XB1 Bitstream Out Issues with my Sound Blaster ZXR PCIe Sound Card

Hey Guys!

I recently decided to make the move from gaming headset to reference headphones. I purchased the Sound Blaster ZXR sound card because it has a ton of features, specifically the ability to do Optical In/Out pass through. This is my problem:

In my XB1's sound settings, I select Bitstream out (Either DTS or Dolby, doesn't matter, results are the same), the optical cable is plugged into an optical switch, which is plugged into the Optical In on my sound card. When I check the box for "Listen
to this device", all I hear is horrible electronic buzzing.

The first few times I tried stereo uncompressed, I couldn't hear anything, but it's working now. I may not have had my volume high enough initially because I do have to turn it up pretty high to hear sound. But I DO get sound.

I know, I know, just be happy that you have sound. After the hours that I spent obsessing over all of this before I got sound through stereo uncompressed, I'm elated to hear anything at all. My gripe with this situation is that when I switch to my PS4
(running off the exact same optical switch) I can use any format that console offers, and the sound comes through beautifully (bitstream DTS and Dolby included). WTF??? My PS4 pretty much serves as a DVD player that I occasionally play Destiny on with my
ONE friend who doesn't own an XB. I primarily play Halo and CoD on my XB1, and I think I should be able to test these games using all of the available audio formats, no?

The real *** of it is that if I plug my XB1 directly into my Z906 speakers, I can use any format. That's great, except the whole point of this is to be able to use my reference headphones while playing my games, so... meh.

I guess it's obvious my XB1 and sound card aren't going to have the most loving relationship. The sound card has all the latest drivers, XB1 is up to date. I'm just throwing this out there because I know the Sound Blaster Z series is REALLY popular, and
a lot of folks are streaming and have both consoles and a PC. I can't be the only person who's run into this, and somebody out there in Internet land may have already conquered this final boss. Share you knowledge with me, senpai!

:)

 

HDMI --> HDMI + Optical out

Cheaper alternative is a sound card with an optical out port. More expensive option would be a receiver that has HDMI in and out along with an optical out. Don't need a new motherboard. Soundcard internal PCI or PCIe or external with an optical out are between
$30-80 and receivers with HDMI and optical out are I want to say around $200 for the low end, but an investment if you want to get a full surround speaker system to go with it.

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Have two sound cards in my PC and the motherboard has on board so I have three optical outs and two in.

 

Connecting Vizio Soundbar to Xbox One

I'm using the Vizio 5.1 sound bar with (Bitstream out, Bitstream out, Dolby Digital)

 

I'm also about to upgrade my audio set up. XB1 console... TOSlink... DAC/amp... $200-300 headphones. Either Sound BlasterX g5 or Schiit Magni 2 & Modi 2 rigs. kansas325: did it work out for you?