Hello, I have heard that the Logitech z-5500 speakers convert the input signal to digital then to analog for playing, no matter if the input signal was analog or digital. Can someone confirm it? I know that the speakers have a DAC and an ADC. Is this also true for the z-906? If this was true, then it would not matter if you connect them via an analog or digital connection becasuse the logitechs would pass analog->digital->analog or digital->analog and the sound quality would be given by the speakers DAC only.
z-5500 and z-906 DAC conversion
- Thread starter Jester221
- Start date
Hi Jester, welcome aboard.
I've got a set of the z-5500 and always presumed that the analogue inputs were converted to digital internally, then processing applied (e.g. volume and prologic stuff) then back to analogue for amplifying. This article I found a while ago certainly suggests that analogue inputs are converted to digital http://www.laaudiofile.com/z5500.html. I'd guess that the new Z-906s would likely be the same. I'd also guess that the control pod upsamples the digital inputs so there would be some processing going on there too.
One difference between using a digital and analogue is that there is there may be some audible noise on the analogue outputs from motherboards/internal sound cards. Apart from that, from a sound quality point of view I'd be pretty surprised if you could hear the introduction of an extra DAC/ADC stage on these speakers - they are good for what they are, but aren't exactly the last word in hifi!
I've got a set of the z-5500 and always presumed that the analogue inputs were converted to digital internally, then processing applied (e.g. volume and prologic stuff) then back to analogue for amplifying. This article I found a while ago certainly suggests that analogue inputs are converted to digital http://www.laaudiofile.com/z5500.html. I'd guess that the new Z-906s would likely be the same. I'd also guess that the control pod upsamples the digital inputs so there would be some processing going on there too.
One difference between using a digital and analogue is that there is there may be some audible noise on the analogue outputs from motherboards/internal sound cards. Apart from that, from a sound quality point of view I'd be pretty surprised if you could hear the introduction of an extra DAC/ADC stage on these speakers - they are good for what they are, but aren't exactly the last word in hifi!
thank you. The question is I have a creative x-fi titanium hd sound card that only does digital out for 5.1. Then I suppose I can plug a pair of high end headphones for listening to music and use dts for gaming with the z5500/z-906, without losing quality for using digital vs analog?
I have another question, will every game work with 5.1 using the dts or has to be specifically made to use that technology for getting the true 6 channesl surround sound?
Also, will the creative THX effects (mainly crystalizer) work when connected using digital and dts?
I have another question, will every game work with 5.1 using the dts or has to be specifically made to use that technology for getting the true 6 channesl surround sound?
Also, will the creative THX effects (mainly crystalizer) work when connected using digital and dts?
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I'm not quite sure I understand your first question, but can't see why you couldn't use the 5.1 digital out to the z5500/z906 and the analogue headphone output for music - this is how I use my Xonar D2X with my z5500s and it works fine except for having to go into the audio center software to swap the output from 5.1DD to 2 channel analogue and tweak the volume.
I can't answer your other questions I'm afraid as I'm not into games and don't know how the creative cards and software work.
I can't answer your other questions I'm afraid as I'm not into games and don't know how the creative cards and software work.
hello wonko, the first question really was about the DAC of the z5500 being worse than the XFI titanium HD, thus losing some quality via digital, but as you said, this speakers are not so good so I probably would'n nottice the difference either.
Regards.
Regards.