Question about SPDIF and Optical I/O quality

DallasStar · Oct 9, 2004, 09:12 PM

Since SPDIF and Optical outputs are digital, does that mean that the soundcard has no bearing on the quality of the sound, and that the quality of sound produced by speakers whose signal is digital is dependent only on the quality of the reciever/decoder? Thanks for any help. I've been trying to decide whether buying a better soundcard is worth it or not, considering I already have a perfectly functional optical out port on my current soundcard.

classic_leon · Oct 9, 2004, 10:22 PM

Almost like that you said. The sound quality which we usually talk about is analog signal, that's for human being(including animals). How big it's good depends on sound card, but digital signal unless the sound card is really a kind of "bad". But if you have a good sound card, it can control the types of optical output-96KHz/48KHz, and so on.

**dj_stick** · Oct 9, 2004, 10:43 PM

it also depends on any processing done to the signal on the soundcard before it is sent to the outputs

Oct 9, 2004, 09:12 PM	#1
DallasStar Junior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wave Existence Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 0	Question about SPDIF and Optical I/O quality Since SPDIF and Optical outputs are digital, does that mean that the soundcard has no bearing on the quality of the sound, and that the quality of sound produced by speakers whose signal is digital is dependent only on the quality of the reciever/decoder? Thanks for any help. I've been trying to decide whether buying a better soundcard is worth it or not, considering I already have a perfectly functional optical out port on my current soundcard. __________________ "A picture of my existence... would show a useless wooden stake covered in snow... stuck loosely at a slant in the ground in a ploughed field on the edge of a vast open plain on a dark winter night." --- Franz Kafka

Oct 9, 2004, 10:22 PM	#2
classic_leon HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wu Han, Hu Bei, P.R.China Posts: 1,238 Rep Power: 0	Almost like that you said. The sound quality which we usually talk about is analog signal, that's for human being(including animals). How big it's good depends on sound card, but digital signal unless the sound card is really a kind of "bad". But if you have a good sound card, it can control the types of optical output-96KHz/48KHz, and so on. __________________ Fashion keeps us alive. YouP-PAX Please visit http://www.A-PAX.co.uk to discuss the computer mods. The latest YouP PAX modded drivers are provided on the site.