Behringer Firewire vs. Silverstone DAC

**blackrsx** · 11-12-2008, 03:14 AM

I am looking into two products and am hoping someone can tell me some more about each one and if anyone has ever used either, if they can chime in their input.

The first product is Behringer Firewire.
http://behringer.com/FCA202/?lang=ENG

The second is Silverstone DAC, which I am sure all of us are familiar with.

One question I would like to get answered is if anyone is using HD Radio (the Visteon) in their car. Is there anyway to get HD radio if you are using a DAC? I assume Visteon uses 'line in' and no good DAC's out there (DAC or bloat) have any line in sources.

Also, is that firewire a sound card? I can't tell if you have to feed it input or if you get the sound via firewire.

**Woofnstuff** · 11-12-2008, 06:16 AM

i should act as a sound card

but behringer stuff is more lower end, it will probably preform fine, but generally their stuff is clean sounding but lacking headroom.

i use a few various bits of behringer stuff at work and its fine as long as you dont drive it to hard

**booksix** · 11-12-2008, 11:13 AM

what is your goal? The behringer unit seems pretty simple and like woofnstuff said, behringer is quite low end... we call it disposable gear in the recording industry (never worth fixing, just replace) LOL

Anyway, if all you need is stereo out you could get something much smaller and better. Is there a reason you want firewire? If not, something like the m-audio transit could work well for you. USB, line in, stereo out + optical out in case you upgrade to 5.1 in the future. Can be had for $75 on ebay and will probably still sound better than the behringer

**blackrsx** · 11-12-2008, 10:57 PM

my goal is QUALITY and clean noise-free music, even at high volumes, plus a way to hook up an HD radio.
M-audio transit is crap if you look at it. It has no RCA outs and the more splitters or converters you use the worse your sound will be.
There is NO way I will ever try to go 5.1 either due to the pointlessness of 5.1 sound in a car environment. 2.1 is the only way many should go and if aiming for SQ there should only be 2.1 channels.

**booksix** · 11-12-2008, 11:26 PM

First off; 5.1 pointless in the car environment? I bet that's the same thing said about stereo when it was 'discovered' and preferred over mono... Not to mention every major car manufacturer is adopting 5.1 and every audio format is heading in that direction. I've setup 5.1 in cars and, as a full time professional audio engineer who is sought out by clients from all over the world, I can say 5.1 sounds great if you have a clue what you're doing... You can always use more sonic real estate.

Anyway, what else... RCA out's? 'splitters'?!? I never said anything about using splitters, it's your own fault if you don't find a cable that's 1/8" on one side and rca on the other; or to know that it makes no difference whether you have either connector on either end.

As for "QUALITY," you were the one that suggested Behringer in the first place! LMAO and you talk like a smart *** to me for mentioning m-audio; one of the biggest sellers in that market? I was just trying to help you out with something low/mid level since you were already on that page.

Anyway, all of this comes down to your setting the bar by naming Behringer (in the High End Solutions forum of all places). But idk, whatever... do what you want. Buy junk and talk down to people while trying to get input...

**volum3rider** · 01-06-2009, 07:50 PM

Why should there only be 2.1 channels in a car environment? I have a 4.1 channel environment with a "virtual" center channel in my car through an Alpine Sound Processor and it sounds amazing. I decided against a physical center channel because of the lack of room and unwillingness to install one. With proper tuning and time correction, a major difference can be heard, even in a car environment.