Analog vs. Digital Speakers [SPLIT]

narcted · Post by **narcted** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 5:53 am

Okay, I think that is overanalysis above and beyond the subject of the thread. (People like you and me are the baine of the teaching proffesion.) I know that the human ear converts the sound to essentially a digital signal which you brain interprets as sound. I did originally write that in my reply, but I thought it was over the top.

The bottom line in relation to speakers is that it is currently technologically impossible to transmit sound data digitally straight to our brain from a computer. All speakers are analog. Whether they recieve the data digitally doesn't change the fact that they must create and amplify an analog signal for us to hear it.

Will somebody please show me an example of a digital speaker, if they exist? Do they connect to a USB port or something, rather than the sound card?

I really do not want to keep arguing whether sound is analog or digital unless it pertains to whether anime-dragon should get analog or digital speakers. If anyone has opinions on that, I will probably not post counter replies since I've said my peace about typical (analog) speakers and have never heard of digital speakers. I just think the idea is redundant and would be uneccesarily expensive if you already have a sound card.

SS5_Majin_Bebi · Post by **SS5_Majin_Bebi** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:42 pm

I like how people backpedal when they realise they may have put their fut in their mouth, with all the "Buts..." and the "Ifs..." and the "Oh, I originally intended to say that..."

The way the speaker transmits sound is neither analogue nor digital. It creates a compression wave in the air molecules at a specific frquency and amplitude, which our brains then decode and percieve as sound. And its hardwired. The way the speakers recieve sound is either analogue or digital, however. Analogue is less complicated but at the same time less accurate, and more prone to noise, interference and other errors of a magnetic or electrical nature. Digital is far more accurate, probably faster as well, and allows for much more precise reproduction of sound.

Digital speakers require a digital sound card, like the Creative Sound Blaster Live! series, or some of the much more modern ones like the Extigy (I'm pretty sure its digital). You can connect a set of analogue speakers to a digital soundcard, but you lose the advantage of digital that way. But you cannot (and I know this from personal experience) connect a set of digital speakers to an analogue sound card.

Digital Speakers

A Digital Soundcard.

Any more questions, narcted? I think not.

anime-dragon, if you can afford it, go digital. But remember, you can't put digital speakers in an ordinary soundcard. You have to buy a digital card, and they are several hundred dollars.

jonmartensen · Post by **jonmartensen** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 10:33 pm

dig·i·tal ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dj-tl)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or resembling a digit, especially a finger.
2. Operated or done with the fingers: a digital switch.
3. Having digits.
4. Expressed in numerical form, especially for use by a computer.
5. Computer Science. Of or relating to a device that can read, write, or store information that is represented in numerical form.

anime-dragon · Post by **anime-dragon** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 8:48 am

SS5_Majin_Bebi wrote:anime-dragon, if you can afford it, go digital. But remember, you can't put digital speakers in an ordinary soundcard. You have to buy a digital card, and they are several hundred dollars.

im going with the digital speakers and sound card would be Soundblaster Audigy 2

SS5_Majin_Bebi · Post by **SS5_Majin_Bebi** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 10:17 pm

anime-dragon wrote:
SS5_Majin_Bebi wrote:anime-dragon, if you can afford it, go digital. But remember, you can't put digital speakers in an ordinary soundcard. You have to buy a digital card, and they are several hundred dollars.
im going with the digital speakers and sound card would be Soundblaster Audigy 2

Ah... I'll find out if thats digital or not for you (if you don't already know)

*checks...*

Yes it is, that combination would work very very well.

anime-dragon · Post by **anime-dragon** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 4:50 pm

hey thanks man. appreciate it

chuckg31 · Post by **chuckg31** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 3:32 am

If you’re looking for speakers I would recommend one of Klipsch's sets. Watch out for the old Promedia's though, they break all the time. I thought that the only difference between digital and analog speakers was the fact that the digital have a decoder in them and the analog don't. So if you have a good sound card then you don't need digital speakers. But I guess I am going to get slammed for that because it isn’t true (I guess).

SS5_Majin_Bebi · Post by **SS5_Majin_Bebi** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 11:57 am

chuckg31 wrote:If you’re looking for speakers I would recommend one of Klipsch's sets. Watch out for the old Promedia's though, they break all the time. I thought that the only difference between digital and analog speakers was the fact that the digital have a decoder in them and the analog don't. So if you have a good sound card then you don't need digital speakers. But I guess I am going to get slammed for that because it isn’t true (I guess).

NECROPOSTAR!!!!!

As penance, you must be subjected to all 26 episodes of Love Hina..... ENGLISH DUB!!!!!

madmallard · Post by **madmallard** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 9:09 pm

Digital speakers come in a couple of varieties.

1: computer
these typically connect via USB, some even firewire

2: Studio Monitors
these use optical or coaxial digital connections.

the advantage is potentially less signal noise. The speakers themselves that can do this have their own DAC to decode the sound. However in most cases in computer speakers, the DACs are crap and the speakers sound better plugged into the headphone jack.

In studio monitor speakers, some mackies handle sound resolution on their DACS up to 192 @ 24 or some insane rate. . .

chuckg31 · Post by **chuckg31** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 9:26 pm

SS5_Majin_Bebi

what are you talking about?