Analogue or digital out to 250D megaworks gives best sound quali

Hi all,?I'm currently using a soundblaster audigy and I use the RCA-to-miniplug cable?connected to the?digital out of the soundcard to the SPDIF input on the speakers. I believe this works because the speakers have a digital-to-analogue controller built into them. They're the 250D 2. Megaworks. (http://www.creative.com/products/pro...oduct=24&nav=2)?However, the soundcard also has a digital-to-analogue converter? Is it better than the one on the speakers? Would I get better sound quality using an analogue connection?I'm currently thinking of upgrading to an X-FI Xtreme Gamer, would that change things? (It has a better digital-to-analogue converter, right?)?Thanks in advance for any help!?Matteo

I doubt you will?hear?the difference between the digital and analogue connections. There could be a volume difference but nothing really quality wise. The DACs coming with the cards are generally of a very good level and I suppose the ones in the speakers will also be very similar. The problem here aren't the DACs but the Audigy processor itself. The chip does resampling to almost every signal it gets and it doesn't do?it good enough. This lowers the quality of the signal for both the SPDIF and the analog outs. You can read more here. The things are better with the X-Fi, because the resampling is of much higher quality. Here is another article. They do not test the SPDIF output, but I doubt if it will get better than the analog. Also let's not forget that even if the SPDIF output is nearer the ideal, it will still heavily depend on the DAC circuity of the speakers. As a sidenote, the X-Fis (apart from the Elite-Pro) have the same DACs and OpAmps as the Audigy 2 ZS, which proves the fact, the processor was a major drawback. Also notice, that under Vista, unless you use an OpenAL title or ALchemy, resampling is done by Windows and I think it will be nearer to the Audigy than X-Fi in quality?PS: Sorry if I have not given a clear answer, but I think you can now draw your own conclusions.Message Edited by alexs3d2 on 08-20-20072:54 AM

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Attachments:
HMIR_SBC_060131.vi ‏374 KB
HMIR_SBC_060126.vi ‏137 KB

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Please help. I've been looking around for a while.
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<IMG height= alt="" src="http://images.americas.creative.com/images/dot-clear.gif" width=3 border=0>
/8 inch to Mini Din and RCA Adapter<SPAN class=legal>PN 0400005

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You might want to look at this: http://us.creative.com/support/kb/ar...p?l=2&sid=5035
A suggestion to Creative moderators: I think it would be a good idea for Creative to supply a guide with the sound cards and speakers on the various types of connections. Stuff like the capabilities/limitations of each connection and details on AC3 and the way games output audio. There seems to be so many people confused by the multitude of connection possibilities (I was at first).
Message Edited by pjc on 02-26-2005 01:10 AM

Analogue or digital out to 250D megaworks gives best sound quali

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