HELP: AUDIGY 2 ZS Sound Card Owners please help me with Questions

[ChrisOjeda]

Hi,

I was thinking of purchasing a Creative Labs Audigy 2 ZS Sound Card. I currently have the Logitech Z680 Speakers. My concern is what I have read on the Creative Labs web site and in other forums about the digital connection to a 5.1 speaker system. The Audigy 2 ZS has a single digital out connector and the specifications state Digital Out for 5.1 support (6-channel SPDIF output to Creative digital speakers). The jack is a mini jack and not a traditional coaxial or optical digital connection. The Creative Web site shows a diagram that has a cable that comes out of the digital output jack and converts to a Digital DIN 15 pin connector that is compatible with Creative Labs speaker systems. The message that I am getting is that the card's digital out will only work for Creative Lab speaker systems? Has anyone used the digital out for non-Creative-Lab 5.1 speaker systems. I want to buy this card, however if it will not connect digitally with my Logitect Z680 then I might have to pass it up. Can anyone give me there $.02???

Thanks... Chris

 

[Accord99]

You can connect the A2's digital output to the Z680's digital coax input with a simple minijack to mono/stereo RCA cable. You will not be able to get 5.1 game audio using a digital connection with the A2/Z680, though you will still get surround sound with pre-encoded Dolby Digital and DTS material. However, given the high quality of the DAC on the A2, using the analog connection will be as good or better than the digital connection.

 

[ChrisOjeda]

Thanks for answering. I am still a bit confused. Why can't I get 5.1 gaming? Does the minijack to mono/stereo RCA cable carry a digital signal? Also, can I get 5.1 gaming sound with the Audigy 2 (not the ZS version)???

Thanks... Chris

 

[MDE]

You'll get 5.1 sound, just not Dolby Digital or DTS encoded. If you have an nForce2 motherboard with SoundStorm, then your onboard sound will be able to handle the DD\DTS encoding.