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Lets talk PC Audio

I have the Asus Xonar DX and no optical out on the motherboard. Should i use the digital out of the DX or ana if i buy the Edifier S730 (Digital 2.1 speakers!)

Thanks.
 
use analog out on the DX.
 
yeah not to mention your sound card won't be doing much other than passing the audio to the Edifier S730.

a mini-jack (3.5mm) to RCA cable should do it. connect it to the Front jack on the DX if I remember.
 
Rockfella.killswitch said:
Does this mean if i connect digital speakers using toslink from the DX i'll get inferior sound?
Click to expand...

not so much that - more that using digital makes your sound cards analogue redundant.

cheap onboard sounds exactly the same as high end audio, through digital connections.
 
this is the cable you need

attachment.php


connect the black end to the Front jack on the DX and the Red and White ends to the Edifier S730 sub.
 
Oh.. so what's the use of buying a dedicated sound card with digital out like the DX? I want to use the "Dolby Digital Live" of the DX which i've not been able to use yet. I think i can only use it with dogotal speakers?
Mussels said:
not so much that - more that using digital makes your sound cards analogue redundant.

cheap onboard sounds exactly the same as high end audio, through digital connections.
Click to expand...

I got this cable. So analogue connection will make use of the sound card?
BumbleBee said:
this is the cable you need

http://www.aeromodelismovirtual.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17661&stc=1&d=1292542397

connect the black end to the Front jack on the DX and the Red and White ends to the Edifier S730 sub.
Click to expand...
 
your sound card can process music a lot better than those speakers. you don't have 5.1 speakers so Dolby Digital Live doesn't matter.

yes.
 
Then what speakers would truly utilize the full potential of my DX?
BumbleBee said:
your sound card can process music a lot better than those speakers. you don't have 5.1 speakers so Dolby Digital Live doesn't matter.

yes.
Click to expand...
 
yes. in stereo.

Dolby Digital Live is used for sending 5.1 to a receiver with speakers like this.

515d9eafZhL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
Rockfella.killswitch said:
Then what speakers would truly utilize the full potential of my DX?
Click to expand...

the most expensive ones in the world, of course.


what we're saying is: you bought an expensive sound card for its better analogue outputs. at least try them, before going digital (since digital makes the expensive card completely redundant)


while digital will be a pure, unaltered signal, the analogue may sound better to you.
 
I am ruling out speakers completely. I'll go for this maybe...

Audio Technica ATH-M35

Mussels said:
the most expensive ones in the world, of course.

What we're saying is: you bought an expensive sound card for its better analogue outputs. at least try them, before going digital (since digital makes the expensive card completely redundant)

While digital will be a pure, unaltered signal, the analogue may sound better to you.
Click to expand...
 
analog is going to sound better because the DAC section inside the Edifier S730 was probably an afterthought.
 
So analog speakers can utilize dx's dac?
BumbleBee said:
analog is going to sound better because the DAC section inside the Edifier S730 was probably an afterthought.
Click to expand...
 
I have a Xonar DX and I have to say that if you have a decent (£500+) system you would benefit from a decent DAC. I went for a new one, Micromedia MyDac, but you can get something Cambridge Audio for example for maybe £100, and it should beat the crap out of most sound cards. You deserve it!
 
Mussels said:
Without a receiver with a HDMI input, you are stuck at stereo. The HDMI specs do not allow you to send the audio to your TV or monitor, and output it back out of the TV as SPDIF. If you think it does, test it yourself. You'll find out it doesnt work. (thanks DRM!)
Click to expand...

I've seen optical outputs on the back of many TVs. What exactly is the point of it?
 
SaltyFish said:
I've seen optical outputs on the back of many TVs. What exactly is the point of it?
Click to expand...

HDMI passes optical to TV, then TV optical-out to stereo for audio. Most TV's only support 2-channel SPDIF though. It's more meant for those that have receivers that don't do HDMI, and video devices that don't offer coaxial audio output.

Nice necro, BTW> :roll:
 
Question for you all. My file server has a ALC892 audio chip, so I can split the communication devices and speakers to separate channels. My main rig also has the ALC892, can I basically gaurentee that I will be able to split them into separate channels as well? If So I might just sell my HT Omega Striker sound card.
 
MxPhenom 216 said:
Question for you all. My file server has a ALC892 audio chip, so I can split the communication devices and speakers to separate channels. My main rig also has the ALC892, can I basically gaurentee that I will be able to split them into separate channels as well? If So I might just sell my HT Omega Striker sound card.
Click to expand...

i'm really not understanding the question. please try asking again, in a different way.
 
Since the title to this thread was "Let's talk pc-audio", I'd like to remark on what I've found so far in my search for better sound via my PC.

I'm a retiree and an avid PC gamer. For years I was quite happy with the very inexpensive Logitech 5.1 powered speaker system. Then, after upgrading to a 680ftw GPU, I decided that I missed my past audio obsessions, so I started shopping. First, I got lucky twice on the first day, finding a refurbished Sony 7.1ch receiver, and a Polk Audio 12", 300watt powered subwoofer, both of them for $300 delivered-and an added 3year warrantee on the receiver included! Then I hit Craigslist looking for used speakers and again got very lucky. The ad was for a pair of vintage KEF dual-8"driver mini-towers. When I arrived, I found out that the gentleman was an amateur speaker repair guy, and regularly sold repaired speakers. So, I left his house with the pair of KEFs and a pair of B&W 601 se's for $400 total. So, I'm now sitting in front of both sets sitting on my very large desktop, and all for less than $800 for cables, speaker wire,etc.

What is curious, to me anyway, is that I couldn't find much of anyone who replaced their sound card/PC speakers with a receiver/bookshelf speakers. And old receiver will work, as long as you're happy with stereo only. This Sony is HDMI-capable, but since I'm only interested in stereo, SPDIF works fine, as would RCA jacks.

Another thing I learned was that today's digital receivers pretty much all have great sound, because they all use the same circuit boards. The price differences between my $150 refurb.($230 regular price) and a $600 Denon or Yamaha or...is the added features for HT use, primarily. Some of the higher-end receivers/amplifiers have separate mono-amps for each channel, so upping the price, but from what I've read at many HT/music enthusiast websites, you'd be hard-pressed to actually hear the difference. So, rather than spending more for a receiver when the cheaper one has the features you want, I would heartily recommend you look at better speakers, because they definitely do NOT sound the same. hehe.

Here's a pic of the setup. Sub and receiver under the desk.
Tuneage and gaming.jpg
 
@trog69 Those are some great speakers you've got there. I recommend that you try a Creative X-Fi sound card with them if possible, as the sound is just amazing. I'm talking about without any post-processing effects, too. They're discontinued now, but if you can find a decent one on Amazon or eBay they're well worth it.

Don't pay over the odds for it though (should be around $50-$80) and don't fall for one of the cheap Creatives that are labelled X-Fi, but don't actually use the X-Fi chipset.
 
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