question about a setup.

[arnoldma]

Hi, im thinking of making a new sound system for my PC after the last one died because, someone, unfortunatly spilt some beer on my amp... yes beer!

anyway this time im thinking of getting something pretty good, so i thought about it and the best way is to prob go for a custom reciever/amp and some speakers bought seperatly as opposed to buying a package like i did last time.

what i was wondering is if i could buy a new soundcard (http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-meridian.php) and use the spdif or optical out on the sound card, connect it to a reciever, and have the speakers connecting off the reciever. will that give me true surround stream? or do i have to use the 3.5mm to phono connections and connect each set to the reciever? which way would be better?

to clarify, im thinking either: spdif/opitcal --> reciever --> speakers ......OR...... 3.5mm to phono(center/sub,front,rare) --> reciever -->speakers? thats with the new x-meridian sound card. not sure what reciever i should get, any recommanditions?

thanks, bye.

[freakdiablo]

well, I do believe that if you use optical, you would get true surround sound. I think certain game consoles use this way, possibly a few other things, but someone else back me up on this. Im still kind of a noob to sound systems.

[pak]

The auzentech's are the only ones that support SS through optical.

--pak

[arnoldma]

so does the setup sound good? i still don't know if i should use optical or?? whats the best connection, for computer -> receiver -> speakers? thanks!