kortex

Rant: Five or so years back I purchased a Paradigm Millenia CT2 system (two fronts, subwoofer) to use as computer speakers. It was actually a great little system for a while. The system has an auto-sleep mode. Normally this is great as it turns on when sound is sent from the computer and then turns off after a while of no sound being sent. For the past year or so, the front speakers will not play any sound for around 10 minutes after I try to play music through them. I hear the sub, but nothing else. This also means if I switch to headphones and then back to the speakers, I have to wait again. This gets extremely annoying. I called paradigm and talked to the rudest technical support person I've ever spoken with. The news was bad yes, but he was just plain rude. According to them, "capacitors have started to go bad." While sure, that can happen, I also have stereo equipment that's practically 50 years old that still works. They told me that no, this is normal for a capacitors to go bad in five years. I've searched around the internet and found others with this same issue. It looks like a shit product. Claiming they had never heard of the issue, they want to charge me $400 for a new main board of the subwoofer (the sub powers everything). Of course I have to do the work of switching it out if I take that route. I asked them to tell me which capacitor(s) go bad in this situation and they refused to tell me. Why the hell would I pay $400 for another ticking time bomb? I'd gladly do the work myself but don't know which caps are bad. Paradigm will never see another cent from me. Question: Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask but I'd like to replace it with another 2.1 setup. I think this system was around $1200 and I really do like the sound it puts out. Are most of you using discrete components with your computer setups? I have optical out running to a larger system but the system I'm looking for is for just when I'm at the computer. The components don't have to come as a package! For the moment, I'm looking in a similar price range. I could be persuaded to modify it if necessary. Thoughts?

Do you guys use the HiFace even if your computer has optical S/PDIF out?

That's a great idea. I'll consider that. I was hoping to just be able to mute one of them or something, but perhaps that would be too much of a pain. How about the FUN DAC? There are so many options with it. Do I just choose the opamp and the power cable? I read that you need a diamond buffer too...very confused. Then the cable length issue...The cable will have to be ~25 ft in length. I'll measure later. Is there a problem with having a cable that long?

Did I post this in the wrong place?

Hello all, I love music but do not record or produce--just listen. I recently saw a computer audio setup and want to make my own. Currently I just use bose companion 3 speakers connected to the audio out on my computer--3.5mm out on asus p6t motherboard. My motherboard has optical, coax and S/PDIF output. My goal is to be able to use the computer speakers and floorstanding speakers powered by a receiver. My question... What would be the best method of connecting both devices so I can listen to either? I don't *plan* on using the computer speakers and the floorstanding speakers at the same time. All I currently have is are the bose speakers (I know they are not of quality for this forum..yes), the receiver and the floorstanding speakers. I do also have an old soundblaster audigy2 zs on a different computer. I read somewhere that it has good decoding capabilities. My plan... Buy a FUN Dac (this was recommended to me) and connect it to the computer using optical out. Use some type of splitter to run to the speakers and to the receiver. 1) Connect optical out on mobo to FUN DAC Optical In. 2) Split the line out signal somehow and i) Run to bose speakers (RCA -> 3.5 mm jack) i) Run to receiver (RCA -> RCA). Would require ~25ft of cable. What do you guys think? I'm rather lost here.