High fidelity computer sound cards

[Tube60]

Which I suppose could be a contradiction in terms!
I've got my old office computer at home, since we moved and upgraded, and I'd like to replace the sound card with something decent, with RCA jacks or balanced connectors, and, hope against hope, not solid state! I have a few spare amps I'd like to use, and I'd like to build my own speakers to suit.
I have an IBM computer, built in '04. 3ghz P4 and 70gb hard-drive.
Thanks and regards,
Ross

 

[lugano]

I don't think that putting tubes into a computer is a good idea (heat issues). But you can always buy an external tubed DAC with USB input. Check out this one:

http://www.stereophile.com/artdudleylistening/905listen/index.html

 

[IWalker]

http://www.scott-nixon.com/dac.htm

The usbtd looks like what you're looking for.

 

[jtwrace]

or this one.

http://hagtech.com/hagusb.html

 

[Craig]

You're best bet for good sound out of your computer is to rip your music files to one of the lossless type formats with error correction and then send the digital file out of the computer through a USB, Ethernet or wireless device and into an outboard DAC.

A tubed audio PC is cool (but not literally) but is a harsh, noisy and rich Electro Magnetic Interference environment for high-end sound reproduction. On the other hand, digital audio is growing and will continue an upward spiral of refinement to the point of gaining very respectable high resolution sound reproduction. It's not quite up to highly critical audiophile standards yet but getting increasingly better with every generation.

Nevertheless, a tubed audio computer is way cool!:rocker:

 

[Tube60]

Thanks for the kind encouragement so far everybody! Now I've got research material!:rocker:

 

[Beat_Dominator]

For a high(er) end soundcard to give you that digital output, I'd look into Terratec, or M-Audio. Those two companies put a lot more quality components on thier cards.

This way you can just use digital coax or Toslink to a nice DAC

 

[IWalker]

I use an M-Audio sonica theater external card to good results.