soundcard -> receiver question

[nickh]

Hi,

suppose one has a sb live xgamer 5.1 or any of the sound blaster 5.1 products and plans to connect the soundcard to a pretty good receiver (i.e w/THD of around 0.07 or less) and then to some home theatre speakers. Is it true that the soundcard will really limit a good receievers performance ? Some of this may depend on what one calls good but I'm just trying to get a rough idea of what impact the soundcard would have on a receiever.

I'm asking in the promedia 4.1 board as most people are considering similar options.

[VIV]

Depends on the reciever you go for, and the speakers you're hooking upto the system. Obviously if you go for a reciever that's $2,000.00 USD, and $5,000.00 speakers, ya, the sound card wouldn't be nearly good enough to provide for that hardware.

Currently, I have an Acoustic Edge hooked upto a Yamaha HTR 5250 reciever, and Acoustic Research 206HO bookshelves for the mains and rears, an AR CS25HO for the centre and a Sony SAWM40 sub. They're probably considered low end for an actual HT setup, but for a computer setup, they easily beat any multimedia speakers in existance

So, which recievers have you been looking at?

[rol1]

Get a digital-out card and use it for stereo audio and digital surround from DVD's(thru the s/pdif), use the analog only for gaming surround.(A3D and EAX)

The idea is that the harddrives, fans, videocards, power supplies, etc. mess up the analog output. Using the s/pdif you let the much higher quality decoders in the receiver do the work.

You still use the analog outs of the soundcard into the analog inputs of the receiver for the gaming sounds.(multi channel mode)

[manhorePPG]

so, im guessing the pro media 5.1 set will have s/pdif in as well as analog in. someone please tell me yes.

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[Pyradius]

While I was looking around for a receiver, I ran across this piece of hardware that looked interesting. It may be what you're looking for - perhaps someone here can give more advice on this product...not sure if this will support 5.1.

http://www.yamaha.com/cgi-win/webcgi.exe/DsplyModel/?gAVR00010@PET+RP-U100

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Pyradius

This message has been edited by Pyradius on 06-18-2001 at 12:33 PM

[VIV]

I wouldn't recommend getting ANYTHING from Yamaha's Cavit line (at least until a few reviews have come out). Yamaha has a sketchy history with their multimedia products, so I wouldn't invest much in them. Also, for the price of the RP-U100, you could get an HT reciever that'll do the job much better.

[Amy]

To manhorePPG:

We decided to leave the ProMedia speakers analog for a few reasons:

--The Promedias are first and foremost computer speakers. Most high-end soundcards have the capability of decoding digital signals themselves, elimiating the need for an external digital decoder. Thus, the typical computer user will be saving $ by not having to purchase the same technology twice.

BUT:

--The Promedias can also be used at a Home Theater system, with DVD players, TVs, receivers, Playstation2s, etc. For this reason, we will have a separate digital decoder box available for purchase, if you wish to use the speakers with one of those devices.

--You will also be able to use this decoder together with a soundcard, utilizing the SP/DIF output, but again, this really isn't necessary--unless your card doesn't have a center channel output--as most soundcards have decoding capability built in.

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Amy

ProMedia Tech Support

promediatech@klipsch.com