Difference between onboard S/PDIF Optical VS video card HDMI?

Stealth3si

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Dec 12, 2010
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In terms of sound quality and number of discrete audio channels (stereo vs 5.1), is there a noticeable difference between my computer's onboard soundcard's S/PDIF Optical Toslink output versus MSI Radeon Asus 7850 HDMI sound output?

Originally, I wanted to hear my PC games via my computer's discrete Asus DX sound card's S/PDIF Optical Toslink output to my Denon 1712's S/PDIF Optical Toslink input but the Asus's S/PDIF Optical Toslink output didn't work (it broke), so I'm currently hearing my PC games via my video card's HDMI output.

If I wanted to hear my PC games via my computer onboard Realtek sound card's S/PDIF Optical Toslink output, I must buy an optical cable to connect to my Denon 1712 receiver but before I could waste money I was wondering if anyone knows from experience if I would get the same high quality digital 5.1 sound coming from MSI Radeon Asus 7850 HDMI sound output?
 

cin19

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Both S/PDIF and HDMI use the digital sound, If you connect the PC to Denon 1712 receiver by either S/PDIF or HDMI you will not notice difference by your ears, but maybe or only by the sound test equipment.