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Until now I use only the analoge output of my PC with Widows 10 and ASUS motherboard. The motherboard has also S/PDIF digital output. I think about using that output, converted to AES3, to connect active speakers with AES3 input.

I don't have any device with digital input in the moment and I am not able to test this. I like to know if when I change the volume on the PC in Windows does the volume also change on the S/PDIF output? Or does the volume only change on the analoge output and the digital is always 100%?

If I can control the volume in Windows then all is fine, if not then I need an external digital volume control. If possible I like to know if I need that external volume control before I test this.

Maybe the answer also depends on the motherboard or soundcard. I don't know and I didn't find any information in the manual.

Edit - Just some information why I want to do this. I think about buying JBL 708P speakers which have DSP, Digital Signal Processing. The speakers have analog and digital inputs. Inside the speakers the analog input is always converted to digital for processing.

In theory I could connect the speakers the traditional way, analoge. But because the music is saved digitally on the PC I want to avoid converting that to analoge in a DAC and then to digital again and to analoge again in the speaker. I want to keep the signal digital as long as possible because it will be processed digitally in the speaker. Any DAC before the speaker would be contra productive.

If I want to use many digital outputs from the PC there is this product. U-DIO8 from miniDSP. https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/u-dio8

My "solution" for now is that I just ordered a super cheap DAC (optical S/PDIF in, RCA out). That will allow me to check the digital output on my PC before I connect anything expensive and LOUD.

Technical information: S/PDIF is similar to AES3 and can be easily converted.

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  • Does it have to be AES3 XLR, or can you get away with TOSLink/RCA S/PDIF?
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 9:59
  • @Tetsujin I have the JBL 708P speakers in mind. They have AES3 XLR and analoge XLR input. I prefer the digital input because the source (the PC) is all digital. It seems it's relative easy to convert S/PDIF into AES3.
    – Edgar
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 12:07
  • Yeah, it's pretty easy - you can get a 2-way converter for about $£€ 30 from a studio spares store. I was really just wondering if you thought it would be some sort of quality 'upscale', which of course it's not. It would probably be more expensive to get a DAC with balanced analog outs, & a volume pot. tbh, these days I've just got a home studio workroom, I unbalance my dynAudio inputs & send analog all the way, ¼" TR>XLR, just because it's easiest & I already have the DACs. [My days of needing AES/EBU all the way are long past… from about the time I was using ADAT machines too;)
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 12:16
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    BTW, watch out for the huge thump over the digi outs when the puter's o/p's switch at power on/off etc. I have to power off my dynAudios first - same as yours they're internally biamped - 400w… hurts if you forget.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 12:20

1 Answer 1

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Works for me. I have an external amplifier connected over SPDIF. Normally, I control the volume over its volume control, but the Windows Volume Control settings work fine as well.

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  • Thanks for your fast answer. It would be great if other users can confirm if this is the same on their PCs. Maybe it depends on the sound-card (or on-board sound) or maybe even on the driver.
    – Edgar
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 9:48
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    Yea, possible. My board has a Realtek chip, so pretty standard.
    – PMF
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 9:52
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    It also depends on whether the controls are ganged or separate. Some machines can control each volume individually, some as a 'set', some have no control over the digital out. My own machine has no separate gain control on the digi, it's always 100%. My DAC has an analog control I use instead, although the DAC's output does actually have volume control, it's eaier to reach for the knob on the box.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Mar 12, 2021 at 9:53

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