[iztis]

Hey guys! Been an avid reader prowling these forums for awhile now and finally decided to join up! love the community here!
 
Anyway what I am looking for is an external soundcards. Internal ones just cause too much problems with their drivers. I'm thinking of outputting the optical signal from my motherboard (comes with Dolby Digital 5.1) directly to the FiiO Alpen E17. I chose the E17 cause I saw that it had accepted optical input. 
 
Questions:
 
1) If I do that instead of going the USB route, am I right to say that my audio will be routed through the FiiO's DAC and Amp to my headphones?
2) I will still get 5.1 sound?
3) The equaliser which is part of the software of the onboard that outputs the digital signal will still work should I choose to tweak my sound?
4) Any other alternatives other than the FiiO Alpen E17? ($180 budget; or is this a good USB DAC?)
 
Thanks guys! this will be my first USB DAC so I need your help cause I have no expertise in this area! 

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hey guys! Been an avid reader prowling these forums for awhile now and finally decided to join up! love the community here!
Anyway what I am looking for is an external soundcards. Internal ones just cause too much problems with their drivers. I'm thinking of outputting the optical signal from my motherboard (comes with Dolby Digital 5.1) directly to the FiiO Alpen E17. I chose the E17 cause I saw that it had accepted optical input. 
Questions:
1) If I do that instead of going the USB route, am I right to say that my audio will be routed through the FiiO's DAC and Amp to my headphones?
2) I will still get 5.1 sound?
3) The equaliser which is part of the software of the onboard that outputs the digital signal will still work should I choose to tweak my sound?
4) Any other alternatives other than the FiiO Alpen E17? ($180 budget; or is this a good USB DAC?)
Thanks guys! this will be my first USB DAC so I need your help cause I have no expertise in this area! 

The audio (optical and USB) will be sent thru the Fiio E17's DAC and amplifier.
As the Fiio E17 can only take in a 2-channel PCM (uncompressed) digital audio signal thru the optical (& USB) input,
the motherboard been able to output a 5.1 DDL (Dolby Digital Live, compressed) audio signal thru the optical does not really matter.
If the motherboard can take a 5.1 (6-channel) digital audio signal and convert it to a 2-channel (digital) headphone surround sound signal and send that thru the optical connection, then your getting what you want.
Otherwise you going to be just doing basic 2-channel (stereo) audio (zero surround sound) on your computer to the headphones.
 
If needed, the Asus Xonar DG sound card ($20-$30) can output Dolby Headphone surround sound out it's optical connection.

 

[iztis]

Thanks for that Purple Angel. I didn't know that. 
 
In that case I'll be fine without 5.1 sound but that means I can go for something cheaper but with the same quality?
 
Would the FiiO E10 or E11 be better options then?
 
I don't want to use Xonar DG as I've tried it before and there are some driver issues with certain programs which is a real pain.

Thanks!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Thanks for that Purple Angel. I didn't know that. 
In that case I'll be fine without 5.1 sound but that means I can go for something cheaper but with the same quality?
Would the FiiO E10 or E11 be better options then?
I don't want to use Xonar DG as I've tried it before and there are some driver issues with certain programs which is a real pain.

If all you need is stereo 2.0-channel sound, then get the Fiio E10 (DAC+amp), the E10's DAC should be better then whatever DAC is built into the motherboard.
The E11 is an amplifier only.