Cords anyone?

MSX · Oct 30, 2002, 08:08 PM

I've got a SB Audigy gamer and I'm interested in buying a set of yamaha 5.1 speakers. One thing that kind of has me considering it more is that the digital connectors on the speakers are ither coaxial(like an RCA connector) and optical(a square little end peice) and well, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to connect it to my Audigy.

I have a digital out of course, but its simply a regular minijack and I dont know if there is a connecting peice... Not that digital is all that, but If I'm going to get top of the line speakers I'd like top of the line sound.

So anyone own this set and can tell me if it has the right connector? Or should I try and buy/make one?

MSX

~~Sourcer_2002~~ · Oct 31, 2002, 12:06 AM

so do you have a regular sound out? If you cant find a hook up that supports the speakers then i would get the RCA ones and but a digital to RCA converter for like 5 bucks.

~~Sourcer_2002~~ · Oct 31, 2002, 12:16 AM

~~Sourcer_2002~~ · Oct 31, 2002, 12:17 AM

heres where u can get it its a y adapter http://www.radioshack.com/category.a...9%5F004&Page=1

MSX · Oct 31, 2002, 05:04 AM

Yeah I had already seen that peice, after playing a round of stump the radioshack guy of course

... The thing is I'm really not sure if the peices would work.

The other thing is that the coaxal connection is a single channel to the speakers. So if I used a regular peice like that, it mite screw up and provide only half the signal. So I'd need another peice to make it one "RCA" cable into the speakers. Creative is selling an optical cable. But the creative site was made by someone not paying attention in their communications classes and it mite requite another card which I dont need.

So anyway, for digital it has to be a stereo minijack(type thing I'm not even sure digital channels can go over the regular jack) to one coaxal cable becuase I dont think I'm going to be able to get optical working without extra hardware. So I suppose I should just get the speakers and try to build the connection myself. Unless anyone has any knowledge that would save me the trouble?

MSX

~~Sourcer_2002~~ · Oct 31, 2002, 06:46 PM

hell get and if the Y adapter sounds like shit then go look for other options.

NiChO · Oct 31, 2002, 11:56 PM

Maybe this is what you want, a mono 3.5mm --> RCA.

Works great, tested AC-3 and DVD´s(Dolby Digital, SPDIF passthrough).

MSX · Nov 2, 2002, 01:38 AM

Yeah, thats it I'm pretty sure. WEll, I wa sjsut thinking they'd try to screw mw and it would use some sort of a different interface. I'm going to go get the speakers tomorow or the next day wish me luck.

MSX · Nov 3, 2002, 03:16 AM

Ok so now I'm annoyed. I went and bought a .shielded audo cable , 3.55mm phono plug to phono plug... I dont seem to be getting any digital signal at all over it... So I'm pretty sure its the wrong part.. .which is unfortunate...

So what are my options? Nicho, whats the part number... or where did you find that peice? You using a digital connection over it to a SB card? All I can find is a similar three peice set, or a silver one which I'm not sure will work...

Arg this is annoying.

DallasStar · Nov 3, 2002, 03:35 AM

sorry for not posting earliear

... but this is probably your only option other than to buy a ridiculously expensive livedrive:

http://www.tracertek.com/sblive.htm

its 34 bucks, that's why i thought you wouldn't be interested. well, its better than a new soundcard

MSX · Nov 3, 2002, 06:22 AM

Hmm, well, yeah that is better than a new sound card and it is cool to have parts as such... but really. I'm running an audgy gamer so it does have a digital out...

However your right something like that maybe my best option... Maybe I'm going about this thing the wrong way. I mean, when I started looking at the speakers I was thinking, hmm, it doesent have a direct digital connection to what I have on my Audigy card... hmm, I'd better look into it.

So I looked on the creative site... around forums... here, even asked around and in a number of stores. I was pretty sure creative would try and screw me in some way. There was no way it could be so simple as an RCA to miniplug connection. No way. Well, thats what my instincts told me.

Seems like its coming true... or I'm missing something stupid. I dont know enough about digital sound channels. I know lots about stereo and surround from when I was a kid but I know nothing of the digitalsound setup... So what can I say for now. I suppose I'll look further...

MSX · Nov 3, 2002, 05:36 PM

Alright I talked to someone in the know and apparently the digital output on the driver has three signals... ala a 3 "pronged" wire and there is no way I'm going to be able to get digital sound out of these speakers with my card. All the SPDIF can ever be is 2 channel.... SO I'm going to take my speakers back,a s they will never even be 5.1.

