise but i havent got to test them yet. HDMI will be a beter option because of the bitstreaming DTS HD and TRUE Dolby Digital something.


My Dell U2711 is connected with Displayport to my Asus 670 GTX for the maxium resolution of 2560x1440.

To get the 2560x1440 resolution, could you use a HDMI->DVI cable from the HDAV? It probably wouldn't make a difference though.

For the sound, the benefits of HDMI over Optical/Coaxial Digital are only apparent in 7.1 surround sound systems. If you're using 5.1, Optical/Coaxial and HDMI will sound exactly the same as Optical can deliver a full 5.1 discrete sound.

[Konijntjes]

To get the 2560x1440 resolution, could you use a HDMI->DVI cable from the HDAV? It probably wouldn't make a difference though.

For the sound, the benefits of HDMI over Optical/Coaxial Digital are only apparent in 7.1 surround sound systems. If you're using 5.1, Optical/Coaxial and HDMI will sound exactly the same as Optical can deliver a full 5.1 discrete sound.

The Only perk i get from useing HDMI is Dolby True HD en DTS-HD to my denon but i lose my higher resolution.

My setup
Xonar -> spdif -> Denon -> Jamo speakers/Beyer headset
670 GTX -> Displayport U2711

But do i need a extra amp for my headset ?

[Cyanotical]

But do i need a extra amp for my headset ?

technically, no, but i'd get one anyway, your denon is an AV reciever, the headphone amp was added as an afterthought and will never sound as good as a dedicated DAC and Amp

also, you do know that you get no added benefit from the U2711 when watching HD content, right?

---------- Post added 2012-11-02 at 04:05 AM ----------

One thing you could do though, is run an hdmi cable from the xonar to the denon, and just set it as the default sound device, and run a DVI cable (not display port) to your monitor

[Konijntjes]

technically, no, but i'd get one anyway, your denon is an AV reciever, the headphone amp was added as an afterthought and will never sound as good as a dedicated DAC and Amp

also, you do know that you get no added benefit from the U2711 when watching HD content, right?

---------- Post added 2012-11-02 at 04:05 AM ----------

One thing you could do though, is run an hdmi cable from the xonar to the denon, and just set it as the default sound device, and run a DVI cable (not display port) to your monitor

I need to link my 670 gtx to my xonar because the xonar will only be a passtrough device so i get a 2e screen i cant use.

I use the higher ress for photoshop/vmware.

What kind of amp+dac can you recommend ?

[Cyanotical]

I need to link my 670 gtx to my xonar because the xonar will only be a passtrough device so i get a 2e screen i cant use.

I use the higher ress for photoshop/vmware.

What kind of amp+dac can you recommend ?

the Xonar Essence One is really good, and im told that a Schiit Bifrost/Valhalla combo is also very good, beyond that you start running into the products for stupid audiophiles, by that i mean things that are only expensive because someone is stupid enough to buy them, such as a $400 USB cable, or Bose headphones

Xonar E-1

Schiit

windows should be able to recognize the HDMI output on teh xonar as default audio, even with no video signal being sent on it, and will automatically send video through the 670 as long as it is plugged into something

[Konijntjes]

And the xonar hdav cant do hdmi audio only if i can trust the asus members forum..

[Cyanotical]

And the xonar hdav cant do hdmi audio only if i can trust the asus members forum..

it wouldn't surprise me, it's meant for HTPCs, not to be used as a dedicated sound card,

you could go around this by replacing it with a Xonar STX, it's not going to sound as good as a DAC, but it has a built in headphone amp and spdif output

the STX

[Konijntjes]

Do you have a other product like schiit because i find 54 $ a bit much on the shipping cost to the netherlands

[Jinto]

If you are outputting digital to your Denon you are using the Denon as a DAC. Even onboard will sound absolutely identical to a super amazing sound card if the stream is bit perfect (which most onboard can do nowadays).

Your main issue is that your receiver is extremely limiting. It does not analog output AFAIK. It would be worthwhile to find something different.

edit: Actually looking at the HDAV you should do something like this:

HDAV -> Analog -> Amp -> Headphones
HDAV -> SPDIF/COAX -> Denon -> Speakers

So the HDAV is the DAC for the Headphones while the Denon is the DAC for the Speakers. You can select output in Windows.

Assuming you need an amp (should have got the 600ohm Beyers lol).

[Cyanotical]

Do you have a other product like schiit because i find 54 $ a bit much on the shipping cost to the netherlands

let me get this right, you want to spent $700 on a dac and amp, but not $54 on shipping?

If you are outputting digital to your Denon you are using the Denon as a DAC. Even onboard will sound absolutely identical to a super amazing sound card if the stream is bit perfect (which most onboard can do nowadays).

Your main issue is that your receiver is extremely limiting. It does not analog output AFAIK. It would be worthwhile to find something different.

edit: Actually looking at the HDAV you should do something like this:

HDAV -> Analog -> Amp -> Headphones
HDAV -> SPDIF/COAX -> Denon -> Speakers

So the HDAV is the DAC for the Headphones while the Denon is the DAC for the Speakers. You can select output in Windows.

Assuming you need an amp (should have got the 600ohm Beyers lol).

onboard never sounds as good as a DAC, even with ASIO 2.2

the OP's issues is that the Denon doesn't pass the 2550x1440 video signal through and only outputs 1920x1080