Good 5.1 speakers

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I have not used these sets for more than a short period of time. I've used some of the older models for extended periods of time, but I can't give you anything very specific about what differences you would hear.

The z-5300s and z-5450s should be similar in quality. There may be issues with the wireless rear speakers though.

The z-5500s would be the next step up.

Nah, the z-5500 and the z-5450 are similar in quality, except the latter has wireless rear speakers. Most people find this a plus, some report minor issues/interference with other wireless products.

the 5300e's don't even have digital input so that's a step down from the above mentioned speakers.

I would suggest avioding the 5300e's, I was dissapointed with them. Bass was to overpowering even when it was all the way turned down. I'm trying to get z-5500/5450 myself right now for the better quality/rms and digital input for my xbox 360.

?? 5450 is the 5300 with wireless. atleast from the specs i've seen, 6.5" woofer, 2.5" cone drivers. the 5500 is 10" sub 3" speaker drivers. go for the 5500 or klipsch. the lower models are just weak. bigger subs tend to put out better quality bass, not just louder. i prefer speakers to have tweeters like the klipsch, but if you are just going to have one speaker i guess it should be bigger for better midrange.

 

[0roo0roo]

speaker wire is cheap, u can get 50" feet of the stuff for less than 10 bucks...you can even upgrade to 16 guage...radio shack..frys wherever. just buy a roll

 

[Gautama2]

Ooo goody, delloutlet has them for $270. I get a 10% discount from work, then slap on some deal coupons, might get the price around $200

Edit: Free shipping to boot!

 

[Aikouka]

I have a Logitech 5450 set and have had 0 problems with wireless devices in my area including a Logitech wireless router and my XBOX 360 (also uses 2.4Ghz wireless for the controllers). However, I do tend to turn off the speakers when using my XBOX as the speakers are hooked to my PC via optical not to my XBOX . The set's actually nice, but I'd highly recommend going from analog to optical, as I had a horrid time trying to get the proper sound channels to come out of the rear speakers ( not Logitech's fault ), but since an optical is one connection for all channels and the on-board DD processor handles the channel distribution, it worked much better.

The rear speakers do hiss a little bit if there's nothing coming out of them and you put your ear up to them, other than that, they're fine. They also only do this when your speakers are turned on and they're receiving a signal (regardless of whether or not there's actually anything on it). I kind of wish I would've waited as I paid $300 for them at NewEgg a couple days before that deal came out.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
I have a Logitech 5450 set and have had 0 problems with wireless devices in my area including a Logitech wireless router and my XBOX 360 (also uses 2.4Ghz wireless for the controllers). However, I do tend to turn off the speakers when using my XBOX as the speakers are hooked to my PC via optical not to my XBOX . The set's actually nice, but I'd highly recommend going from analog to optical, as I had a horrid time trying to get the proper sound channels to come out of the rear speakers ( not Logitech's fault ), but since an optical is one connection for all channels and the on-board DD processor handles the channel distribution, it worked much better.

The rear speakers do hiss a little bit if there's nothing coming out of them and you put your ear up to them, other than that, they're fine. They also only do this when your speakers are turned on and they're receiving a signal (regardless of whether or not there's actually anything on it). I kind of wish I would've waited as I paid $300 for them at NewEgg a couple days before that deal came out.

Optical would be a bad idea for gaming on a computer, but for gaming systems it's a good option.

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Optical would be a bad idea for gaming on a computer, but for gaming systems it's a good option.

Not when you're forced to duplicate your front speakers through your rear speakers, because nothing will work through the rears when set to Rear L/R or Side L/R even when forcing channels. Also, the middle speaker sounded like pure garbage when using analog and forcing Front L/R conversion (a garbled mix of the two). In fact, it was so bad, I had to turn the center speaker off.

Optical relieves this speaker setup issue and that's why I'll use it over analog any day. Unfortunately, that also disables my analog connectors, so now I can't use my headphones unless I turn it back. Fortunately, if I open my sound manager, click the Dolby Digital Button/Image, it disables the optical output and sets it back to the rear analog ports. Reversing the process will re-enable my optical as well. A little inconvenient, but it works.

