the 2 solutions i have had an eye on:

https://www.startech.com/en-au/cards-adapters/icusbaudio7d

this is reasonably priced, has optical input and is usb2.0

https://au.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-z

about double the price but is pci-e, spdif optical input.

i've seen a few other usb soundcards that have optical, but i am afraid that they won't be as good in terms of build quality. is it just me, or is it seriously rare to see optical input on soundcards these days? the other audigy cards from creative only have spdif output.

I use Yamaha UW500 myself. Uses standard Yamaha USB driver (Win10 is supported) also doubles as a MIDI interface. It's old, so toslink is stereo only, but should work for your needs.

thats a very cool looking unit. i am guessing i would just use the rear switch to choose digital and ignore everything else and it should work fine?

i am seeing a bunch from japan for sale without ac adaptor on ebay. seems reasonable enough.

how useful is the midi interface? would it also work with munt? i could probably have both this and my roland mk-one both plugged in at the same time for double the midi.

thanks

If 16 bits at 44.1KHz or 48KHz works for you, one of these (or a generic equivalent ) https://www.amazon.ca/Optimal-Channel-Externa … r/dp/B00Q4WQ7XW might fit the bill .

I initially use some of them in this (still unfinished) project : Not so crazy idea : using a Raspberry Pi 4 with jackd , Zita A2J bridge and jack_mixer to make a software S/PDIF mixer

Build quality is crappy, but they do work reliably in my experience .

EDIT : Wow, they are more than 40$ now! I got them for 20ish CAN$ a pop about 2 years ago .

thats exactly the cheaper option i have been thinking about darry 😀

i did some light reading and it looks like the startech unit has the same cmedia audio chip inside. same same but different. probably makes no sense to get the startech.

i'm thinking i get one of these and also a yamaha one that deadite reccomends and see which ones work/work better... cant hurt to have a spare!

happy to hear more options if anyone is into this stuff

foil_fresh wrote on 2022-06-20, 03:57:

thats a very cool looking unit. i am guessing i would just use the rear switch to choose digital and ignore everything else and […]
Show full quote

thats a very cool looking unit. i am guessing i would just use the rear switch to choose digital and ignore everything else and it should work fine?

i am seeing a bunch from japan for sale without ac adaptor on ebay. seems reasonable enough.

how useful is the midi interface? would it also work with munt? i could probably have both this and my roland mk-one both plugged in at the same time for double the midi.

thanks

When in digital mode analog inputs 1-3 are disabled, but the analog Aux input still works as a passthrough. Very useful for me as it makes it easy to mix MU2000's digital output with analog soundeffects from my X68000 and MSX.

I use it as my main MIDI interface. Note it has both din5 MIDI port and TOTG serial (Mac type) ports. I have the din5 connected to Eidrol UM550, and all my modules are quite happy.

In case anyone is looking to do something similar - I went with a Soundblaster Z, fairly cheap brand new these days. Windows 10 installed the sound card automatically without any hassle, digital input worked without any hiccup. It works flawlessly via this audio switcher:

https://www.jaycar.com.au/4-way-digital-audio … itcher/p/AC1723

The sound cards I have used and tested with it so far:
1. Orpheus ISA via Coax
2. SB Live! with a digital audio bracket from ebay (using coax)
3. Hercules Gamesurround 7.1 (Fortissimo III) via optical toslink
4. an integrated VIA onboard audio output on my WinXP mobo via toslink

It is all routing thru to my HyperX cloud wireless headset on my Win10 PC. To configure, all that is needed is to tick "listen to this device" box and choose the playback device in the recording tab of the sound properties in control panel.

It's all running stereo, no latency, all clear with no stuttering or clipping at 48khz. I can't recommend this enough. It's soooo nice to not have any more interference or buzz. Next on the list is the MK8330 when available 😀

Hey, I really like what you've figured out as a solution.

I'm trying to do something similar to control audio from several retro computers but I do not plan on routing it through a modern computer, and instead I'd simply like to output audio to some passive (or powered, if necessary) speakers.

