Hi folks, I'm a bit of a "noob" as far as hi-fi is concerned so please
be nice to me

Right, here's the deal: I currently have a cheapo Cambridge Audio amp
powering cheapo Eltax bookshelf speakers. I have my motherboard's ****ty
onboard sound connected to it, and I think it sounds great, all things
considered (naff cable with adaptors, compressed MP3s, onboard sound,
speakers are on desk - no stands).

What I want to do (if I ever get a job) is buy an Audigy 2 ZS sound card
and a Cambridge Audio (or similar) AV amp and use the S/PDIF digital
output from the Audigy 2 to connect it to the AV amp.
The amp will power a pair of floorstanding speakers as front speakers, a
subwoofer, and my trusty Eltaxes as rear speakers.
Is this feasible or am I being a bit optimistic? As you can imagine, I
don't want to throw money down the drain.
Its main purpose will be playing games and listening to MP3s, and
perhaps watching a few DVDs. I like the idea of being able to hear when
someone's coming up behind me in Counter-Strike

I downloaded the manual for the Audigy 2 ZS and the description for the
digital output jack is as follows:

"Connects to external digital devices or digital speaker systems
(6-channel or compressed AC-3 SPDIF output)."

Can one coax S/PDIF cable *really* carry 5 or 6 channels of sound?? Are
most AV amps able to decode [whatever the Audigy pumps out]?

What about the sound level? I find that even though I put the volume
control in Windows at max, the output from the amp is still a bit
quieter than my CD player and tuner seperates. With this new proposed
system will I still have the same game of having to adjust the volume
control on the amp whenever I want to switch between PC and CD/tuner inputs?

Sorry about the flood of questions, and thanks in advance for your
replies! I thought I'd ask here before I ask the idiots on Tottenham
Court Road.

Anton