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Sound Card with SPDIF out?

C

CKDragon

Diamond Member
Hi,

I'm looking to set up my computer so I can output my *.mp3 on my HT System. I don't plan to even set up TV-Out because all I want is to listen to my audio files. Right now I have an old SBLive! which is fine for me as far as computer use is concerned. I'm looking for the cheapest (or best bang for my buck), probably not looking to spend over $60 or so unless someone recommends something that would blow me away for a little more.

The sound card would run to my Yamaha-5550 receiver and 5.1 setup. I have one optical and two coaxal inputs free right now.

Thanks for any help you can provide, 😀

CK
 
you're probably going to have to use prologic to get 5.1 sound. most mp3s only play in surround in analog connection.

as for sound cards:

turtle beach santa cruz
hercules game theater xp
m audio revolution 7.1
phillips acoustic edge
creative audigy 2

are all good choices. i think most provide both optical and coax connections.
 
I saw a little dongle box that converts USB to an audio coax output, for the express purpose of using your PC as a home theater machine. Let me see if I can find the magazine . . .


EDIT - it's called Harman Kardon DAL 150 ezlink.

Link
 
The Live! has SPDIF output so presumably yours just lacks the external connector. You can simply attach a coaxial cable with RCA jack to the board connectors. Or, if you want something pre-fab, Hoontech used to make a coaxial/optical output bracket that could be had for $12. If you want inputs, they make those too. For the DIY approach check listen.to/sblive or hit google.
 
Originally posted by: Auric
The Live! has SPDIF output so presumably yours just lacks the external connector. You can simply attach a coaxial cable with RCA jack to the board connectors. Or, if you want something pre-fab, Hoontech used to make a coaxial/optical output bracket that could be had for $12. If you want inputs, they make those too. For the DIY approach check listen.to/sblive or hit google.
Click to expand...

I agree, your SB Live! should already have the SPDIF output. Just get a speaker line out to RCA y cable. Hook the speaker line end to the SPDIF out jack on your Live card, then plug in the white (or is it red?? I forget) RCA line the to one of the digital coax input jacks of your receiver. This is what I did with my Soundblaster Live! X-Gamer (original non-5.1 version) to hook up to my Denon receiver.

Edit: Woops, just checked Creative's website and it looks like the original SB Live doesn't have the SPDIF connector. If you want something really cheap but functional, I have a Aureal SQ1500 A3D soundcard with a digital coax out jack. It only outputs a PCM signal which is fine for mp3's but it won't pass a 5.1 Dolby Digital signal if you want to play DVDs (at least in WinXP it won't).
 
I do exactly the same as Boogak to hook my Altec Lansing ADA880 digital speakers up to my SB Live! 5.1

well anyways, i'd also suggest getting the acoustic edge... best digital card there is..
 
Hercules Fortissimo III & Fortissimo II have optical SPDIF. Some C-media 8738 based cards have both optical spdif in and out, as well as coax in and out... (I think Leadtek and Chaintech sell cards capable of this).

Cheers
 
Boogak, all Live! cards have SPDIF output. Not all came with an external jack in which case the cable must be connected to the pins on the board itself which were provided to be used with Creative's high-priced add-on brackets and "drives".

Here is one example of the DIY cable instructions.
 
I have a little HT box. I first tried a one of the original Live! cards with a hoontech daughter board to hook up to the reciever digitally. I didn't like it at all. The sound was so flat compared to everything else the reciever puts out that I stopped worrying about playing mp3's on it. It is just a dvd box now, since the Hollywood + card has its own digital out. I have a fortissimo II that I plan on trying one of these days, when I get around to it.

Not trying to crap in this thread. If your like me your likely to try it for yourself anyway. Just don't be surprised if it sounds sub par once you finally get it hooked up. I know in my case that it is definatly the Live! card. I hooked my laptop up to the reciver using just the line out (regular stereo out) and played the same mp3s and it sounded wonderful. The lappy has a little yamaha sound card in it. Oh, I also tried the Live! card on the the analog out and it sounded the same. In fact I couldn't tell the difference between the analog and digital connections. They both sounded really flat.
 
Most of the upper end Hercules cards have SPDIF output as well. I think Hercules also makes a card with 7.1 out. It's around $100, which is not that bad at all.
 
Does the Audigy 2 (Not Platinum, just the card) have both SPDIF In and Out on the "card" itself?

According to Creating it has SPDIF in and out, but the picture of the card looks like only one RCA connector...?
 
Wow, thanks for all the replies.

All this talk has gotten me in the mood to upgrade. 😀

I think I may go with the Guillemot Hercules Fortissimo III 7.1 which is at NewEgg for $42+shipping.

I see it has optical out which sounds ideal so I don't have to do any of the DIY work to get the coaxal cables to work.

Thanks again,

CK
 
hmmm i thought flat sound was good? shows that it's accurate... when engineers make audio equipment, their main goal is to get the flattest sound possible, which is the most natural sound inteneded by the sound artist..
 
Indeed. When comparing headphones recently I specifically looked for a set that would not "color" the audio. But how could an all digital signal be changed by the PC when it is only being converted in the receiver?

CKDragon, if I knew you were not a DIY type of person I would have gladly made the cable for you for the $50 you are spending but I suppose you are also getting a better card in the bargain and not just an SPDIF jack. 😉
 

CKDragon, if I knew you were not a DIY type of person I would have gladly made the cable for you for the $50 you are spending but I suppose you are also getting a better card in the bargain and not just an SPDIF jack. 😉
Click to expand...


Ah, thank you for the offer. I think I'm going to like having an optical out, instead. Earlier, I mistakenly said that I had 2 free coaxal jacks. My receiver actually has 3 optical-in jacks but only one coaxal-in. So right now I have 2 free optical jacks and one free coaxal. It would be nice to continue to have at least one of each freed up for future connections.

Thanks again,

CK
 
Okay okay, maybe saying it was flat was not the best way to describe my experience. Since I listened to the same songs from to different sound cards it is most accurate to say this. Even without hearing the better sound from the yamaha I could tell the music played using the Live! card (both cds and mp3s) seemed to lack the full range of sound, it was lacking in both the upper and the very deep. That is why I said it was flat, cause it lacked range of tones I can hear when playing the same material on a stand alone cd player and a seperate sound card. Furthermore the sound even lacked the same degree of clarity that the other sound card seemed to have.

Anyway, CK, Did you order that Fort III yet? This discussion has really got me curious, and since I have the Fort II laying here I am pretty sure I am going to swap it out tomorrow evening. I'll post back here once I have checked it out.

 
I picked up my Acoutic Edge for 45 dollars a few months ago ...

After that ... I bought a quality Digtal cable from www.bettercables.com to bridge the distance.
(I didnt want my computer in my living area)

You wont find an optical cable of any real practical length to reach from the computer (on the floor) to a hieght of a big screenTV.

If you do deciede to use optical ... make sure your reciever is capable of sharing optical IN inputs.
(my Sony only allowed one assignment even thou it has 2 and I hate messing with small menu buttons for the setup programs If I wanted to use a different input))
 
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