New computer speakers, should i upgrade my soundcard as well??

[imported_elwood]

I just purchased the Logitech Z-5500's. I currently have a Live! 5.1. Should i upgrade to a X-FI or something else to take advantage of the optical connection?

 

[PurdueRy]

An Optical connection will not take advantage of the sound card. You could get an X-fi...but connect via analog to get the best sound quality.

 

[imported_elwood]

Why is analog better than digital in this situation?

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: elwood
Why is analog better than digital in this situation?

because its the only way to get surround sound from games. It is also the only way to take advantage of the processing on your sound card. If you don't, the control pod of the Z-5500's acts as the sound card...and its not very good.

 

[imported_elwood]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: elwood
Why is analog better than digital in this situation?

because its the only way to get surround sound from games. It is also the only way to take advantage of the processing on your sound card. If you don't, the control pod of the Z-5500's acts as the sound card...and its not very good.

So the optical connections on a X-FI bypass the sound cards processing?

 

[GML3G0]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: elwood
Why is analog better than digital in this situation?

because its the only way to get surround sound from games. It is also the only way to take advantage of the processing on your sound card. If you don't, the control pod of the Z-5500's acts as the sound card...and its not very good.

Hmm, are you sure? You're right about only getting 2.1 with optical, but I thought it just uses the DAC on the Z-5500 instead of the ones on the Audigy - the card is still handling the audio. The DAC on the Audigy is better anyways, though.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: GML3G0

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: elwood
Why is analog better than digital in this situation?

because its the only way to get surround sound from games. It is also the only way to take advantage of the processing on your sound card. If you don't, the control pod of the Z-5500's acts as the sound card...and its not very good.

Hmm, are you sure? You're right about only getting 2.1 with optical, but I thought it just uses the DAC on the Z-5500 instead of the ones on the Audigy - the card is still handling the audio. The DAC on the Audigy is better anyways, though.

By processing I mean DAC's and op amps...basically what you pay for when you buy the sound card. These are two of the things that drastically control your sound quality. Using the optical connection bypasses these and uses the ones in the Z-5500's

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: elwood

Originally posted by: PurdueRy

Originally posted by: elwood
Why is analog better than digital in this situation?

because its the only way to get surround sound from games. It is also the only way to take advantage of the processing on your sound card. If you don't, the control pod of the Z-5500's acts as the sound card...and its not very good.

So the optical connections on a X-FI bypass the sound cards processing?

see above post