EXternal sound card? need advice

[13rian]

I own a laptop and I really want 5.1 speakers (specifically logitech 5500). The only problem is how to utilize the most out of those type of speakers (Dolby Digital, THX, DTS). I'm very much the newb on this so I'm quite willing to hear anything that may be useful. I plan on playing games, listen to music, and watch movies (music most important).

Of the little research that I could find, Audigy NX seems to be the most popular overall, even with it's slight priciness, but how does it compare to something like Philips PSC805 Aurilium really, which is half the price? I mean from Tom's Hardware Review on some external sound cards, including these, that is really all I got from him.

All that lingo on sound is still very new to me so I'm not really sure what to emphasize on exactly. I basically want what I said on my second sentence at the beginning (clear, rich output through those features). Features and such are not really preferred, as it apparently adds major $$ to the value and the 5500 have adequate settings to suite me.

 

[Hikari]

Get their Notebook version. It uses a PCMCIA slot.

I own it and it works great so far. And, you won't have a largish box sitting outside your laptop.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=y&keyword1=audigy

 

[13rian]

Interesting suggestion Hikari, the quality of it sounds perfect for the 5500's. I actually don't really care much about an external sound card my laptop really, but if I'm not mistaken, they connect to the USB and that type of connection still has it's limitations? in allowing Dolby Digital, THX, and DTS output. If not, getting an external sounds like a solution that will take less $$ out of my pocket.

Also, if those cheaper $40-type external sound cards can't live up to 5500's standards, it'd basically be wasting a large chunk of money spent on the speakers. So really, if those doesn't cut it, I'd want to go with the best external sound card (Audigy NX? ~$80). But for $30 more, the PCMCIA version might just do true justice to the speaker with the added feature of being hardly noticeable on my desk.

So, I still feel like I need to do some additional research, which is also the reason for this thread, but the PCMCIA Audigy ZS does sound like a winner if all my if's are confirmed.

 

[13rian]

double post, sorry

Edit: actually I put some use to this post. Do these sound cards come with an adapter or digtal (coax or digital) connector because I know the 5500's only come with 3 inputs (front, rear, center plug). If not, some info, or sources of info about the differences of these types of connections would be greatly appreciated.

 

[yhelothar]

M-Audio Audiophile USB

 

[Hikari]

I just the optical plug on it to plug into my Z680s, which should be similar to your setup, obviously. Just need a mini plug adapter for the optical, which runs like $3 at radio shack.

The closest one to it is the Maudio Sonica Theatre, which is an external box. http://www.m-audio.com/product...caTheater-focus-1.html
Here are the specs on the Audigy notebook: http://www.soundblaster.com/pr...s_notebook/compare.asp (far right)

I also play some games on my laptop, so the Audigy makes even more sense in my case I suppose.

 

[13rian]

virtualgames0: I've looked around and that thing is expensive, >$150 and that's just too much for me, but thanks for the suggestion

Hikaru: The comparison chart clarified a few things and I think it's just enough to convince me to go for PCMCIA Audigy ZS.

The last question I really need to be answered is about this receiver people keep mentioning. Is this an adapter for a 5.1+ speaker to connect to the sound card? Is it like the Digital SoundTouch Control Center the z680's have that connects to the sub that connects to the speakers? I've read your (Hikari) thread and it's still a little bit too confusing (esp. this toslink/spdif), but I think I could leave the decoding to the 5500 like your z680 setup.

 

[Hikari]

Yep, the middle connector on the Audigy notebook does analog 5.1-7.1 out. I prefer to use the decoder on my Z680s, but that solution is great for those who don't have speakers like the ones you or I have.

 

[13rian]

I'm not sure what you mean by the middle connector because from the pictures provided at newegg.com, it looks like a big oval-shaped gap. Is the mini plug adapter for the optical you previously mentioned connect here on the soundcard, and the other end connect to the digital optical on the receiver? I'm sorry for my incompetence, but I'd really like to get as much clarity as possible on what I think are the necessities to have it successfully running when I put it all together.

PS - I greatly appreciate the patience you've given to me.

