X-Fi ExtremeMusic

[TitusTroy]

the new X-Fi ExtremeMusic card does not have any coaxial or optical output jacks on the back of the sound card itself...can I use my motherboards onboard coaxial/optical output jacks in its place or is that only when using onboard sound?...I wanted to connect my new Inspire P5800 speakers digitally to the DDTS-100 decoder box from Creative...can I do this via my mobo's SPDIF connections or do I need to upgrade to the Platinum or Fatal1ty version of the card to do this?

does an optical digital connection make a real difference in sound quality or should I just leave my analog connections?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

By using a digital output, you're having the DDTS-100 decoder do the work that your X-Fi would normally do. It's still analog in the end.

You have a $100 soundcard with some of the best analog output you can get for a consumer card. Use it.

 

[TitusTroy]

I always thought that the digital connection (optical) was the best connection available because it provided the best quality and unlike analog no noise is produced...

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TitusTroy
I always thought that the digital connection (optical) was the best connection available because it provided the best quality and unlike analog no noise is produced...

You're still going to get some noise in the output coming from the decoder, and your speakers themselves aren't going to be perfect either. The X-Fi's analog output is very clean and should do a very good job.

The X-Fi also can be used to do digital coaxial output with an adapter if you wanted to try that. I think differences in the quality of the devices themselves (the X-Fi vs the decoder vs the speakers) is going to have a bigger impact than the signal being digital for a longer distance before it gets to the speakers.

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
By using a digital output, you're having the DDTS-100 decoder do the work that your X-Fi would normally do. It's still analog in the end.
You have a $100 soundcard with some of the best analog output you can get for a consumer card. Use it.

Hey guys! I just heard about this new speaker system from Logitech. Its called the Z-5300e. It uses analog inputs.
I heard its supposed to be really good!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: shortylickens

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
By using a digital output, you're having the DDTS-100 decoder do the work that your X-Fi would normally do. It's still analog in the end.
You have a $100 soundcard with some of the best analog output you can get for a consumer card. Use it.

Hey guys! I just heard about this new speaker system from Logitech. Its called the Z-5300e. It uses analog inputs.
I heard its supposed to be really good!

 

[The J]

Those speakers aren't really new. They're just the old Z-5300, except black in color (originally gray). They are pretty good, though.

 

[TitusTroy]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

The X-Fi also can be used to do digital coaxial output with an adapter if you wanted to try that. I think differences in the quality of the devices themselves (the X-Fi vs the decoder vs the speakers) is going to have a bigger impact than the signal being digital for a longer distance before it gets to the speakers.

on my speakers there is one extra jack that says "AUX" and in the instruction manual it says "Stereo-to-Stereo Cable 1/8" (3.5mm)"...is that what you referred to as the "digital coaxial output"...if so what cable would I need to hook up that connection?...would this offer improved sound quality via the digital coaxial connection over my current analog connection?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I'm not sure what jack on the X-Fi can do digital out, but you'd need a 3.5mm mono to RCA adapter I believe.

Will that get you improved sound quality? Probably not. It might sound different since there will be a different device doing the digital to analog conversion but the X-Fi gives you great analog output when you don't enable any of the "features" so I think that's going to be your best bet.

The only reason I guess you would want to do this is if you wanted to use a different decoder for DD/DTS sources.

 

[TitusTroy]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I'm not sure what jack on the X-Fi can do digital out, but you'd need a 3.5mm mono to RCA adapter I believe.

will this work?..

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index...463&cp=&kw=mono+jack&parentPage=search

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
The only reason I guess you would want to do this is if you wanted to use a different decoder for DD/DTS sources.

what do you mean by this?...won't my sound card still be handling the decoding?...I want to try out the RCA adapter with my current X-Fi ExtremeMusic sound card and Creative Inspire P5800 speakers without the DDTS-100 decoder

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TitusTroy

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I'm not sure what jack on the X-Fi can do digital out, but you'd need a 3.5mm mono to RCA adapter I believe.

will this work?..

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index...463&cp=&kw=mono+jack&parentPage=search

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
The only reason I guess you would want to do this is if you wanted to use a different decoder for DD/DTS sources.

what do you mean by this?...won't my sound card still be handling the decoding?...I want to try out the RCA adapter with my current X-Fi ExtremeMusic sound card and Creative Inspire P5800 speakers without the DDTS-100 decoder

"I wanted to connect my new Inspire P5800 speakers digitally to the DDTS-100 decoder box from Creative"

What are you trying to do?

Do the speakers have a digital input on them?

