[Fetou]

I have an HA25D amplifier and I am trying to connect it through the flexijack of my XtremeMusic soundcard via a mono 3.5mm to RCA adapter.

I bought this cable: RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: A/V cables: Patch cables: 3-Ft. RadioShack Gold Series RCA A/V Cable

Is this not an actual digital audio cable? All I get is garble from the headphones. I don't know if it is a driver setting etc. Please tell me if this cable is compatible with what I want to do.

If it isn't, please show me a cable under 20 dollars that is. Thanks.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

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[Fetou]

I really want to figure out if I am even using the right KIND of cable first to see if it is indeed the problem.

Is there supposed to be two RCA jacks to Two RCA jacks or just one? It seems a lot of the digital coaxial cables I see are one male to one male RCA cables.

 

[Maniac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fetou /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have an HA25D amplifier and I am trying to connect it through the flexijack of my XtremeMusic soundcard via a mono 3.5mm to RCA adapter. I bought this cable: RadioShack.com - Cables, Parts & Connectors: A/V cables: Patch cables: 3-Ft. RadioShack Gold Series RCA A/V Cable Is this not an actual digital audio cable? All I get is garble from the headphones. I don't know if it is a driver setting etc. Please tell me if this cable is compatible with what I want to do. If it isn't, please show me a cable under 20 dollars that is. Thanks.

What are you thinking about connecting?

I'm wondering if you are connecting a digital output to an amp's analog input. If that's the case, then it will never work.

 

[Maniac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fetou /img/forum/go_quote.gif I really want to figure out if I am even using the right KIND of cable first to see if it is indeed the problem. Is there supposed to be two RCA jacks to Two RCA jacks or just one? It seems a lot of the digital coaxial cables I see are one male to one male RCA cables.

The FlexJack on the sound card provides several different function out of the same jack, the cable you had shown is intended for analog signals. While it may work, I'm thinking that you might have plugged it into an amp's analog input.

 

[Fetou]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maniac /img/forum/go_quote.gif The FlexJack on the sound card provides several different function out of the same jack, the cable you had shown is intended for analog signals. While it may work, I'm thinking that you might have plugged it into an amp's analog input.

How do I avoid this? It is an Amp/DAC combo so how should I connect it to make sure that it is digital? I have just been connecting the left and right audio cable (it is a two by two rca patch cable) to the input of my amp and one of te two on the other side to the flexijack.

 

[Maniac]

can you show us a pic of how you connect it to your amp? I'm suspecting that you might accidentally connect it to the amp's analog in.

As well, you might need to check if FlexJack needs certain type of cable to activate its digital output function.

 

[Fetou]

Similar, used a diagram of an HA20 amp.

By the way, the thing I bought is a patch cable. Does that mean anything?

 

[Maniac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fetou /img/forum/go_quote.gif Similar, used a diagram of an HA20 amp. By the way, the thing I bought is a patch cable. Does that mean anything?

That means you have connected incorrectly indeed. HA25's digital input needs TOSLINK optical cable, while the RCA connector is purely for analog input, and not for connecting digital input.

For Creative products, I think you will need an expansion card for optical digital output. But don't quote me on that, because I'm not very into creative stuff, not for a while anyways.

 

[Fetou]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maniac /img/forum/go_quote.gif That means you have connected incorrectly indeed. HA25's digital input needs TOSLINK optical cable, while the RCA connector is purely for analog input, and not for connecting digital input. For Creative products, I think you will need an expansion card for optical digital output. But don't quote me on that, because I'm not very into creative stuff, not for a while anyways.

Wait, I cannot plug in a digital coaxial cable to this amp? It only supports Optical if I want to use the DAC?

 

[Maniac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fetou /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wait, I cannot plug in a digital coaxial cable to this amp? It only supports Optical if I want to use the DAC?

That is correct, you will either have to use a source with Toslink optical output or find an adapter that converts coax to optical. But for the performance of HA-25, I'd say the latter would not really be worth it, since the converter might cost a fair portion of HA-25's price while not providing any benefit of performance enhancement. (actually coax works better than toslink in my own experiments...)

 

[Fetou]

I'm going to buy the Sound Blaster digital I/O little panel, its like 20 dollars and has an optical out.