How does this sound (no pun intended ;)

**SpeedFreak03** · 06-16-2004, 11:09 AM

I'm planning out my carpc setup before I buy it, and i have everything else planned out, except for sound. The computer im using has a Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 PCI sound card in it, it has front out, rear out, digital out (coax SPDIF), line in, and mic in. Now I plan to use a Alpine head unit, and this adapter: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-rISAW6r...p?i=500KCM122B

My question is, will the alpine HU upmix this analog stereo signal into 4 channel? I want to hook it up like this:

I'm gonna email alpine and see what they say about this anyway, but I was wondering if you guys have any better computer specific ideas, that would produce better sound.

**MatrixPC** · 06-16-2004, 11:17 AM

I have a Sound Blaster Live for my desktop as well. I just connect to Front out for stereo. I am not using the rear out.
As for the Alpine, make sure that your Alpine HU able to handle the aux input. Mine TDM7534 (old one) couldn't do it, and I have to return the adapter to Crutchfield. The HU will take the stereo input from the computer just like it does with CD changer.

**Skuzzle** · 06-16-2004, 11:33 AM

yup - it should work - i got my carcomp running into an Alpine. Works wonders :P

**SpeedFreak03** · 06-16-2004, 11:44 AM

And it works on all 4 speakers? Thanks for the quick responses guys!

**CHUPACABRA** · 06-16-2004, 12:16 PM

Well yes and no.Youll get 2 chanels out from the pc but you wont get the suround sound as if you had the front and reat of the card hooked up.to use the full potential of the sb live card you will need to bypass the head unit all together and run it strait into the amps rca input(low level).

**SpeedFreak03** · 06-16-2004, 01:34 PM

What about using the digital output (its SPDIF coax) of the SB live? I read some people use the Audigy/Exdigy (sp?) digital out, and its very similar to the live. How would you hook that up though? Is that even possible with my setup?

Anyway, how bad do you think it would sound if the front and rear played the same thing? I have a 4 speaker setup in my room and when hooked up to my computer the fronts and rears play the same thing (my new computer has SPDIF optical and I dont have a long enough optical wire so I use the miniplug to RCA adapter to my reciever), so how bad would it sound in a car? It sounds fine in my room. Well I guess I'll see what happens, but can anybody comment on the digital setup? Thanks again!

**Grayscale** · 06-16-2004, 04:13 PM

I've noticed on some cards like the extigy theres a place for the subwoofer and then theres also the front out sound plug. Do they take out the bass in the front out or is it full range? Because I'm thinking about getting an extigy although I won't use it for surround, It will only be stereo. I just don't want to lose the bass because I've got nice subs.

**SpeedFreak03** · 06-16-2004, 04:52 PM

No it doesn't take it out of the front, it just is there for a self-powered sub. So if you have a regular 2.1 computer speaker setup, your sub will still work fine, its just a sub-only output.

About my thing, I talked to a couple people, and they all pretty much said that it will sound fine with 4 speakers and a sub, with stereo input. I can fade the fronts and backs with the alpine just fine, and I can use the alpine for volume control. I'm pretty sure that the digital out thing is for people that don't use their headunit. One thing tho - will the alpine sent the aux input through the pre-outs to my amp(s)? If this works good then im all set. Thanks!

**Grayscale** · 06-16-2004, 05:06 PM

Yeah just set your input to aux...so you were saying that the front out doesn't lose any bass and that the extra sub out was just for a 2.1 computer setup with a sub. Gotcha.