 

[TitusTroy]

sorry about the confusion...I was thinking about buying the DDTS-100 decoder because I thought I would be able to connect them via the optical SPDIF connection...but now I don't think I would need the DDTS decoder so I want to connect my Inspire P5800 speakers which has an "AUX" jack which according to the manual says "Stereo-to-Stereo Cable 1/8" (3.5mm)...so I wanted to use that jack to connect to my X-Fi ExtremeMusic sound card which has a "Digital I/O" jack...

can I hook these 2 things up via the RCA adapter you mentioned earlier?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TitusTroy
sorry about the confusion...I was thinking about buying the DDTS-100 decoder because I thought I would be able to connect them via the optical SPDIF connection...but now I don't think I would need the DDTS decoder so I want to connect my Inspire P5800 speakers which has an "AUX" jack which according to the manual says "Stereo-to-Stereo Cable 1/8" (3.5mm)...so I wanted to use that jack to connect to my X-Fi ExtremeMusic sound card which has a "Digital I/O" jack...

can I hook these 2 things up via the RCA adapter you mentioned earlier?

That's just another analog input I think.

The short version of what I'm about to say is "don't do it, just connect with analog"


The long version:

Ok, so you have some sound info on your comptuer that eventually has to get to your speakers. It's digital to start with and you need it analog in the end (even "digital seakers" are analog).
So among other things you have to change from digital to analog somewhere.

What you have now is pretty much ideal
Computer --> X-Fi does a great job changing to analog --> speakers

What you're proposing is
Computer --> X-Fi passes digital --> DDTS-100 converts to analog but not as well as the X-Fi --> speakers

Option 1 that you have now is great. If you're trying to get better quality overall, get better speakers or some decent headphones. Your analog source coming out is about as good as it's going to get. The weak point is your speakers at this point.

Option 2 will sound the same or worse probably but you'll get more connection options, you'll loose 5.1 sound from sources that aren't DD/DTS encoded (like games), and you'll spend big bucks.



So, instead of trying to find a DDTS-100 (I think they're out of production), if you really want to mess around with digital get a nicer set of speakers and if you want get one with a digital input like z-5500s for about $225.

 

[TitusTroy]

thanks for the info...I think I'll take your advice and stick with my analog connection...was just curious about possibly changing over to digital in case it might improve my overall sound quality

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TitusTroy
thanks for the info...I think I'll take your advice and stick with my analog connection...was just curious about possibly changing over to digital in case it might improve my overall sound quality

Unless you're getting an odd amount of noise from the X-Fi, the only reason digital would help is if the external DAC did a better job than the X-Fi, but you're going to have to spend a lot for that to happen and even if you did, you're still using ~$60 speakers so it's pretty pointless.

You already have overkill on your soundcard with the X-Fi. I think in general spending more on the soundcard than the speakers is already a bad move. I have about a 6.5:1 ratio speakers/sub to soundcard/receiver on my own stuff. Receiver is next on my list to upgrade, but I don't think it's too out of line right now.

 

[alcoholbob]

You know, I think I've finally come to expect some people like to do things in reverse.

For example, "how I can maximize these speakers with the best sound card."

Translation: "How I can turn my Honda Civic into a monster by running it with 104 octane gas. I am sure this is the cost-efficient way of maximizing power : P"

 

[shortylickens]

Hold the fvcking phone YoYo. YOU got a custom title.
When did this happen? Did I miss the coronation ceremony?
Was I not invited to the beer and pretzels afterwards?
You bad mofo you.

 

[alcoholbob]

I think he hax.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
Hold the fvcking phone YoYo. YOU got a custom title.
When did this happen? Did I miss the coronation ceremony?
Was I not invited to the beer and pretzels afterwards?
You bad mofo you.

When did this happen? September

The closest thing to a party was in the middle of this thread http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
I think he hax.

Free iHAX?

 

[TitusTroy]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
You know, I think I've finally come to expect some people like to do things in reverse.

For example, "how I can maximize these speakers with the best sound card."

Translation: "How I can turn my Honda Civic into a monster by running it with 104 octane gas. I am sure this is the cost-efficient way of maximizing power : P"

I would love to get some high end $400 speakers from Logitech, Klipsch or even Creative's Gigaworks to match the high quality of my sound card...but...I live in an apartment and when I used to have the Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 400 watt speakers I could not turn them up too loud otherwise my neighbors would complain...so I realized that a cheaper set of speakers (under 100 watts total) was my only option...the Inspire P5800 speakers are not bad at all for a sub $100 set of speakers and they suit my needs fine without getting evicted from my apartment

 

[Excelsior]

If bothering your neighbors is such a problem, just get some good headphones.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
If bothering your neighbors is such a problem, just get some good headphones.

He speaks the truth

 

[TitusTroy]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
If bothering your neighbors is such a problem, just get some good headphones.

that negates the whole point of getting a nice 400+ watt set of speakers if I can only listen to them via headphones...high end speakers are to be experienced in all their ear shattering glory, not with some muted headphones...who buys 500 watt speakers just to listen to them using headphones?...

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TitusTroy

Originally posted by: Excelsior
If bothering your neighbors is such a problem, just get some good headphones.

that negates the whole point of getting a nice 400+ watt set of speakers if I can only listen to them via headphones...high end speakers are to be experienced in all their ear shattering glory, not with some muted headphones...who buys 500 watt speakers just to listen to them using headphones?...

I think he means get headphones instead of speakers