[Maverick0984]

Well, I use Optical S/PDIF to hook up my PC to my HT system currently. I play movies, music, and games.

I want the best possible Audio experience, so I was looking at cards like the Asus Xonar, the Auzen Prelude, and that X-Fi Elite card.

I really don't want the straight Creative crap, because I don't want to take the hit in the Movie, and Music categories. Not to mention, the hassle that comes with Creative cards. So that left me with Asus Xonar, or the Auzen Prelude to choose from. The Prelude has the EAX 5.0, so I was leaning towards that. Although, it using Creative drivers isn't too promising.

Can I assume that the movie and music audio will be comparable between the two? It's a mid-high end receiver so it can handle quite a bit including DTS/Dolby and all that jazz w/o problems.

My only wonder is that since the sound card is just going to be doing a passthrough to the receiver, am I actually gaining any sound quality? Wouldn't a regular old onboard give me theoretically the same exact output since digital 1's and 0's are gonna be the same since they come from the same source? Am I right to assume these high end cards are more for analog inputs/outputs where the capacitors and such really matter?

[Lotec25]

Maverick,

You are correct going to a new sound card or external is not going to make a difference. As when using Spdif it bypasses the opamps on the sound card and keeps the signal digital until it hits the Receiver. But from onboard sound it is possible to gain some interference from the Motherboard due to the tight fit of the components on the board witch is why most people use a Pci card or external. You have quit a less chance of this happening using SPDIF but still possible. There are quiet a few post about this over at Head-Fi forums you can read threw. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=59

[Maverick0984]

Originally Posted by Lotec25

Maverick,

You are correct going to a new sound card or external is not going to make a difference. As when using Spdif it bypasses the opamps on the sound card and keeps the signal digital until it hits the Receiver. But from onboard sound it is possible to gain some interference from the Motherboard due to the tight fit of the components on the board witch is why most people use a Pci card or external. You have quit a less chance of this happening using SPDIF but still possible. There are quiet a few post about this over at Head-Fi forums you can read threw. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=59

Ya, I posted something similar to this over there a couple weeks ago, but got exactly 0 responses. We're a little more friendly here ;P. Thanks for the link, I'll give it a read through.

[Lotec25]

Just do a search you will find alot of post about it. Preety much just comes down to the board your using. If it is a top of the line MB no need for pci sound card. I use Spdif myself and the only reason i use a PCI card is because i need SPDIF in/out.

[Maverick0984]

Well, it is a top of the line board. It's the P5K Premium, and I don't exactly need the option to connect optical "in" to my computer for say like an xbox or something.

So you are saying all these fancy pants cards will do nothing for me quality wise?

[Lotec25]

That is correct, For the most part if using spdif/optical you will not get extra noise in the line. Kind of a waste of cash if using spdif/optical to buy a sound card as it bypasses preety much all of the sound card. If your using line out then it is a different story of course.

I need a optical in for my XMPCR so i can get sound out of it, witch is the only reason i have the sound card i have. I have heard one of the cards that will do DTS/Dolby might help as the signal path is a bit different so you could upconvert games to Dolby if you wanted. But i have not tried it, If you do let me know as i was thinking of giving it a try.

http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/x-fi_prelude.php

[soloz2]

since you're using a digital connection you'll get very similar performance from all the cards you mentioned.

A note about the X-Fi's you don't need to spend $ to get the Elite because it is only better than the other X-Fi's when using the analogue output. Digital output should be the same.

[Maverick0984]

What if I wanted EAX 5.0? Is anything able to send that data over optical? I know optical is pretty picky about what it takes.

[Lotec25]

Nope you will not Get EAX here is a thread i found on it. As i said above when using a digital out on the video card you get a straight pass threw the sound card is essentially out of the mix. All you will gain from using a PCI card is more connections/no noise.

http://forums.creative.com/creativel...e=1&format=all

"PC Games
PC games usually use technologies like as EAX to create surround sound, not Dolby Digital. So even if your speaker system has a Dolby Digital decoder, it will be of no use when playing games. The EAX processing is done on the soundcard, and the 6-channel sound is output via the analogue (or digital DIN if available). So you still need analogue connections to your digital speakers for games, if you just use an optical/coax cable you will only get the front left/right sound."

