Connecting X Fi Soundcard to DAC?

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kingnothing83

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Nov 16, 2007
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Hi,

Im not sure this is the way to go but i'm considering connecting my soundblaster x-fi xtreme music upto my arcam alpha 8 amp via a DAC such as the Beresford, to see if this will increase my audio experience.

But what do i need to connect it? My card has a rather odd "flexi-jack" which is a 3.5mm jack that is a mic in, a line-in and a digital in/out. "Supports SPDIF Out compressed ac3 signal or PCM for Stereo Digital Speaker "

http://www.guru3d.com/article/content/265/3/

So i guess i need a 3.5mm jack to toslink? What will that do to the quality? Or am i better off just getting a cheap soundcard with a standard optical out?

Maybe this whole DAC thing isnt worth the effort
 
Chances are that the 3.5mm is an electrical connection not Optical. What you basically want is a 3.5mm to Phono lead. Plug the 3.5mm in to the XFi, and one of the phono outputs will be carrying the digital signal...
 
Of course, I could be wrong...
emotion-5.gif
 
it'd be good to get clarification on whether the flexi jack carries an electrical and not optical signal, can anyone clarify?

I dont think your suggestion would work fatboyslimfast, i actually have a very good 3.5mm to phono cable but the Beresford only accepts digital in doesnt it? I may be mistaken!
 
Thanks for the clarification frog! Does the quality of cable make a difference for this like it would for a rca to rca connection for example? or would any 3.5mm to toslink do?

Would you expect a "night and day" difference using this method above my current method of 3.5mm line out to rca on my amp?
 
I'm no computer geek but I have the same soundcard and I linked it up to my amp using QED 3.5 jack to phono cables and did not use a DAC. Would this not do the trick?
 
Gerrard - thats exactly how i have it set up now. it works well but apparently an external dac will give a better sound quality
 
[quote user="kingnothing83"]
Gerrard - thats exactly how i have it set up now. it works well but apparently an external dac will give a better sound quality
[/quote]

If I am reading you correctly, you are currently using an analogue connection. The method frog mentioned would establish a digital connection.

Yes, using a digital connection would make the difference as big as day and night.
 
OK that is exciting then. The only question that remians is which cable to use. Frog the link you gave me was for a toslink to 3.5mm convertor, how much was your toslink cable or do you get one included with the Beresford?

Of course cable quality is open for debate but i spent a reasonable amount of money on my current 3.5mm to phono cable, do i need to spend good money on a toslink cable or is it not as much of an issue? Thanks!
 
Actually i just realised the Beresford has a coaxial as well as an optical input.

What would be the difference when connecting the xfi to the Beresford?

Could i use my current 3.5mm to phono to go from the digital out of the soundcard into the coaxial input of the DAC?
 
[quote user="kingnothing83"]
OK that is exciting then. The only question that remians is which cable to use. Frog the link you gave me was for a toslink to 3.5mm convertor, how much was your toslink cable or do you get one included with the Beresford?

Of course cable quality is open for debate but i spent a reasonable amount of money on my current 3.5mm to phono cable, do i need to spend good money on a toslink cable or is it not as much of an issue? Thanks!

[/quote]

I use a mini stereo to RCA male which I bought at bhphotovideo.com
wrt to cable quality, anything decent is okay for a digital connection. IMO, you wouldn't hear any difference with a cable costing 50 or 500 bucks. Yes, stay away from very cheap cable. Also, buy only the length you need.
 
[quote user="kingnothing83"]
Actually i just realised the Beresford has a coaxial as well as an optical input.

What would be the difference when connecting the xfi to the Beresford? -- Difference would be evident.

Could i use my current 3.5mm to phono to go from the digital out of the soundcard into the coaxial input of the DAC? -- Of course you can

[/quote]
 
[quote user="ranjeetrain"][quote user="kingnothing83"]
Actually i just realised the Beresford has a coaxial as well as an optical input.

What would be the difference when connecting the xfi to the Beresford? -- Difference would be evident.

