Connecting Polk Speakers to PC - need help

jwl

Hello,

I need to know what purchase (cables and possibly something else).

I have the following (on order) and would like suggestions for connecting them

HT Omega eclaro
Polk PSW10 subwoofer
Polk Monitor Series II 40 bookshelf speakers

http://www.htomega.com/filedown/eclaro.pdf
http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/manual/Monitor_MN.pdf
http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/manual/PSW10_12_MN.pdf

The eclaro has a 3.5mm miniplug female connector for the sub and the front speakers (1). Unless there is a creative solution you are aware of or there is such a thing as a cable with one 3.5mm to 2 pairs of banana plugs, I probably need another piece of equipment.

Questions

1. Do cables exist that will enable me to connect these items together?
2. If I need to purchase another piece of equipment, what do you recommend?
3. Would a Klipsch ProMedia DD-5.1 Multimedia Digital Decoder Preamplifer help? I think it will solve the cable issue, but not sure if helps/hinders performance. (I happen to have one of these): http://www.klipsch.com/promedia-dd-5-1

Thanks for your help

J

KiTsuNe

You need some kind of amplification no matter what you're doing in this situation.

Do you plan to run just 2.1? are you planning to run more channels in the future?

If you're just going to run 2.1 I'd ditch the HTomega... actually I'd ditch that no matter what you're doing.

For 2.1 I suggest a USB DAC to an integrated amp to your speakers. You can skip the DAC if your computer has an HDMI port that passes through sound. Some computers also have a toslink out as well, you can run that straight into an integrated amp if it has a toslink input.


What I do for 5.2 is run HDMI from my computer to an integrated amp. Just remember to set up the configurations on your computer to output the correct number of channels and not a stereo output.

sponger

Your sound card has a headphone jack and an optical output. Do not use the head phone jack to connect the subwoofer. It could physically be possible if you bought a $5 adapter, but that jack was not meant for that purpose.

Find a cheap, used Yamaha HTR 5xxxx series receiver on Ebay for <$75. I used a HTR 5635 for my computer for years. I'd be lucky to get $50 for it and it works perfect.

Hook the sound card up to the receiver via the toslink (digital optical) output on the sound card. Connect the subwoofer and the speakers to the receiver.

Also, be sure to inspect the receiver for bed bugs when it arrives. If possible use a flashlight and have a screwdriver handy to remove the cover so you can inspect the components. Carefully discard the box and the packing materials after ensuring that they do not contain bed bugs.

one more thing....

You could use the Klipsch decoder instead of a receiver, but you will still need an amp for the speakers. If you did by an amp, then you would connect the sound card to the decoder via the toslink connection. Then connect the sub to the decoder. Then connect the amp to the decoder and the speakers to the amp.

Instead of doing all of that I personally would just go find a budget receiver.

Syndil

Short answer: You need a receiver with an optical digital input.

jwl

I posted this same question on the forums for the other components. One suggestion that came back on the other two forums was to connect the card to the sub and the sub to the speakers. This is not an option in sub manual. Will this work? And if so, why do you think Polk elected not to include it as an option?

jwl

Polk support confirmed I needed an amp or a reciever. For sake of argument, let's assume I need to purchase this new. I want to be able to control everything from the PC. What are my best options using the sound card and speakers I have?

EndersShadow

jwl wrote: »

Polk support confirmed I needed an amp or a reciever. For sake of argument, let's assume I need to purchase this new. I want to be able to control everything from the PC. What are my best options using the sound card and speakers I have?

You basically have none with regards to controlling everything from your PC. You can control the music and use whatever program you want, but not the volume. If you use a reciever (which you pretty much have to) it will be the volume control not your computer. With that said the reciever can be put directly under your monitor so you can control the volume very easy...... That or most have a remote as well.

jwl

KiTsuNe,

Why ditch the card? I am not a fan of onboard sound - for whatever reason, I notice the difference between it and sound cards. What does a DAC do that the card does not?

The motherboard is an ASUS P9X79 pro

2.1 is what I am running now. Down the road, I could expand the speaker count.

jwl

If there is a receiver inbetween the computer and the speakers, is the card doing anything?

EndersShadow

jwl wrote: »

If there is a receiver inbetween the computer and the speakers, is the card doing anything?

