[nuraman00]

I've used SVS SB-2000 Pro before. Quite good option as for me.

That's a terrific sub (I have the SB-1000 and like it alot). Re your question, it's very unlikely you could connect 2 completely separate sources (PC vs AVR) to any sub w/o blowing it up, if not both sources also.

The only way I can think of to do that is via:

• A passive switch box (such as Schitt Sys) which allows you to select which one of two inputs can send signal downstream
• With the output of the passive switch (RCA L/R) going to the sub's line level input

Note you'd have to carefully volume match each source so you don't inadvertently blow up the sub by switching from a low volume source to a high volume source. This gets confusing, because each source (PC sound card & AVR) may have or not have discreet volume control.

1. If sources both had volume control, you'd want to be sure to turn down the volume on the source you're about to switch to, so no sonic surprises.
2. The Sys has its own volume control--so you could turns its volume control down before switching.

This is all speculative on my part, just informed guesswork.

https://www.schiit.com/products/sys

Thanks, I don't need to connect to both sources (PC, AVR) at the same time, if it involves a complicated setup. I can just connect one or the other as I want.

What do I need to do to connect my PC, the sub, and my Airmotiv 6s powered monitors together? Do I use both the sub out, and the line out, on my sound card? Or do I just use one?

 

[Pharmaboy]

What do I need to do to connect my PC, the sub, and my Airmotiv 6s powered monitors together? Do I use both the sub out, and the line out, on my sound card? Or do I just use one?

Assuming your soundcard has a sub out (presumably w/frequencies above 80 Hz filtered out); and a line out (presumably with no frequencies filtered out):

• You would connect the card's sub out to the SB-2000
• And connect the card's line out to the powered speakers

...which leave the issue of volume control. If you're happy controlling volume for both outputs of the soundcard via software, you're set. All you would have to do is "balance" the sub's output volume vs the monitors (using the sub's volume pot), and away you go.

But there's a drawback to software control of volume: often sound is attenuated via truncation of bits in the digital realm, such that the output can be lower or higher in resolution--not an acceptable tradeoff for those concerned most w/sonic purity.

The alternative to software/digital volume control is some kind of active switch device (ie, 2 totally separate inputs sources connected to totally separate outputs--going to the sub & monitors, respectively--but with a volume pot in the middle).

The other issue that lurks behind this topic is that by running full/unfiltered signal to the powered monitors, concurrent with low-pass filtered signal to the sub, you would run the monitors full range + a sub. That may or may not work well in your particular room/environment. I tried it in my system and felt the mid-bass seemed "boomy."

This topic (how to wire a sub vs mains) gets totally complicated in a hurry, I'm sorry to say.

Note: IF (big if) your AVR has a discrete, low-pass subwoofer output (many do), there's a totally other way to accomplish this, and it doesn't involve your sound card at all:

1. You would purchase a reasonably-priced DAC and run a USB cable from the computer to the DAC
2. Then the output of the DAC (RCA L/R interconnect) would connect to an open input of the AVR
3. The AVR would then run a separate RCA output to the powered monitors & the sub, as before
4. And the AVR would control volume

True, you would have to run AVR & computer simultaneously to get sound...and invest in a few RCA interconnects. But at the very least, your digital-to-analogue conversion would probably be done better by the DAC than by soundcard; and no more concern about digital volume control.

 

[nuraman00]

Assuming your soundcard has a sub out (presumably w/frequencies above 80 Hz filtered out); and a line out (presumably with no frequencies filtered out):

• You would connect the card's sub out to the SB-2000
• And connect the card's line out to the powered speakers

...which leave the issue of volume control. If you're happy controlling volume for both outputs of the soundcard via software, you're set. All you would have to do is "balance" the sub's output volume vs the monitors (using the sub's volume pot), and away you go.

But there's a drawback to software control of volume: often sound is attenuated via truncation of bits in the digital realm, such that the output can be lower or higher in resolution--not an acceptable tradeoff for those concerned most w/sonic purity.

