What are "digital ready" speakers?

[imported_Com80787]

Hi all,

Ok as stupid as this sounds I have never had anything more than 2.0 speakers, but have always had a high end sound card.

Right now I have an X-fi.... and I have decided to put it to use by getting speakers for it. I will mostly use it for games, music, and rarely movies.

I have a few questions based on peoples experience

1. What are "digital ready" speakers? I have been looking at 5.1 and 7.1 speakers. Some of them say "digital ready" but don't explain what that means. Does that mean it uses optical audio connection or something?

2. Going on that - if it does mean optical audio connection is that much better than non-digital connections?

finally 3. Is 7.1 much better than 5.1?

Thanks for any info. I am trying to research these things, but I keep hitting lots of (what I suspect) is marketing talk to get me to buy more than what I really need.

 

[ScottMac]

1. "Marketing" (Also see "Monster Cables")

2. There is also a flavor copper digital connection, analog versus digital is in dispute (see tubes versus transistors)

3. Yes, if the content is created to use 7.1

Good Luck

Scott

 

[NanoStuff]

This is sure as hell not highly technical, but I will oblige.

Some of them say "digital ready" but don't explain what that means

It means absolutely nothing.

if it does mean optical audio connection is that much better than non-digital connections?

No. An optical signal will be non-digital in the end just the same.

Is 7.1 much better than 5.1?

All other things being equal, it's an improvement for movies and games, probably not for music.

 

[Scarpozzi]

My ears are analog. Until I get an implant, I really can't tell much difference between digital speakers and 'high quality' analogs.

The only advantage to digital, aside from higher frequency and lower signal loss due to the higher power required, is the ability to multiplex and throw more signals on the same pipe...basically, allowing you to do more with surround sound technologies. If you're not watching movies and decoding whatever technology they're encoding signals in this year, save yourself the cash and get some solid 3-way speakers with quality enclosures.

 

[CSMR]

If speakers have digital inputs there's the possibility of doing crossovers digitally and then amplifying. Has advantages but very rare.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Originally posted by: Com80787
Hi all,

Ok as stupid as this sounds I have never had anything more than 2.0 speakers, but have always had a high end sound card.

Right now I have an X-fi.... and I have decided to put it to use by getting speakers for it. I will mostly use it for games, music, and rarely movies.

I have a few questions based on peoples experience

1. What are "digital ready" speakers? I have been looking at 5.1 and 7.1 speakers. Some of them say "digital ready" but don't explain what that means. Does that mean it uses optical audio connection or something?

2. Going on that - if it does mean optical audio connection is that much better than non-digital connections?

finally 3. Is 7.1 much better than 5.1?

Thanks for any info. I am trying to research these things, but I keep hitting lots of (what I suspect) is marketing talk to get me to buy more than what I really need.

Marketing ploy, about like labeling a bag of sugar non-fat. They still have to be powered by the amp with the same old copper wire and DC current.

 

[themisfit610]

Yep. That pretty much covers it. Digital transport is perfectly relevant, as it allows you to use external DACs, but "digital speakers" do not exist. Period. There WILL be an analog conversion at some point.