Sound Card Recommendation

[positivePXL]

I own a set of XP400 Turtle Beach headsets from my days as an unreformed gamer. The XP400's utilize a separate modem to make the headsets themselves completely wireless. The headsets themselves are quite expensive, and have served me very well over the years.

 

However, the only audio output from the modum itself, is optical. I own literally nothing that has an optical input, so, over the years, I have had to resort to crappy bluetooth connections in order to use my microphone. I want to buy a soundcard, but only because I want it to have an optical input that I can use in order to properly use my microphone. It doesn't have to be a high-end sound card, it can even be cheap, it just NEEDS to have an optical input.

[zMeul]

Creative Sound Blaster Z: http://www.soundblaster.com/products/sound-blaster-z.aspx

[DXMember]

whuaa... your motherboards on board sound card doesn't have optical??? what are you from 2004 or something?

[Domifi]

9 minutes ago, DXMember said:

whuaa... your motherboards on board sound card doesn't have optical??? what are you from 2004 or something?

 

A lot of current mobos don't have optical audio input even though they have optical output.

[DXMember]

1 minute ago, Domifi said:

 

A lot of current mobos don't have optical audio input even though they have optical output.

wait... optical can't handle both input and output simultaneously?
what's the point of optical then...

daym... my whole life I have been lied to

[Domifi]

1 minute ago, DXMember said:

wait... optical can't handle both input and output simultaneously?
what's the point of optical then...

daym... my whole life I have been lied to

 

The point of optical is that it's digital and therefore lossless. There isn't really any advantage of optical digital over digital coaxial.

[positivePXL]

16 hours ago, Domifi said:

 

The point of optical is that it's digital and therefore lossless. There isn't really any advantage of optical digital over digital coaxial.

Yes, unfrotunatly, as I said already though, the only audio out on the modem is optical. So I need something with an optical input, the other option would be an optical --> analog converter, but I don't even know if those things exist. 

17 hours ago, zMeul said:

Creative Sound Blaster Z: http://www.soundblaster.com/products/sound-blaster-z.aspx

That sir, is a $100 sound-card, I'd be better off just buying a new headset at that price-point. I am really looking for something a lot cheaper. It literally only needs an optical input and not suck more than my onboard sound.

[positivePXL]

1 minute ago, positivePXL said:

... the other option would be an optical --> analog converter, but I don't even know if those things exist...

Self derp. Those actually exist. 

 

 

Spoiler

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/4968784623178791384?sclient=psy-ab&biw=1280&bih=923&q=optical+to+3.5mm+converter&oq=optical+to+3.5mm+converter&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.&dpr=1&ion=1&espv=2&tch=1&ech=1&psi=z5oPV-uUJYadjwSylJLoCg.1460640438371.3&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX1TRu4-2S-VczXyuH6J6xh7RnBnLNAfoox6ixb0zxLwis_tGwZyHU-aUuk-z4wWozQC_OCrGfDKf0gibFsU_4FGTglXJxZAzqttQnj-WLAXYh_A_nRIZAFPVH72WYPDXaZa3Zn-auILLCWHB4LWv8g&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCqv7cno7MAhXp74MKHYKtB-MQ8wIIhAYwAQ

[seduce_me]

7 minutes ago, positivePXL said:

Self derp. Those actually exist. 

 

 

  Hide contents

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/4968784623178791384?sclient=psy-ab&biw=1280&bih=923&q=optical+to+3.5mm+converter&oq=optical+to+3.5mm+converter&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.&dpr=1&ion=1&espv=2&tch=1&ech=1&psi=z5oPV-uUJYadjwSylJLoCg.1460640438371.3&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX1TRu4-2S-VczXyuH6J6xh7RnBnLNAfoox6ixb0zxLwis_tGwZyHU-aUuk-z4wWozQC_OCrGfDKf0gibFsU_4FGTglXJxZAzqttQnj-WLAXYh_A_nRIZAFPVH72WYPDXaZa3Zn-auILLCWHB4LWv8g&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCqv7cno7MAhXp74MKHYKtB-MQ8wIIhAYwAQ

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000KW2YEI&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwpuresimula-20

+

http://www.amazon.com/Yueton%C2%AE-3-5MM-Stereo-Female-Adapter/dp/B0156F38LG/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1460641369&sr=1-5&keywords=stereo+rca+to+3.5mm

if you don't mind using usb instead of optical

usb > interface(converted to analogue and amplified) > headset

[positivePXL]

4 minutes ago, seduce_me said:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KW2YEI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000KW2YEI&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwpuresimula-20

 

No optical input. Really close though, if you read the words written on the top in one if the images, it shows that the optical is only an output jack. I miss nothing. I see everything because I am everything (|)___(|)

[seduce_me]

3 minutes ago, positivePXL said:

No optical input. Really close though, if you read the words written on the top in one if the images, it shows that the optical is only an output jack. I miss nothing. I see everything because I am everything (|)___(|)

Sorry I have misunderstood your post.