The alternative to software/digital volume control is some kind of active switch device (ie, 2 totally separate inputs sources connected to totally separate outputs--going to the sub & monitors, respectively--but with a volume pot in the middle).

The other issue that lurks behind this topic is that by running full/unfiltered signal to the powered monitors, concurrent with low-pass filtered signal to the sub, you would run the monitors full range + a sub. That may or may not work well in your particular room/environment. I tried it in my system and felt the mid-bass seemed "boomy."

This topic (how to wire a sub vs mains) gets totally complicated in a hurry, I'm sorry to say.

Note: IF (big if) your AVR has a discrete, low-pass subwoofer output (many do), there's a totally other way to accomplish this, and it doesn't involve your sound card at all:

1. You would purchase a reasonably-priced DAC and run a USB cable from the computer to the DAC
2. Then the output of the DAC (RCA L/R interconnect) would connect to an open input of the AVR
3. The AVR would then run a separate RCA output to the powered monitors & the sub, as before
4. And the AVR would control volume

True, you would have to run AVR & computer simultaneously to get sound...and invest in a few RCA interconnects. But at the very least, your digital-to-analogue conversion would probably be done better by the DAC than by soundcard; and no more concern about digital volume control.

Thanks. The SB-2000 Pro also has a volume control on it too, so I can control the sub's volume that way.

Ever since I got the Emotiva powered monitors in September 2016, both a DAC and a sub have been on my wishlist.

With my very recent desire to set up a home theater, it felt like the right time to get a sub, and get one that I could use for both applications.

A DAC is still on my wishlist. I want one with both USB and optical inputs. I know there's not many of those, but I remember seeing at least one, every time I look into a DAC again. I've mentioned it a few times in this thread.

But, my more immediate priority is getting this home theater set up, so a DAC will still be on the back burner.

Thanks for the explanation about the digital volume control, from my PC.

It's good to know that I don't have to change any connections on the line out on my sound card, I just have the add the sub out.
It looks like whether I'm using my PC as the source, or the AVR, I will be using the single LFE port on the sub as the input, so I'll just swap those out as needed. That seems reasonable enough.

I just hope for normal TV (sports, or other normal programming), the bass isn't overwhelming when I am using a 5.1 setup. I think I'll probably turn the sub's volume down in that case. I've never had a 5.1 setup before, but I'm just thinking that it might not be appropriate to have more bass when watching such content, as opposed to music or other programming that's more high def.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I never had a legit home theater setup--never wanted one. But I suspect that after you balance the sub's volume for 2-channel use, it will remain balanced for 5.1 use. By "balanced" I mean that the sub's output volume is aligned with the volume of sound from the mains. The test would be the classic "walking bass" line of a well recorded jazz tune, where the bassist's fingers "walk" the notes down into the sub's range, then back up. If the sub is well integrated, the bass sounds like a real bass all the way up and down, and none of the notes "jump" in an unnatural way.

It's quite easy to make a sub sound like dogshtt; harder to make it sound good. But once you get it set, that should be it.

 

[nuraman00]

But there's a drawback to software control of volume: often sound is attenuated via truncation of bits in the digital realm, such that the output can be lower or higher in resolution--not an acceptable tradeoff for those concerned most w/sonic purity.

Does this only happen when one is changing the volume via digital volume control? Or if one isn't changing it, and is just leaving it at the volume it's at, then is there still truncation of bits?

 

[Pharmaboy]

Does this only happen when one is changing the volume via digital volume control? Or if one isn't changing it, and is just leaving it at the volume it's at, then is there still truncation of bits?

I'm not an expert...others here could answer more knowledgeably. My understanding is this:

• Start with full digital volume (the slider is all the way up or to right). That would be full # of bits, full resolution
• Each time you lower the volume w/that slider, you are hearing a lower volume (which is what you want)--but bits are being truncated to accomplish this

Honestly, I'm unclear on the mechanism of this. But I've seen so many comments to this effect that I believe it.

