Audio S/PDIF Vs Analog-----Help Me !!!

[DeMoN_VmP]

I may be numb here..

I have bought Auzen Xplosion 7.1 soundcard from a TE Member.

I have connected the card to my Z5500 both ways (3-way Analog/SPDIF Digital)

Upon playing the sound in both methods i could feel that 3-way analog connection is bit louder.

Can any one help me out in selecting the the right connection here.

---> On connecting upon S/PDIF, will the sound card processor efficient or will the Z5500 do the work ?
---> Or can I connect it with the good old analog 3-way connections ?

Usage :

60% Movies
30% Games
10% Music

Help me out to decide :huh:

 

[cranky]

Use whichever you prefer subjectively. The decoders in the auzen are not too bad, and usually a soundcard does not use more than 4-5% of CPU time. With modern processors, this is not an issue. If you have a dog-slow system, digital passthrough is marginally more efficient.

 

[DeMoN_VmP]

Thanks Cranky. I want to know if i use S/PDIF option in Xplosion will the audio decoding done by the soundcard itself or on the onboard of Z5500 ?

Had read that the optical output does not use the efficiency of the sound card. Is that true ?

 

[Imrahn]

In SPDIF, the card merely passes through the audio digitally and NO processing will be done by the card.....its all down to the Z5500.But its the other way around in the case of analog output, the sound card DAC processes the audio and the speaker system just reproduces it.

So, if u have a good AV Receiver,best otion wo0uld be to pass through the audio via SPDIF and let the AVR do the processing.But if the sound card DAC is better than your receiver(which is as in this case where Z5500 has a relatively crappy DAC as with the Auzen card), it would be better if u connect it via Analog.

 

[DeMoN_VmP]

Now i am getting a real picture here... So i need to connect it to analog to get the real juice out of my card...

Z5500 is a 5.1 and i should be connecting the rear speakers to surround back right ?

 

[Imrahn]

^^yep, and use the Windows Sound configuration to make sure all the speakers output sound individually and in the right manner.

 

[Shakensoul]

Correct me if I am wrong, but if you use analog you will not be able to get digital audio, i.e. dolby or DTS output from movies.

 

[amul_capri]

^ Yes, but I suppose all the speakers will have their own discrete input from the sound card..

 

[cranky]

The card's drivers should be able to decode DD and DTS. Nobody has to miss out on anything. The only difference is the location where the decode occurs.

5.1 systems use side surrounds, 7.1 add the two rear surrounds.

 

[Amarbir]

@ Cranky And Redbull ,

Thanks Guys You did a Wonderful job of explaining this i too learned something in this process appreciate that