Connecting my PC to my hifi - help needed

Evening all.

I'm trying to connect the digital-out of my Audigy soundcard to the optical-in of my hifi.

I'm not getting any sound though.

Might it be the cable? All ends fit perfectly...but it's just a random one I borrowed off a mate. Do I need a specific one or something?

Any help would be much appreciated, as I've tinkered with the card's setting MUCHLY.

Cheers in advance,

Ian.

(PS. I was referred to here by davidcotton, so props to him)

 

Does Audigy have an optical out? I always assumed it to have co-ax but I could be wrong, as I washed my hands of that rubbish a long time ago.

My guess is that you need to enable the digital output in the control panel, but I've never used an Audigy so I cant really offer any more help than that....

 

It's got a digital-out...

That's what I'm trying to connect to the optical-in of my hifi.

No luck though.

I have no knowledge of anything audio-related, mind, so it could be anything really. Annoyingly.

 

Is the digital output on the Audigy a minijack output though?

The reason I am asking is because my old Videologic Sonicfury had digital out through a minijack (like a little headphone connector), and that was co-axial. However, sometimes these connections are optical too. But if it is co-ax, then plugging into optical wont work (unless you buy a converter).

Of course it may have an optical out in which case I am talking bollocks. The thing is, I dont know what connections the Audigy has. I'll do some digging for you.

 

OK I've just found this:-

 

Cheers for the help mate, it's much appreciated.

I think you're right in thinking that it's digital out through a mini-jack...and so co-axial.

Sorry to bother you more, but do you know what would be the best way of connecting it to my hifi then? I don't actually know what co-axial means, unfortunately.

Should I get an adapter and connect it to the optical-in?

Or some kind of cable to connect it to the analogue-ins (red/white)? There's even a PC Link socket thingy....looks like a mouse or keyboard port on a mainboard.

Cheers in advance,

Ian.

 

I've been checking out maplin.co.uk and was just wondering if a Coaxial to Optical Digital Signal Convertor would be the appropriate thing to get?

If so, what kind of cable would I need to connect the digital-out of my soundcard to the converter?

(I think I already have the cable that connects the converter to my hifi's optical-in)

Thanks in advance,

Ian.

 

Well mate, for a minijack you can use a normal electrical cable, but I'd ask the question do you HAVE to use optical? Thing is, you could get a converter, but chances are it wont be for a minijack, it'll be for RCA. So on top of this converter, you'll have a minijack to RCA adapter as well. There is then 2 possible places to degrade the quality as well as the fact of the SB resampling internally to 48Khz, so the digital output quality might not be so hot...

Also I dont know how much one of these converters costs, but Hoontech make a low cost card (around £50) with optical outputs and no resampling which sounds like it'd be better for his needs. Then he can always flog the Audigy for £20 or something...

 

ive used the out (mini jack) that my computers speakers were connected to. does this mean that the signal is pre amped as now i have two volumes? computer and amp.

 

Rob, yes it does mean that, but that is not always a bad thing. My Terratec has a volume control that works up to 0 db which presumably prevents clipping, although I dont know about your card.... Normally though, I had the volume maxxed unless there is audible distortion on the soundcard (better S/N ratio I think)

 

Anyone tried one of these:

http://www.dabs.com/UK/productview?quicklinx=2FKHDT

Its a cheap way to get co-ax and optical ins and outs, but is it any good?

 

Never heard of it, but it might be alright so long as it doesnt internally resample - it basically just looks like a digital soundcard, not much different to anything else.

The only soundcard that sounds any good which resamples is the Videologic Sonicfury (Turtle Beach Santa Cruz), and these can be found for less money. Still not optimal though...

Maybe something like a USB stereo link might be an option worth looking into, although I've never looked into it with any depth.

 

I was thinking about that PB, but the one I looked at was like 60-70 quid, which put me off a bit.

And I don't really want to get a new soundcard, as my Audigy is fab for games and I only got it (relatively) recently.

So yeah. I'll have to work out what to do.

But thanks once again.

I really appreciate all the help.

Ian.

 

So what is the hifi component that you are trying to connect to. Seems strange that it only has an optical digital in and no electrical (coax) digital in.

The Audigy has a reasonable line out. Why not just connect that to a spare line in on your hifi and see how it sounds. All you need for that is a mini-jack to phono lead.

 

It's a Sony Micro System mate.

CMT-M100MD to be precise

It's got a PC link, an optical in, analogue in (those red and white things) and that's it really.

I might try a non-optical connection like you said though.

Cheers mon,

Ian.

 

And does the 'MD' perhaps stand for MiniDisc. If that is so then the optical in would be there so that you can make direct digital recordings from a suitable CD player onto MiniDisc.

If you are not making MiniDisc recordings from the PC, but are only playing music, then I would suggest the DAC in the Audigy will be no worse (possibly even better) than the one in the mini system and that you will get decent sound using just an analogue connection from the 'line out' socket on the sound card to the analogue inputs (red and white as you said) on the mini system.

You need a lead with 3.5mm Stereo Jack Plug and two RCA Phono plugs. These are not hard to come by. Even your local Dixons should have one.