Note that this does not apply to various high-end DACs that come with a digitally implemented volume pot (not an analogue pot, but one that reduces volume in the digital realm. Example would be Holo's May DAC. In those cases, the pots are designed to convey the full digital signal, but at the volume selected.

 

[nuraman00]

Do DACs have an analog way to adjust volume? Or sometimes they do, sometimes they don't?

 

[Pharmaboy]

Do DACs have an analog way to adjust volume? Or sometimes they do, sometimes they don't?

Some DACs have volume adjustment. Among those that do (not a huge group, mind you, as most DACs don't have it), I'd guess most of the volume pots are trad analog.

 

[nuraman00]

Speaking of DACs to use with a PC, I'm a bit confused about the conversion process.

If my motherboard has a DAC, then what does connecting another DAC do? Doesn't the DAC receive it when it's already in analog form?

 

[Pharmaboy]

Speaking of DACs to use with a PC, I'm a bit confused about the conversion process.

If my motherboard has a DAC, then what does connecting another DAC do? Doesn't the DAC receive it when it's already in analog form?

You would run a USB cable from the computer to the input of the DAC, totally bypassing the soundcard's onboard D/A circuit. The USB cable would carry digital information to the DAC, where it is then converted to analog signal.

Standalone/separate DACs often sound better than any but the most expensive soundcard--because they have more circuit board real estate, permitting better cooling, more refined input/output stages & a bigger, better power supply. A separate DAC also gets all its circuitry away from the electrically noisy environment of the computer case.

There surely are exceptions, though. I suppose a pricey/high end soundcard (internal or external) could outperform a barebones DAC. It all depends on the soundcard & implementation.

I ditched soundcards and went to a separate DAC ~13 yrs ago. Never looked back.

 

[nuraman00]

You would run a USB cable from the computer to the input of the DAC, totally bypassing the soundcard's onboard D/A circuit. The USB cable would carry digital information to the DAC, where it is then converted to analog signal.

Standalone/separate DACs often sound better than any but the most expensive soundcard--because they have more circuit board real estate, permitting better cooling, more refined input/output stages & a bigger, better power supply. A separate DAC also gets all its circuitry away from the electrically noisy environment of the computer case.

There surely are exceptions, though. I suppose a pricey/high end soundcard (internal or external) could outperform a barebones DAC. It all depends on the soundcard & implementation.

I ditched soundcards and went to a separate DAC ~13 yrs ago. Never looked back.

Thank you, that explains it. I'll make sure that my DAC has a USB connection, when I get one.

I have an integrated sound card.

Just for reference, these are the audio specifications.

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-CROSSHAIR-VII-HERO-WI-FI/specifications/

ROG SupremeFX 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC S1220
- Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs
- Supports : Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
- High quality 120 dB SNR stereo playback output and 113 dB SNR recording input
- SupremeFX Shielding Technology
- ESS® ES9023P
- Supports up to 32-Bit/192kHz playback *5
Audio Feature :
- Gold-plated jacks
- Optical S/PDIF out port(s) at back panel
- Sonic Radar III
- Sonic Studio III

 

[nuraman00]

Another random question.

My portable CD player has an optical out port. But it doesn't look like it uses a Toslink cable. What cable do I need?

Here's a picture of the port, that the seller took, before I bought the player in 2015. I had asked the seller for a picture of the optical port.

Here's a picture I took.

 

[Slogra]

It's a normal mini headphone connector combined with optical mini toslink.
With right cable from mini toslink to normal toslink you can connect your player to a receiver.

 

[nuraman00]

It's a normal mini headphone connector combined with optical mini toslink.
With right cable from mini toslink to normal toslink you can connect your player to a receiver.

Thanks. So something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Toslink-Mini-Feet/dp/B00JLTURKE

 

[Slogra]

Yes, that should be it. Obviously it does not need to be gold plated, because the optical signal does not travel through the goldplated part of the connector (but it doesn't hurt either).