Help!! How to connect receiver to sound card??

[caveboy]

I have a creative audigy 2 zs platinum pro sound card. How am i going to connect a reciever to it?? And will i get 5.1 when i play games, listen music and watch movies..

My ht setup are:
A denon 1804 reciever
4 Klipsch RSX-5 satelites
1 klipsch RCX-4 center channel

Thkx for all the help.

[Chris D]

Wow, that looks like a great card. I'm considering getting the external USB version of that card, the Audigy 2 NX. Basically what you'll be doing is using the digital output capability (I think it's coaxial on the ZS, not optical) to connect to a digital input port on the back of your receiver, just like if you were making digital connections to a DVD player. You'll have to configure the card to use the digital output instead of the analog outputs to your computer speakers.

This is very similar to what I'm doing, (configuring a computer for audio output in a theater) read my two threads in this section about passing a digital audio signal, and getting a new Dell laptop.

[aud19]

You can also, if you choose, use the analog min-jack's to the analog 5.1 input to your 1804. Of course you'll need to find or get some cables that go from one mini to two rca ends...

Chris, if you can, hold off for a few months till this fall for the soundcard. I was at a dealer meet last week and one of the Creative reps "unoficially" confirmed the developement of much better soundcards with bit perfect out put and much better DAC's and general architecture than what is currently being used. Basically the last five or so years has been a slow evolution of basically similar technology. According to him, the new cards are more revolution :P See my post here:http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=7868

Jason

[Gordon Moore]

According to him, the new cards are more revolution

Is that a stab at the m-audio Revolution 7.1 :W

Which has, up till now been a much cleaner card of choice than the soundblaster audigy line. Basically a true hometheater version of the pro midi card: the Audiophile 2496.

We'll see if Creative can get it right.

[Gordon Moore]

And will i get 5.1 when i play games, listen music and watch movies..

Not so sure about the games but I'll give you a most "probably" if your receiver does ProLogicII then it'll be handled whether or not the game actually pumps in 5.1.


Movies should pump 6 or 7.1 along the coax/optical provided you tell the player that's how your passing the audio.

Since you aren't processing with the pc or the soundcard by hooking up your Digital Coax or optical connection (since the pro card has the add-on card that has both outputs...I don't have the card I simply looked up the specs), you're asking the receiver to do all processing duties.

I wouldn't recommend analog out to the receiver because even with the low noise floor (on spec anyway...not reality) of the card...the lack of shielding will be picked up in the cable and passed along to your speakers...hence the redesign of the card for that very purpose. There's nothing like picking up a buzz from the fan or hard drive and tranmitting that to your hometheater speakers amplified at ungodly levels. It's very distracting for movies...
It won't always happen but the potential to happen is higher especially with a pc.

[aud19]

Is that a stab at the m-audio Revolution 7.1 :W

Which has, up till now been a much cleaner card of choice than the soundblaster audigy line. Basically a true hometheater version of the pro midi card: the Audiophile 2496.

We'll see if Creative can get it right.

Actually no that was just a coincidence :lol: He did mention that they recognize the M-audio card as the benchmark to beat and that they were planning on surpassing it's performance.... so.... :P We'll have to wait and see if the claims are true but here's hoping for some high-end soundcard competition :T

Jason

[Chris D]

Thanks for the scoop, Jason. I was really wondering if new cards were about to come out with better resolution, ESPECIALLY an external USB solution like I'm looking for. I think what I'll do for now is use the dongle until something comes out this fall. I can find the Audigy 2 NX for as little as $99 now, so we'll see what comes out then.

[aud19]

Good plan :T At the very least when the new cards come out if you're still happy with what the audigy does, it should be dirt cheap by then

Jason

[aud19]

And will i get 5.1 when i play games, listen music and watch movies..

I know some ASUS motherboards with onboard audio have DD encoding. In that case you would get DD for everything including games. It's not as high-fidelity as the creative cards or especially the M-audio card though.

Jason

[Chris D]

Besides, I just like saying the word "dongle"...

[aud19]

Chris! :rofl:

Jason