Hi Guys
Could use a bit of clarification on a few things here.
 
SBZ optical > Fiio D03K > Schiit Magni 2 > Headphones
 
1: Decoding of DTS, Dolby Audio and SBZ streams by a DAC.
Got a Fiio D03K and it came with a notice that it could not Decode DTS and Dolby Audio streams. Are there any alternatives? I was looking at the Schiit Modi 2 Uber as I have the Mangni 2 ...but now i cant seem to find out if it will Decode DTS and Dolby or even SBX via Optical. Has anyone tested this at all?
 
2: The Fiio D03K has an AC power adapter and a USB.
If I use the USB does this bypass the SBZ processing? No drivers were installed and output was still set to Sounblaster Z but none of the SBX features worked.
 
My end goal is to have an optical out from the sound card to keep the software and processing of DTS, Dolby and SBZ for movies and gaming respectively(aware that most games dont use DOLBY or DTS).
 
Am I going about this the right way??? 
 
Thanks
J

DTS and Dolby are not processing options, they are encoding formats that can be sent through the S/PDIF connection, used to send surround sound audio with more channels than regular stereo PCM. Your DAC must receive audio encoded in the stereo PCM format. You don't want or need to send DTS or Dolby to your DAC, the SBZ will decode them and convert to stereo PCM for you.
 
SBX is a processing feature. It is applied to the stereo PCM signal so you don't need anything special in the DAC to decode it.
 
I'm not sure about question 2. A simple way to check what's going on might be to unplug the S/PDIF cable and see if that kills the audio. In not, then it's probably not going through the SBZ.

mindsmirror said:

  DTS and Dolby are not processing options, they are encoding formats that can be sent through the S/PDIF connection, used to send surround sound audio with more channels than regular stereo PCM. Your DAC must receive audio encoded in the stereo PCM format. You don't want or need to send DTS or Dolby to your DAC, the SBZ will decode them and convert to stereo PCM for you.
 
SBX is a processing feature. It is applied to the stereo PCM signal so you don't need anything special in the DAC to decode it.
 
I'm not sure about question 2. A simple way to check what's going on might be to unplug the S/PDIF cable and see if that kills the audio. In not, then it's probably not going through the SBZ.

Click to expand...

 
Forgive me dude but need to get this straight.
 
So if my setup is as follows:
SBZ optical > Fiio D03K > Schiit Magni 2 > Headphones
 
Settings?
Windows Setting: 5.1 or 2.1? with SBZ S/PDIF selected as default playback device
Sound Blaster Software: 5.1, Stereo Direct or 2.1? with SBX ON
 
Will SBX work?

j4k5 said:

  Could use a bit of clarification on a few things here.
SBZ optical > Fiio D03K > Schiit Magni 2 > Headphones
1: Decoding of DTS, Dolby Audio and SBZ streams by a DAC.
Got a Fiio D03K and it came with a notice that it could not Decode DTS and Dolby Audio streams. Are there any alternatives? I was looking at the Schiit Modi 2 Uber as I have the Mangni 2 ...but now i cant seem to find out if it will Decode DTS and Dolby or even SBX via Optical. Has anyone tested this at all?
2: The Fiio D03K has an AC power adapter and a USB.
If I use the USB does this bypass the SBZ processing? No drivers were installed and output was still set to Sound Blaster Z but none of the SBX features worked.
My end goal is to have an optical out from the sound card to keep the software and processing of DTS, Dolby and SBZ for movies and gaming respectively(aware that most games dont use DOLBY or DTS).
Am I going about this the right way???

Click to expand...

 
I believe the USB connection on the E03K is for power only, so the USB does not have anything to do with audio.
 
There digital audio signal that passes thru the E03K is 2-channel PCM digital audio, so no need for the E03K have any (decoding or encoding) DTS or Dolby Audio features.
 
The SB-Z card itself takes in a 5.1 digital audio stream from the source (game or movie) and converter it into 2-channels of headphone surround sound.
Then the signal is sent out of the SB-Z card, thru optical, to the E03K, then the E03K sends the signal to the headphone amplifier.
 
Might also try posting questions about sound blaster cards on this forum.
http://forums.creative.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6

purpleangel said:

 
 
There digital audio signal that passes thru the E03K is 2-channel PCM digital audio, so no need for the E03K have any (decoding or encoding) DTS or Dolby Audio features.
 
The SB-Z card itself takes in a 5.1 digital audio stream from the source (game or movie) and converter it into 2-channels of headphone surround sound.
Then the signal is sent out of the SB-Z card, thru optical, to the E03K, then the E03K sends the signal to the headphone amplifier.
 

Click to expand...

 
Thats what I originally thoughtI was doing, but as i mentioned, none of the SBX features worked with the USB plugged in. In need to test with the AC power tonight.
Thanks for the link will try ask there too
 
 
Oh...Could do with some clarification on this too please.
 
Windows Setting: 5.1 or 2.1? with SBZ S/PDIF selected as default playback device
Sound Blaster Software: 5.1, Stereo Direct or 2.1? with SBX ON

j4k5 said:

   
Thats what I originally thoughtI was doing, but as i mentioned, none of the SBX features worked with the USB plugged in. In need to test with the AC power tonight.
Thanks for the link will try ask there too
 
 
Oh...Could do with some clarification on this too please.
 
Windows Setting: 5.1 or 2.1? with SBZ S/PDIF selected as default playback device
Sound Blaster Software: 5.1, Stereo Direct or 2.1? with SBX ON

Click to expand...

 
I bought and tried a SB-Z card for testing with headphones, but not really familiar with it's settings.
But setting S/PDIF as playback device does not make sense (at least to me).
Can see setting s/PDIF as default output device.
 
Might try asking on this thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-3-18-2016-mrspeakers-ether-c-1-1-added/36240

purpleangel said:

 
But setting S/PDIF as playback device does not make sense (at least to me).
Can see setting s/PDIF as default output device.
 
Might try asking on this thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-3-18-2016-mrspeakers-ether-c-1-1-added/36240

Click to expand...

Sorry ...so in Win control panel > Sound > Playback Tab > It comes up as Sound blaster S/PDIF
 
Should this be configured to 5.1 or 2.1? 
 
Before when I was running just the sound card, Windows would need to be set to 5.1 to make the most of SBX.
 
Thanks

j4k5 said:

  Sorry ...so in Win control panel > Sound > Playback Tab > It comes up as Sound blaster S/PDIF
 
Should this be configured to 5.1 or 2.1? 
 
Before when I was running just the sound card, Windows would need to be set to 5.1 to make the most of SBX.
 
Thanks

Click to expand...

 
Believe if in the Playback tab, if you set it for Sound Blaster S/PDIF, it bypasses all the sound card features.
Better to set Playback tab to Sound Blaster Speakers,
then enable S/PDIF in the Creative Labs own control panel.
 
Also my be (slightly) helpfull if you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS

purpleangel said:

   
Believe if in the Playback tab, if you set it for Sound Blaster S/PDIF, it bypasses all the sound card features.
Better to set Playback tab to Sound Blaster Speakers,
then enable S/PDIF in the Creative Labs own control panel.
 
Also my be (slightly) helpfull if you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS

Click to expand...

Thanks man... will try that tonight
 
I disabled my Onboard in Bios when i got the Z.
 
But thats a great tip thanks!!!