So I pass this on to the group... if your using a creative card, you pretty much have to buy their speakers to get 5.1 digital sound... Thanks for all your help guys.

DallasStar · Nov 3, 2002, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MSX
Alright I talked to someone in the know and apparently the digital output on the driver has three signals... ala a 3 "pronged" wire and there is no way I'm going to be able to get digital sound out of these speakers with my card. All the SPDIF can ever be is 2 channel.... SO I'm going to take my speakers back,a s they will never even be 5.1.

So I pass this on to the group... if your using a creative card, you pretty much have to buy their speakers to get 5.1 digital sound... Thanks for all your help guys.

wrong. what your friend said only applies to sbLive. audigy CAN afaik have 5.1 digital with other brands.

DallasStar · Nov 3, 2002, 06:29 PM

one more thing:

what's your pricerange? maybe i can recommend some good speakers.

MSX · Nov 4, 2002, 07:10 AM

Ah, well, the thing is... that I ahve to have a digital connection... He knows I have an audigy... and well, see I dont have an analog center channel on the Yamaha's and thats the problem...

So yeah the yamaha's are out... even though they sound so sweet.

Hmm, prices may varey Dallas. I mean I spent 250(300 with instore warrenty)CDN (thats about 200 USD for a little quick converstion) so I can spend about that much... I mean I dont want to own speakers more expensive whan all the other parts in my machine... So reasonably priced ones..

I prefer not to buy off the net... but I mite if its a good deal. I'm upgrading from an old set of cambridge soundworks 4.1's... SO I want an improvement in overall quality as well. I read a few reviews and studied some other sets... Lansec, logitech... which recieved mixed reviews...

Really, I knew the speakers sounded good because I compaired them to the Lansec and creative in the particular store I was in... which was weird because the creative's were the most expensive. Now I knida know why.

Sure, which speakers sound good?

MSX

egarrard · Jan 17, 2003, 09:02 AM

If you like the sound of the speakers, why not just keep them and get a DD/DTS receiver to drive them? They're getting pretty inexpensive now. http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...=4&s=0&g=10420

Oct 30, 2002, 08:08 PM	#1
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Cords anyone? I've got a SB Audigy gamer and I'm interested in buying a set of yamaha 5.1 speakers. One thing that kind of has me considering it more is that the digital connectors on the speakers are ither coaxial(like an RCA connector) and optical(a square little end peice) and well, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to connect it to my Audigy. I have a digital out of course, but its simply a regular minijack and I dont know if there is a connecting peice... Not that digital is all that, but If I'm going to get top of the line speakers I'd like top of the line sound. So anyone own this set and can tell me if it has the right connector? Or should I try and buy/make one? MSX

Oct 31, 2002, 11:56 PM	#7
NiChO DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SWEDEN Posts: 21 Rep Power: 0	Maybe this is what you want, a mono 3.5mm --> RCA. Works great, tested AC-3 and DVD´s(Dolby Digital, SPDIF passthrough). __________________ ASUS P4C800 Deluxe, P4 2.8@3.2Ghz, 1024 MB Geil PC-4000, ATI R9700 Pro, 900+ GB (7xHDDs), Audigy 2, Lian-Li PC71, WinXP SP2 DX9b

Nov 3, 2002, 03:16 AM	Thread Starter #9
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Arg! Ok so now I'm annoyed. I went and bought a .shielded audo cable , 3.55mm phono plug to phono plug... I dont seem to be getting any digital signal at all over it... So I'm pretty sure its the wrong part.. .which is unfortunate... So what are my options? Nicho, whats the part number... or where did you find that peice? You using a digital connection over it to a SB card? All I can find is a similar three peice set, or a silver one which I'm not sure will work... Arg this is annoying.

Nov 3, 2002, 03:35 AM	#10
DallasStar Junior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wave Existence Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 0	sorry for not posting earliear ... but this is probably your only option other than to buy a ridiculously expensive livedrive: http://www.tracertek.com/sblive.htm its 34 bucks, that's why i thought you wouldn't be interested. well, its better than a new 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

Nov 3, 2002, 06:29 PM	#14
DallasStar Junior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wave Existence Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 0	one more thing: what's your pricerange? maybe i can recommend some good speakers. __________________ "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 31, 2002, 12:06 AM	#2
~~Sourcer_2002~~ BANNED Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Indiana , USA Posts: 2,677 Rep Power: 0	so do you have a regular sound out? If you cant find a hook up that supports the speakers then i would get the RCA ones and but a digital to RCA converter for like 5 bucks.

