E-MU 0404 and Logitech Z-680

[Cirventhor]

I'm setting up a seperate computer speaker system at the moment, and I find my Audigy 2 ZS less than satisfactory for music.

So the intention is to buy an E-MU 0404. What I wonder, however, is how the best way of connecting this to the speakers I have is. I use only 2 speakers + sub on the Logitech Z-680 system. By default it uses 3 analogue cables going from the control center to the sound card (black/green/yellow). From what I've seen though, the EM-U only have 2 outputs for analogue audio. How would I go about connecting the system?

As a sidenote, the Z-680 sports optical and coaxial input as well, but if my understanding of this is correct, using digital out on the E-MU would bypass the DAC which would be sort of useless. Or am I wrong here?

 

[rbui]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirventhor /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm setting up a seperate computer speaker system at the moment, and I find my Audigy 2 ZS less than satisfactory for music. So the intention is to buy an E-MU 0404. What I wonder, however, is how the best way of connecting this to the speakers I have is. I use only 2 speakers + sub on the Logitech Z-680 system. By default it uses 3 analogue cables going from the control center to the sound card (black/green/yellow). From what I've seen though, the EM-U only have 2 outputs for analogue audio. How would I go about connecting the system? As a sidenote, the Z-680 sports optical and coaxial input as well, but if my understanding of this is correct, using digital out on the E-MU would bypass the DAC which would be sort of useless. Or am I wrong here?

the e-mu 0404 is designed to work with stereo speakers or headphones, which is basically the front left and front right channels only. this is the green cable that comes from the control center. the e-mu doesn't have two analog audio outputs i believe, but has three; two for separate left and right channels (?) and one for your standard audio jack. you plug the green speaker cable into the analog input (in the picture below it's labeled "1 Main") of the 0404 and voila.

on a side note, the black cable is your rear speakers, and the orange one (may look yellow to you) should be your center speaker, since you have a 5.1 speaker set.

if you use the optical/coaxial input, it should bypass the DAC, since there's no need for an analog signal. to my knowledge, using the digital outs on your logitech speakers with the digital inputs on your 0404 should give you the best sound quality. however, you may or may not like the analog sound after DAC processing more than the digital out -> digital in method

 

[Cirventhor]

Thanks for a most clarifying reply!

I guess I'll buy an optical cable as well, just to test it.

One more question; the speaker cables that came with the Logitech system - is there much of a point in replacing them? If so, any recommendations for replacements?

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirventhor /img/forum/go_quote.gif As a sidenote, the Z-680 sports optical and coaxial input as well, but if my understanding of this is correct, using digital out on the E-MU would bypass the DAC which would be sort of useless. Or am I wrong here?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbui /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you use the optical/coaxial input, it should bypass the DAC, since there's no need for an analog signal. to my knowledge, using the digital outs on your logitech speakers with the digital inputs on your 0404 should give you the best sound quality. however, you may or may not like the analog sound after DAC processing more than the digital out -> digital in method

rbui, I think you got something confused here, there would normally be digital inputs only on the speakers, and no digital outputs.

Cirventhor, you are right......if you used the digital output of the 0404 USB, it would be functioning simply as a USB-to-S/PDIF converter. The best way to run the 0404 USB to speakers would be to connect its main analog output jack via the "green cable" to your speakers, which would simply run them as left and right.

You might want to run the speakers with the output from your existing card and headphones only from the 0404 USB. My system does fine with an internal sound card connected to a small set of stereo PC speakers and the 0404 USB connected for headphone use at the same time. When I power up the 0404 USB, it becomes the default device; when I turn it off, the PC reverts to onboard sound, with the analog output driving the speakers.

 

[rbui]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejarzo /img/forum/go_quote.gif rbui, I think you got something confused here, there would normally be digital inputs only on the speakers, and no digital outputs.

it was an unclear explanation on my part, yes. if he uses the digital input on the speakers, then by association he would be using the digital out on the 0404.

 

[Duke309]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejarzo /img/forum/go_quote.gif rbui, I think you got something confused here, there would normally be digital inputs only on the speakers, and no digital outputs. Cirventhor, you are right......if you used the digital output of the 0404 USB, it would be functioning simply as a USB-to-S/PDIF converter. The best way to run the 0404 USB to speakers would be to connect its main analog output jack via the "green cable" to your speakers, which would simply run them as left and right. You might want to run the speakers with the output from your existing card and headphones only from the 0404 USB. My system does fine with an internal sound card connected to a small set of stereo PC speakers and the 0404 USB connected for headphone use at the same time. When I power up the 0404 USB, it becomes the default device; when I turn it off, the PC reverts to onboard sound, with the analog output driving the speakers.

This is exactly how I have my logitech z680s and my new 0404 usb setup and it works fantastically. I just wish foobar2000 wouldn't lose the asio settings for the 0404 when closing it. Anyone have a fix for this?

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke309 /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is exactly how I have my logitech z680s and my new 0404 usb setup and it works fantastically. I just wish foobar2000 wouldn't lose the asio settings for the 0404 when closing it. Anyone have a fix for this?

Yeah, use Foobar 0.8.3, I guess.

That is, presuming you are running a 0.9.x.... version.

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirventhor /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm setting up a seperate computer speaker system at the moment, and I find my Audigy 2 ZS less than satisfactory for music. So the intention is to buy an E-MU 0404. What I wonder, however, is how the best way of connecting this to the speakers I have is. I use only 2 speakers + sub on the Logitech Z-680 system. By default it uses 3 analogue cables going from the control center to the sound card (black/green/yellow). From what I've seen though, the EM-U only have 2 outputs for analogue audio. How would I go about connecting the system? As a sidenote, the Z-680 sports optical and coaxial input as well, but if my understanding of this is correct, using digital out on the E-MU would bypass the DAC which would be sort of useless. Or am I wrong here?

The very best thing that the E-MU 0404/USB does is drive active monitors balanced with the use of 1/4" TRS balanced cables.Sell your Z-680 system and go to a Guitar Center or similar and shop for active monitors with at least 5" woofers which have TRS balanced inputs.I am using some Event Electronics Alp5 active 5" monitors.They sound so wonderful that I often wonder if I should just have gone ahead and spent a whole 1K on some really excellent monitors.Yes the E-MU 0404/USB is that good of a sound card but most people will never find this out by wasting it by using headphones through its modest headphone amp.

 

[sygyzy]

What happens if you plug in both Left, Right, and Main? For example, minijack to your computer speakers and the Left and Right (I assume RCA?) to your desktop amp. Can you switch between them? Would they both output a lower power since it has to split the signal?

Edit: I see they are TRS cables. My other questions remain.

 

[sejarzo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sygyzy /img/forum/go_quote.gif What happens if you plug in both Left, Right, and Main? For example, minijack to your computer speakers and the Left and Right (I assume RCA?) to your desktop amp. Can you switch between them? Would they both output a lower power since it has to split the signal? Edit: I see they are TRS cables. My other questions remain.

No way to switch those outputs--both are always active and the level is controlled by the main volume knob.

The output stage of the 0404 USB is designed so that you can use TS (mono phone plug) to RCA cables to connect those balanced TRS outputs to an unbalanced amp--no need for TRS cables unless you are indeed feeding a balanced power amp or powered monitors with a balanced input.