External USB sound card for PC - what do I need to look for?

SyG

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Er, this seemed the best category. I have a high-spec laptop but it doesn't output surround sound so I need to get an external USB sound card. I don't know what's good; as I just need a digital out either via coaxial or optical and that will go to my amp.

As it's just a digital signal that I need, could something as cheap as this be suitable?

USB 6 Channel 5.1 Audio External Optical Sound Card Adapter For PC Laptop Skype | eBay

If not, can I ask what I need to look for?

Also, if anyone can help with finding a set of 5.0 speakers, I have a thread here: New to home cinema, have an amp but need to find good 5.0 speakers. | AVForums

Thanks anyone and everyone who can give me advice. :)
 
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If you want surround sound over S/PDIF then you'll generally need a sound card capable of encoding (compressing) the sound in a way that your amp can decode. Dolby Digital compression is Dolby Digital Live, DTS compression is DTS Connect/DTS Interactive. AC3 and A/52 are alternate names for Dolby Digital.

Two exceptions to this generality are:

1. DVD/Blu-ray film soundtracks are generally pre-compressed in one or more of those formats and many media players will allow you to bitstream/passthrough the signal so will work with any S/PDIF output.

2. Some software programs offer encoding themselves so will again work with any S/PDIF output.
 
Consider using a USB gaming headset, they have indevice sound cards and if you buy something like a ROCCAT Kave 5.1 then you get surround sound. That particular headset also folds up compact.
 
Thanks for replying guys, really need help on this!

@EndlessWaves: The amp is a Yamaha RX-V620RDS, fairly old but great quality amp. It has (word-for-word from the features page):

DTS decoder
Dolby Pro Logic decoder
Dolby Digital Decoder
Hi-Fi DSP (don't even know what that is :s )
Virtual CINEMA DSP
SILENT DSP
CINEMA DSP (apparently a "Combination of YAMAHA DSP Technology and Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital or DTS").

The above and the front panel with all features and rear panel with in/outputs are attached below this post in case they're useful (I hope they are, took me ages to sort this post out! :s ).

The manual that I got the images from is here: http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/av/english/re/RX-V620RDS.pdf

In terms of current PC output capabilities, I only have 2 headphone out sockets and stereo audio out via the MiniDisplay Port and HDMI port; my old L502X also had a headphone jack that doubled up as a S/PDIF output but not on this, hence the need for a soundcard that goes out via a USB and then can send a digital signal to my amp, I just don't know what to look or n said card as I don;t really kkow

@dred: I considered that but I also want them for film watching with guests and playing music when I'm pottering around my flat, and to make good use of this amp.
 

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The only other thing I know you can use via USB is a DAC, and from what I can gather is your only option. They are as cheap as £30 all the way to £500+, it just depends on how much you need to plug into it.

Have a look at the FiiO D03K Taishan and see if that suits your needs. I'm new to the site too and not sure if I can link to places, but pop it into Google and you'll get there.

Hope it works out for you.
 
The only other thing I know you can use via USB is a DAC
Thanks but I don't need that - the amp has numerous digital inputs and a USB souncard will output digital.

In summary this is what my question is:

"Because my amp takes in digital optical and coaxial connections and decodes them and therefore I don't need to mess around with analogue signals, will a external cheap sound card do just as good a job as more expensive one?"

E.g. the one I linked to in my opening post: USB 6 Channel 5.1 Audio External Optical Sound Card Adapter For PC Laptop Skype | eBay
 
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Virtual Cinema and Silent Cinema are Yahama's Virtual Surround Sound technologies for speakers and headphones respectively. They take a surround sound signal and allow you to play it back through two channels. Dolby Pro Logic is similar but the opposite approach, taking a stereo signal and trying to make it 5.1

I don't know what 'Hi-Fi DSP' is exactly, I guess it's just 'high fidelity digital signal processor', i.e. they're saying it's good quality.

I'd be surprised if your HDMI and DisplayPort outputs were only 2 channel on a machine even newer than the Dell XPS15-L502X but that's not really relevent as your amp doesn't accept either.

"Because my amp takes in digital optical and coaxial connections and decodes them and therefore I don't need to mess around with analogue signals, will a external cheap sound card do just as good a job as more expensive one?"

The quality will be the same yes.

But a sound card that doesn't have Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect will only provide 5.1 sound from programs that can do their own Dolby Digital or DTS encoding (or pass-through pre-encoded content).

In short you'll get surround sound from DVDs, Blu-rays and media players in general but you won't get surround sound from most games and other computer specific sources.
 
What you linked in your first post I have no idea if it's a sound card or just an adapter. I never heard of a sound card adapter before put it that way, and it costs £7 and I can't imagine a sound card being that cheap. And if it's an adapter, well it's plugging in via USB so it's bypassing your internal sound card.

