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2.1 speakers with SPDIF?

you should get a modest receiver, a sub and a couple bookshelf speakers and you will have something that is better than any computer system
 
I honestly don't know what a reasonable price is, but I was looking to see if anyone knew what might be available for under $100. If they're not available in this price range, I could just buy an Creative Audigy 2 that has a better quality DAC for far less than the digital speakers., and use the speakers I have now. Was just hoping to not add another expansion card for the time being, but I'm debating which would end up being better.

I'm not on my PC as much as I used to be, certainly not enough to justify the receiver and speakers. In the small area I have for my setup, a 2.1 system is just fine for me. Too bad my Altec ACS500 Dolby pro-logic system can't be adapted to digital.
 
If you are only interested in better quality 2 channel output, get the Chaintech AV-710. You can route the front channel audio through channels 7and 8 for 24/96 output. At <$30, it will give excellent output for cheap. Then you can hook your old receiver up to the output and enjoy.
 
I really want to use the hardware acceleration of my Soundstorm audio, though; the Envy24 cards like the Chaintech have a reputation for sounding good, but have no hardware DSP, which causes a bit of a performance hit in games sometimes.. Perhaps I am going about this all wrong....so let me rephrase.

I'd like to bypass the DAC so that I get better quality. The S-Bracket on my MSI mainboard has both optical and RCA coax SPDIF connections. I believe for the optical one, I need a receiver with TOSLink, which I don't plan on getting. Is there a way to hook up the coax SPDIF to a set of existing speakers without a receiver or additional special hardware? If not, are there speakers on the market that will take the coax SPDIF connection without purchasing a receiver?
 
S/PDIF isn't exactly a jack, but rather a data format. S/PDIF stands for Sony/Phillips Digital Interface Format. It is a method of encoding audio information digitally, and that digital encoding can be transmitted of a variety of interconnects, most commonly optical and coaxial. Optical interconnects transmit the digital information via modulation of light pulses; while coaxial interconnects modulate voltages to transmit that data. To the end consumer, there's no real difference. I think coax is better because you can make your own. You can't solder optical fiber, or get it in bulk at the local hardware or electronics store.
 
The short answer is that it's really not worth it at the price point that you mentioned. It's better to get a sound implementation with good analog output, such as the Chaintech that I mentioned. Or the M-audio Revolution. Or, if you want to sell your soul and line the pockets of evil incarnate, you can buy a Creative card.
 
GMC, I understand how you feel about CL. I didn't like what Creative did with Aureal, or Sensaura, or how they've handled the whole Doom3/"Carmack's Reverse" issue. I was disappointed in what I still consider deceptive marketing regarding their original Audigy sound card. I also think Creative's tactics, like some have said on The Tech Report, have stifled audio innovation in the PC world, though I think some of that also has to do with having hit the glass ceiling in what we can do, or need to do, with computer audio

Problem is, of all the remaining sound cards on the market (that is, ones with ongoing driver support), not one has hardware acceleration, relying on the CPU for DSP work. This includes all the Envy24 based cards, which I think is a great design that just didn't quite get carried far enough.

I've owned almost every sound card CL made up to a point (SoundBlaster 1.5, SBPro, SB16, AWE32, Live!, and Audigy, and still have an AWE64 Gold in the garage), all good cards technologically. Despite my dislike of some of Creative's tactics, they still make the best card on the market in the Audigy 2. Everyone's done a good job at answering my questions; now all that's left is to weigh my options and decide whether I really need a new sound card over what SoundStorm offers me. Considering that NVidia is dropping SoundStorm, it may be my only reasonable option for the future.
 
I was being mostly tounge-in-cheek. Mostly. Is acceleration a factor in two-channel gaming? I can't imagine that it is. Hmm. I could be wrong.
 
I'm also looking for a set of 2.1 digital speakers and need some help.


GodsMadClown said:
The short answer is that it's really not worth it at the price point that you mentioned. It's better to get a sound implementation with good analog output, such as the Chaintech that I mentioned. Or the M-audio Revolution. Or, if you want to sell your soul and line the pockets of evil incarnate, you can buy a Creative card.
Click to expand...

He had $100, I'm looking to spend ~$150 and wondered if it could be worth it to use my soundstorm.

I found the Creative MegaWorks THX 2.1 250D and they connect digitally. I haven't found any real reveiws though, are they any good?

Or should I get a good sound card and cheaper analog speakers for 150 (any recomedations)?
I'm pretty sure a reciever is out of the question.
 
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