https://mattgadient.com/optical-spdif-out-on- … aster-audigy-2/

Thanks, I ordered one of the cheaper black PCB ones, they're like half the price of the Asus ones that have a large capacitor on them, hopefully works with my setup. My only slight concern is I need to install it behind the sound card bracket and hope those wires can stretch that far.

Alternatively, you can also use a mono 3.5 mm to RCA adapter and connect the cable to a coax to optical converter.

Stretch wrote on 2026-04-23, 22:55:

Alternatively, you can also use a mono 3.5 mm to RCA adapter and connect the cable to a coax to optical converter.

The official manual (PDF) allows this method for connecting 2.0/2.1 speakers, but I'm concerned because the DIGITAL OUT jack on the Audigy2/2ZS cards is a 4-pole jack and provides three S/PDIF outputs (6 channels). This connection is used for Creative's 5.1 digital speakers.

With a 3.5mm mono jack plug, all three digital outputs will be shorted to single pole, which is probably not good (I hope there's protection for this).

I'd rather use a 3.5mm 4-pole jack plug to 3x RCA A/V cable - fortunately, it's ideal for connecting three S/PDIF outputs:
- SPDIF#1 (red RCA): Front channels (Left, Right)
- SPDIF#2 (white RCA): Center, LFE
- SPDIF#3 (yellow RCA): Surround Left, Surround Right

And what exactly should be at the end?
If you just need a recording, Creative sound cards have a special source in the control panel called “Wats-U-Here”.
This returns a fully processed audio stream from the DSP.
If you’re sending it to, say, a ‘receiver’, then multi-channel audio won’t fit into SPDIF; you’ll need Dolby Digital or DTS encoding.

ott wrote on 2026-04-24, 12:11:

The official manual (PDF) allows this method for connecting 2.0/2.1 speakers, but I'm concerned because the DIGITAL OUT jack on the Audigy2/2ZS cards is a 4-pole jack and provides three S/PDIF outputs (6 channels). This connection is used for Creative's 5.1 digital speakers.

With a 3.5mm mono jack plug, all three digital outputs will be shorted to single pole, which is probably not good (I hope there's protection for this).

I've been using a set of Cambridge SoundWorks Digital 2.1 speakers with SBLive/Audigy cards for years. The speaker manual confirms that mono 3.5mm to RCA is the official connection method for SBLive cards.

Not sure if the Audigy cards are wired differently, but I've connected an Audigy 2 ZS to those speakers using the same method and haven't encountered any issues.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2026-04-24, 12:40:

I've been using a set of Cambridge SoundWorks Digital 2.1 speakers with SBLive/Audigy cards for years. The speaker manual confirms that mono 3.5mm to RCA is the official connection method for SBLive cards.

Not sure if the Audigy cards are wired differently, but I've connected an Audigy 2 ZS to those speakers using the same method and haven't encountered any issues.

Thanks, I will keep it in mind.

In addition to my previous post, I found description of the DIGITAL OUT jack on the Creative's knowledge base:
https://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=5764

Arrived and working in DOS 6.22 with VSBHDA, Windows 98 and XP.

As expected, the wires aren't long enough to route it behind the Audigy card, I've had to remove my PCI GPU for now. What are these wires called so I can get some longer ones?

AaronS wrote on 2026-05-06, 15:57:

Arrived and working in DOS 6.22 with VSBHDA, Windows 98 and XP. […]
Show full quote

Arrived and working in DOS 6.22 with VSBHDA, Windows 98 and XP.

As expected, the wires aren't long enough to route it behind the Audigy card, I've had to remove my PCI GPU for now. What are these wires called so I can get some longer ones?

bls dupont Female to Female cable
https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-30CM-Length- … r/dp/B007Q84AUU
https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-Jumper-Femal … /dp/B08MZPJFMR/

https://www.amazon.com.au/RLECS-Dupont-7-9inc … r/dp/B0DGGCM12Z
https://www.amazon.com.au/ZYAMY-Dupont-Connec … d/dp/B0789F523N

AaronS wrote on 2026-05-06, 15:57:

Arrived and working in DOS 6.22 with VSBHDA, Windows 98 and XP.

