Sound Card SPDIF Vs Onboard Digital

Prof. Cheese

Prof. Cheese

Prof. Cheese

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780
If using digital output from either a good quality sound card or onboard, am I right in assuming that sound quality should be identical as the data has been passed out to the amp?
 
You are indeed correct, no difference. It would only be worth looking at a sound card, is if you wanted certain features. Dolby Digital Live for eg. However DDL and other audio features are becoming more common now on middle range to top of the line motherboard models.
 
DDL is a real time 5.1 encoder. SPDIF is actually stereo, not 5.1. It can handle multiple channel data, but it has to be encoded, that's where Dolby Digital and DTS come in. When you watch a DVD, the Dolby or DTS encoded audio contained on the DVD is passed to the amp via SPDIF, which the amp then decodes. If someone wants to play a game for eg, the 5.1 data from the game can only be sent as stereo, it needs to be encoded with Dolby Digital or DTS. DDL does that, it takes the 5.1 data then encodes it to Dolby Digital, then is passed on to the amp.

I hope that made sense. I will try to clarify it, if I made it sound too complicated. :p

Certain sound cards have the DTS equivalent, DTS Connect.
 
Marsman said:
DDL is a real time 5.1 encoder. SPDIF is actually stereo, not 5.1. It can handle multiple channel data, but it has to be encoded, that's where Dolby Digital and DTS come in. When you watch a DVD, the Dolby or DTS encoded audio contained on the DVD is passed to the amp via SPDIF, which the amp then decodes. If someone wants to play a game for eg, the 5.1 data from the game can only be sent as stereo, it needs to be encoded with Dolby Digital or DTS. DDL does that, it takes the 5.1 data then encodes it to Dolby Digital, then is passed on to the amp.

I hope that made sense. I will try to clarify it, if I made it sound too complicated. :p

Certain sound cards have the DTS equivalent, DTS Connect.
Click to expand...

That makes perfect sense, thanks. :)

Sorry to keep bugging you but do you mind explaining the difference between DTS connect and DDL? And when is it better to use one instead of the other? :p
 
I have only ever used DDL, due to my 5.1 system at the time only having Dolby Digital. They both do the same thing, whether or not one is better than the other I don't know. Probably down to preference somewhat, in the way some people prefer to use DTS, if a DVD has DD and DTS tracks.
 
the only difference between dolby and dts is the amount of infromation being sent. DD sends data at 640kbps and DTS sends 1509kbps so its ore than double the amount of info, but they can be played at the same frequency as in 24bit 92,000hz. all of my media is played back in DTS. I can tell a big difference, at least i think i can. Sounds seem to be more crisp in DTS.
 
Marsman said:
DDL is a real time 5.1 encoder. SPDIF is actually stereo, not 5.1.
Click to expand...

spdif can be anything you like, it's the carrier of an audio format, not the format itself. PCM over SPDIF is stereo only (note pcm is multiple channels over hdmi) but thats because of bandwidth limitations of spdif :)
 
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