[JustinBM]

I currently have a Creative X-Fi Titanium HD sound card along with a pair of Swans M200MKIII for my computer setup. I want to connect a subwoofer to my setup but I don't have any audio out ports on my speakers. My question is if I were to buy a receiver would the digital to analog conversion be processed on my sound card and fed through the receiver or would it be re-processed into digital and back to analog by a receiver? Also could I potentially use my other two RCA Optical ports for a sub?
 
Thanks!

 

[Happy Camper]

Most modern receivers have DACs available. If there are digital inputs, your receiver can do this conversion. Also, if you are buying a 5-7.1 receiver, it will have a sub out. If not, unless your sub has a digital in, you cannot feed your sub with a digital input. Some subs have an analog in and out that runs the signal through a crossover. It will take the feed (usually 80~ down) and split the sub signal and you can then run the out to your receiver for the rest of the signal.

 

[JustinBM]

Quote:

I currently have a Creative X-Fi Titanium HD sound card along with a pair of Swans M200MKIII for my computer setup. I want to connect a subwoofer to my setup but I don't have any audio out ports on my speakers. My question is if I were to buy a receiver would the digital to analog conversion be processed on my sound card and fed through the receiver or would it be re-processed into digital and back to analog by a receiver? Also could I potentially use my other two RCA Optical ports for a sub?
 
Thanks!

Thank you. If I were to feed my receiver with RCA cables from my sound card would the receiver be doing the processing again after the SC? I want my SC to do all the conversion and I just need to receiver so I have ports for a subwoofer.
 

 

[Happy Camper]

Once you send the analog out from your SC, there is no other conversion.

 

[computerparts]

Quote:

Once you send the analog out from your SC, there is no other conversion.

Not so. Unless the receiver has an analog bypass, it will process the analog signal. However, if the receiver in question is a vintage analog variant, then it will not process the analog signal since it would lack the processing hardware to do so. In the case of a modern receiver, IMO it would be better to run digital cable to the receiver and let it handle all of the conversion.
 

 

[Happy Camper]

So the new receivers have an ADC in them? That could be handy converting Laser Disc, SVHS, etc. to digital. Does it also do video?

 

[juman231]

sorry to be off topic, but its so rare to see someone with the swan speakers, and so I thought this was the chance to find out how they were. OP, how do you like the Swans? Do you feel that the bass region is lacking? I'm considering buying one soon...

 

[computerparts]

Quote:

So the new receivers have an ADC in them? That could be handy converting Laser Disc, SVHS, etc. to digital. Does it also do video?

As far as I know, any receiver which has processing has an ADC of some sort. Think about it, let's say you run an analog out from a 2 channel source to the receiver. Let's also say that you want to change that particular input into 5 channel surround on the receiver. It certainly can't change the surround mode of an analog signal without first converting it to digital, right? At least, that's my understanding of the whole thing. That's just a broad example. Even if you left the receiver in 2 channel stereo mode, it still converts the signal to digital first. Any input on a receiver or pre/pro with processing gets converted to digital first, unless it has an analog bypass feature in which case it is possible to bypass that initial processing. I researched this subject to death when I was looking for a pre/pro.
 

 

[JustinBM]

Quote:

sorry to be off topic, but its so rare to see someone with the swan speakers, and so I thought this was the chance to find out how they were. OP, how do you like the Swans? Do you feel that the bass region is lacking? I'm considering buying one soon...

Excellent midrange, very good highs and lows are great for multimedia speakers. They are superb speakers but bass integration on any speakers will not deliver the <100hz that I'm looking for. I would definitely recommend the speakers. They sound better than many speakers I've heard that retail for twice as much. They sound a LOT nicer than the A5s as well.
 
Great buy overall.
 
And thanks for all the answers on my question

 

[juman231]

Oh you also have experience with the A5? How do they differ in sound? (sorry again to digress from the topic..) 

 

[JRG1990]

You don't need a receiver, just a sub with a rca pass through.