Depends on how you are connecting the card to the reciever. If you are connecting the reciever to the computer via the onboard Optical port, then no. If your using the Claro's optical port then its kinda doing something but not sure if that optical out is any better than the onboard one.

Optical is a purely digital signal and your using the reciever to take that digital signal and convert it to an analog signal (which is what the speakers use).

If your using the D-sub cable then your soundcard is whats taking the digital signal and passing it to the reciever as analog.

Most of us would agree that the best suggestion would be to use the optical out of your motherboard and let the reciever do the digital to analog conversion. Recievers tend to be better at it than computer soundcards.

Doing that you could sell the soundcard.

I personally used the Optical out of my Asus P5-E board for a bit and then used the coaxial as well. I found both these options to be just as good as a dedicated card.

jwl

Space is a premium. The desk is not big and has 3 24" inch monitors on it. I am not sure I can fit a receiver on it. Assuming I can figure this out, what matters most? (Assume I want at least as good as sound as I could get from the card)

Does something like this help me: http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-N22 -was not quite sure it connects to the sub.

J

Clipdat

You're probably going to want something a little more powerful than that and also something with a subwoofer pre-out.

11tsteve

I put 250 lb shelving brackets above my monitors for my gear, listed in my Sig. Do you have that option?

blehmbo

Does your motherboard have toslink or spdif outputs? From my experience digital audio through onboard is much more immune to EMI than onboard analog. With your pc connected to a receiver you would be able to trim the volume on your PC using the internal mixer to some degree (wouldn't work with a signal that is bit-streamed). If you have to place it away from the PC desk you could always use the remote.

I'm not sure if that the N22 would have enough power to reliably run your setup. A receiver would probably be your best bang for buck without going to separates.

jwl

The motherboard has 1 x S/PDIF out header(s)
It is an ASUS P9X79 Pro (http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_2011/P9X79_PRO/#specifications)

How much power do I need?

P.S. Note to 11Steve - I do not see your sig, but 250Lbs of anything would kill off my desk.

11tsteve

Sorry don't know why Sig didnt show...mine is computer.... Schiit DAC... Acurus pre.... Parasound amp. And it is the shelf brackets rated to hold up to 250 lbs of weight each bracket. That way every thing is close to the computer and handy for me to reach.

jwl

I am still back to needing to know what I actually need to make this work. I am OK with using an amp/reciever with the sound card or replacing the sound card with a DAC (the card was $184.99) if that makes a big difference.

For amp/receiver - what should I be looking for?

J

11tsteve

I still use my ht omega striker. It doesn't need to go. People are suggesting you buy a receiver with a built in DAC to save money over buying separates such as what I have.

jwl

If I am following this correctly, the sound card is a DAC/pre-amp and missing link is amplification. If I use a receiver, does the receiver just amplify the sound or does it redo what the sound card did?

11tsteve

The optical out on the sound card is digital. So you need a DAC to convert to analog the sound card does not have a proper anlaog out to go to a receiver.

jwl

So, I need a sound card to DAC to Reciever to Speakers. What does this do differently than motherboard to dac to reciever to speakers? (Motherboard is ASUS P9X79 Pro - http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_2011/P9X79_PRO/#specifications)

J

Clipdat

Since the motherboard has an optical connection, you can just run that directly to a receiver and use the receiver's built in DAC.

Or you can use the analog stereo output to a receiver's analog input (utilizing the motherboard soundcard's DAC) or to a stereo amplifier (again using the soundcard's DAC and your PC's volume control to drive the signal).

In your case though, this is not preferred since motherboard onboard soundcards tend to have cheap DACs that don't sound very good and are prone to noise from other components on the motherboard.

For good sound, the suggestion is optical to receiver to speakers. Or, if you want, optical to dedicated DAC, then to a receiver's analog input or to stereo integrated amplifier analog input.

jwl

Clipdat,

How do I get the PC to control the volume? This is a really helpful thing if it can be done.

Question 2: If the reciever is the best option, what should I be looking for in a receiver?


J

Clipdat

You just control the volume from the controls in Windows. See this screenshot I just took of mine:

As far as receivers, you have to ask yourself what you are looking for in a receiver. Do you want a basic sort of "HT style" stereo receiver such as this?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harman-Kardon-HK-3490-Z-2-x-120W-per-channel-Stereo-Receiver-/390444982030?pt=US_Stereo_Receivers&hash=item5ae8559f0e
As you can see, it has the digital input for connection straight from your motherboard.

