I have a Chaintech AV-710 soundcard and I'd like to know if I can hook it up directly to an equalizers' line in and the equalizer's line out to an amp, or if I need a separate preamplifier between the card and the eq.

Thanks.

I think you can, but... why don't you try and see what happens?
Normally the equalizer should be put in the place of the pre-out/final-in jumpers of the amp if it has them, or otherwise in a tape-out/tape-in pair (and that's why the equalizer has its own tape-out/in pair, to substitute the one you use frome the amp) and then use the tape-monitor feature of the amp in order to have the eq in the signal path or not.

Sergio

Mmh, because I don't have the eq yet, just an amp, a cd player and my pc. If I can use it, I will get it.

So do you think I could connect it to my amp, which has the following input/outputs?



Thanks in advance.

If you only want to eq the soundcard, I'd recommend the line out of the sound card into the line in of the EQ and the line out of the eq into the aux in of your amp. You could use the tuner or either tape in if you like instead of the aux though this makes the most sense to me.

Thanks greynol.

I'd like to eq both the soundcard and the CD, but that would be impossible without switching cables, wouldn't it?

For listening I mostly use the PC nowadays, so it's not a big problem.

Send the soudcard line-out into the aux of the amp (or tuner or either tape in). Put the EQ in either tape loop or between the pre out/main in. If you intend on always using the EQ I'd use the pre out/main in. If you only plan on using the EQ some of the time, I'd opt for one of the tape loops.

EQ Line out into either tape in or main in on the amp
Pre out or tape out on the amp into EQ Line in

Thank you very much.

The tape loop would be better I should think since then the eq gets a line level signal rather than a volume adjusted one.

Thanks! And what would be best, noise-wise? Tape loop or pre/main?

I should think the tape loop for the above reason.

So the tape in/out is just like any other line in/out connector, as aux or video?

Somehow. The difference is that with the tapes you can monitor them even if you have a different source selected and that's what allows you to put an external processor in the loop.

For example, if you have "CD" as your current selected input and tape1 monitor selected:


CD --> pre (stage 1) --> tape1 out --> your external box --> tape1 in --> pre (stage 2, volume control) --> final.

if you turn tape1 monitor off, instead:

CD --> pre (stage 1) --> pre (stage 2, volume control) --> final.

Sergio

Edit: spelling

I see. So, if I understood correctly, I have 2 options:

1) Tape loop, that allows to bypass the equalization by disabling tape monitoring from the amp.

2) Pre/main, where equalization can only be bypassed from the equaliser, and may introduce more noise to the chain because the eq doesn't receive a line level.

Both options let me use the equalizer with any input.

Is that correct?

Actually I think the pre out is a "line level" as well, and after stage 2 (Volume knob) of the preamplifier. Only thing would be that when you want to bypass the EQ you'll have to do that on the EQ itself, and that will maybe introduce a little bit more noise comperad to a straight-thru signal within the amp. On the other hand if you have a tape too to be connected to the amp, and you connect the EQ on the tape loop you'll have to connect the tape on the EQ at this point. And very often your PC is connected as "tape deck", so it will be more convenient to connect the PC as a tape an the EQ in the pre/main point, IMHO.

Sergio

No problem, I haven't used tapes for ages.

Thanks for the enlightenment.

Looking at the picture, he's got two tape loops, and other inputs.

The pre-amp output / main amp input isn't a good place for anything that could introduce noise, or might be switched off by mistake (THUD!) - anything placed here will "benefit" the full amplification of the main amplifier section.

(Been there, done that! ! )

Cheers,
David.

By line level I meant what you get at the cd player output rather than a preamplified signal which is potentially at a lower level depending on the volume control. Maybe not the standard use; I'm not sure.

I also thought about the downfall of inserting the EQ between the pre out and main in after my post. I don't use an external EQ though I've always thought the tape loop was the best place for it. My earlier suggestion was leveraged off of smz's previous comments.

For the sake of argument, I think the level of the pre out is dependent on the volume control. I can't imagine these jacks working correctly with external preamps or power amplifiers otherwise.

Good point! A "full scale" THUD! fill not be apreciated by your speakers (and your ears! ) and noise too will be always "fully amplified". Forget my opinions, they were uninformed.

Sergio

Slightly off topic but you could try software equalization as well. The eq supplied with foobar is very accurate and is also available as a plug-in for winamp.

I am currently using the Waves Linear EQ via the adapt-x plug-in for winamp which will even correct for the phase changes caused the various frequency filters.

This was ++ superior to my Sansui graphic eq I used previously.Took a lot of extra circuitry out of the signal path.

$.02

PS I had the output of the soundcard to line in and the line out to "aux" on my Luxman amp. This worked fine.

If you're mainly concerned about the PC output, I would use a software EQ. One less component in the signal chain, and probably greater flexibility too (though also slightly slower decoding).