Do I need a soundcard if I'm using a headunit?

rudeboymcc · 04-13-2006, 02:41 PM

Hi. I want to build a carpc but keep the headunit. This is so I can still play cd's easily (no need to buy a cd drive) and have radio and also if the pc was to fail i'd have something to fall back on.

I was planning to get a via mini-itx and just connect the sound out to the bus audio in of my sony headunit and hten connect my two amps to the sony headunit. that way all the fading/balance can still be adjusted (including the all important sub woofer level) by the headunit.

Will the headunit sort out the slightly week signal from the motherbaord? or is the problem to do with teh quality of the signal?

If it's to do with quality, there's a cd changed control device sony sell which has a USB in, so i can connect the comptuer to the headunit through USB. would that be good?

Or do i just need a better sound card?

Sonicxtacy02 · 04-13-2006, 02:43 PM

if your using a head unit you do need a soundcard but you can just use the onboard. the music will be processed by the head unit so that will cure any signal issues you have.

joego · 04-13-2006, 03:04 PM

For the most part the signal should be good enough. I don't know the exact specs on the onboard audio nor do I know the spec's of your Sony. I did pretty much the same thing only with a laptop going into the aux in on my head unit, and apart from the crappy audio out that the laptop had the system worked fine.

rudeboymcc · 04-13-2006, 04:35 PM

thanks people.

So now i know it works. But I've researched the USB input adaptor for the sony headunits and I'm thinking surely it's a really good solution as the signal is digital all the way to the headunit? only then is it converted to analogue, leaving less time for interference etc...

what do you think?

numbers · 04-14-2006, 03:14 PM

Depends. You've definately got the right idea. If the computer is going right behind the head unit, then I wouldn't bother. However, if you're running audio all the way from the trunk to the head unit, I'd say it's well worth having a digital line.