Help Building 5.1 surround HTPC

[bellintl]

This is the first time I posted a question and hope I'm doing it in the right place. Can anyone tell me how would I incorporate a USB external DAC into a 5.1 htpc system for stereo listening. The DAC is Silver Stome EB01 if that's relevant. Thanks in advance for any help

 

[shadyj]

I don't see that you need to do that, just place your receiver in stereo mode and make sure the computer isn't matrixing your music out to 5.1. If you really want to use your DAC, just use it in one of your receiver's digital outputs, provided it has digital outputs. If you want to use it with your computer, just plug it into your computer and again make sure the computer isn't trying to matrix the sound out to 5.1. If your computer doesn't have an extra digital out, you will have to buy an additional soundcard that does, and switch between drivers when you want to listen to 2 channel.

 

[jcoultas98]

A DAC is far and above any integrated sound, or all but the elite few top sound cards. This will show up in your windows sound control panel as another device. You will simply assign what sound application you are using to it.