Use the TOSLINK connectors? It avoids all that nasty DAC business on the card in favor of a better solution in your amp.

Well, I'm using 2.1 Logitech speakers so that's a no. I don't want to use my (home theater) amp as the speakers are facing the wrong way and fixing another amp and speaker set for this is just too much hassle. Anyway, I kinda got over it by driving back to work and grabbing SB Audigy which I had lying in a junk box. Still, a shame that Hercules went with this proprietary cable, I've read the Fortissimo is quite a good card.

I contacted Hercules to see if they information regarding the pinout of that card. I'll let you know what they say.

That chipset is neat because it usually used Sensaura to provide both A3D and EAX.

Neat! I was about to ask them about the card and cable, but seeing as they've moved on to other audio equipment I decided against it.

We thank you for reaching us regarding your inquiry.

For this particular product we do not have any spare parts left.

Regarding the adapter we recommend you taking the sound card to the local PC shop. The personnel from there might be able to assist you with some after-market compatible adapters.

I replied by explaining that there don't appear to be any such aftermarket options and asked that he pass along the request, but they may also no longer have the information. The only sure option right now is to find another cable to reverse engineer or generate tones on the card to trace pins.

I also have this card, albeit one of the main output channels was broken over 10 years ago by potential difference between amp and PC when disconnecting/reconnecting audio cables while mains plugs were connected.

Which means I should also have the adapter somewhere, but I think the last time I saw it was 10 years ago.

The problem will not be tracing which pin is which, but rather where to get a connector to build your own cable..

Jepael wrote:

The problem will not be tracing which pin is which, but rather where to get a connector to build your own cable..

It looks a lot like the sort of thing found on video cards that feature composite out. (Of course, you'd still probably have to re-wire it. Or maybe not, if you're lucky.)

I'm sure there's a technical name for it, but I found this with an image search for <9-pin composite out cable>.
http://www.dhgate.com/store/product/s-to-3-rc … o/69170640.html

EDIT: Wikipedia calls it a 9-pin Mini-DIN, but that's probably not too helpful.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini-DIN_connector#9-pin_2

Well, there are 9-min mini DIN connectors, and then there's almost identical but not as per DIN standard - I don't know if this is standard or not, but this requires a flat section at the top of the connector, so it is not round.

Anyway, I've measured something so far:
Pins 7&9 are main line outputs, L&R.
Pins 1&2 are amplified outputs (phones), don't know which is L&R.
Ground is only connected to connector metal shell, not to any pin.

Pin numbers I used here : http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/449/KC-301078-205720.pdf

Will update this as soon as I get time.

Jepael wrote:

The problem will not be tracing which pin is which, but rather where to get a connector to build your own cable..

It's physically the same plug as used for surround sound speakers although not electrically the same.

http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/cui-i … -2090-ND/145326
This one, I think.

Jepael wrote:

Anyway, I've measured something so far: Pins 7&9 are main line outputs, L&R. Pins 1&2 are amplified outputs (phones), don't know […]
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Anyway, I've measured something so far:
Pins 7&9 are main line outputs, L&R.
Pins 1&2 are amplified outputs (phones), don't know which is L&R.
Ground is only connected to connector metal shell, not to any pin.

Great job, thanks! This pretty much covers the audio out requirement.

Hooray! Hercules-Guillemot came through with a pinout!

Thanks! Now I just need time to make the cable, maybe by summer.... 😵