Logitech Z680 - spdif output cable ?

Brizzles

Brizzles

Brizzles

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Hi,

Have just ordered some Logitech Z680 speakers.

After problems with Creative soundblaster cards I have been using the onboard Nvidia* audio from my DFI NF3 250gb mobo ( which IMO is pretty good ).

*Realtek ALC850 / Single AC'97 , 8 channel.

The board has 3 jack (Centre/Rear/Side) outputs and also SPDIF (RCA not Toslink) out.

What cable would I need to connect the SPDIF out to my Logitech ?

And , would SPDIF be any better than using the 3 jack output ?

A link to a suitable cable would be much appreciated , as would any advise on which output source is the best to use.

Thanks , in advance , for any Help.

Cheers,

Mark
 
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If it's actually an RCA digital output then you'll need a standard digital coaxail cable. They're pretty cheap and easy to get hold of from any electronics/hi-fi shop.

Digital would be good, especially for DVDs, but without some kind of on the fly DD/DTS encoding you'll only get upmixed stereo in games and music. You might be better connecting in analogue mode using 3 x 3.5mm to 2 RCA cables.
 
Thanks for reply.

SPDIF / Digi coax cable (Digital Signal) - I understand

3 plug analogue to 3 plug analogue (Analogue Signal) - I understand

" You might be better connecting in analogue mode using 3 x 3.5mm to 2 RCA cables "

Can you explain ( in Idiot terms ! ) how connecting to 2 RCA cables works ?

Cheers,

Mark
 
You need a "Digital Coax Cable", you can pick a good quality 3 meter 1 up for about a tenner.. heres a pic
BVdszXzD_z680-020.jpg


You need to plug 1 end into the spdif-out of your sound card/onboard sound, the other end goes into the digital coax socket in the back of the control pod of the z-680.

The sound quality might be slightly better, but doubt you'll notice much of a change, Cos your sound card/onboard sound receives digital sound and has to convert it to analog before it goes down the 3 leads.. So with digital its not converting at all, its just going straight down the coax cable in to the decoder. So yes the quality will be better but you shouldnt really notice much diff between analog and digital. The sound quality is amazing on the z-680 apparntly.
 
oh yea im using a realtek onboad sound and mine has the RCA sockets for the spdif-in/out, if its a 3.5mm jack connection, you will have to get a converter, or a different lead

these are my spdif sockets
7uxFt9Cj_sound.jpg
 
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Cheers Speedy,

Yes , Same connectors as yours ( RCA) .

Will pick up a cable as you show in your reply .

If the Z680's are as good as the reviews , i'll be a happy bunny !!

Thanks,

Mark
 
speedy2004 said:
The sound quality might be slightly better, but doubt you'll notice much of a change, Cos your sound card/onboard sound receives digital sound and has to convert it to analog before it goes down the 3 leads.. So with digital its not converting at all, its just going straight down the coax cable in to the decoder. So yes the quality will be better but you shouldnt really notice much diff between analog and digital. The sound quality is amazing on the z-680 apparntly.
Click to expand...


THe difference between analogue and digital depends on both the speakers AND the soundcard, and since that reatek is about as much use in analogue as a chocolate ashtray, the differnce really should be very large. Digital should be much better.
 
Just ordered a " digital " coax cable.

So i'll try both when the Z680's arrive..

Thanks for both for you replies.

Cheers,

Mark
 
james.miller said:
THe difference between analogue and digital depends on both the speakers AND the soundcard, and since that reatek is about as much use in analogue as a chocolate ashtray, the differnce really should be very large. Digital should be much better.
Click to expand...

My realtek onboard sound would be really good if it worked as its ment to with a 5.1 system, It beats me soundblaster live 5.1 anyday. But yeah I will get a decent soundcard if I ever get the z-680 or z-5500

Why is realtek is about as useful as an ashtray in analogue? and will digital be noticably better??
 