Try this, it's definitely an external sound card with no adapter mystery wording, and it has optical out, connects via USB. Creative Labs 70SB109500002 Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 PRO Sound Card: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
 
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It's a USB sound card, they have been around for ages.

It should be okay in theory and do what you want, USB cards can be prone to noise/crosstalk if you were listening through the speakers plugged into it but as your using it to pass-through SPDIF it should be fine.

For such a low price it's worth gambling on that then buying some over-priced unit and find it's no better or worse.
 
What you linked in your first post I have no idea if it's a sound card or just an adapter

Is there a distinction? I thought sound card was just a convenient name to refer to a set of functions bundled together (DACs, signal creation, sound processing etc.) into a single bit of hardware.
 
. I'm new to the site too and not sure if I can link to places, but pop it into Google and you'll get there.
You can link to sites including ebay provided that you have no commercial interest. Welcome to AVForums!
 
Thanks everyone, can't reply properly at the moment, will get back to everyone properly when I can -but just quickly:

I'd be surprised if your HDMI and DisplayPort outputs were only 2 channel on a machine even newer than the Dell XPS15-L502X but that's not really relevent as your amp doesn't accept either.
I checked the specs contrasting other XPS machines on Dell's site and sure enough, there's no surround audio broadcast from the ports - just stereo, the onboard sound only caters to 2 channels hence my wanting to get an external sound card as opposed to just some kind of adapter, but I don't know what's important.

The soundcard is Realtek High Definition Audio if that's relevant. Graphics cards are Nvidia GeForce GT 640M and Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000.

Again, everyone chipping in really appreciated - keep 'em coming!
 
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The Realtek HD audio is your typical on-board sound with analogue outputs.

Sounds like you have one of those dual setups like Nvidia optimus, it switches between the Intel and Nvidia graphics ?, not sure but that might complicate things if the HDMI and Displayport both work with each GPU.

Try using Nvidia's own driver auto detect to pick out the correct driver for your laptop. Go into control panel sound after the install is finished and check the HDMI output properties (right click) and look at "supported formats" tab. Your amp/receiver should be connected to the HDMI port and powered on.
 
The Realtek HD audio is your typical on-board sound with analogue outputs.

Sounds like you have one of those dual setups like Nvidia optimus, it switches between the Intel and Nvidia graphics ?, not sure but that might complicate things if the HDMI and Displayport both work with each GPU.

Try using Nvidia's own driver auto detect to pick out the correct driver for your laptop. Go into control panel sound after the install is finished and check the HDMI output properties (right click) and look at "supported formats" tab. Your amp/receiver should be connected to the HDMI port and powered on.
Yeah, as it's a laptop it switches between cards. However, I have a triple monitor setup (laptop, HD TV and another monitor), and the Mini Display Port always outputs using the 640M. It's neither here nor there though as I have checked the specs and both cards are only capable of 2 channels or 'virtual surround' - I want to get a card that outputs proper digital 5.1. (Plus I don't know if you can easily and affordably convert Mini Display Port or HDMI to coax or optical; my choice of digital inputs on the amp).
 
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OK well as Dredj says, it's only £8. I'm hesitant about it just being 2-channel but it says on the listing:

"In digital playback mode, it receives an audio stream from the PC via a USB interface and transmits audio data according to AES\EBU, IEC60958, S\PDIF consumer interface standards."

And relevant features:
  • External 6 channel (5.1) sound card.
  • 2X interpolator for digital playback data to improve quality.
  • Dolby digital audio streaming via S/PDIF out.
  • Fully duplex playback/recording of audio stream without a sound card in PC.
  • 6 channel DAC output with 16 bit resolution.
Can anyone put that into English for me? Also, what about buying an internal sound card? Is that possible in a laptop (Dell L521X)? As it may be more expensive but then I know it'd be fully integrated.
 
External 6 channel (5.1) sound card.

Analogue sound, uses multiple cables.

Dolby digital audio streaming via S/PDIF out.

Digital sound via optical audio cable, your receiver probably has optical inputs (also known as toslink).

Internal not possible unless you can find something that uses the expresscard interface.

The USB should be fine as all your doing is pass-through to the amp. Plug in USB, you will get two SPDIF in sound control panel, one is input the other is output.

If your media playback software supports it then it's better to set the SPDIF as the output in the app rather than globally unless you never move the laptop as it saves you having to manually set the audio out each time.
 
Can anyone put that into English for me?

They're marketing statements so they're not very precise. Given the context they likely boil down to:

1. At least one of the outputs supports a 5.1 signal.

2. It's got an S/PDIF output.


Whether you'll get 6 channels from it depends on your source material, on that soundcard you'll only get 6 channels if your source is already dolby digital/DTS encoded and it's passed directly to the sound card (bitstreaming/passthrough). This is generally things like DVD and Blu-rays.