 

[Wuzup101]

Originally posted by: 13rian
double post, sorry

Edit: actually I put some use to this post. Do these sound cards come with an adapter or digtal (coax or digital) connector because I know the 5500's only come with 3 inputs (front, rear, center plug). If not, some info, or sources of info about the differences of these types of connections would be greatly appreciated.

The 5500s have 5 total inputs. They have the 3 analogue inputs you're thinking of (the three stereo mini plugs for 5.1 sound). These 3 inputs can also be used for 3 seperate stereo connections (you chooses if you want the 3 stereo connections or 1 3 plug 5.1 connection by flipping a switch on the back of the 5500 control module). There is also a digital optical input and a digital coaxial input on the back of the control module.

If you need further refrence please check out the post here about the z5500 review... it has a link to a site with some nice pictures and a review. I've heard good things about m-audio. I'm personally getting a sonica theater for xmas with a set of z5500s. I'll let you know how they sound when I get them, assuming you're not buying them tonight but after xmas???

EDIT:

Here's the link to the review to save you some time http://www.gamers-depot.com/ha...logitech/z5500/001.htm

 

[13rian]

awesome, mucho gracias!

Edit: After reading this review, I'm unsure of why they tested analog for 2-channel listening and digital for 5.1. Is there a source that can give me an overall explanation of digital (coax/optical) and analog that doesn't get ultra-technical (like busting out with complex graphs and spreadsheets of data)? Most of my searches came up with digital-to-analog/analog-to-digital convertors, or some specific situation in which I could not generalize with.

 

[Hikari]

The middle plug on the Audigy notebook has an adapter from Creative you plug in that has plugs to plug in the analog portion on a speaker set (and can pass from 2 to 7.1 channels of sound). The mini din optical digital one is the same plug as the headphone one (it must detect them).

Anyway, I personally only ever use the digital output. I don't much see the point of the analog ones unless your speakers don't have digital inputs.

 

[yhelothar]

If you get a nice soundcard, such as the Audigy2, the DAC on the card is probably even better than the DAC on the speakers, thus negating the need to use digital. The card also does DD5.1/DTS decoding, so there's not much need for digital on the speakers either. But you can go through all the trouble to use the DAC and decoder on the speakers, but I doubt you'll hear a difference.

 

[13rian]

(right now I feel like it's an Audigy ZS vs Sonica Theatre, so I'm kind of using this post as a personal argument of the two)

I just read in a review that the Sonica Theatre is powered through a USB 1.1. Doesn't that make it seem sort of flaky in perfomance or has a limitation in some way?


Edit: found my own answer to the question
Sudhian's Review

on page four...
Some features of the Sonica Theater may not be available at higher sampling frequencies. For example, 96kHz playback is only possible with two channels at a time; when playing back multi-channel audio the sampling rate is lowered to 48kHz. This is due to the bandwidth limitations of USB.

It proceeds to belittle the Cinema mode of their SRS Circle Surround II application to achieve surround sound for gaming unable to accurately reproduce the surround sound (or special environmental) effects that EAX provides .

The only upside I see on this compared to the PCMCIA Audigy2 ZS is that it can compensate for varying distance of the speakers through it's control panel, while the audigy can't, and it's basically a cheaper solution if money is a little tight.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it here, but I don't see myself upgrading for a new sound card or speakers (logitech 5500) ever basically unless something breaks down, so if there isn't any glaringly obvious faults of unseen qualities that I'm looking for, I think the audigy would be a better investment and will order one sometime in the next couple weeks. Feel free to post anything to add or related to help anyone else with a similar situation.

 

[Cerb]

The PSC 805's headphone jack always has a slight hiss. Luckily, it's analog-sounding hiss, so you won't hear it much. If you are powering speakers, the sound is very clean.

The Philips is a $50 cound card in a really nice box. A box bigger than I'd want to lug around with a laptop.

The Audigy2 NX is an Audigy in a itty bitty box. Really, it is TINY. The nice thing would be that you'd have a single USB cable. One of the benies would be that you could actually have a sound card tarveling between machines. If that doesn't appeal to you, go straight for the PCMCIA one.

If the physical design doesn't really matter, the Creative is a lot better. Also, not looking to upgrade, the two Creative options are better, as Philips is not known for continuing OS support (one of many reasons why they have pretty good products, but have not managed to compete with Creative).