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speedy2004 said:
My realtek onboard sound would be really good if it worked as its ment to with a 5.1 system, It beats me soundblaster live 5.1 anyday. But yeah I will get a decent soundcard if I ever get the z-680 or z-5500

Why is realtek is about as useful as an ashtray in analogue? and will digital be noticably better??
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because their analogue stages are trash. absolutely bloody awful, that's why the digital hookup will sound a lot better.

But, if your realtek doesnt work properly in 5.1, dont expect the x-fi to either...
speedy2004 said:
I think it will work ok, but the special features wont work like EAX and stuff.
Click to expand...

No, you wont get surround sound at all unless your watching a dvd.
 
the prob I have with the realtek, is that the sub/center channel gets disabled with some games, and thats the only reason I want to try digital, to see if it sorts that prob out,, Do you think it will?? And thats the reason for the new sound card too
 
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No, you'll get stereo PCM output from the digital cable unless you're watching a DVD. No centre, rear or sub output. The Z680's might upmix it for you, but it won't be true surround.
 
mrdbristol said:
Just ordered a " digital " coax cable.

So i'll try both when the Z680's arrive..

Thanks for both for you replies.

Cheers,

Mark
Click to expand...

The 680's are superb,just listening to savatage through mine as I type(don't expect anyone to have heard of them,an old yanky metal band,proper though)via spdif/nvidia onboard audio(dfi Ultra D).I usually use an audigy 2 ZS but have just rebuilt and can't fit the audigy in at the moment due to ever increasing watercooling kit.

TBH the 680's sound great even via onboard audio,you'll be amazed when you get them,good purchase mate.
 
tom_nieto said:
No, you'll get stereo PCM output from the digital cable unless you're watching a DVD. No centre, rear or sub output. The Z680's might upmix it for you, but it won't be true surround.
Click to expand...

So analog beats digital at everything accept for watching dvds :confused: :confused:
 
Nope, digital will be free of all the noisy electrical signals of the motherboard. If you've got a DD live card or similar digital is the way to go. However if you don't then analogue normally offers the better solution.

If you want a good analogue signal you're much better with a separate soundcard.

In all honesty it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. It just depends on your needs.
 
Pretty much any soundcard, can only pump out PCM (stereo) via its digital outputs, unless you are watching a DVD through a player that can output through digital outputs, at which point, the card will output the DD/DTS stream from the DVD.

Creatives entire line up of cards are all only capable of PCM via its digital outputs unless watching DVD.

There are cards which are capable of encoding ingame/music sound on the fly to DD/DTS, and sending it down the cards optical/coaxial output. The HDA X-Mistique can do DD, and the X-plosion can do DD/DTS. Both technologies achieve the same, but DD is limited to 640kbps, and DTS 1.5mbps.

If you were to go out and buy an X-Fi to hook up to your 680's, you would need (no ifs or buts) to hook up three pairs of rca cables to your 680's from the card in order to get multi channel sound in games. With DVD's, I'm not sure if creative cards can decode the DD/DTS stream on the DVD, and pipe it through the analog outputs in multi-channel. If not, you would need to purchase a flexi-jack adaptor, and an optical/coax cable.

To be honest, a HDA card sounds like a much better choice if you have a pc speaker set with a digital input, that way the card will be able to give you multi-channel in games (like soundstorm on nf2 did). But, HDA cards (and any card that isn't a creative) only support EAX up to version 2, which may present problems with games that do not have a fallback method from EAX 4/HD.
 
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LadFromWales85 said:
There are cards which are capable of encoding ingame/music sound on the fly to DD/DTS, and sending it down the cards optical/coaxial output. The HDA X-Mistique can do DD, and the X-plosion can do DD/DTS. Both technologies achieve the same, but DD is limited to 384kbps, and DTS 1.5mbps.
Click to expand...

average rate on a dvd is 384kbps. DD is limited to 640 which is what the soundstorm and the DDLive encoding cards pump out.
 
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