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Setting digital audio straight...

S

so_cal_forever

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jan 5, 2004
Messages
1,125
Alright, my parents just purchased me an Onkyo TX-SR302 5.1 receiver for one of my graduation presents. As I understand it, using a digital connection would benefit me because it would rely on the receiver to process the sound instead of the sound card itself. Do I have this right? Also, would using the coaxial output of my onboard sound be more benefiting than using the analog connection of my Audigy 2?

Edit - I should've mentioned I mostly listen to music and play computer games. I hear talk you should use one type of digital input over the other depending on what you do mostly.
 
The point of a digital connection is to delay the digital-to-analog conversion until the signal reaches the best digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit. Is the best DAC circuit in the soundcard or in the receiver? The answer to this question varies. For your case, your receiver is probably the ideal point for the conversion to take place. Therefore, you should use the coaxial digital output of either your onboard sound or your Audigy.

There is one last thing you must consider. The industry standard consumer interface for digital audio is S/PDIF, but this connection only allows PCM, DTS, and AC3 signals to pass. In a nutshell, only pre-encoded Dolby Digital and DTS audio may pass over the S/PDIF connection. This means that audio to your receiver is basically limited to DVD content. On the other hand, analog behaves as you would normally expect. Any audio your computer would normally let you play would play out of the analog outputs, should you use them instead.

edit: After reading your edit, I recommend using the analog outputs of your Audigy 2. Games and music have very limited support when it comes to playing audio from these sources over S/PDIF (coaxial digital). You would certainly have problems if you tried playing audio from the typical game or music source on your PC.
 
I'm using optical out from my soundcard, and it sends everything through just fine.

Mp3s, DVDs, games, emulators. They all work fine.
 
xonik's point was that you can only get 2channel games out from a digital connection, so if you desire surround sound, you won't be getting it.
 
BO(V)BZ said:
xonik's point was that you can only get 2channel games out from a digital connection, so if you desire surround sound, you won't be getting it.
Click to expand...

Question answered, thanks Bo(V)bz and xonik. I think I'll just buy a coaxial cable (they're cheap anyways) and just expirement with things a little. My setup is only 2 channels right now as it is.
 
Nothing at all wrong with two-channel, it gives you room to grow =]
 
How come he can only get 2 channel audio? I thought coaxial cables could carry 7.1 channels of audio?
 
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