Is there going to be a difference?

[Randawl]

I recently bought the Logitech z680 speakers but they only included the cable for 6 channel analog audio. It sounds great, but I've got a S/PDIF output thing on my motherboard (Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe) and I would like to know if you guys think it would sound better if I used the digital coax connection instead of the analog one.
Also, is there a specific type of coax cable that I'll need?

Kind Regards,
Randawl

 

[islandtechengineers]

man my girl just told me to get up i gotta go somewhere with her while i was atempting to help you out.... before i leave, when i get back i'll try to help out some more.... to start off here's a definition of spdif:::

Short for Sony/Philips Digital Interface, a standard audio file transfer format. Developed jointly by the Sony and Phillips corporations, S/PDIF allows the transfer of digital audio signals from one device to another without having to be converted first to an analog. format. Maintaining the viability of a digital signal prevents the quality of the signal from degrading when it is converted to analog.

I quote it from http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/S_PDIF.html

 

[DaveSimmons]

Not likely on those little speakers.

Maybe yes if you were connecting to a $1,000 speaker system attached to a home theater receiver, but maybe not even then since the analog outs are uncompressed while a soundstorm's dolby 5.1 signal uses lossy compression like MP3s. At least that's what Pariah always tells us when being trying to explain away Creative soundcards' lack of dolby digital 5.1 game audio

 

[Nebor]

Use the soundstorm.

 

[oneshot47]

You wont hear a difference at all. PC speakers are no where near the level of equipment you need in order to tell the difference between two different interfaces like those. In response to your other question, there are special coax digital cables, but a regular RCA cable works just fine, the coax cables are the same thing just marked up a little bit to make you think they are special. Once again, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a cheap RCA cable or a $1000 coax cable on computer speakers.

 

[Penth]

I've read some reviews of the Z680s that say they rival Home Theater audio setups in the $600-$800 range. I'm probably going to get some of these myself. The only way you get to use Soundstorm is if you go digital instead of the analog six channel. I'd probably go for it.

 

[oneshot47]

Originally posted by: Penth
I've read some reviews of the Z680s that say they rival Home Theater audio setups in the $600-$800 range. I'm probably going to get some of these myself. The only way you get to use Soundstorm is if you go digital instead of the analog six channel. I'd probably go for it.

In all fairness, I don't know anything about the Z680s, but I seriously doubt that the reviewers had a clue what they were doing. But maybe so, since in that price range you can find everything in home audio from utter crap to fairly decent. The bottom line is, you're buying computer speakers. If you want to get serious about audio, you buy home audio, and you buy something worth buying. And the reality is, not many people can tell the difference either. So don't stress out too much on speakers.

 

[Randawl]

Just to update you guys:

I thought I'd give it a shot using a coax connection. I figured that if I didn't notice a difference in sound that I would simply return the new cable and continue using the regular analog. I considered getting expensive "Monster Cables" but settled for a $10 recoton cable (I've heard mixed reviews on them) and connected everything.
The sound is slightly less muffled and there is a minimal increase in crispness. There seems to be more balance in the sound.
Thanks for talking with me about this.

Kind Regards,
Randawl

 

[cw42]

Originally posted by: Penth
I've read some reviews of the Z680s that say they rival Home Theater audio setups in the $600-$800 range. I'm probably going to get some of these myself. The only way you get to use Soundstorm is if you go digital instead of the analog six channel. I'd probably go for it.

they most definetly DO NOT rival a good HT system. the reviewer must be an i-dee-oat.

randawl: thanku for not purchasing monster cables. they're totally overpriced, and u can get just as good for much less.

 

[islandtechengineers]

hey im back a day late. since so many others posted i'll say, give it a shot, if you like it and it pleases you, then go for it. If it doesnt, then undo it and tweak to your prefs. I have nothing against home audio products, but I've always used car audio in the house. I know a lot of others may comment on this and i will say it is possible to properly run car audio setups in the home and i've always enjoyed that better. car subs can take a beating~!