Integrated digital sound vs. analog on an Audigy 1

[Cydewayze]

What up forum,

So, I gave up on trying achieving digital sound thru the minijack on my SB Audigy (1)?I never was able to hear sound using a digital coaxial cable to connect the card to a set of Logitech z-5500?s, using a mono RCA to minijack adapter.

My question is: should I use the integrated onboard optical Toslink and thus be able to hear true DD and DTS 5.1, or should I hook up the 5500?s with normal RCA?s, and go the analog route. I?m thinking the Audigy would sound better, even using standard RCA?s, but I?m hesitant, as it would not be true digital, using an optical connection.

I believe my onboard sound is plain ol? 6-channel AC?97, with a Toslink jack for optical connections.

 

[SGtheArtist]

Well,

Hopefully your onboard sound is disabled and the drivers with it or this could be causing problems In addition you should have the latest SB drivers installed.

Considering that your using the Logitec Z-5500 speakers which have an external DD & DTS decoder you should have no problem getting a AC-3 signal through SPDIF.

Make sure that the SB software is configured to send the audio to the digital output & that your DVD software is configured to pass-thru the digital signal.

Analog is only better is the sense that you can play some games in surround sound. Otherwise it should sound the same but I always use the digital output.

Next the 1/8" mini plug that you connect into the SPDIF digital output on the SB may have two signal capability (like stereo on headphones) If this is the case then you maybe connecting the wrong signal (like left instead of right with headphones) to the Z-5500's

My Turtle Beach Santa Cruz did this. In order to try the other signal you will have to get an 1/8" stereo miniplug to RCA adapter (found at radio shack) that will let you connect either of the two signals (left or right like headphones) to the Z-5500s.

This maybe why you haven't received a signal from the SB. I've never used optical connection before so im not sure if that would work just like this or not.

 

[Cydewayze]

I have done the necessary configurations with the the software, and still no sound when using the coaxil and adapter. the adapter I purchased is this one http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062459&cp), Phono Jack to 1/8" Mono Phone Plug Shielded Adapter, part #274-330. Will my adapter suffice?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I haven't done this myself, but that looks like it should work for your standard creative digital coax output.

You might try a different cable for the connection as I've heard for some reason the z-5500s can be a bit picky.

Since you already have a pretty nice card in the Audigy, I'd just use analog for everything. Digital in itself isn't going to necessarily be better since you're just sending a digital signal longer so that the Logitech control pod can do the same job your soundcard would have done.

 

[SGtheArtist]

I have the exact adapter you linked to and it worked perfectly with my SB Live! & DDT2500 speakers however when I moved to my Santa Cruz it did not work and I needs this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index...g=2&kw=rca+y+adapter&parentPage=search

Once I had this adapter I could connect my speakers to either the red or white RCA coax and recieve the AC-3 signal at my speakers.

I cannot guarentee that this will resolve your problem however I think it is a good possibility that this is your problem.