5.1 Amplifiers with Optical inputs - Page 7

MeeM · 07-02-2009, 09:10 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by hadaak

OK

I thought you were talking about thr carpc.

What are you using in the car?

I'm using a 4x50 RMS amp (local brand, Response). Quite versatile, can also be run in tri-mode.

JWM · 08-14-2009, 02:54 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by enigma9o7

Unless I'm also ignorant, when the signal goes from your deck/pc to an amp optically, there's no volume control from the sending device... you adjust the volume with the amp. All that's going thru the fiber is the digitally encoded audio.... there are no levels involved, either the led/laser is on or off to indicate 1 or 0. I can set the volume to 0 on my deck and optical signal is not affected. The same thing happens with my home theatre components - i.e. I can set my HDTV volume to zero, but signal coming optical out into my amp doesn't change.

However, if the signal is coming from your deck/pc to an amp analog, then when you change the volume on your deck/pc it is changing the voltage levels going into the amp, so it does control volume, in essence your amp is applying the same amplification to whatever comes into it if you dont change it. i.e. if the amp does 3db gain, it'll apply that gain/increase to whatever voltage is coming in.

I have no problems using a digital signal with the computer controlling the volume.

Just because it is digital, doesn't mean it has no control of volume.. the volume of the signal is also sent as code.
I have my xbox 360 set up using an optical cable, If I turn the volume down of a song I'm playing using the 360... the volume goes down.. that's without turning my amp down.

I have a coax cable running to my amp from my PC, and there is still volume up / down.
Coax and optical are the same digital signal, except one is transmitted using light energy and the other is electrical energy... If you look at the pin-outs of a digital out on a mother board, you'll see to hook up a coax you use the same pin for the data as the optical will... the optical just uses an extra pin for powering the LED I think it is.

The volume of the signal is also sent through the code, its nothing to do with the strength of the signal.

You have confused analogue and digital together, unlike analogue where if you want less volume you decrease the input volume to the amp, the digital signal will still be the same strength no matter what the pc or 360 is set to... (the light wont go dimmer). If it wasn't this way, music wouldn't work... no music has every frequency peaking at 100% volume.

jschrauwen · 08-14-2009, 10:45 AM

^^^ I think this is the first time someone has actually said something to the contrary in regards to the output device not being able to control the volume of what is heard when sending a digital signal out, be it optical or electrical.
Everything I've read in the past said one needed a signal processor between the digital source output and the digital amp input.

pcpete · 08-14-2009, 11:20 AM

I think the issue , at least for windows with winamp , is the loss of quality...

Volume can be controlled with spdif output if directsound output is selected in winamp...if using wavout output , the bits are , more or less, not altered....(windows resamples the bits i think to 48khz)...

ptk · 08-14-2009, 11:25 AM

the volume can be control as long as the source device/program processes the signal. In situation when the signals are "by-pass" e.g. in situation where DTS/AC3 signal bypass the onboard system mixer, there will be no way to control the volume from the source system.

pcpete · 08-14-2009, 11:53 AM

true

boelle · 08-31-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

3. Performance Teknique ICBM-5.1 5.1

this one is also seems discontinued

had a look around google and e-bay... seems that we still dont have 5.1(6 channel) amps with optical... what a shame

jschrauwen · 08-31-2009, 05:51 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by boelle

this one is also seems discontinued
had a look around google and e-bay... seems that we still dont have 5.1(6 channel) amps with optical... what a shame

I saw that coming that's why I picked up two ICBM's.

boelle · 08-31-2009, 05:55 PM

well i'm close to say screw it and go with an analog input amp and then spend a hell lot money on good cables.. the amp under one seat and the car pc under the other.. max cable lenght is going to be like 1 meter or 1½ at max

trader007 · 09-16-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by boelle

well i'm close to say screw it and go with an analog input amp and then spend a hell lot money on good cables.. the amp under one seat and the car pc under the other.. max cable lenght is going to be like 1 meter or 1½ at max

then dont buy crazy expensive cables. buy from monoprice.com, save yourself a ****ton of money, and get the same results as monstercrap cables.

boelle · 09-16-2009, 02:18 PM

well in Denmark our option are a bit limited, but everyone should be able to tell when you pau more for the brand than for the cable, it's just a matter of looking at the technical specs

trader007 · 09-16-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by boelle

well in Denmark our option are a bit limited, but everyone should be able to tell when you pau more for the brand than for the cable, it's just a matter of looking at the technical specs

yeah i suppose that will give you a good idea. specs wont really tell you how durable a cable will be though... but that normally isnt an issue with any decent cable.

boelle · 09-16-2009, 03:11 PM

at least the spec's dont lie as much as the fine words... at they give an reasonble basis to compare cables on

soundman98 · 09-16-2009, 09:05 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by boelle

at least the spec's dont lie as much as the fine words... at they give an reasonble basis to compare cables on

they should in theory, but there are many companies that fudge the numbers to make the product look better, and then sell it for more...(monster?!?)

FantaXP7 · 10-12-2009, 10:21 PM

It sounds to me that these 5.1 amps that must be controlled by remotes act a lot like actually surround sound receivers...

Would it be so crazy...and I know how crazy this sounds...to hook up an actual surround sound receiver in your trunk?

My surround sound receiver is about 3.5" tall and 14 inches deep...pretty low profile, and it's digital. A custom fitting in a trunk could easily be made.

If people are already talking about writing codes for a infrared transmitter it would be easy to do the same for this setup, and control through a front end of a carputer.

The subwoofer output is a pre-out, so you could connect a seperate sub for an amp, which could be more favorable for audio adjustments.

Problems I can think of so far (for the record I am a noob at car audio)

- Power regulation. Although this has been thought out for carpc's, so maybe this would be no problem? Maybe the receiver can be made to be kept powered on for a minute after the car shuts down, just enough time for a front end carpc program can transmit an IR signal to shut down the receiver...

- Power of signal to speakers? This is where I am stumped...Maybe too much power for car speakers to handle...

Anyways, I thought I would post this dream idea here as most of the amps listed on the first page are impossible to find...Also none are real known brands (the ones that don't require special head units) and Onkyo is well known for quality.

Link to my receiver:

http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=...s=Receiver&p=s

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