Hi all, I was just wondering if RME Hammerfall can be used for Dolby surround output via its optical (SPDIF) output going into an AC-3 decoder. Is this something that is supported in the current drivers (in Win/Mac obviously since Linux drivers are not ready yet)? I am asking this since I am wondering whether it is cheaper to buy one of those ac-3 decoder sets that come with speakers or buy speakers separately (i.e. 8 powered speakers or 4 powered stereo pairs).
If this is not the case, then what is the most cost-effective way of getting 8 (preferrably powered) speakers so that the Multiface can be used for making/listening to 8-channel music. I looked so far at Roland MA8 speakers (which are $80 per pair) and Roland MA110's which are $120 per pair on the internet. Is there a better solution for this kind of arrangement if I wanted to have 8 speakers that are not necessarily high quality (but are acceptable) and do not require separate amplifiers (cost is what matters the most, but also the quality to an extent where they are still relatively cheap)? Your suggestions/thoughts on this topic would be utmostly appreciated! Ico