Help On First Audio Setup - Gaming

[Dlauth]

I have:
Creative Titanium HD card
AKG Q701
still deciding on amp(Schiit Asguard, Magni, o2. ETC..)
An older Yahaha reciever with Polk speakers and sub

 

[cel4145]

I have:
Creative Titanium HD card
AKG Q701
still deciding on amp(Schiit Asguard, Magni, o2. ETC..)
An older Yahaha reciever with Polk speakers and sub

What model receiver? What model speakers? What model sub?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I have:
Creative Titanium HD card
AKG Q701
still deciding on amp(Schiit Asguard, Magni, o2. ETC..)
An older Yahaha reciever with Polk speakers and sub

So run RCA cables from the Titanium HD's RCA output to the RCA inputs on the Yamaha receiver and set the Yamaha to 2-channel audio.
Plug the Q701s into the Yamaha (the Titanium HD can send headphone surround sound thru the RCA outputs, to the Yamaha).
See how the setup sounds.

 

[Dlauth]

Sounds like a plan
 
So this will bypass the processing of the audio from the HD to the reciever? I do not want the audio getting converted more than once.

 

[cel4145]

Sounds like a plan

So this will bypass the processing of the audio from the HD to the reciever? I do not want the audio getting converted more than once.

Not necessarily. It depends on where you or not you are using an AVR and its room correction or bass management features. Those features involve digital processing that will convert the audio back to digital to do the adjustments and then convert it back to analog again.

If you can provide the make and model numbers of your equipment, it's much easier to discuss optimal setup configurations.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Sounds like a plan
 
So this will bypass the processing of the audio from the HD to the reciever? I do not want the audio getting converted more than once.

What is happening is the TiHD (Titanium HD) receives a digital audio signal thru the PCI-E slot.
The TiHD processes the signal into a 2-channel analog audio signal (for headphones).
The analog audio signal is then sent thru the RCAs to the Yamaha receiver (RCA), the Yamaha then runs the 2-channel analog audio signal to the receiver's (amplified) headphone jack.
The TiHD-s DAC chip (PCM1794) is the only digital to analog converstion, in the signal chain.

 

[Dlauth]

Thanks Purple for that explanation.
 
I have a HTR-5830 btw.
 
For future reference, if I decide to get rid of the Yamaha and get a dedicated headphones amp, could I run the sub still? How would this be hooked up?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Thanks Purple for that explanation.
I have a HTR-5830 btw.
For future reference, if I decide to get rid of the Yamaha and get a dedicated headphones amp, could I run the sub still? How would this be hooked up?

I have no idea on how to use headphones and a separate sub-woofer at the same time.
Not really sure it's worth the hassle to try to hook everything up that way.

 

[cel4145]

The HTR-5830 has DSP sound field modes available for use with the headphone jack (see your manual). If you use them, it would definitely be converting the analog input to digital in order to implement the effects and then back to analog again. Whether or not you are getting pure analog direct to the headphones when not using that feature probably depends on whether or not the tone controls are still active even in regular stereo mode. In many AVRs the tone controls are a digital attenuation. Some receivers have a pure direct mode that bypasses the tone controls and all DSP; some do not.

If you aren't getting pure analog direct, you might as well just run optical to the receiver since you are using the DAC in it anyway.

As far as a sub with headphones, the only way I would know to do that would be to get an AVR that has left/right preouts and connect them to a headphone amp. Yours doesn't have that feature. Even then it would be kind of a pain to configure. Switching the output from the speakers to the preouts would probably not be too bad, but then your subwoofer crossover would be set for your speakers, not your headphones, and you'd have to change that too each time.

 

[Dlauth]

So what your saying is be happy with the bass from the headphones

 

[cel4145]

So what your saying is be happy with the bass from the headphones

If it's the feeling of the bass you miss in the headphones, you could always get a tactile transducer and an amp to power it: http://www.parts-express.com/cat/tactile-transducers/18

Attach it underneath your chair. The Aura might do the job. Need a 4 ohm capable amp to power it.

 

[Dlauth]

On another note, what would be the best way to hook-up both the receiver and headphones to the new soundcard?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

On another note, what would be the best way to hook-up both the receiver and headphones to the new sound card?

There are three different ways to connect the Titanium HD to the Yamaha receiver.
You can run an optical cable from the Titanium HD to the Yamaha.
You can run an analog signal, RCA to RCA
You could run analog from the Ti-HD's headphone output to the Yamaha's RCA input, but I would guess(?) the RCA to RCA would offer a slightly cleaner signal.
 
Personally, I would think the RCA to RCA is the best choice (for headphones), as chances are the Titanium HD's DAC (PCM1794) is a fair bit better then the Yamaha's DAC chip.
And I would assume the Yamaha has a least one (or more) setting(s) that would bypass the Yamaha's DAC, like the "Pure Direct Mode" maybe(?).
 
The digital optical connection would be best for a 5.1 (6-channel) speaker setup with the Yamaha
 
Or just get an external headphone amplifier and connect it directly to the Ti-HD's RCA output.

 

[cel4145]

And I would assume the Yamaha has a least one (or more) setting(s) that would bypass the Yamaha's DAC, like the "Pure Direct Mode" maybe(?).

I looked through the manual for that receiver and didn't see one (could have missed it). That's an older model, so there may not have been one.

 

[Dlauth]

Just got the card in today.
 
Was wondering what are the optimal settings in windows, Creative control panel and in games should I be using? 
What settings for music?
 
Should be getting the q701 in a few days.