If you want all 5.1 sources to be passed to the amp via blu-ray you'll need to spend a little more to get a sound card with Dolby Digital Live or DTS connect. Looking around it appears you can pick up an Asus Xonar U3 for ~£35 that has Dolby Digital Live.
 
Thanks, that sounds good. I'm more bothered about games - especially the Steam platform. I'm not really a Blu-ray watcher at the moment but my PC wil play them so it's a good idea to future-poof the soundcard. If it'll do Steam, and given that Asus is a reliable brand could you give me a linky to said soundcard?
 
I'm not sure what sort of link you're after, the asus website is here:
Sound Cards and Digital-to-Analog Converters - Xonar U3

Lots of shops that sell it:
Kustom PCs Asus Xonar U3 Mobile USB Soundcard
Asus Xonar U3 USB High-Performance Headphone Amplifier for Notebook PCs (90-YAB620B-UAN0BZ) | £31.93 | Oyyy.co.uk
Asus Xonar U3 USB Soundcard Pocket Size - Scan.co.uk
Asus Xonaru3 Mobile USB Soundcard: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

I'm find steam too aggressive so I haven't bought any games that require it in the last few years but I haven't heard of anything that would affect sound output from games with steam attached.
 
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Maybe you're thinking of EA's similar platform? Steam is an absolute dream and it's hard to use it and not become a raging fanboy. ;) Forgettng Steam though, in terms of games, the latest 3D ones would be surround-sound capable so what I'm asking is would these games output surround via a USB soundcard like they would an onboard surround-capable card?
 
Since you asked...

Nope, my main objection is the way valve install their storefront onto my private PC despite absolutely no expression of interest on my part. I didn't buy the game from steam, I didn't choose to install steam, it's only on my computer because the developer is using it as one of the many third party components that are part of the game. It launches every time you run the game, and doesn't even shut down properly with the game.

There are other annoyances but they tend to be with the gameplay side (e.g. it handles patching badly), stuff that concerns the game I've bought and which the developers of that game have a reasonable right to influence.

EA's Origin is almost as bad, it's only used for installing and patching the game and, although more tenuous than I'd like, it at least has some creative connection between the games it advertises and the game I've bought.

I got into download gaming rather early, before steam beta even launched (I was in that), let alone before it started selling games, so I've seen the good and the bad and I'm not at all happy with the current situation. DRM is at it's lowest point since the pain in the arse pre-diskcheck systems where you had to enter codes out of a table (or from a manual page which differed each launch).

I've no objection to Steam itself for people who choose to install it, but as a DRM system and mandatory component it's horrible.


Anyway, steam aside, USB or onboard sound card makes no difference. Unless the game is doing something really funky that information won't even reach it. You should get 6 channel sound from games out of a USB soundcard with S/PDIF and Dolby Digital Live
 
^ Do you have any idea what you're talking about? Origin is far more intrusive than Steam.

On topic, the only correct answer in terms of 'what soundcard do I need to output 5.1 to my receiver' is one much higher up the messages - all cheap soundcards which claim to output 5.1 via SPDIF outputs 5.1 passthrough - i.e. if your source material is encoded as 5.1 (e.g. DVDs) then it will pass that through to the SPDIF-connected device.

For anything else, to output to a received through SPDIF you'll need a soundcard that can encode surround, and as far as I'm aware none exist for USB connectivity.

So as others have said again higher up, it might be better to
a) get an analog 5.1 output soundcard and stick those outputs separately into your receiver
b) get a separate surround speaker system altogether
c) use virtual surround headphones like the Corsair Vengeance or the Logitech G35, or a headphone + a virtual surround adapter that actually works (unlike e.g. Asus's Xonar / Essence range, on which the Dolby Headphone implementation kind of stinks) like the Creative Recon3D USB or the Astros.
 
Hi, I am also looking for an external USB sound card. Some of the options are equipped with both IN and OUT SPDIF others only with OUT. I fail to see what the purpose of the SPDIF IN and OUT is. Why pass a DVD optical out through the external sound card to a home cinema receiver? Why not plug it in directly?

aa1570-function.jpg
 
I fail to see what the purpose of the SPDIF IN and OUT is. Why pass a DVD optical out through the external sound card to a home cinema receiver? Why not plug it in directly?

It's an Input, not just a passthrough. It's there to enable you to get a S/PDIF source onto your computer. It's obviously of no interest if all you're going to do is play films but even sound cards marketed towards that can have features for other markets.
 
Thanks, I intend to use it to link my old Dell Altec Lansing ADA995 surround system to my new PC but this perhaps opens up some nice other possibilities in combination with my Flatscreen.:)
 

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