You could try this.
You need to define relevant. Just because there's something at 8Hz doesn't mean it's relevant. If it's 30dB below some content at 30Hz you'll never hear it and there's no point trying to reproduce it. You need to set realistic goals given your budget. There are only really two ways to get solid reproduction into the teens and $500 commercial products don't employ either.That worked. After converting the FLAC to WAV and running it through, there seems to be relevant data to 8hz. Crap. I know I'm not going that low, what is a realistic expectation? Volume is nearly irrelevant, quality and range are what I care about. Maybe $500 cap?
As long as your sound card has a subwoofer output it's fine. The next step up is a receiver or pre-pro. You would want to use SPDIF or HDMI from your PC to the receiver/pre-pro and then take the pre-amp outputs from that to the subwoofer and Airmotiv 4's.If I were to keep using the USB soundcard I should just get some RCA splitters to come off the speaker channels? If I wanted to look at something better suited what would you recommend?
Yes, but that's about as cheap as they get not withstanding a few Emotiva products that I can't recommend based on their history of releasing pre-pros with quirky implementations, bugs, and fundamentally flawed "features". There is a cheaper unit from Outlaw, but I have no idea if it's worth getting. You're probably better off getting a mid range receiver from Onkyo, Denon, Pioneer, etc and using the preamp outputs (note not all units have pre-amp outputs).First time I've even heard of a Pre/Pro. So I should be looking at a cheaper version of this?
Or get a good digital music streamer that receives the signal over TCP/IP and converts it to music only once. It won't work very good for computer games, but it's great for music.That means a sound card (or on-board audio) with SPDIF output or a video card with HDMI audio.
...no to mention that will severely restrict his subwoofer choices since a high passed line level out is pretty uncommon.
By really good you mean subwoofers with performance that ranges anywhere from ho-hum to poor from long established boutique audio brands that cost an arm and a leg?But do you really believe it's a bad thing if it restricts the choices to really good subwoofers?
Please... There are lots of quality subwoofers from non-boutique / audiosnobbery brands that easily meet that criteria. They just happen to give you a lot more value for your dollar.I mean a sub you won't know it exists until you remove it from the system.
I think ddrueding asked for a sub that match his Airmotiv 4's? And now we've come to the conclusion that no reasonable priced sub is able to do that without first adding hundreds of dollars worth of electronics in the signal path.
Well, there's lots of ways to half ass it. ddrueding doesn't seem like someone who wants to half ass things. I'm suggesting the right way to do it.I think ddrueding asked for a sub that match his Airmotiv 4's? And now we've come to the conclusion that no reasonable priced sub is able to do that without first adding hundreds of dollars worth of electronics in the signal path.
Well, it's not a 2.1 device. It has no bass management or ability to properly drive a subwoofer. Sure you can split the output and send it to your Airmotiv 4's and your subwoofer, but that's not the right way to do it. Heck, you could do that with your USB sound card.I do need PC sounds, and I have some spare PCIe slots (up to 16x 3.0 if needed). I do use the volume control on the front of my current USB soundcard, and I would need something to perform that task. There was a reason you didn't like the Emotiva XDA-2?
Did you end up buying anything to satisfy your quest for a beefier bottom end?Thanks for the link I'll give them a call on Monday.
I might get tempted if the Stealth 8's to go on sale though I certainly wouldn't be putting them on my desk at work.
They appear to be on sale through the end of the month $669 each instead of $749.If you see it let me know.