need sound card with optical out, any ideas?

[skidooosl]

are there any good sound cards with optical out on the card, not on the front of the case? i want to get the Logitec z680 speakers ( i think thats the model ) and they have optical input... i was going to use the output on my NF7-S but i think i may get better sound quality from a Sound Blaster card or something. anyone know if that is true?

[voodoomelon]

If you want to go cheap, try a card like this (http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/hercules-fortissimo71/) .

Otherwise, the Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro has all the connections under the sun. Including optical.
;)

[james.miller]

digital on the nf7-s is a very good rival for the audigy2 many people are undecided on what is better, so id say use the nf7 and see if you can borrow an audigy 2 from somewhere to compare:)

[skidooosl]

only problome with the sound blaster is the optical is on the front pannel so i would have to have a cord runnin from there around my case to my speakers....

[james.miller]

read my above post.

[voodoomelon]

Originally posted by skidooosl
only problome with the sound blaster is the optical is on the front pannel so i would have to have a cord runnin from there around my case to my speakers....

That's what I plan to do when if my Platinum ever arrives...
Well, with my minidisc player which is always connected.

[Howie]

You could also go with the M-Audio Revolution 7.1's. They don't have optical out but they do have coax out which is digital also. The Z-680's have coax in so you'd have no problem with the Revolutions.

[JCLW]

Any Soundblaster card from the Live! to the Audigy 2 Pro Platinum has digital out.

You just need an adapter from the 1/8" jack to RCA.

[skidooosl]

wouldnt that be analog? if it goes through RCA?

[JCLW]

No, there is digital out over RCA coax as well (orange coloured connector on your DVD player). It's exactly the same signal as optical.

I'm working on something similar, and I've learned there are three kinds of digital audio connections (that you'd normally find around a computer). They all transfer exactly the same signal.

#1) Optical (TosLink) - Fibre optic cable, uses ~600nm wavelength (visible red) light

#2) SPDIF Coax - Coaxial cable, RCA jacks, ~0.5V signal level

#3) SPDIF TTL - Coxial cable, 2 pin plugs, ~5V signal level, most commonly used inside computer cases (ie: digital connection from DVD drive to soundcard)