This could be a good starter receiver for you, and I think it would do everything you need, as it has the subwoofer pre-out as well.

Some of the more specialized/dedicated stereo amps would be the NAD C316BEE (http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-amplifiers/C-316BEE-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier) or the Marantz PM5004 (http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=HiFiComponents&SubCatId=0&ProductId=PM5004) - However neither of these feature optical/digital inputs or sub pre-outs so I would strongly recommend using a dedicated DAC with them.

11tsteve

IF you could get an analog out to work satisfactorily, the volume on the PC would be controlled as it always is with computer speakers. nothing would change.

if you use optical out, you don't necessarily need a receiver, but any receiver or integrated amp with a built in DAC, unless you want to go separates.
here is an example....http://nadelectronics.com/products/dac/C-375BEE-DAC-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier lots of power and a second set of pre-outs which could run a powered sub.

Clipdat

Holy crap that NAD you linked is an absolute beast! What a sweet piece of gear.

jwl

What would I need to do to get "get an analog out to work satisfactorily"?

11tsteve

i honestly don't think you can. clipdat was the one who suggested it but also agreed it would sound like crap.

you should take a moment to re-read this thread. it is going in circles over basically the same info given within the first 5 posts... including a cheap receiver suggestion.... a yamaha i believe.

Syndil

After reading this thread, it sounds to me like what the OP really wants is a 2.1 PC speaker system in which the amp contained in the subwoofer is also capable of driving the L/R channels. Unless a subwoofer is specifically made for a 2.1 speaker system, it is not going to be able to drive any speakers other than the subwoofer. If that's what you're after, get different speakers.

If you want to use the speakers you have now, however, then you need either A) a receiver with an optical digital input or a 3.5mm to stereo-RCA cable and a stereo amplifier to drive your Monitor 40s. Option A will utilize the DACs in the receiver, pretty much making your soundcard pointless; option B will utilized the DACs in the soundcard and will allow the volume to be controlled directly from the PC.

Either way, you're going to have an extra piece of gear on your desk: a receiver or an amp.

If you bought a speaker system intended for a PC, you could just hook your soundcard up to it directly and be done with it.

KiTsuNe

How loud do you want to play this? You can get a small head amp with 15-20watt out that has optical/usb dac built in. Those are pretty small...like really realllly small.

jwl

KiTsuNe - Loudness is hard to describe. I do not need to go deaf, but I also do not want to get into a situation where I have cranked the volume up to the max and need more sound. I am not sure how to translate watts into volume or what I could do to provide a numerical measure. Really really small amps are probably not the right solution.

Syndil - The circles are my own ignorance. When I started the thread, I thought all I needed was advice purchasing cables. As I have learned more, what I need advice on has evolved. I am trying to understand the reasoning behind the answers. I posted this same question on several different forum websites and there is some conflicting information I am trying to sort through.

My ideal scenario is the speakers I have played through and controlled by the PC and sound good. I can live with a device in the middle controlling it. I know now that the amp in the subwoofer cannot drive the speakers (did not know this at the start). I understand this necessitates one or more pieces of equipment. An amp seems like a logical solution if it does what I need and can be had for less than a receiver, but no one has been able to explain how the subwoofer would be connected with an AMP (or at least the one's suggested).

The receiver might be more cost effective then the AMP. Assuming this is the choice, I am trying to figure out what parameters to look for in a receiver. The different forums are producing suggestions that make it difficult for me to determine what matters. I could be wrong, but I am operating under the assumption that there is a threshold that is limited by the equipment I have. I am trying to ascertain what that is (for example, one person suggested that since my sub was 50 watts, that I needed a 100 watt per channel receiver).

Where things are a bit confusing is what role the sound card plays in the mix. Some folks think the sound card plays a vital role while others think the receiver does all the work. Folks that believe the sound card matters are suggesting getting an old $50 receiver from eBay. Folks that do not think the sound card matters at all have suggested solutions ranging in price from $20 to $15,000.
It does seem like we are going in circles a bit, but everyone is contributing and ever so slowly, it is helping.