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gavbon
24-11-11, 16:45
As title says

looking for a decent soundcard, but would pref it to have either an optical output, or Red and white phono connections, 3.5mm cable is crappy



can anyone recommend one on a budget?, love my music, its what i play the most


got a Technics 5.1 home cinema system, old school stacker one so would rather not have to replace the system :P
Zaim
25-11-11, 02:55
I would go with this depending on your budget:
https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Sound+Cards/Asus+Xonar+DX%2FXD+7.1+PCI-E+Soundcard+Low+Profile+?productId=37597

I had that card for a short while before I got the D2X, if you don't need the DTS features then the DX is a great card.
gavbon
25-11-11, 13:17
I would go with this depending on your budget:
https://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Sound+Cards/Asus+Xonar+DX%2FXD+7.1+PCI-E+Soundcard+Low+Profile+?productId=37597

I had that card for a short while before I got the D2X, if you don't need the DTS features then the DX is a great card.

isn't there any with the 2 phono connections?

my home cinema isn't digital :(
Zaim
26-11-11, 03:42
isn't there any with the 2 phono connections?

my home cinema isn't digital :(

You could just buy a 3.5mm to phono adaptor? unless you want a dedicated phono output? in which case this is what you want:
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Sound+Cards/Asus+Xonar+Essence+STX+PCI-E+Audiophile+Sound+Card%2C+Optical%2FDolby+Pro+Log ic+II+?productId=46535

If you don't need a card with dedicated phono connections then I would get the D2X as it comes with a "4 x 3.5mm-to-RCA adaptor cable (8ch)" The card is available for around £84.99.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-xonar-d2x-review/2
Sniperdude
26-11-11, 06:16
if you have a 5.1 cinema receiver with an optical or digital coaxel connection on, this is the way I would connect to the sound card
its pointless using the 3.5 or the red and white connections if you want to use it for 5.1 from the pc

personally I would got for digital coaxel.. the cable is cheaper and gives exactly the same result as optical.


BUT

if your just going to use it for audio then just get a good quality 3.5mm to RCA cable and it will be just as good as RCA to RCA

belkin do one that seems to be OK for about 7 quid
richersounds Bold street and grab one of these not cheap but well made I have one myself
http://www.richersounds.com/product/hifi-interconnects/cambridge-audio/aud100-3.5-2m/camb-aud100-2ph-2m
them 3.5mm to RCA adapters are utter rubbish IMHO I would defiantly buy a proper cable with decent plugs rather than using one.
gavbon
26-11-11, 14:01
You could just buy a 3.5mm to phono adaptor? unless you want a dedicated phono output? in which case this is what you want:
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Components/Sound+Cards/Asus+Xonar+Essence+STX+PCI-E+Audiophile+Sound+Card%2C+Optical%2FDolby+Pro+Log ic+II+?productId=46535

If you don't need a card with dedicated phono connections then I would get the D2X as it comes with a "4 x 3.5mm-to-RCA adaptor cable (8ch)" The card is available for around £84.99.
http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-xonar-d2x-review/2

using one of them adapters atm, but was just wondering if there was a better option, it has no digi audio connectors atm :P


if you have a 5.1 cinema receiver with an optical or digital coaxel connection on, this is the way I would connect to the sound card
its pointless using the 3.5 or the red and white connections if you want to use it for 5.1 from the pc

personally I would got for digital coaxel.. the cable is cheaper and gives exactly the same result as optical.


BUT

if your just going to use it for audio then just get a good quality 3.5mm to RCA cable and it will be just as good as RCA to RCA

belkin do one that seems to be OK for about 7 quid
richersounds Bold street and grab one of these not cheap but well made I have one myself
http://www.richersounds.com/product/hifi-interconnects/cambridge-audio/aud100-3.5-2m/camb-aud100-2ph-2m
them 3.5mm to RCA adapters are utter rubbish IMHO I would defiantly buy a proper cable with decent plugs rather than using one.

might pick one of them up mate next time im in town, using a cheapy crappy one atm, might just get one of them £20 DG cards, with one of them cables?

will improve on my onboard MSI G53 audio you think?
Sniperdude
26-11-11, 14:07
if all you want is Audio via your amp just get the DG card and one of them decent 3.5mm to RCA cables an the sound will be bang on



I use my cable to connect my mp3 player to my amp and its just as good as sound via the digital cable from my pc to my amp
gavbon
26-11-11, 14:09
if all you want is Audio via your amp just get the DG card and one of them decent 3.5mm to RCA cables an the sound will be bang on

thanks for your help mate

will order one on monday, and nip into town and get one, or an equivalent quality one!
Sniperdude
26-11-11, 14:17
no point in getting a decent sound card of you connect it via a skinny rubbish unshielded cable

another thing is to clean the connection on the amp if its not shiny maybe that's going to far hahaha
gavbon
26-11-11, 14:20
no point in getting a decent sound card of you connect it via a skinny rubbish unshielded cable

another thing is to clean the connection on the amp if its not shiny maybe that's going to far hahaha

will do that, gonna get some banana plugs, my monster speaker cable is looking worse for wear :P
Sniperdude
26-11-11, 14:24
haha i got over £100 for speaker cable for free from richersounds when they messed up my order (forgot to put something in the bag) but i still couldn't justify paying £25 for banana plugs
gavbon
26-11-11, 14:27
haha i got over £100 for speaker cable for free from richersounds when they messed up my order (forgot to put something in the bag) but i still couldn't justify paying £25 for banana plugs

haha was gonna get them online for about £8 for 2, tho each speaker has 4 ends, so yeah will prolly work out about that, but its just to keep it nice and tidy, plus ill use them again when i upgrade my sound system sometime next year, probably towards winter :P


dont fancy sharing that speaker cable? :D haha
Sniperdude
26-11-11, 14:37
Direct connection a win for the wallet haha


all the wires used up on my 5.1
gavbon
26-11-11, 19:56
Direct connection a win for the wallet haha


all the wires used up on my 5.1

got that cable from richer sounds earlier on, but found out i cant use banana plugs, how stupid am i haha


will order some more monster cable when i can, the time correction stuff :P,

the DG deffo alot better than my onboard?
Sniperdude
26-11-11, 20:06
that's what they say. I haven't used one tho I have a Audigy 4 Pro

i guess you will be the tester.
gavbon
26-11-11, 21:19
will be buying probably tomorrow, will also test the cable tomorrow



will post my thoughts whenever i get to test it :P
gavbon
28-11-11, 10:52
ordered, so will give it a test tomorrow :P
gavbon
29-11-11, 12:48
arrived, installed

noticeable improvement


good stuff!!!, not tested with the turtle beaches tho, but on my surround sound its amazing
Sniperdude
29-11-11, 12:54
told you a decent 3.5mm is just as good as RCA connections
gavbon
29-11-11, 13:07
told you a decent 3.5mm is just as good as RCA connections

much appreciated mate

next system i get will have optical tho, so obviously ill use that :P
Sniperdude
29-11-11, 13:13
I have optical and use over it digital coaxel works just as well


glad it all worked out tho