So when you read this part, it looks to me that with digital conection I can't have 5.1 sound with EAX in games, only if I use creative digital speaker system I can get suport for 5.1 sound with EAX in games.

*EDIT http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s....php?p=5482720 another thread on it

[Maverick0984]

that's frustrating...

[Lotec25]

well it depends on what way you look at it. Most people using the spdif/optical i would figure and this is me figuring probley dont play as many games. More along the line of watching movies listening to music. Also all you have to do is run some cables from front left/right of the video card stick them on a different setting on the receiver and you can run dolby prologic and do an upmix and you will still have your EAX. But to tell yea the truth i have not even noticed it. I run Optical to my Receiver and then upmix to ProLogic. For the most part if you have a nice receiver it is better to let the receiver do the sound processing work. The Opamps are quiet a bit better in Receivers.

[soloz2]

you will get CMSS 3D output through digital so if you go the X-Fi route you'll be able to have an external DAC and headphone amp and get crystal clear sound plus all the posional audio that you need to know exactly where your opponents are located. The X-Fi only has coax out unless u get the Elite or platinum, but with the platinum you have the cables run to the front of your case.

Creative does sell a breaktout box you can pick up for relatively cheap.

The best solution would be to get a custom digital coax from bjc (blue jeans cable) if you go that route

[Lotec25]

Yep just like Soloz2 said if you want the best possible sound move over to a DAC usually better sound quality.

[Maverick0984]

Originally Posted by Lotec25

Yep just like Soloz2 said if you want the best possible sound move over to a DAC usually better sound quality.

Well, digital is clean. I'm sure there is a DAC in my HT receiever which then sends out the Analog audio to the speakers. I'm not sure I understand why just placing a different DAC in a different location will provide any increased sound quality? I actually highly doubt it since my receiver is a pretty darn good receiver.

Either way, the info is digital at somepoint, whether it is before or after the sound card outputs it, so either a the DAC's on the card convert it or the DAC in my receiver convert it.

Am I missing something?

[Audioaficionado]

There is no digital to analog conversion (DAC) in S/PDIF pass through so no need for any DACs in your computer. The receiver's DACs will do the job better than DACs in an electrically noisy PC environment.

Now if you are feeding a high-end analog chain, you'll want a high quality card with top notch DACs.

I don't know of any receivers that will do EAX but most of them will decode Dolby and DTS without any problems.

I just use the S/PDIF out on my motherboard and feed it to my receiver which plays on regular bookshelf speakers. Much better than those little tinny PC speakers I see over at CC.

[Lotec25]

Originally Posted by Maverick0984

Well, digital is clean. I'm sure there is a DAC in my HT receiever which then sends out the Analog audio to the speakers. I'm not sure I understand why just placing a different DAC in a different location will provide any increased sound quality? I actually highly doubt it since my receiver is a pretty darn good receiver.

Either way, the info is digital at somepoint, whether it is before or after the sound card outputs it, so either a the DAC's on the card convert it or the DAC in my receiver convert it.

Am I missing something?

you are right the DAC in your receiver is probley good. BUt the one in your computer is not. To get the best possible low loss sound. This is from reading at the Headfi forums use a USB/Firewire DAC witch gets the sound out of the computer and there for removing any noise that might come from using an internal sound card. Keep in mind this is not using a SPDIF cable. This is an analog connection type

[Audioaficionado]

There are high-end PCI cards that are shielded and/or have high noise rejection chips so the internal noise of a PC isn't a factor. At least not one human ears can detect no matter how 'golden' they might be.

[Maverick0984]

Alright then, looks like I'm fine with just keeping with onboard sound then so I won't waste my money on a sound card since I'm sticking with S/PDIF.

Games sound excellent to me though. I understand it isn't in EAX but I'm not sure how much better they could possibly get? I've played Company of Heroes/Bioshock/GRAW2/ and Medal of Honor Airbourne and they all sound great. If EAX is much better I don't think I'm missing much.