All you need is a cheap soundcard that has an optical output for your modem.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Xonar-PCI-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6

[positivePXL]

3 minutes ago, seduce_me said:

Sorry I have misunderstood your post.

All you need is a cheap soundcard that has an optical output for your modem.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Xonar-PCI-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6

Wrong again, the XP400 headset modem has an analog input, and an optical input, but only an optical output. I need to get the optical signal outputed from my modem, to a input that will interface with my computer. Be it either by a PCIe card that takes that the input as is, as optical, or a converter that takes the input and turns it into a 3.5mm audio jack so I can plug that instead into my mobo onboard audio i/o.

[positivePXL]

Is there any validity to these unpowered cables that claim to be able to passively convert toslink to a 3.5mm jack?

 

 

Spoiler

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1264063208402073848?sclient=psy-ab&biw=1280&bih=923&q=toslink+to+3.5mm+converter&oq=toslink+to+3.5mm+converter&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.&ion=1&espv=2&tch=1&ech=1&psi=z5oPV-uUJYadjwSylJLoCg.1460640438371.5&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX93pdk2bq3vl3lDnQZdMU7CRD18KUuZL1dHB3O8efu6yje1p0qb6Y0ukB-VKHvxVmpc9x3LWUkuxoRzkrhl7PRi73XXaY48lnTchwTWulugmD6EPxxIZAFPVH70wVzsITijlPenz6uM8GCacbNPbEQ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ1-OkpY7MAhXEn4MKHX6ID4gQ8wII2gYwDQ

 

[positivePXL]

 

Spoiler

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/5103419945643227171?sclient=psy-ab&biw=1280&bih=923&q=toslink+to+3.5mm+converter&oq=toslink+to+3.5mm+converter&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.&ion=1&espv=2&tch=1&ech=1&psi=z5oPV-uUJYadjwSylJLoCg.1460640438371.5&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX7cPBp0w71dHAzQWH_hbKwVqNf_eMeLnFCFF4iLcYLq2Ara37a87UeVx4kCbY5odSgE3Z5dlTubOPrkbIXaaS8YVvHYBuPWnv8g0asqImpPue-WWoxIZAFPVH72T1VDySV6bhotgCZ9fZppTBTJpBg&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ1-OkpY7MAhXEn4MKHX6ID4gQ8wII9wYwEQ

*drops mic*

[Domifi]

On 14.4.2016 at 4:02 PM, positivePXL said:

Is there any validity to these unpowered cables that claim to be able to passively convert toslink to a 3.5mm jack?

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1264063208402073848?sclient=psy-ab&biw=1280&bih=923&q=toslink+to+3.5mm+converter&oq=toslink+to+3.5mm+converter&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.&ion=1&espv=2&tch=1&ech=1&psi=z5oPV-uUJYadjwSylJLoCg.1460640438371.5&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX93pdk2bq3vl3lDnQZdMU7CRD18KUuZL1dHB3O8efu6yje1p0qb6Y0ukB-VKHvxVmpc9x3LWUkuxoRzkrhl7PRi73XXaY48lnTchwTWulugmD6EPxxIZAFPVH70wVzsITijlPenz6uM8GCacbNPbEQ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ1-OkpY7MAhXEn4MKHX6ID4gQ8wII2gYwDQ

 

I may be a little late, but anyways: Those passive cables exist and they are perfectly fine at doing what they are supposed to do: converting an toslink to an optical 3.5mm jack. And that's it. They do what they claim to do but that's not what you need.

[positivePXL]

23 hours ago, Domifi said:

I may be a little late, but anyways: Those passive cables exist and they are perfectly fine at doing what they are supposed to do: converting an toslink to an optical 3.5mm jack. And that's it. They do what they claim to do but that's not what you need.

I thought there was something fishy about that, thanks. I didn't even know that connection existed.