SB Live Value to digital receiver?

[wizbri]

Here's what I've got:

* A Dell system with an SB Live Value card (the one specially tailored for Dell -- i.e., it's got that yellow mini-digital out, for those familiar with the specs).

* A spare Kenwood receiver with a nice digital-in jack (optical).

Now, how do I make them work in tandem? I've got a nice new pair of Beyer heds I'd like to run from the receiver for stereo monitoring and mixing. I'm pretty sure I've got the right equipment for high-end audio output. Now I just need some basic advice, because I don't know much!

Gobs of thanks in advance...

 

[Elle]

Sound Blaster Live! only has a RCA PCM Digital Output connector. It does not have an optical output. Hence, if you wish to connect the digital output from the Sound Blaster Live! to your home Stereo system, you have to first check that your Receiver/Amplifier can accept a RCA PCM Digital Input.

Connecting the RCA PCM Digital Output from Sound Blaster Live! to your Receiver/Amplifier is easy. Simply connect a 75ohm coaxial cable between the SPDIF output on the Sound Blaster Live! to the PCM/Digital coaxial input on your Receiver/Amplifier. Note that this is not quite the same as standard RCA cables used for audio. The characteristics of the audio cable is different and may not give you optimal results when used as a digital cable. You don't really have to fork out $100 and above to get an audiophile quality digital cable. To save cost, you can use a reasonably high quality composite video cable which you can get in most electrical stores.

Set the Speaker Applet to "Live!Surround" output configuration, then ensure that the Receiver/Amplifier settings are set to "Digital Input" and "Surround" mode. This configuration will give you the highest quality sound from the Sound Blaster Live!.

 

[wizbri]

Thank you. Sounds like seasoned advice.

So, cool -- I'll grab a digital cable and I'm in bizness. (Yes, my receiver does sport a coax input.) One question, though: You mentioned setting my soundcard and amplifier to their surround environments. Is this the case even if I'm simply wanting to send (and hear) a stereo signal?

(And perhaps I should have asked this one up front: Is all this gonna make much difference compared to simply running a regular old line signal from soundcard-to-receiver?)