Need help choosing audio equipment with an optical connection
9 replies, posted
Hi all
I'm really looking forward to receiving my Xbox One this Friday, but I've only just found out that they've ditched analogue audio in favor of HDMI and optical connections. I currently have a Logitech Z506 setup which has served me well the last couple of years but now it's time to sell the setup and pick up a new digital setup.
My budget isn't huge, about £70 or so. I'll be playing on a 24" monitor in a small room on a desk chair.
So far I've found the Microlab M910 2.1 speaker set which has an optical connection and is really cheap at £45. Reviews are limited though and it comes from a pretty unknown brand.
My other option seems to be picking up a soundbar, as most of them come with optical connections and they're pretty cheap. There are so many available for my budget though that I have no idea which one is worth picking up.
I've looked into sorting an adaptor to conver the analogue speakers over to digital but going down that route seems as expensive as buying a dedicated set of digital speakers.
I'd really appreciate any help you have to offer, I've spent all day today browsing different websites and I've even nipped to the local PC World to take a look at their selection (which was very limited). I just want to try and get it sorted soon as I don't want to be left with an Xbox One on Friday with no way of getting sound through it!
My friend has a set of MicroLab speakers (the model below without the optical port).
I think they are really great for the price, I mean they are probably as good as a £45 2.1 set will get you.
Loud, fairly well balanced and don't distort even at higher volumes.
[QUOTE=rhx123;42893676]My friend has a set of MicroLab speakers (the model below without the optical port).
I think they are really great for the price, I mean they are probably as good as a £45 2.1 set will get you.
Loud, fairly well balanced and don't distort even at higher volumes.[/QUOTE]
Awesome, slowly feeling like taking the jump and grabbing the Microlabs.
Any idea how they will fare as opposed to my old 5.1 speakers? Will the quality of them being digital as opposed to analogue make them sound better with virtual surround and such?
Is surround essential?
You could pick up a Fiio D03K or D07 for about £30
Or even this for £12: [url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Optical-Coaxial-Toslink-Converter/dp/B0074JZ8ZW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1384714718&sr=8-4&keywords=optical+dac[/url]
[QUOTE=Darkimmortal;42894370]Is surround essential?
You could pick up a Fiio D03K or D07 for about £30
Or even this for £12: [url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Optical-Coaxial-Toslink-Converter/dp/B0074JZ8ZW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1384714718&sr=8-4&keywords=optical+dac[/url][/QUOTE]
I'm tempted by the Fiio but how is the audio quality? I'd rather switch to proper optical audio and lose the additional speakers in my 5.1 setup than stick to the same setup and lose audio quality
At some point the digital turns into analogue before it hits the amplifier, there's no such thing as a "Digital Speaker". At this price the sound difference between DACs is going to be so small as to not even be a factor, so if you like your current speakers then stick with them.
I just realised how blunt this came across, Sorry. I wasn't being hostile. :v:
[QUOTE=Tezzanator92;42894660]At some point the digital turns into analogue before it hits the amplifier, there's no such thing as a "Digital Speaker". At this price the sound difference between DACs is going to be so small as to not even be a factor, so if you like your current speakers then stick with them.[/QUOTE]
Ahhh I get you. Sorry, I'm really not good with audio. Hand me a bunch of pc parts and I'll put it together with no issue, but audio just baffles me!
I've decided to go with the Microlab M910 from here Dabs.com. From the limited reviews I've seen they seem pretty solid for the money. I'll get my money back on selling my Logitechs and if they turn out to be lackluster I can pick up a set of proper turtle beaches early next year (they aren't even out for the XB1 yet). If I'm going to make my Logitechs lose their surround capabilities anyway I might aswell go with this setup.
[QUOTE=JamesMay;42894486]I'm tempted by the Fiio but how is the audio quality? I'd rather switch to proper optical audio and lose the additional speakers in my 5.1 setup than stick to the same setup and lose audio quality[/QUOTE]
I don't think you will lose speakers if you use the RCA inputs on your logitech, they probably use some dolby shit to 'scale it up'
If I were you I'd pick up the £12 dac (your speakers are too low quality to hear a difference between it and the fiio most likely) and then reconsider my options from there if it doesn't work to your liking
[editline]17th November 2013[/editline]
And you're definitely not going to lose audio quality either way
[editline]17th November 2013[/editline]
(cant edit my post properly for some reason)
You might even gain quality especially if you go for the Fiio
IMO I would only go for SPDIF when you have a receiver. Then it really starts making sense.
I'd just buy that cheap little d/a that was linked and save yourself some money, your budget doesn't really allow for anything that would be much if any of an upgrade, especially if you want an integrated dac
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