Also, the main game I play on my computer (WoW) has its sounds turned all the way down . I mainly use it for music if anything. I'd probably swap it over to my TV if I wasn't worried about the wireless rear speakers interfering with my XBOX 360 game controllers (wireless controllers and other wireless goodies all use the 2.4ghz band too).

EDIT: By headphones I mean headset... it wouldn't be a big deal unless I didn't care about using a mic as the 5450 has a headphone jack on the side of the processing unit.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Optical would be a bad idea for gaming on a computer, but for gaming systems it's a good option.

Not when you're forced to duplicate your front speakers through your rear speakers, because nothing will work through the rears when set to Rear L/R or Side L/R even when forcing channels. Also, the middle speaker sounded like pure garbage when using analog and forcing Front L/R conversion (a garbled mix of the two). In fact, it was so bad, I had to turn the center speaker off.

Optical relieves this speaker setup issue and that's why I'll use it over analog any day. Unfortunately, that also disables my analog connectors, so now I can't use my headphones unless I turn it back. Fortunately, if I open my sound manager, click the Dolby Digital Button/Image, it disables the optical output and sets it back to the rear analog ports. Reversing the process will re-enable my optical as well. A little inconvenient, but it works.

Also, the main game I play on my computer (WoW) has its sounds turned all the way down . I mainly use it for music if anything. I'd probably swap it over to my TV if I wasn't worried about the wireless rear speakers interfering with my XBOX 360 game controllers (wireless controllers and other wireless goodies all use the 2.4ghz band too).

EDIT: By headphones I mean headset... it wouldn't be a big deal unless I didn't care about using a mic as the 5450 has a headphone jack on the side of the processing unit.

I'm not sure what the problem was with your personal experience of analog output, but there are definately advantages to conneting with analog over digital.

I already linked to this in this thread, but it's basically why you don't want to connect digitally for gaming unless you have a DD / DTS encoding card.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=30&threadid=1940133&enterthread=y

If your own integrated sound is fvcked up, then I guess that's a reason to do it too... but I wouldn't say something like "I'd highly recommend going from analog to optical" to someone else.

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I'm not sure what the problem was with your personal experience of analog output, but there are definately advantages to conneting with analog over digital.

I already linked to this in this thread, but it's basically why you don't want to connect digitally for gaming unless you have a DD / DTS encoding card.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=30&threadid=1940133&enterthread=y

If your own integrated sound is fvcked up, then I guess that's a reason to do it too... but I wouldn't say something like "I'd highly recommend going from analog to optical" to someone else.

I never said my integrated sound was messed up at all.. in fact, when I set it to 7.1 (oddly enough) with the two speakers being Side L/R, it worked just fine. Problem is, NOTHING would use those rear speakers unless they were set to the Front L/R. No matter what setting I tweaked being it to use 6 channels, or even 2 channels and emulating the 6 channels... nothing worked.

Hence why I suggest using an optical connection vs. an analog if there's issues as the optical uses the decoder for channel information such as that.

Also, I may use on-board audio (never felt like paying $120 for a sound card... I'd rather spend that on another 750GB HDD), my Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 uses the Realtek ALC888DD, which can encode DD and DTS .

EDIT: By "worked just fine", I mean that the sound codec application was able to play tones on all attached speakers.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I'm not sure what the problem was with your personal experience of analog output, but there are definately advantages to conneting with analog over digital.

I already linked to this in this thread, but it's basically why you don't want to connect digitally for gaming unless you have a DD / DTS encoding card.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=30&threadid=1940133&enterthread=y

If your own integrated sound is fvcked up, then I guess that's a reason to do it too... but I wouldn't say something like "I'd highly recommend going from analog to optical" to someone else.

I never said my integrated sound was messed up at all.. in fact, when I set it to 7.1 (oddly enough) with the two speakers being Side L/R, it worked just fine. Problem is, NOTHING would use those rear speakers unless they were set to the Front L/R. No matter what setting I tweaked being it to use 6 channels, or even 2 channels and emulating the 6 channels... nothing worked.

Hence why I suggest using an optical connection vs. an analog if there's issues as the optical uses the decoder for channel information such as that.