Oct 31, 2002, 12:16 AM	#3
~~Sourcer_2002~~ BANNED Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Indiana , USA Posts: 2,677 Rep Power: 0

Oct 31, 2002, 12:17 AM	#4
~~Sourcer_2002~~ BANNED Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Indiana , USA Posts: 2,677 Rep Power: 0	heres where u can get it its a y adapter http://www.radioshack.com/category.a...9%5F004&Page=1

Oct 31, 2002, 05:04 AM	Thread Starter #5
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Yeah I had already seen that peice, after playing a round of stump the radioshack guy of course ... The thing is I'm really not sure if the peices would work. The other thing is that the coaxal connection is a single channel to the speakers. So if I used a regular peice like that, it mite screw up and provide only half the signal. So I'd need another peice to make it one "RCA" cable into the speakers. Creative is selling an optical cable. But the creative site was made by someone not paying attention in their communications classes and it mite requite another card which I dont need. So anyway, for digital it has to be a stereo minijack(type thing I'm not even sure digital channels can go over the regular jack) to one coaxal cable becuase I dont think I'm going to be able to get optical working without extra hardware. So I suppose I should just get the speakers and try to build the connection myself. Unless anyone has any knowledge that would save me the trouble? MSX

Oct 31, 2002, 06:46 PM	#6
~~Sourcer_2002~~ BANNED Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Indiana , USA Posts: 2,677 Rep Power: 0	hell get and if the Y adapter sounds like shit then go look for other options.

Nov 2, 2002, 01:38 AM	Thread Starter #8
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Yeah, thats it I'm pretty sure. WEll, I wa sjsut thinking they'd try to screw mw and it would use some sort of a different interface. I'm going to go get the speakers tomorow or the next day wish me luck.

Nov 3, 2002, 06:22 AM	Thread Starter #11
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Hmm, well, yeah that is better than a new sound card and it is cool to have parts as such... but really. I'm running an audgy gamer so it does have a digital out... However your right something like that maybe my best option... Maybe I'm going about this thing the wrong way. I mean, when I started looking at the speakers I was thinking, hmm, it doesent have a direct digital connection to what I have on my Audigy card... hmm, I'd better look into it. So I looked on the creative site... around forums... here, even asked around and in a number of stores. I was pretty sure creative would try and screw me in some way. There was no way it could be so simple as an RCA to miniplug connection. No way. Well, thats what my instincts told me. Seems like its coming true... or I'm missing something stupid. I dont know enough about digital sound channels. I know lots about stereo and surround from when I was a kid but I know nothing of the digitalsound setup... So what can I say for now. I suppose I'll look further...

Nov 3, 2002, 05:36 PM	Thread Starter #12
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Alright I talked to someone in the know and apparently the digital output on the driver has three signals... ala a 3 "pronged" wire and there is no way I'm going to be able to get digital sound out of these speakers with my card. All the SPDIF can ever be is 2 channel.... SO I'm going to take my speakers back,a s they will never even be 5.1. So I pass this on to the group... if your using a creative card, you pretty much have to buy their speakers to get 5.1 digital sound... Thanks for all your help guys.

Nov 4, 2002, 07:10 AM	Thread Starter #15
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Ah, well, the thing is... that I ahve to have a digital connection... He knows I have an audigy... and well, see I dont have an analog center channel on the Yamaha's and thats the problem... So yeah the yamaha's are out... even though they sound so sweet. Hmm, prices may varey Dallas. I mean I spent 250(300 with instore warrenty)CDN (thats about 200 USD for a little quick converstion) so I can spend about that much... I mean I dont want to own speakers more expensive whan all the other parts in my machine... So reasonably priced ones.. I prefer not to buy off the net... but I mite if its a good deal. I'm upgrading from an old set of cambridge soundworks 4.1's... SO I want an improvement in overall quality as well. I read a few reviews and studied some other sets... Lansec, logitech... which recieved mixed reviews... Really, I knew the speakers sounded good because I compaired them to the Lansec and creative in the particular store I was in... which was weird because the creative's were the most expensive. Now I knida know why. Sure, which speakers sound good? MSX

Jan 17, 2003, 09:02 AM	#16
egarrard DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Manchester, TN, USA Posts: 20 Rep Power: 0	If you like the sound of the speakers, why not just keep them and get a DD/DTS receiver to drive them? They're getting pretty inexpensive now. http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...=4&s=0&g=10420