Could i use my current 3.5mm to phono to go from the digital out of the soundcard into the coaxial input of the DAC? -- Of course you can

[/quote][/quote]

Thanks for the advice!

Which method of connection would be better 3.5mm flexijack to coaxial (using my current £30 3.5mm to RCA cable) or 3.5mm flexijack to optical (using a new toslink cable with 3.5mm convertor)? Or would they be the same?
 
[quote user="kingnothing83"]
Thanks for the advice!

Which method of connection would be better 3.5mm flexijack to coaxial (using my current £30 3.5mm to RCA cable) or 3.5mm flexijack to optical (using a new toslink cable with 3.5mm convertor)? Or would they be the same?

[/quote]

I'd prefer the coaxial connection.
Let me double check whether I gave you wrong info in previous post. fr0g seems to have a different say on that.
 
[quote user="kingnothing83"]
Thanks for the advice!

Which method of connection would be better 3.5mm flexijack to coaxial (using my current £30 3.5mm to RCA cable) or 3.5mm flexijack to optical (using a new toslink cable with 3.5mm convertor)? Or would they be the same?

[/quote]

I downloaded this User Manual from here. http://ccftp.creative.com/manualdn/Manuals/TSD/9861/0x3B0AA6D9/Sound%20Blaster%20XtremeAudio%20Users%20Guide%20English.chm

Double check if its the same card that you have. If so, go to the page 2.1 channel digital speakers . At the bottom there are instructions to connect using Coaxial.
 
[quote user="fr0g"][quote user="ranjeetrain"]The link again[/quote]

Can you print the relevant bit of manual here (doesnt seem to download for me)? It may be that the desktop version has more connectivity than my laptop card?
Certainly I cannot get a coaxial digi out from my flexijack.[/quote]

Feeling a bit lazy mate. Try this one: http://ccftp.creative.com/manualdn/Manuals/

TSD/9774/0xE82C472B/X-fi%20Xtreme%20audio%20quickstart%20front.pdf

I have broken the link in two parts so you can copy it. Of course in two attempts.
 
[quote user="fr0g"] :/ Nope links back to the original page which doesnt work... 🙁 - Must be a blockage at this end? (Im in Sweden[/quote]

Sorry about that.
 
For the coaxial connection you need a Digital I/O Module which is available as an upgrade accessory in some regions.
 
You can order the Beresford DAC with a 3.5mm adapter and toslink to toslink cable for an extra £7 see link

http://www.homehifi.co.uk/TC-7510/orderuk.html
 
OK fantastic, 3.5mm to toslink it is then.

The only question that remains is perhaps to frog.

What card do you have? do you have an x-fi xtreme music? they are all slightly different. My one states that the digital in/out:
"Supports SPDIF Out compressed ac3 signal or PCM for Stereo Digital Speaker "

Is this the same as yours? what does it mean?

Also, in the digital i/o sampling rate settings - in the creative software where you select between digital and mic. Is it best to use 48khz or 96khz?

Cheers
 
[quote user="kingnothing83"]"Supports SPDIF Out compressed ac3 signal or PCM for Stereo Digital Speaker "[/quote]

That's where the hint was. Unfortunate if an "digital I/O" module is required. Btw, you never mentioned which variation of X-Fi you have? That would have cleared it all up, as Creative site has detailed instructions on connecting each of them.
 
Thanks, i did actually mention which card it was right at the start, im pretty sure a digital i/o module is not required for my card, as in my software options i have the ability to select digital i/o.

So im sure id just need a 3.5mm to toslink to connect it, my only query is not knowing what the "supports SPDIF out compressed ac3 signal etc" actually means, its the word compressed that worries me, or perhaps that is not talking about the digital part of the output.

cheers!
 
Excellent thats good to know. Yes all that rubbish is off! I also use FLAC for my music (well some mp3 too) and have been using the ASIO driver via winamp rather than directsound which is the default, have you experiemented with anythign like that? Means you cant use itunes which was annoying at first, but not a problem for me now as it wont support FLAC anyway
 
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