Here's the sound cards I'll be outputting from:

1. Orpheus I ISA via coax digital
2. Audigy 2 via coax digital
3. Diamond Monster Sound MX300 via 3.5mm analog
4. Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty PCI-E via optical

I have been looking at small amps that would be able to handle this variety of inputs and the strongest contender I have found so far is the Fosi DA2120D. It only has a single coax input, so I might still need some kind of splitter to connect both machines that use coax to before the amp.

Does anyone have recommendations on a more elegant way to handle this? Thanks!

mrzmaster wrote on 2022-11-21, 22:08:

Hey, I really like what you've figured out as a solution. […]
Show full quote

Hey, I really like what you've figured out as a solution.

I'm trying to do something similar to control audio from several retro computers but I do not plan on routing it through a modern computer, and instead I'd simply like to output audio to some passive (or powered, if necessary) speakers.

Here's the sound cards I'll be outputting from:

1. Orpheus I ISA via coax digital
2. Audigy 2 via coax digital
3. Diamond Monster Sound MX300 via 3.5mm analog
4. Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty PCI-E via optical

I have been looking at small amps that would be able to handle this variety of inputs and the strongest contender I have found so far is the Fosi DA2120D. It only has a single coax input, so I might still need some kind of splitter to connect both machines that use coax to before the amp.

Does anyone have recommendations on a more elegant way to handle this? Thanks!

Depending on your degree of dedication/masochism, there's this Not so crazy idea : using a Raspberry Pi 4 with jackd , Zita A2J bridge and jack_mixer to make a software S/PDIF mixer Adding analog inputs to that is on my TODO list, but that project has been on hiatus for a while .

But if you don't actually need or want to mix sources (i.e. you only want to listen to one of them at once), I would suggest, if you get the Fosi amp,

a) Getting something like this https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B071XW29LG or this https://www.amazon.ca/Switcher-Aluminum-Mater … 3/dp/B074W8DG3P to switch between optical sources (NOTE: These are not splitters, a splitter IS NOT what is needed here.)
b) Connecting the coaxial out to the Fosi's coaxial input
c) Connecting your analogue source to the Fosi's aux input

The Fosi's manual seems to say that you can switch between optical, coaxial, analogue inputs. If using one of your optical sources, you would additionally need to select the one you want to hear using a device such as the ones in b) .

The Pi solution might be a bit more complex than what I'm going for, but very cool nevertheless. 😁

I don't have a need to mix sources, but I actually have 2 coax digital outputs and 1 optical, and the Fosi amp only has 1 coax input. Therefore, I searched for some coax digital switch boxes similar to the optical ones that you linked. Unfortunately, I'm not finding much, but I did find this converter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N32C5GT/

So I could convert one of the coax outputs to optical and then use one of the optical switch boxes. With the signal going through both a converter and then a switch box, I am wondering if there would be any degradation once it reaches the Fosi amp. It's all digital, so that shouldn't happen, but I guess I wouldn't know how well this solution would work until I have it all in place..

mrzmaster wrote on 2022-11-24, 20:05:

The Pi solution might be a bit more complex than what I'm going for, but very cool nevertheless. :D […]
Show full quote

The Pi solution might be a bit more complex than what I'm going for, but very cool nevertheless. 😁

I don't have a need to mix sources, but I actually have 2 coax digital outputs and 1 optical, and the Fosi amp only has 1 coax input. Therefore, I searched for some coax digital switch boxes similar to the optical ones that you linked. Unfortunately, I'm not finding much, but I did find this converter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N32C5GT/

So I could convert one of the coax outputs to optical and then use one of the optical switch boxes. With the signal going through both a converter and then a switch box, I am wondering if there would be any degradation once it reaches the Fosi amp. It's all digital, so that shouldn't happen, but I guess I wouldn't know how well this solution would work until I have it all in place..

I've used coax to optical converters (and the reverse) and they are essentially transparent (at least mine are).

Looks like you have a plan . Good luck!