Sound card to go with a Z5500?

Juddog

Diamond Member
Dec 11, 2006
7,851
6
81
Originally posted by: Isaac MM
What sound card do you recommend?

I'm using an X-fi with mine (the cheapest one). Sounds fantastic.
 

themisfit610

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2006
1,352
2
81
If you connect with digital, there will be no difference, as long as your sound card can encode to AC3 / DTS on the fly!

Even if it can't 2ch will be identical in either case.

~MiSfit
 

Juddog

Diamond Member
Dec 11, 2006
7,851
6
81
Originally posted by: themisfit610
If you connect with digital, there will be no difference, as long as your sound card can encode to AC3 / DTS on the fly!

Even if it can't 2ch will be identical in either case.

~MiSfit

That's one of the reasons I love the X-fi - you can expand the sound to all 5 channels using an algorithm in the program. Regular stereo MP3's sound fantastic on it, and it adds a new depth to the sound with the surround sound option.

I use the minijack though; for some reason when I hooked up the Z5500's to the optical out, there is a brief half second of silence every time the sound goes off and then back on again.

I don't know if it's an issue with the optical connection or something else. I haven't tried the coax digital connection yet.

I am a huge fan of the Z5500's though, best sounding computer speakers I have bought so far.
 

RocketGuy3

Junior Member
May 11, 2008
14
0
0
Originally posted by: themisfit610
If you connect with digital, there will be no difference, as long as your sound card can encode to AC3 / DTS on the fly!

Even if it can't 2ch will be identical in either case.

~MiSfit

Really? There's no difference in the digital signals that any two cards will output under any circumstances?
 

desolate

Member
Jun 27, 2007
113
0
0
I'm using an HT Omega Striker 7.1 Sound Card that I absolutely love. I'm no audiophile but the sound quality is great for my gaming and music needs.
 

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Originally posted by: Isaac MM
What sound card do you recommend?
People use their PCs in different ways. Therefore their audio needs differ.
Please explain what YOUR system is being used for. ;)
That way the proper audio option recommendations can be made.
 

Juddog

Diamond Member
Dec 11, 2006
7,851
6
81
Originally posted by: Astrallite
Eh well the Z-5500s have the same feature its called PL2...

The X-fi's audio processor is far superior to the PL2 IMO. I have tried both. It's a matter of preference of course, but to each his own I guess.
 

themisfit610

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2006
1,352
2
81
Really? There's no difference in the digital signals that any two cards will output under any circumstances?

As long as we're talking about 2ch output without any hardware based DSP effects happening (which is how it should be set up), there is no difference.

Some cards have more or less jitter on their S/PDIF, but how this really affects the sound is very much debatable.

The whole point of a digital interface is to take DACs, op-amps, and other parts of the analog signal path OUTSIDE the PC, which is a very electrically noisy environment. I'm not sure how the DACs on the Z-5500 compare to a high end sound card like Auzentech or HT Omega's offerings (or even the X-fi, sort of...).

The X-fi's audio processor is far superior to the PL2 IMO. I have tried both. It's a matter of preference of course, but to each his own I guess.
It is a matter of preference. I much prefer to hear 2ch sound in 2ch. I don't like the compression / reverb / eq effects that hardware DSPs tend to introduce for their virtual 5.1 modes. Dolby ProLogic II (PL2) is simple enough that it doesn't sound freakish. Heck, I'm happy with simple matrix 5.1, which literally copies the front channels and moves them to the rear :) It sounds like a car that way.

~Misfit
 

RocketGuy3

Junior Member
May 11, 2008
14
0
0
Originally posted by: themisfit610As long as we're talking about 2ch output without any hardware based DSP effects happening (which is how it should be set up), there is no difference.

Some cards have more or less jitter on their S/PDIF, but how this really affects the sound is very much debatable.

The whole point of a digital interface is to take DACs, op-amps, and other parts of the analog signal path OUTSIDE the PC, which is a very electrically noisy environment. I'm not sure how the DACs on the Z-5500 compare to a high end sound card like Auzentech or HT Omega's offerings (or even the X-fi, sort of...).

Well dang, that's not cool. If any card with an SPDIF port (and support for DTS and DD codecs) would have guaranteed me the same sound, then that probably means I wasted a good chunk of dough on my b-Enspirer sound card. Why'd you have to tell me this after I bought it? I would have preferred to live in blissful ignorance. :p
 

themisfit610

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2006
1,352
2
81
:)

Like I said, not all S/PDIF outputs are created equal.. jitter does come into play, but it's not a huge deal :)

~MiSfit