AC3 digital out good for hifi stereo music?

[fredhammersmith]

Hi. I have (to try and test) a new sound processor from Linn, the 5103, that I'd like to hook up with my computer. It sounds to me better than my Micromega Stage 4, with beautiful mid-highs.

My soundcard is a SoundBlaster Audigy.

What I want to do is to sent my music (stereo, uncompressed, uncompromised) to the Linn DAC, which has 4 RCA inputs that accepts PCM and AC3.
My understanding is that the only way to do this with the Audigy is to connect the RCA input of the DAC to the mini digital output of the SB. And that the signal sent by the SB will be in the form of a AC3 signal.
Does the AC3 compression hurt the music, or is it a lossless format? Obviously, I'll specify to sent the signal in the 44.1 format.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[Feisal K]

AC3 is a lossy format, and if you send it as bitstream it needs an AC3 decoder at the other end ... is the Linn 5103 an AV receiver/processor of some sort?

[fredhammersmith]

yes, and it can decode AC3. But if what u say is true, i definitively need a new soundcard which can sent bit-perfect digital PCM... Any suggestions? Can't wait to hook my computer to this marvelous pre-amp/DAC/sound processor...

[Feisal K]

instead of a new soundcard, why not investigate something like a Squeezebox?

[I Am The Lolrus]

Originally Posted by Feisal K

instead of a new soundcard, why not investigate something like a Squeezebox?

bad idea, it is an appliance not a soundcard.

[fredhammersmith]

because I do not want to spent any money (well, not much) for these tests.
for sure, a Squeezebox or something similar is in the future for me. i have my whole record collection on my hard drive.
but for now, I just want to test the Linn as a DAC and to have some fun.

[Feisal K]

can the current soundcard run an ASIO driver?

how much is a new soundcard which can send bit-perfect digital PCM?

[michael w]

AC3 sucks for music.

Stick with PCM.

[Shakey]

I find it hard to believe the Linn does not accept SPDIF in via either an RCA or BNC or Toslink. It can decode AC3 and PCM, those are formats, the interface should handle digital out of your computer without a card, I think.
I can do that with my Mac.

Yeah, AC3 is not HI-FI.

[fredhammersmith]

I was able to make a connection, finally, between the Linn and my Audigy.
The Linn's user's guide does not tell much. It is an old AV processor (1999). I guess the AC3 info is traveling by spdif, since this is the way it comes out of my Audigy.
But when u say "the interface should handle digital out of your computer without a card", what do you mean? You made a connection straight from the motherboard?

[Shakey]

No, my Macs have both a coax and toslink digital out, on the computer itself.
Albeit on some mini connection, have to use a special cable.
But if your present card has a digital out, I should think you could use that, if your computer doesn't provide that connectivity.

[ROLO46]

AC3 not recomended for music and an early Linn processer could be 'tired' in comp to modern Woolfsons etc

[jorgeluiz]

@ fredhammersmith, michael w, ROLO46 and all

Feisal K is completely right, AC3 is a lossy format but really bad is mp3.
i encode AC3 a long time and the quality depend of "what encoder" is used.
believe, some comercials encoders are not so good, some have high price and are horribles.
i can't change your mind but i can send samples if you request, just send me few seconds in 44.1k/16bit and i will do a video-ts folder to be burned as dvd-video or i send a single AC3(2.0 or 5.1)...can ber classics, rock, opera, just as your taste.
i have lots of dvd-videos with AC3 640 5.1 and sounds amazing.

you'll "hear" the result and not only "read" what i'm writing.
your ears are good judges and if you don't like i can't discuss with you, my target is not be "imperative", i don't have the final word.
if you like the result, i can send the encoder for you all...is free, easy to use, short size...very good.

of course, is not recommended that you capture from AC3, capture "uncompressed" is the way to go always but to archive in medias to play in all standalones(as is standard) and to play in pc with multichannel audiocard, AC3 is very nice and have short size....even when the AC3 is 5.1 is playable in standalones players to stereo system without need decoder as is universal format(standard)

regards!

[GreenDrazi]

Where have you read that the only way the Audigy can deliver sound via SPDIF is by using AC3? Is there a Linn readout saying it's AC3?

I can’t imagine it trying to convert standard bitrate PCM files to AC3 first. But then again, this is Creative.

I’m pretty sure that you can deliver wav, mp3, flac and most other common audio formats at CD bitrates via PCM over SPDIF on the Audigy.

[fredhammersmith]

Well, I'm wondering that too. Because the Linn is displaying PCM while playing this output.
I have to do a screen capture when I get home and show it to you guys.

[fredhammersmith]

Originally Posted by GreenDrazi

Where have you read that the only way the Audigy can deliver sound via SPDIF is by using AC3? Is there a Linn readout saying it's AC3?

I can’t imagine it trying to convert standard bitrate PCM files to AC3 first. But then again, this is Creative.

I’m pretty sure that you can deliver wav, mp3, flac and most other common audio formats at CD bitrates via PCM over SPDIF on the Audigy.

I'm trying to understand what I read...

This is from a user's guide on the Creative Labs site:

Stereo SPDIF Digital Out
The cards include Sound Blaster X-Fi series, Sound Blaster Audigy 4, Sound Blaster Audigy Value and Sound Blaster Audigy SE.
It is a stereo SPDIF digital out jack. It supports stereo SPDIF Out to Stereo Digital Speakers only, orsends compressed AC3 signals to an external decoder.

If I look in the control panel of the Audigy, this is one of the tabs:

PCM? AC3? And since Audigy cards are known to operate at 48 Hz, I wonder if there is a software conversion to 44.1 from 48...

Very tough to find info on those old cards.

[hdsemaj]

Your sound card cannot create(encode) AC3(Dolby Digital) signals it can only pass it on if your are watching a DVD on your PC. It *can* decode the signal for your analog outputs if you have a set of analog surround sound computer speakers, which you can select on that decoder tab. The other option on the decoder tab is to send the signal to an external amp for decoding. This only applies if you are interested in Dolby Digital(AC3) or DTS sound from DVD's. If you are listing to a CD it will send a PCM signal so don't worry. I think you already have the right settings by looking at your screenshot.

If you do want to create DD or DTS you need a card with Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect. These sound cards have an encoder chip that creates DD and DTS signals. My sound card is like this and I use the DD or DTS setting when I play videogames to get surround sound through my receiver.