Sound quality through HDMI out vs X-Fi for signal to a Receiver for music

[shevanel]

I have a question I hope someone can answer..

I was using an asus matx mobo's optical out to my onkyo receiver and it gave me the option to choose "pass-through" so the signal had no fx or anything, just clean, and it sounded great..

Now I am using this USB X-Fi 5.1 Fatalty again and when using the optical out I do not have the option for "pass-through" and the sound is very bassy, sometimes but not often I also hear crackles.. I have all X-Fi features disabled and the sound is fine but once in a while whenever I close a web page or program I can hear a slight crackle...

I just ordered a mini-toslink to toslink adapter bec. the laptop I am using, a 7811 fx, has the spdif output using that particular cable.. I'm going to try that because maybe it will be a bit cleaner than the USB creative junk.. im guessing...

Ok, for my main question..

How is the quality of the sound coming from the HDMI output on Nvidia 9800M GTS?

Would the quality be not as good or as good or better than that of the X-Fi or onboard SPDIF?

I ask because I was thinking of buying a receiver with HDMI if it made a difference. I would love to just send the best signal possible from the laptop to the Onkyo with no fuss and no odd crackles and hiss..

Please let me know what you think I should do and how the quality of the HDMI is for music.

Thanks!

 

[tayga]

so if your using this thing?
https://lh3.ggpht.com/-aZei3Pro19s/...1600/creative_sound-blaster_x-fi_surround.jpg

did you get the support drivers for it from the creative site? or did you let windows update do it (i hate when windows update dose that) and i guess the pass through means the sound is being used directly no decoders in the way witch the receiver dose unless it has neural surround or some type of enhancer due to compression in digital music/movies

 

[Mussels]

HDMI is an untouched signal. it will sound 'pure', meaning your speakers decoder controls the quality.

for stereo it wont make a difference, but for 5.1/7.1 it will be far superior to SPDIF.

 

[Jetster]

HDMI has more bandwith then Optical / Toslink which cant do uncompressed 5.1 and is old tech. As far as the DAC most Receivers over $200 are superior to X-Fi

Another thing the first graphics that came out with HDMI had limited abilities and may not be 5.1 ether. Im not sure about the Nvidia 9800M. But it will say in the sound properties how many channels it has.