How to connect Pc Audio To A/R receiver

[s1lva16]

Hi everyone, just want to say thanks for everyone who helps thousands of viewers with thier problems.


------Question------

I have a SB Audigy 2 Sound card ( Here is how it looks)
http://kiskerarak.hu/img/goodies/g12274....

and a Onkyo Ht-R550 Reciever

(Specifications) http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=ht-s...

(Image of ports behind reciever)
http://www.onkyousa.com/zoom.cfm?class=s...

I was wondering what is the best possible connection i can make to connect the computers audio to my onkyo reciever.

I have a 7.1 setup home theater setup in this room, and i was wondering what cables/ jacks i should use in order to get the maximum quality between the two.

Once again, thanks for your help and support. It is much appreciated.

 

[MDS]

None of your links work.

However, if the Audigy has a coaxial digital out then that would be the one to use. You have to go into the sound card's control panel to enable digital output. The Audigy 2 ZS I have does but I'm not sure about the first gen Audigy cards.

If it does not have a digital out, then you need a 3.5mm stereo mini to 2-RCA adapter cable to make an analog connection from the sound card's line-out to any analog input on the receiver.

 

[Haoleb]

I have the same soundcard in my computer, I believe it does have a digital out. I also have my computer hooked to my stereo via a simple 1/8" mini stereo jack to RCA cable. The soundcard doesnt have enough output to drive my system so I actually have three preamps in use when I am using the computer. Although I could get away with two easily.

You might be able to get enough volume without a seperate preamp though. The Audigy 2 is a pretty decent soundcard, Or at least it was a few years ago so if you stick with the analog output the sound quality should be just fine.

 

[fmw]

The point is that you want a digital output. The alternative is using analog and the sound card is not likely to have a very good DAC (digital to analog converter) unless it is a very good card. If your sound card doesn't have a digital output, then you you should buy a new one that does. If it has one then connect it to the appropriate (coax or optical) digital input on the AVR.

My own setup uses a Turtle Beach sound card with an optical digital output. It works just fine for connection to the AVR.

 

[Seth=L]

The point is that you want a digital output. The alternative is using analog and the sound card is not likely to have a very good DAC (digital to analog converter) unless it is a very good card. If your sound card doesn't have a digital output, then you you should buy a new one that does. If it has one then connect it to the appropriate (coax or optical) digital input on the AVR.

My own setup uses a Turtle Beach sound card with an optical digital output. It works just fine for connection to the AVR.

I have a cheap card and have no problems using the analog output via 1/8" mini jack to stereo RCA. DACs are pretty hard to screw up these days.

 

[obscbyclouds]

If THIS is the card you have, it does have Digital Audio output (S/PDIF), which you should use if possible. Otherwise, Like Seth and I with cheap sound cards, use the 1/8" minijack to RCA cables. I don't have any problems with this setup, but it can't pass DD or DTS signals (I only use it for some archived music).

 

[Sniperslayer]

with my receiver i've always used a little 2 component cable that plugs into any audio jack

 

[Sniperslayer]

oh..and i have a SB audigy as well

 

[OttoMatic]

I was wondering what is the best possible connection i can make to connect the computers audio to my onkyo reciever.

The "best possible connection" is a digital one. That will allow you to use the DACs in your receiver that are almost certainly better than the DACs on your PC's soundcard, both from a spec and listening point of view. There are also cheap amps in the preamp section of the soundcard that will be bested by your receiver's. Finally, there is EMI and other noise in a PC that's just not good for an audio signal. I have to use my an analog out for my zone 2, and I get a slight hum from that signal. At the same time, and from the same sound card, I also use an optical digital output. That's silent, and decoded by my preamp for both stereo and Dolby Digital and DTS listening (5.1).

I have a 7.1 setup home theater setup in this room, and i was wondering what cables/ jacks i should use in order to get the maximum quality between the two.

It sounds like you want to use 7.1 in that room. If that's the case, your receiver is generally going to decode that, and I doubt you'll get the decoding from the sound card (the rear two channels of a 7.1 system are generally synthesized from the original 5.1, with some exceptions for DTS NEO:6, I think). Even if you do allow the sound card to decode, you'll have to run eight analog cables from your soundcard. You will have to rely on your sound card or your sound card's drivers/software to do the decoding, thereby losing the power of your receiver's processing capabilities.

A digital connection requires only one cable: either a TosLink optical cable or a coaxial cable (looks like a single RCA cable). You may need an adapter of some type or another, which will cost about $5 at RadioShack.

If you don't have digital out, I would recommend you find a digital sound card. Unless I had sought out and purchased a fancy-schmancy 7.1 sound card ($$$$, and it sounds like you haven't), I would not consider an analog connection from PC to receiver at all. You want a digital connection.

 

[s1lva16]

Please delete this thread.

Also, how do I edit a post?

Thanks a lot.