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[size=1.1em] I'm been reading a lot about virtual surround sound , but not learning what I specifically want to know. For this model that I have, z506, my sound card is a creative sound blaster X-Fi titanium HD. It doesn't allow analog 5.1 surround sound directly. You have to use an optical cable to connect it to something else. If I have that optical cable connected to either a decoder or something like a dvd player (assuming it has output connections), do  I lose any quality in sound? I ask this because I don't know exactly what's happening when digital is converted to analog, and for some reason I feel like a decoder would do a better job at converting digital to analog.[/size]
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[size=1.1em] My second and last question is about the 2 channel stereo to virtual 5.1 surround sound. Lets say I use the 2 connections (for stereo) from my sound card, and I connected them to my 5.1 speakers. Will my speakers be able to almost guess correctly what sounds should be projected on the rear speakers?[/size]
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[size=1.1em] Please correct my understanding of virtual surround sound, because maybe I have it wrong. I heard that all virtual surround does it mimic the front speakrs to the rear speakers. However, I read that it tries to guess what and how sounds should be projected to emulate different sound sources. [/size]