does this sound card have digital outs for z5500??

[bbsin26]

I'm pretty new when it comes to the audio scene, and i just recently recieved logitech z5500 speakers as company gifts... so now i'm wondering what soundcard i should buy to take advantage of my new speakers without having to spend over $100, some people tell me that i need a soundcard with digital outs to use my z5500 to it's full potential. After looking around some I am starting to get interested in buying a Creative Xtreme gamer 7.1 sound card.... so basicly my question is "does the XtremeGamer have digital outs for Logitech z5500 speakers??"

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16829102006

 

[Obtuse]

This blogger had the same problem. You can digital out by purchasing a Toslink to mini-jack adapter, then configuring your x-fi to do digital output.

 

[g-paw]

It doesn't look like that card has digital out. Check out this bluegeers. Been researching sound cards and this has gotten great reviews and $95 with rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829127002

 

[bbsin26]

So i can't just stick in the optical cable from the Z-5500 into the white FlexiJack and expect it to work without buying that "toslink mini-jack adapter?

 

[Obtuse]

The flexijack is called that because it can serve multiple purposes. For instance, on a 7.1 system, you need 4 ports to do analog surround. In that case, it can be configured as one of the 4. But, the cost of this is that is HAS to be "mini-jack" (I call it stereo plug, but whatever). Anyway, it can put out a digital signal, but your z-5500's are not set up to accept a digital signal via 1 mini-jack connector, they expect it over optical or coax (aka an RCA-looking plug). So, you have to have a cord which can accepts mini-jack on one end, and terminates into one of those digital connectors on the other end.

 

[kg4icg]

On the Xfi's That white jack doubles as Mic jack and digital jack. It's software configurable. Just go to creatives site and read up on it.

 

[bbsin26]

So the z5500 needs to use an optical out and since the x-fi xtremegamer doesn't have one, i'm going to need to buy some sort of adaptor right???

will this thinggy work??
http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=16 &product=1780&nav=features
If not then what do i need???

Sry for all the questions, i'm a noob when it comes to this stuff.

 

[amuehl1]

The X-fi gamer will work with the 5500s optically. The FlexJack is a multi-purpose output . You will need to get an optical cable to connect the 5500s to the card, digitally. Keep in mind (this drove me crazy the first week I owned the 5500s) the digital/optical signal to the speaker's control unit is only stereo. Windows (and I think all games) does not encode/send/whatever a digital 5.1/7.1 signal (who really wants to hear "ta-da!" in 5.1?). Windows media player, WinDVD, any DVD player, will give you an option to connect to an external Dolby/DTS decoder. This will send a 5.1/7.1 signal to the 5500's control unit and it will decode it. If you are playing a game you will only get 5.1 with an analog connection, you need to hook up to the card with 1/8" stereo cables (3 of them). I have an Audigy 2 sound card, same basic connectivity.

Hope this helps. The 5500s kick @ss by the way!

 

[bbsin26]

The X-fi gamer will work with the 5500s optically. The FlexJack is a multi-purpose output . You will need to get an optical cable to connect the 5500s to the card, digitally. Keep in mind (this drove me crazy the first week I owned the 5500s) the digital/optical signal to the speaker's control unit is only stereo. Windows (and I think all games) does not encode/send/whatever a digital 5.1/7.1 signal (who really wants to hear "ta-da!" in 5.1?). Windows media player, WinDVD, any DVD player, will give you an option to connect to an external Dolby/DTS decoder. This will send a 5.1/7.1 signal to the 5500's control unit and it will decode it. If you are playing a game you will only get 5.1 with an analog connection, you need to hook up to the card with 1/8" stereo cables (3 of them). I have an Audigy 2 sound card, same basic connectivity.

Hope this helps. The 5500s kick @ss by the way!

So i terms of playing games, it's better to use 1/8" stereo cables instead of an optical cable???

 

[amuehl1]

Yep, otherwise it is only stereo or a DSP effect of a stereo signal (the 5500s have stereo, stereo x2, PLII music, PLII movie, or direct effects built-in in the control unit, PLII is pro-logic 2). Stereo meaning sound from left and right front speakers only. The effects the control unit has will double the stereo (stereo x2) to the back left and right, the PLII settings will attempt to create 5.1 sound from a stereo signal. Don't worry about sound quality on the games with analog, it will still sound great.

I have both hooked-up, and switch between digital for music and other stuff, and analog for games (I always have the "direct" effect set on the control unit for this).