Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Computer Audio › Cheap gaming soundcard outputting SPDIF to DACMagic?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Cheap gaming soundcard outputting SPDIF to DACMagic?

post #1 of 13
10/22/10 at 4:04pm
Thread Starter 

Looking at getting a soundcard for the desktop, something that can output via optical or coaxial to the DACMagic, which will in turn feed into an amp. I have no idea where to start looking, although I've caught some general recommendations such as the ASUS and Creative Xfi cards. The cheaper the better, absolutely no need for amplification, only something that has support for EAX or whatever positional audio tech that games are using these days. Win7 x64 box, I might add.

Reply
post #2 of 13
10/22/10 at 10:03pm

What audio chipset is used on the Motherboard?  Depending on the quality, you might be able to use the S/PDIF out directly from it.. Some chipsets resample to 48Khz which is a no-no, but others don't. I want to compare my mboard audio S/PDIF output(supposed to do up to 24/96 which isnt bad..) vs USB with my Gamma 2 to see if there is a difference in SQ either way..

Reply
post #3 of 13
10/23/10 at 1:42pm

I dont think anything exists cheaper than Asus or Creative.. but it would be nice to know if it really exists.. 

Reply
post #4 of 13
10/27/10 at 7:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSlim View Post

What audio chipset is used on the Motherboard?  Depending on the quality, you might be able to use the S/PDIF out directly from it.. Some chipsets resample to 48Khz which is a no-no, but others don't. I want to compare my mboard audio S/PDIF output(supposed to do up to 24/96 which isnt bad..) vs USB with my Gamma 2 to see if there is a difference in SQ either way..


Realtek ALC892, according to Google. It does output 96 KHz/24 bit, as it's feeding my DACMagic right now with no problems. SQ sounds exactly the same as an old Gateway P series laptop with optical out, so SQ is not an issue. Basically want to play around Dolby Headphone and have support for EAX and such, which the Realtek (to the best of my knowledge) does not support.

Reply
post #5 of 13
10/28/10 at 12:34am

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer. Cheap, EAX, sounds awesome in games. Optical out to your DAC and your done. There is no cheaper solution. No 5.1 through the optical out though. Only stereo. Get the Auzentech Prelude for 5.1 optical out. 


Edited by Negakinu - 10/28/10 at 12:36am
Reply
post #6 of 13
10/28/10 at 9:52am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Negakinu View Post

Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer. Cheap, EAX, sounds awesome in games. Optical out to your DAC and your done. There is no cheaper solution. No 5.1 through the optical out though. Only stereo. Get the Auzentech Prelude for 5.1 optical out. 


For about $20 more, I can get the X-Fi Titanium over the Xtremegamer. Any reason not to go with the slightly more expensive one? I like the fact that the Titanium has a native Toslink out, where the Xtremegamer will need the 3.5" adapter.

 

And from what I can understand, only X-Fi cards can pass through CMSS-3D and all the other effects through SPDIF? Recall reading up somewhere about that.

Reply
post #7 of 13
10/28/10 at 10:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by azncookiecutter View Post




For about $20 more, I can get the X-Fi Titanium over the Xtremegamer. Any reason not to go with the slightly more expensive one? I like the fact that the Titanium has a native Toslink out, where the Xtremegamer will need the 3.5" adapter.

 

And from what I can understand, only X-Fi cards can pass through CMSS-3D and all the other effects through SPDIF? Recall reading up somewhere about that.

 

effects through SPDIF should all be ok depending on how it is output. If the DAC has to be able to decode the signal well you are screwed. 

 

I didn't the rest of the thread but you should be careful about all these effects. As an ex cevo main CS player I always found these DSP to be horrible sound location of enemies, but that is just me. I know when I game, I never use any of these effects. So, audition these effects if you can as if not any recent mobo will have coaxial/toslink out.

 

Also, overall Asus cards tend to be of higher quality than Creative ones, but they have fewer DSP. What this means if you are using them as purely a digital output, I have no idea.
 


Edited by sokolov91 - 10/28/10 at 10:06am
Reply
post #8 of 13
10/28/10 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sokolov91 View Post



 

effects through SPDIF should all be ok depending on how it is output. If the DAC has to be able to decode the signal well you are screwed. 

 

I didn't the rest of the thread but you should be careful about all these effects. As an ex cevo main CS player I always found these DSP to be horrible sound location of enemies, but that is just me. I know when I game, I never use any of these effects. So, audition these effects if you can as if not any recent mobo will have coaxial/toslink out.

