[sandaz93]

Option A:
 
Connect"Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro USB Sound Card" Optical out to my TV's optical in. Would the quality of the sound coming from my TV's headphone jack improve? >>>Using PS3 connected via HDMI
 
Option B:
 
Connect  TVs Headphone jack to "Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro USB Sound Card" Auxillary Line in. Plug Earbuds into Soundblaster headphone jack.
 
Option C:
 
Buy an Astro Mixamp.
 
I also have a fiio E7 and E9 if that helps.

 

[Mad Max]

A) Not at all.
 
B)  That won't be of much benefit.
 
C)  What for?
 
I would instead recommend plugging the TV's optical output, if it has one, into the optical input of your E7+E9 or Creative X-Fi.  Alternatively, connect the TV's line-out to the analogue inputs of your Creative X-Fi or E9.
 
Then I notice that I overlooked that you are gaming (PS3).  Connect the PS3's optical output into your E7+E9 or Creative X-Fi.  Alternatively, connect the PS3's analogue outputs into your E9.  I would also suggest upgrading the E9's OPA2134 opamps with OPA1642 for better soundstaging if you choose to use the E9.

 

[sandaz93]

The E7/E9 only doesn't have an optical input to connect my ps3 to while the creative x-fi only has an optical output.

 

[Mad Max]

Oh wow, I just checked.  I assumed that at least the E9 would have it.
You will have to try analogue connections like I mentioned.

 

[ClieOS]

 
Quote:

Option A:
 
Connect"Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro USB Sound Card" Optical out to my TV's optical in. Would the quality of the sound coming from my TV's headphone jack improve? >>>Using PS3 connected via HDMI
 
Then you are using your TV internal DAC to do the decoding, which is generally a bad idea since your Sound Blaster X-Fi might have the better DAC (Well, it depends on how good your TV is). What is PS3 has to do with any of them?
 
Option B:
 
Connect  TVs Headphone jack to "Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro USB Sound Card" Auxillary Line in. Plug Earbuds into Soundblaster headphone jack.
 
Crap in, crap out. If the TV headphone jack sounds bad, your sound card can't fix it.
 
 
Option C:
 
Buy an Astro Mixamp.
 
I also have a fiio E7 and E9 if that helps.
 
How about a FiiO D3? It will do SPDIF optical-in and coaxial-in to a line-out.

 

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

 
What is PS3 has to do with any of them?

Gaming, blu-ray movies
 

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Gaming, blu-ray movies
 

Figure as much. The OP isn't really clear on what kind of setup he want it to be. So PS3 is the source, TV gets the HDMI and he want better sound.

 

[sandaz93]

Yeah, I wanted the PS3 to be the source. I have it connected to my TV through HDMI. Right now, Im just connecting my earbuds to the headphone jack on the TV, and it sounds awefull.

 

[sandaz93]

I don't understand what I would connect the D3 to. The optical out from the TV would go to D3 in, and then would I have to use a AV-->3.5mm converter?

 

[sandaz93]

How would my amp play into this situation then?

 

[ClieOS]

I don't have PS3 so I could be wrong here, but it does have an optical out, right? Connect that to the D3 (which acts as a DAC) and connect D3's line-out (which is RCA) to you E9 (line-in) for amplification.

 

[sandaz93]

So the optical out of the PS3 to the D3, and then use a AV/RCA cable to connect the D3 to my E9?

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

So the optical out of the PS3 to the D3, and then use a AV/RCA cable to connect the D3 to my E9?

Yes, that way. You might want to read into the D3 discussion and ask if anyone already has that setup and how well it works.
 
 

 

[sandaz93]

Alright, thanks guys!