Cheapest soundcard with true 44.1 SPDIF out? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Tranchant]

I'm looking to integrate my PC into my AV system, and use it as a CD jukebox. I plan to rip all my CDs using a lossless compressor like Monkey's Audio or LPAC to maintain maximum quality, and use a soundcard's SPDIF output to feed my receiver.

As this will be purely digital and I'm not (at the moment) interested in 24/96 or other formats, what is the cheapest soundcard I can get that supports a 16/44.1 digital output?

I don't want a resampled 48kHz (like Creative), and I don't care about coax or optical, or analogue sound quality. I'm hoping to spend less than M-Audio or Terratec money. Anyone tried the Zoltrix Nightingale for this application?

 

[Eric Samonte]

I've used an Aureal SQ2500 with a digital coax out. While I don't know the actual specs, it does work great. If u can find one, it sells for just about $15-$20 now.

 

[CarlDJr]

Mark,
This review may be of some help:
Link Removed

 

[Thomas Vong]

FYI, I have the SQ2500 and I can't get it to output Dolby Digital in WinXP and PowerDVD. It works 100% in WinME/9x though. PCM digital out works great on all Win OSes.

Thomas

 

[Max Leung]

Keep in mind that the Aureal cards are no longer in production, and are not supported anymore! Aureal went under nearly 2 years ago.

My Aureal card had an option for 44.1 Khz output on the SPDIF, but I am uncertain if it down/upsamples or not.

 

[Kris McLaughlin]

I'm using the Zoltrix Nightingale Pro 6, and it works well. It was cheap and has optical & coax digital ins & outs, selectable at 44.1 or 48khz. Whether or not it's resampled, I don't know. Sounds good to me, though. Maybe do some searching over at the AVS forum, they have a great HTPC forum.
(edited for poor grammar)

 

[AllenD]

Try an Maudio AP 2496. I use one for my HTPC/Jukebox. Great sound!