[ROKUGAN]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/can-sound-card-dsp-be-carried-over-s-pdif.583299/

Yes, DSP works over S/PDIF. I got my Creative SB ZXR connected through optical to an AVR and all effects from Creative Software work perfectly. You just have to set your Playback Device in Windows to Speakers.

 

[ZMG885]

Well, I haven't been able to find a definite answer about getting Creative's DSP to work over optical out. Can't seem to get moderation approval on Creative forums, made a reddit post on /r/PCAudio and no one answered. I haven't been able to find any setting myself that would enable it. Get the feeling it might not be possible.

I wonder how the LSR305's would sound without the DAC? Since the Modi is the only reason I need to use optical...

Upfront, not a user of the Soundblaster, but looking at some reviews and product data, it does look like the software will decoded any 5.1 and output that to the optical port. Another module may need to be downloaded from Creative. I'm not completely certain, but nearly all DVD players can be software configured to output anything to optical than comes out it's analog stage.

Here's an alternate idea allowing the use of both your Soundblaster Z and Mimby, Assuming the card does not output the same signal to optical and the L/R analog. Utilize the two analog inputs on the LSR305s connecting one to your sound card and the other to your Mimby (Z 2CH>LSR 305 BAL and Z TOS Link>Mimby>Magni>LSR 305 1/4 jack). You may need to configure the software to output into 2CH PCM so surround mixes come out properly for Mimby. When gaming and using the Soundblaster Z's analog out, shut off power to the Schiit stack to prevent noise the TOS Link to mimby should isolate the PC from the chain once power is off, but if there's going to be a grounding issues, you'll get some hum and no it won't work. Somewhat complicated and messy, but food for thought.

 

[Valend]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/can-sound-card-dsp-be-carried-over-s-pdif.583299/

Yes, DSP works over S/PDIF. I got my Creative SB ZXR connected through optical to an AVR and all effects from Creative Software work perfectly. You just have to set your Playback Device in Windows to Speakers.

I completely missed your post until now, but Creative finally got back to me and said the same thing (just needed to enable "Play stereo mix to digital output" in advanced settings). So that's definitely good to know.

Upfront, not a user of the Soundblaster, but looking at some reviews and product data, it does look like the software will decoded any 5.1 and output that to the optical port. Another module may need to be downloaded from Creative. I'm not completely certain, but nearly all DVD players can be software configured to output anything to optical than comes out it's analog stage.

Here's an alternate idea allowing the use of both your Soundblaster Z and Mimby, Assuming the card does not output the same signal to optical and the L/R analog. Utilize the two analog inputs on the LSR305s connecting one to your sound card and the other to your Mimby (Z 2CH>LSR 305 BAL and Z TOS Link>Mimby>Magni>LSR 305 1/4 jack). You may need to configure the software to output into 2CH PCM so surround mixes come out properly for Mimby. When gaming and using the Soundblaster Z's analog out, shut off power to the Schiit stack to prevent noise the TOS Link to mimby should isolate the PC from the chain once power is off, but if there's going to be a grounding issues, you'll get some hum and no it won't work. Somewhat complicated and messy, but food for thought.

It seems like I don't need to do anything fancy since I can keep using optical. I think I'm pretty set on the 305's (or seems there's a new version out now that's more readily available called the 305P Mk II). Complete noob question though: would the best/easiest way to hook them up be a male XLR to male RCA cable from each speaker straight to the RCA outputs on the Magni? I mean not needing a pro audio setup I figured I don't need a balanced connection?

 

[ZMG885]

I completely missed your post until now, but Creative finally got back to me and said the same thing (just needed to enable "Play stereo mix to digital output" in advanced settings). So that's definitely good to know.



It seems like I don't need to do anything fancy since I can keep using optical. I think I'm pretty set on the 305's (or seems there's a new version out now that's more readily available called the 305P Mk II). Complete noob question though: would the best/easiest way to hook them up be a male XLR to male RCA cable from each speaker straight to the RCA outputs on the Magni? I mean not needing a pro audio setup I figured I don't need a balanced connection?

Glad everything is getting simpler. Yes, it does look like an RCA to XLR cable (or TRS) is needed for the 305P Mk IIs. RCA from Magni to XLR (or TRS) to speaker.

 

[Valend]

Glad everything is getting simpler. Yes, it does look like an RCA to XLR cable (or TRS) is needed for the 305P Mk IIs. RCA from Magni to XLR (or TRS) to speaker.

Yeah, I feel better about the DAC purchase now, and I just ordered the 305P Mk II's. It's a little unfortunate there's no easy solution for eventually extending to surround sound. Although I'm kind of wondering now since the sound card is outputting sound to both the ports and the stereo mix to optical if I could actually just hook up my (soon to be obsolete) Klipsch Promedia's to the rear output on the card, or if that would create problems (I'm also not sure if duplicating the stereo mix to optical will work if the soundcard is in surround sound mode, I suppose I'll have to check or experiment).

I remember someone telling me to keep a reasonable amount of space between the wall and the JBL's, so I think the last thing I need to figure out is just how much room I need. Right now my desk is flat up against the wall because it's easy for me to accidentally push forwards when I'm getting up from my chair, but that can be solved pretty easily just by finding some kind of spacer to put between the desk legs and the wall since the legs extend out about as far as the desk itself.

 

[ROKUGAN]

I don´t know what you mean by "extending to surround sound". I´ve got DTS enabled, Creative SB ZXR connected through optical to my AVR which amps my 5.1 speaker setup. "Play stereo mix to digital output" is NOT enabled, my sound card is sending a DTS 5.1 stream and I can assure you that DSP works perfectly over Toslink without enabling that option. I´m controlling the volume and all equalization and DSP effects from my PC, my AVR is not converting anything.

 

[Valend]

I don´t know what you mean by "extending to surround sound". I´ve got DTS enabled, Creative SB ZXR connected through optical to my AVR which amps my 5.1 speaker setup. "Play stereo mix to digital output" is NOT enabled, my sound card is sending a DTS 5.1 stream and I can assure you that DSP works perfectly over Toslink without enabling that option. I´m controlling the volume and all equalization and DSP effects from my PC, my AVR is not converting anything.

I assume that's because you're using a receiver, I'm just using a DAC and headphone amp so DTS isn't an option for me.

Right now I'm trying to see if I can possibly expand to 4.0 with a Schiit SYS and two more bookshelf speakers or studio monitors. I can live without a sub and have no room for a center channel (it's almost freaky how realistically the phantom center works in my new setup anyway).

Basically if I use the SYS as a pre-out for the rears and connect it to the rear out on the soundcard, I think it might work. Playing stereo mix to digital out doesn't appear to prevent me from using rear out or using the rear speakers. But I'm not sure if games will do actual surround sound that way or if I have to use DTS or Dolby (I play a lot of World of Tanks, for instance, and you can select surround sound configurations in the game settings, but I'm not sure if that by itself gives you true surround sound or just duplicates the sound to the rear speakers). If it's the latter I probably just won't bother. I don't watch movies/TV on my computer so gaming is really the only consideration.