Help with PC Audio Setup

[chr6]

Components:
Logitech Z-5500
HT Omega Claro Plus PCI Sound Card
MSI P67 // 2600K // 16GB Corsair
Optical audio cable (Toslink)
(3) 3.5mm audio cables
RCA cable

I am relatively new to using decent sounding PC audio components, and am a little confused on all the different connections, and what to use, and what components are actually doing any kind of processing.

The way I understand it, if I use an optical cable from the HTO to the Z-5500, the signal is passed from the HTO to the control pod, and it is processed by the control pod. Does this mean the sound card isn't being used at all and is a waste of money?

Second, if I connect the HTO to the Z-5500 via (3) 3.5mm audio cables, is the sound card now doing the processing and just outputting it to the Z-5500 (6-channel direct) ?

Is there a different/optimal setup that any of you can recommend? I just feel as if I am not getting my money's worth having the sound card, as the onboard sound also has an optical out I could probably use and get the same quality. Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[Ross Ridge]

Is there a different/optimal setup that any of you can recommend? I just feel as if I am not getting my money's worth having the sound card, as the onboard sound also has an optical out I could probably use and get the same quality. Thanks in advance for any replies.

Whether you're using digital (optical) or analogue (3.5mm) connections you need some sort of soundcard. The onboard "soundcard" is probably similar enough in quality to your PCI sound card that you won't be able to tell difference, so you can probably use either.

Note that the digital optical connection has only has the bandwith to transmit 2 channel stereo uncompressed. In order to transfer 5.1 surround sound over an optical cable it needs to be compressed which hurts the quality of the audio. You probably won't notice the difference but the analogue connection doesn't suffer this.

Finally, if you're using the onboard audio and the digital connection then any 5.1 surround sound source will need to be already encoded and compressed as Dolby Digital or DTS, like say from a DVD. Your computer isn't likely to have come with a licenced encoder that's capable of encoding Dobly Digtal or DTS in realtime. If you're hoping to get surround sound with games then you may want to use your HT Omega sound card instead which appearently is capable of realtime Dolbly Digital and DTS encoding.