[gamer539]

How would I connect a external DAC or amp to a X-Fi Xtreme Music PCI sound card? Would I need to buy a 5" front panel bays?

 

[brainstorm]

Yes, but you'd have to have a DAC that accepted a digital (S/PDIF or Toslink) connection not one with a USB connector. Checking Creative's site the Front Panels a bit on the expensive side but you could use the digital I/O dongle if you wanted for about 15USD+ shipping from them, might be cheaper elsewhere but heres the link -

http://us.creative.com/products/prod...6&product=1780

 

[humanflyz]

The front panel is absolutely not necessary to connect the X-Fi to an external DAC or amp. The soundcard itself already has a digital I/O jack and normal stereo jacks.

 

[gamer539]

Where are the digital I/O jacks?
http://images.creative.com/iss/image...sic_pdt_lo.jpg

I can see 4 1/8" analog plugs and a how-ever-many pin slot.

How exactly does this Digital I/O Module work, hows the connectivity, I'm kind of skeptical because one end is a 1/8" analog plug.

 

[humanflyz]

It's the last jack on the right side. That jack can either be a mic-in or digital-out, and you can change it to one or the other in the X-Fi's control panel. A 1/8'' jack also fits a digital cable, i.e., a mini-toslink or a coaxial cable that is terminated on one end with a 1/8'' jack.

 

[luckybaer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by humanflyz /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's the last jack on the right side. That jack can either be a mic-in or digital-out, and you can change it to one or the other in the X-Fi's control panel. A 1/8'' jack also fits a digital cable, i.e., a mini-toslink or a coaxial cable that is terminated on one end with a 1/8'' jack.

I go coaxial from the digital out jack on the X-Fi to my Micro DAC.

 

[gamer539]

I'm sorry, I'm a little confused about these cables, is this the coaxial cable you are talking about that is able to connect into a 1/8" jack?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search

luckybaer, you say you connect the coaxial from the digital out jack on the X-Fi to the Micro DAC. What kind of cable do you use to connect to the X-fi to the Micro DAC? Do you use the optical digital cable and the toslink to optical mini adaptor for both ends?
http://www.headphone.com/products/ca...-cable-3ft.php
http://www.headphone.com/products/ca...ni-adaptor.php
Are these available at a local Radio Shack? because I cannot find it on their website.

How does the DAC in the X-Fi compare to the Micro DAC, isn't it sort of a waste of the X-Fi sound card if you just use it as a digital transport? or do you use the X-fi for gaming?

How would the the Micro DAC compare with say a Number Cruncher or a Spitfire or FubarII?

Thanks

 

[luckybaer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamer539 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sorry, I'm a little confused about these cables, is this the coaxial cable you are talking about that is able to connect into a 1/8" jack? http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search luckybaer, you say you connect the coaxial from the digital out jack on the X-Fi to the Micro DAC. What kind of cable do you use to connect to the X-fi to the Micro DAC? Do you use the optical digital cable and the toslink to optical mini adaptor for both ends? http://www.headphone.com/products/ca...-cable-3ft.php http://www.headphone.com/products/ca...ni-adaptor.php Are these available at a local Radio Shack? because I cannot find it on their website. How does the DAC in the X-Fi compare to the Micro DAC, isn't it sort of a waste of the X-Fi sound card if you just use it as a digital transport? or do you use the X-fi for gaming? How would the the Micro DAC compare with say a Number Cruncher or a Spitfire or FubarII? Thanks

What kind of cable do you use to connect to the X-fi to the Micro DAC?
I had Moon Audio make me a Blue Dragon mini-to-mini coax cable.

How does the DAC in the X-Fi compare to the Micro DAC, isn't it sort of a waste of the X-Fi sound card if you just use it as a digital transport?
The X-Fi sounded OK compared to the Micro DAC, but I wasn't satisfied. The Micro DAC gives me an "airy" sound and a clarity and crispness that I didn't experience while just plugging the headphones into the X-Fi's jack. Running a mini-to-mini cable from the headphone out to an amp didn't help much, either.

[D]o you use the X-fi for gaming?
That's the only reason I purchased the X-Fi. Now that I am more into headphones and music, I wish I had purchased something else. However, when I did game (primarily Battlefield 2), I loved the X-Fi.

How would the the Micro DAC compare with say a Number Cruncher or a Spitfire or FubarII?
I have no clue!

I have two PCs at my desk, and for giggles and grins I have one connected to the Micro DAC via USB and the other connected via digital out and the coaxial cable. One PC has an Audigy something-or-other, and the other has the X-Fi. I don't know why, but the box with the X-Fi sounds better whereas the Audigy sounds dark - almost like trying to see through fog. I don't think it has to do with USB vs. Digital Out/Coaxial, because when I was USB off the X-Fi PC, it didn't sound that dark and foggy.

USB sounds good off of the X-Fi box. Coaxial from the digital out sounds A LITTLE better - better detail, more open sounding, etc. But, I have to really be focusing on the music to notice. If I just have music on as a background effect while I'm reading, working, etc., I probably wouldn't notice.

 

[ralphp@optonline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckybaer /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of cable do you use to connect to the X-fi to the Micro DAC? I had Moon Audio make me a Blue Dragon mini-to-mini coax cable.

luckybaer is correct but you can use any mini to mini cable, even an el cheapo one from Rat Shack to start with to see how you like the sound of the Micro DAC and then decide if you want to shell out the money for a better cable.

Go to the Creative web site and look under the support pages of the X-Fi card for information on how to set the multi jack for Digital output. I recommend that you disable all the various special effects (DSS, 24 bit crystalizer, etc) available on the card for the best results but you may feel otherwise. Play around and see what setting sounds best for you. They're your ears!!! Good luck.