Also, I may use on-board audio (never felt like paying $120 for a sound card... I'd rather spend that on another 750GB HDD), my Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 uses the Realtek ALC888DD, which can encode DD and DTS .

EDIT: By "worked just fine", I mean that the sound codec application was able to play tones on all attached speakers.

Well I guess I'm saying that is was messed up. You should have been able to play sounds on the rears with surround material if things were working right.

 

[Gautama2]

So from some reviews I've read, I see the z5500 decodes DTS. So thats good.


Also, how much do you guys think I will be blown away by these coupled with a X-Fi Xtreme music (I think I should grab this to replace my $30 Audigy, though open to opinions)

 

[Ichigo]

Optical out to Z5500's to decode DTS? Thus bypassing your $70 X-Fi? Great idea.

 

[Gautama2]

Pssh, I have no idea how these cables work lol.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

If you get the X-Fi, use analog.

What kind of Audigy do you have? The original one?

You rig link doesn't work btw
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=42&threadid=1715668&enterthread=y

 

[goobernoodles]

Originally posted by: SpeedZealot369
Nah, the z-5500 and the z-5450 are similar in quality, except the latter has wireless rear speakers. Most people find this a plus, some report minor issues/interference with other wireless products.

the 5300e's don't even have digital input so that's a step down from the above mentioned speakers.

I would suggest avioding the 5300e's, I was dissapointed with them. Bass was to overpowering even when it was all the way turned down. I'm trying to get z-5500/5450 myself right now for the better quality/rms and digital input for my xbox 360.

Incorrect.

You're talking about completely different species here. A 10" 188 watt sub of the z-5500's vs a 6.5" 116 watt sub in the 5450's? That's not including the weaker sats.

 

[Gautama2]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp...udigy+se&type=product&id=1138084673510 This is the audigy I have.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Yeah, that's rather stripped down and probably has a lot in common with the SB-Live series vs. the Audigy series.

I'd say get the best speakers you can for now and then down the road upgrade your soundcard. It's a lot easier to add one later than it would be to compromise your speakers now to get an X-Fi and then be stuck with the issue of trying to upgrade your speakers.

 

[Gautama2]

And I assume the Xtreme Musics are the best choice. I also plan on getting Vista sometime in 2007, anything I should know?


Edit: And how far back should the rears be?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

It used to be. I'm not as confident anymore with the new creative offerings.

There are a couple Vista Soundcard threads around. I think there's one that was created / bumped recently too. Take a look.

"Creative cards will continue to be good for gaming" is what I got out of it initially.

Try to get all the speakers equal distance away from you, but it's not a big deal. If they are farther / closer away, the time it takes sound to get to you will be varied slightly, but it's not something to lose any sleep over. Much more important is to get them in roughly the right position.

 

[Gautama2]

Will the rears auto-adjust to be louder if placed farther back, or can I do this via the included software?


And, how wowed will I be

Im excited.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Gautama2
Will the rears auto-adjust to be louder if placed farther back, or can I do this via the included software?


And, how wowed will I be

Im excited.

They will not auto adjust. Hopefully you'll have a level adjustment in your sound utility program provided with your soundcard.

Depends on what you're used to how "wowed" you will be.

I've experienced roughly 5 "wows"

Midiland 4.1 to Logitech z-560
Logitech z-560 to Fluance SX-HTB + SV-6 + Dayton 10"
Dayton 10+ to SVS PB10
Fluance to Onix Rocket 550 Ultra HT
SVS PB10 to SVS 20-39 PC+

Right now I'm working on #6 adding a PC Ultra to the mix

The first wow was a big one, and is probably what you're looking at.

 

[Gautama2]

Yay


Thanks again Yoyo

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Gautama2
Yay


Thanks again Yoyo

No problem. I think you're going to like it.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Meh, just got a reply from my e-mail sent hours ago on the sub, it's gone, so looks like it's 7.1 time for me

 

[Twinpeaksr]

http://www.paradigm.com/Website/SitePar...Models/CinemaCT/Cinema110CT_Specs.html

IF you want a HT go all out!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Twinpeaksr
http://www.paradigm.com/Website/SitePar...Models/CinemaCT/Cinema110CT_Specs.html

IF you want a HT go all out!

That's not all out