http://creative.com/products/product.asp?c...uct=14066&nav=1

I'm currently being shipped a Creative X-FI Extreme Music card. I had to decommision my Terratec Aureon Space 7.1 card as I believe it ruined my speakers' tweeters from volume spikes in the high frequency range. The Creative card I bought does not seem to have an optical out connection, so I cannot connect my amplifier to it---or I may be wrong, because I don't know what exactly the "3-in-1 FlexiJack" means.

It says it supports SPDIF Out -- what is that, is it digital, and is it of the same or lesser quality than that of the optical connection?

Do I need to buy a X-FI module that the other cards in the series come with to get a digital signal to my amp? If not, do I need a RCA SPDIF cable? is an RCA an analog cable? If so, do I need a special RCA cable where one of the inputs is an 3.50mm mini jack to connect to the soundcard?

Basically, I want to know how I can digitally bridge my soundcard to my amp.

Please Help!

You have co-axial S/PDIF and optical S/PDIF. Afaik, optical transmission is less susceptible to interference than the coaxial method.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S/PDIF

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_optic_cable

Both S/PDIF coaxial and TOSlink optical are the same specs. Neither is intrinsically better than the other, although various audiophiles cults are convinced otherwise. Just who believes which is superior depends upon who their religious teacher was.

These two are readily transformed one into the other. There are devices available to convert your electrical output to optical (or vis versa) so the amplifier can use it. The M-Audio CO2 is one such device.

The XtremeMusic card has the ability for digital in/out, but you either need the Digital I/O Module which connects to the "Flexijack" (picture, 30 Euros) or the I/O Drive Upgrade Kit which connects to the internal flat ribbon cable connector on the card (picture, 110 Euros). But for the price of the latter, you might as well sell your XtremeMusic and buy an X-Fi Platinum, it would be cheaper in the end.



SPDIF Out means digital out. Optical or coax or both.




RCA or Cinch is the most common anolog connection between audio hardware: picture

If I get the Digital I/O module (30Euro) will I get a digital quality signal? I thought the 3.50 mini jacks of soundcards were analog.

They normally are. But this Flexijack is no regular minijack, as you can also see on the picture (the rubber insulators seperate the different lines). This proprietary connection apparently allows digital operation.

Yep. You will get the usual digital spdif signal.

It is true that most (all) other manufacturers use coaxial or optical for digital and 3.5 for analog, But Creative has had a 3.5 jack with digital in/out on many of their sound cards. On the Audigy 2 ZS for example, it is possible to connect a "3.5 mm stereo connector, to left/right coaxial connectors"-cable to get spdif out from the 'left' coaxial connector.

Picture of the cable that works on Audigy 2: http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catalog/images/2TR-303.gif

What's that cable called? Looks like the cheapest alternative for me. Those coaxial cables send SPDIF signals?

I couldn't find that cable in the Creative online shop, it's an unofficial solution. It looks like a run-of-the-mill 3.5mm (1/8") to 2x RCA/Cinch cable.

P.S. You're confusing the terms. That's not a coaxial cable. See here and here.

I think you want a digital spdf cable with an extra 'mini-jack plug' type of conection that fits on top of the toslink. Its what i was using with my Mini-Disc player and it wasn't expensive, about £5.

heres a link to one Optical Digital Audio Cable Cable with mini plug adapter with pic...


http://www.crutchfield.com/S-GYW3WE2KYXc/c...A&display=L#Tab

CiTay, where can I get this Creative Digital I/O Module picture for 30 euros?

Here in Holland it seems not to exist at all...

(With your proper quote, i'm learning...)

CiTay, where can I get this Creative Digital I/O Module for 30 euros?
Here in Holland it seems not to exist at all...

Only in the Creative webshop. I managed to find the page for you: http://nl.europe.creative.com/shop/welcome...bcategory=14#14

Thanx, but it is discontinued.

There should be a new optical digital I/O 2 package as seen here.
This contains the upgraded Digital I/O Module, like this.

But again not available from the Creative shop (as far as i can see) or anywhere else.
How difficult can they make it to sell their products??

No, it is not discontinued. In fact, it's just been introduced. The product you linked to is a different I/O module that does not work with the X-Fi:



You need the product i originally linked to for the X-Fi.

You are right, not discontinued, but 'out of stock'.

Still i think i can use both: the compatibility of the whole optical digital I/O 2-package is for SB Live! cards. I just need the module (not the card) which has exactly the same SPDIF I/O connections (optical and coaxial) with the digital 3,5 mm jack or Flexijack as the module you linked.

I want to use the module with a Audigy 4. Or am I off-topic here then?

Compare the modules:
module 1
module 2

The module ( picture ) is available at MacMall.com ( http://www.macmall.com/macmall/shop/detail~dpno~7007058.asp ) for $20