As expected, the wires aren't long enough to route it behind the Audigy card, I've had to remove my PCI GPU for now. What are these wires called so I can get some longer ones?

I'm not sure if I can provide Amazon links, but the best solution is probably to get 10-Pin (2x5) IDC ribbon cable, the extension version.
FC-10P connector has low height (unlike Dupont) and doesn't block the installation of long cards, which can be important.

If you have soldering experience, you can make your own cable from the motherboard COM port cable, following the pinout of both devices.

shevalier wrote on 2026-05-07, 04:25:

bls dupont Female to Female cable https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-30CM-Length- … r/dp/B007Q84AUU https://www.amazon.com.au/uxce […]
Show full quote

bls dupont Female to Female cable
https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-30CM-Length- … r/dp/B007Q84AUU
https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-Jumper-Femal … /dp/B08MZPJFMR/

https://www.amazon.com.au/RLECS-Dupont-7-9inc … r/dp/B0DGGCM12Z
https://www.amazon.com.au/ZYAMY-Dupont-Connec … d/dp/B0789F523N

Thank you, last question, it doesn't matter what colour they are does it? so long as they're connected to the correct pins obviously. I found some here and they have "black female to female 30cm, 5pcs"
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/389191498901

ott wrote on 2026-05-07, 09:39:

I'm not sure if I can provide Amazon links, but the best solution is probably to get 10-Pin (2x5) IDC ribbon cable, the extensio […]
Show full quote

I'm not sure if I can provide Amazon links, but the best solution is probably to get 10-Pin (2x5) IDC ribbon cable, the extension version.
FC-10P connector has low height (unlike Dupont) and doesn't block the installation of long cards, which can be important.

The attachment 51olVkCHsPL._SL1082_.jpg is no longer available

If you have soldering experience, you can make your own cable from the motherboard COM port cable, following the pinout of both devices.

The attachment fc-10p.jpg is no longer available

and then connect the dupont cables to the male pins or?

AaronS wrote on 2026-05-13, 13:31:

Thank you, last question, it doesn't matter what colour they are does it? so long as they're connected to the correct pins obvio […]
Show full quote

shevalier wrote on 2026-05-07, 04:25:

bls dupont Female to Female cable https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-30CM-Length- … r/dp/B007Q84AUU https://www.amazon.com.au/uxce […]
Show full quote

bls dupont Female to Female cable
https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-30CM-Length- … r/dp/B007Q84AUU
https://www.amazon.com.au/uxcell-Jumper-Femal … /dp/B08MZPJFMR/

https://www.amazon.com.au/RLECS-Dupont-7-9inc … r/dp/B0DGGCM12Z
https://www.amazon.com.au/ZYAMY-Dupont-Connec … d/dp/B0789F523N

Thank you, last question, it doesn't matter what colour they are does it? so long as they're connected to the correct pins obviously. I found some here and they have "black female to female 30cm, 5pcs"
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/389191498901

ott wrote on 2026-05-07, 09:39:

I'm not sure if I can provide Amazon links, but the best solution is probably to get 10-Pin (2x5) IDC ribbon cable, the extensio […]
Show full quote

I'm not sure if I can provide Amazon links, but the best solution is probably to get 10-Pin (2x5) IDC ribbon cable, the extension version.
FC-10P connector has low height (unlike Dupont) and doesn't block the installation of long cards, which can be important.

The attachment 51olVkCHsPL._SL1082_.jpg is no longer available

If you have soldering experience, you can make your own cable from the motherboard COM port cable, following the pinout of both devices.

The attachment fc-10p.jpg is no longer available

I see, I'll have a look.

The colour doesn’t matter until the first time you swap the power and earth leads. 🙁
Because sooner or later you’ll forget which end goes where.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196058776454
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264007428327
The Dupont connector has a plastic tab. If you gently pry it up with a knife or needle, the wire will come out.
Take one 2*5 connector (for the sound card) and one 1*4 connector (for the bracket).
Then assemble a single specialised cable from 3 wire.

Yep all good, 5x2 to 1x4. No longer putting any pressure on those pins.

I had another idea but probably for another time, it would be interesting if I could cut a gameport sized hole into the S/PDIF bracket (since I have no intention of using the coax port, desolder that), and wire that up too.