 

Also, overall Asus cards tend to be of higher quality than Creative ones, but they have fewer DSP. What this means if you are using them as purely a digital output, I have no idea.
 


So from what I understand, using this to feed a stereo stream to the DACMagic doing the decoding, I will NOT be able to take advantage of DSPs?

Reply
post #9 of 13
10/28/10 at 10:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by azncookiecutter View Post




So from what I understand, using this to feed a stereo stream to the DACMagic doing the decoding, I will NOT be able to take advantage of DSPs?


 

From what I understand: Yes.  You would have to look into it more though. I know alot of these cards can process say dolby prologic 2 from movies and games, but you have to have a receiver that can decode the signal to actually be able to hear it. So if the CMSS3d or whatever that mumbo jumbo is processed the same way, you might only get stereo, and you are left with a 200$ spdif socket you probably already have on your mobo.

 

Also, fewer and fewer games actually use EAX, which would be creative's native hardware supported/accelerated code. the other stuff is just all fiddling/eqing of the game output to make it sound like it is coming from different places... which is exactly what the game code is supposed to do in the first place. But, to each their own. If you have heard this, and like it, and want to pursue it then by all means do.

 

All things equal, if you don't have a ground loop in your PC, the STX with an amp would make for one hell of a gaming combo, and you could use all the DSPs. I could never figure out the groundloop in mine, so I don't use the RCA outs. But even just the built-in amp with some nice headphones is more than enough for gaming.


Edited by sokolov91 - 10/28/10 at 10:40am
Reply
post #10 of 13
10/28/10 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sokolov91 View Post





From what I understand: Yes.  You would have to look into it more though. I know alot of these cards can process say dolby prologic 2 from movies and games, but you have to have a receiver that can decode the signal to actually be able to hear it. So if the CMSS3d or whatever that mumbo jumbo is processed the same way, you might only get stereo, and you are left with a 200$ spdif socket you probably already have on your mobo.

 

All things equal, if you don't have a ground loop in your PC, the STX with an amp would make for one hell of a gaming combo, and you could use all the DSPs. I could never figure out the groundloop in mine, so I don't use the RCA outs. But even just the built-in amp with some nice headphones is more than enough for gaming.


Looks like more research before deciding. Wary of the Asus cards, since I've heard bad stories about driver issues, especially with Win7x64, which is what I'm running right now. And I do doubt majority of soundcards will drive the DT770/600 to sufficient levels (current gaming cans of choice), considering even the KICAS is only somewhat handles them adequately.

Reply
post #11 of 13
10/28/10 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by azncookiecutter View Post




Looks like more research before deciding. Wary of the Asus cards, since I've heard bad stories about driver issues, especially with Win7x64, which is what I'm running right now. And I do doubt majority of soundcards will drive the DT770/600 to sufficient levels (current gaming cans of choice), considering even the KICAS is only somewhat handles them adequately.


I have had my STX for about two years and it has run fine on xp x86, 7x86 and x64 and even the horrific xp 64... but I am just one person.

 

the ST/and STX are the best cards I know of for a PC though. Well that is before you get into mixing and recoding cards with tons or wierd inputs I would never use.

 

With the ST/STX you would have the advantage of a great analogue section, a pretty darned decent built in amp, dolby support. It has tolsink, coaxial, and 2x RCA output

 

With creative you have lesser digital and analogue sections, but far more DPS. EAX is almost extinct now, which used to be their major selling point... that and their monopoly of reasonably priced gaming cards.

 

Really it is creatives DSP vs the Dolby dsp on the asus cards... both are designed for use with headphones. Which is better I couldn't tell you.

Reply
post #12 of 13
3/7/11 at 1:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vinay View Post

I dont think anything exists cheaper than Asus or Creative.. but it would be nice to know if it really exists.. 



Yes I agree. But I think Asus and Creative is nice .

Reply
post #13 of 13
3/11/11 at 9:35pm
Thread Starter 
Picked up a X-Fi Titanium, I think I'm sending it back for a return. It has a pretty bad bug, where the SPDIF won't maintain a lock, so the first half a second, especially when switching tracks, is cut off. Anyone know if the Asus cards does that or not? Looking at the Xonar DS or DG right now.

Again, no need for a quality analog output, that's what the dacmagic and m3 are for. Only need a decent gaming soundcard with surround virtualization that can be outputted via digital out, ideally without the annoyances of the X-Fi.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Computer Audio
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Computer Audio › Cheap gaming soundcard outputting SPDIF to DACMagic?