DTS Vs. DD Live for Logitech Z-5550

[xofa]

Which is best and which should I use for:

 

- Music

- Games

- Movies

 

My soundcard is a SB Titanium HD - http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1087/pg1/creative-sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-hd-sound-card-review-introduction.html

 

I had a Asus Xonar D2X but I sent it back (RMA) because I experienced static noise in my headset when turning up the volume :/ So I hope the SB Titanium HD wont fail me here. Getting the card tomorrow.

 

As for now I use only DTS for everything. Am I doing it right or anything I should be aware of?

 

Sometimes, however, I use my headset, Sennheiser PC 360.

 

Thanks in advance.

Best regards

[xPETEZx]

I would use Analouge connections with that card.

At the end of the day, audio must become analouge at some point, it just depends where, and it is as the stage of conversion that the biggest loss of quality occurs.

I would rather my sound card do the DAC.

 

I have had my Z-5500's for years, and use to always run them on DD, then upgraded to a sound card that could do DTS but then just for the heck of it tested the same card on Analouge.

Been using analouge connections ever since.

 

With my Home Theater amp, its a different story. Digital all the way. Would much rather the AMP do the DAC.

 

In order of how I would run it:

 

DD < DTS < Analouge

[xofa]

I would use Analouge connections with that card.

At the end of the day, audio must become analouge at some point, it just depends where, and it is as the stage of conversion that the biggest loss of quality occurs.

I would rather my sound card do the DAC.

 

I have had my Z-5500's for years, and use to always run them on DD, then upgraded to a sound card that could do DTS but then just for the heck of it tested the same card on Analouge.

Been using analouge connections ever since.

 

With my Home Theater amp, its a different story. Digital all the way. Would much rather the AMP do the DAC.

 

In order of how I would run it:

 

DD < DTS < Analouge

 

Hmm.. The guy down at my local hi-fi shop told me I should use digital (optic) for my Z-5500 and thats what I am doing now.

Besides I can't use analog, mini jack 3.5 for both my z-5500 and headset also.

 

When using digital I can use both my speakers and headset without having go down under the table, behind the computer and switch cables in and out.

[Crazy_Nate]

I'm with xPETEZx...

 

Why use a subperforming DAC to do the work? If all you're doing with the sound card is a digital passthrough, why even bother with something more than the typical onboard digital capabilities of most modern motherboards?

 

Use the best DAC you have available to you. I'm guessing it's not the built in one in your speaker set, especially if you have a high-end sound card.

[xofa]

I'm with xPETEZx...

 

Why use a subperforming DAC to do the work? If all you're doing with the sound card is a digital passthrough, why even bother with something more than the typical onboard digital capabilities of most modern motherboards?

 

Use the best DAC you have available to you. I'm guessing it's not the built in one in your speaker set, especially if you have a high-end sound card.

 

 

Hmm I see..

 

How can I use this so called DAC the way you want me to? Im a total newbie at all this. Which cables goes where and how?

 

Thanks in advance

[bigball1]

Hmm.. The guy down at my local hi-fi shop told me I should use digital (optic) for my Z-5500 and thats what I am doing now.

Besides I can't use analog, mini jack 3.5 for both my z-5500 and headset also.

 

When using digital I can use both my speakers and headset without having go down under the table, behind the computer and switch cables in and out.

 

The 5500 have a headset jack on the side of the controller. you can still run digital to the controller then plug in your headsets.

[Waco]

I'd use analog if you have a decent souncard since the DACs there are arguably better than the ones in your speakers. Just plug your headphones into the volume controller on your speakers to use them.

[Crazy_Nate]

I guess it may not be very clear what a DAC is, even though most of us have been throwing around the word.

 

A DAC is a digital to analog converter. It is the electrical device or set of devices that convert a digital signal (such as one from a file on a computer or from a CD) to an analog one (such as the signal that provides the power to move the drivers in a speaker or set of headphones).

 

The quality of the ADCs (analog to digital) for recording and the DAC for replay determines how well the sound reproduction matches its actual source. This is the penultimate goal of an audiophile. It matters not what sounds good (as that is extremely subjective), but the accuracy of the reproduction of the sound compared to its original source.

 

So, yes, use the best conversion and you will have a better chance of accurate reproduction. Modern DACs in high-end sound cards are very impressive, such as 24-bit resolution up to sample rates of 96 kHZ.

 

 

To add extra complexity with digital sources and accuracy is whether or not the transmission / storage is lossless or lossy. Obviously, at some level anything digital is lossy as there is no way to break up a continuous source into discrete (digital) points. This is the presumed argument of records versus CDs. Whether or not a difference can be discerned depends on the listener (and possibly how crazy they are). What I hope you take from this, is probably what you've figured out already. There are some digital transmission methods that are lossless (they are newer) - those are the ones to use between digital components for the most accurate transport of the digital information.

 

So, yeah, it may make a large difference when you have a digital transport (fancy cd player) routed through a preamplifier (and equalizer), then to a set of monoblock amplifiers which drive a high end set of speakers... In your case, just do as above, let your sound card do its best conversion (the best DAC options available to it), use high quality analog interconnects, and use your system to its fullest capacity.

[xPETEZx]

Hmm.. The guy down at my local hi-fi shop told me I should use digital (optic) for my Z-5500 and thats what I am doing now.

Besides I can't use analog, mini jack 3.5 for both my z-5500 and headset also.

 

When using digital I can use both my speakers and headset without having go down under the table, behind the computer and switch cables in and out.

 

The Hi-Fi guy is probably thinking in terms of Home Theater AV amps, and like I said in that case I would let the AMP do the DAC.

In the case of Z-5500's the DAC in the sound card is much better.

 

As was said, if you are using Digital, get the CHEAPEST sound card that can do it. As it is not doing any of the leg work, all it is doing is taking 1 digital signal and converting it to another and then passing it out. You do not need the top end sound card for that. That conversion any card which can do Dolby digital can do.

 

USE your expensive sound card and let it do the leg work it was built for!

 

Like I said I made this very switch a couple years back, and I havent looked back. The D2 sounds amazing!