How to attain the coveted optical S/PDIF?

[morose-]

My question is just that. I've heard many people talk about the differences between coaxial and optical S/PDIF and jitter and all that jazz, but I havn't been told how to attain it. Is it through a sound card? I have a Desktop Portable Amp with a DAC--do I need to buy different cables? (I'm presently using USB).

And where can I go to buy this stuff?

 

[Uncle Erik]

I don't think there's an optical SPDIF. SPDIF is a coaxial cable that transfers digital files electrically, and TOSLINK uses an optical (fiber optic) cable to transfer digital files optically. Both are digital and offer excellent fidelity. Each has its pros and cons, but you can't really go wrong with either.

Using it is relatively easy. In a computers-as-source setup, you'll need a computer with digital out (such as an Intel Macintosh) or if you have a PC, you need to install a sound card with digital output. A popular one here is the Chaintech AV710, but you can also get good cards from M-Audio, RME, and other pro sound cards.

Once you have a computer that supports digital out, you use it to send digital signals to a DAC (digital to analog converter) which then sends an analog signal to your amplifier.

That's pretty much it.

 

[device manager]

S/PDIF is an interface that uses a coaxial or optical cable.

 

[lini]

Uncle Erik: S/P-DIF originally just meant Sony/Philips Digital Interchange Format, which is first and foremost a data format description. The actual interface can be either optical or electrical (alias coaxial), and the actual connectors usually are Toslink (Tos for Toshiba) or 1/8" optical mini plug/jack and RCA or BNC (= Bayonet Navy Compact). In addition, there's another consumer S/P-DIF variant in electrical form, pretty much only present as 2 pin connection from internal optical drives for computers to the internal digital input available on some soundcards - unlike standard electrical S/P-DIF, this one uses TTL levels (0/5 V).

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[Bones13]

Gobblety gook aside. SPDIF is available on most sound cards. Most only have either the coax or the optical though.

Search for a sound card that has your chosen SPDIF connection type.

Another thing to decide, if you are going to be streaming only CD based music to the DAC? or DVD surround signal. Many of the folks here like to be able to stream the 44.1 frequency (native CD frequency) down the pipe to their DAC, with no up/down sampling. Not all the sound systems will allow this adjustment, as the 48 frequency (DVD surround) is trying to take over at the consumer level, and your non-audiophile listener will not want to mess with this.

The Emu 1212m card does have both optical and coax connector right on the card. The XFi system needs either the bay, or the box expansion to get optical.

On the other hand there are several USB based systems which provide Optical and Coax out such as M-Audio and Edirol, if either you don't want to get into your box, or you use a laptop, or you take to the opionion that music belongs outside of computers as much as possible.

Enjoy the research, there are many options to choose from, all of which have proponents here.

 

[swmtnbiker]

The Juli@ has both coax and optical digital outs.

 

[morose-]

OK thanks gents. I'll try shopping with those ideas in mind. But first, you guys say that Macs already have digital output? So if I buy an Apple then I'll bypass the need to buy a card with digital out?

 

[Bones13]

Yes, I know for sure the new mac notebooks come with optical out. I am not sure on the desktop units, but would not be surprised. If you are shopping MAC, check on your box. I am much less sure about which USB sound systems would work with a MAC also. The common stuff that we discuss here is for WinXP, most the MAC users don't feel sorry for us mucking with the WindowsXP sound machinations.

 

[morose-]

So, when you say that the Macs do have optical out, does that mean necessarily that its output is 44100hzs at 16bits? It that what that means?

This is great. I think I'm slowly beginning to understand what's going on. Maybe.

 

[Bones13]

Its all in the settings. I have never done much with MACs though I think they are ok as computers, just more costly for equivalent processing power than the PC line up. The software for PC's is more of a time sink, but much more flexible. Like many here in this forum are, I am as much of a PC enthusiast, buidling and maintaining my own boxes. PC boxes allow so much more flexibility, upgradability, and creativity, that is always pains me that the MAC folks claim this high ground, with expensive boxes with very few upgrade or creativity allowed with buying/modding. They are learning though, and when the hardware is all intel, similar cost, and upgradeable like the PC stuff is, then the true OS contest will be able to be fought. It is getting closer, and I am not sure microsoft will win.

Most PC motherboard audio systems do NOT allow a setting other than 48, despite sporting optical and coax outputs on the back.

I would bet however that there are settings on the mac, wherever they are, and whatever they are called that let you set default frequencies. AFAIK, it sets it automatically to the file stream it is given. Or its mundanely fixed at 48 like the cheaper pc onboard solutions.

If we talk about it long enough, perhaps someone who actually knows will chime in.

 

[morose-]

So I'm getting the impression that if a sound card or computer has "optical (or coaxial) out," that it's default 16/44.1 SPDIF. Of course there will be argueing over various brands and products of course, but that's the idea... right?

 

[morose-]

So is this thread dead or what? Should I post a new thread?

 

[DrDobs]

Yes, I would like to know if somebody knows more about this out there. I'm currently putting together a new system and not sure if I should be buying a seperate sound card. I dont' play games but mostly listen to CD-Audio and .mp3 files. I have a decent home theater receiver with optical in's that I want to utilize.

I've not heard of this 48Khz vs 44.1 output before. Don't know how I'm going to find out if the motherboard I'm buying can select this.

So any help out there is greatly appreciated!

Jon

 

[Zenja]

You can select the sampling rate and bit depth that you want to output at. There are limits to what the output allows though. For example, with my Chaintech AV-710, I can go anywhere from 44.1kHz to 192kHz at 24 bit depth. My old SB Live couldn't do the same thing, but you still get to choose up to a point. I might be wrong though, maybe the digital outputs really do lock down to only one output format.

What people are talking about with 48kHz is examples like the Audigy 2 which won't normally allow you to output at 44.1kHz and it internally resamples to 48kHz instead. I'm not sure how many sound cards/onboard outputs do this.