Need suggestion

[Ruger22C]

I'm currently running a 7.1 set-up, (P7800). I was going to purchase the S750, but it went out of production.

Can anyone suggest to me a sub (?right part?) capable of 7-channel? Prefferably digital, analog will work too.

I'd preffer to stay in the >$500 range for the set, to keep in mind for the price of the sub(?)

Thanks!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

With computer speakers, a subwoofer usually has inputs for 8 channel analog from a computer's output for a 7.1 set. The subwoofer (or control pod attached to the subwoofer) will take those signals and apply its own crossover to them sending frequencies above a certain point to the speakers while the subwoofer plays the rest of the lower frequencies.

The way this works, a computer subwoofer is pretty much taking th role of
1. Signal processing (usually a receiver in a HT setup)
2. Subwoofer
3. Subwoofer amplifier
4. Speaker amplifier

The vast majority of subwoofers out there are going to do 2 and 3 for you, but 1 and 4 are usually handled by a receiver.

I don't think there's a good all-in-one product for you that is going to take the role of the P7800 subwoofer and effectively integrate with the satellite speakers you already have.

With $500 though, you could get a better sound system going than you already have though. So is bass the area you want to improve upon? In terms of quality of the sound or output or what?

 

[Ruger22C]

Over-all sound quality. I want to keep my 7 channel though. Bass improvment would be good too.
What do you suggest sir?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Ruger22C
I want to keep my 7 channel though

You mean you want to keep the existing satellite speakers?

What sources are you hooking up to this? Just the computer? Through the X-Fi?

 

[Ruger22C]

No. I want new satellites. But I want the new set-up to support 7 channel.

Through the PC (... X-Fi)

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Maybe someone can chime in with the latest info on creative cards and how nicely they play with receivers in vista via 7.1 analog for bass management or if the DD encoding software works well...

With $500 you could get a pretty decent 7.1 HTIB set or you could put something together with a budget receiver, subwoofer, and speakers from the low end recommendations I have in the sticky thread.

So you have a good room to set up 7.1 with the surround speakers roughly to the sides of you and the rears behind?

 

[Ruger22C]

I don't know anything about recievers. But I know Vista plays 7.1.. You just have to download an update.
I'm using XP anyway.

 

[Ruger22C]

I have enough room for the 7.1, yes.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Ruger22C
I don't know anything about recievers. But I know Vista plays 7.1.. You just have to download an update.
I'm using XP anyway.

Ok, can someone shed some light on the current status of the X-Fi's capabilities in XP then for bass management and DD encoding?

I really haven't taken much interest in keeping up with X-Fi's ability to do those things after trying to find accurate information before and giving up.

If X-Fi doesn't play nice, you could potentially sell it and get a card that will play nice with a non-computer speaker setup.

Have you looked at the sticky thread at all?

 

[Ruger22C]

www.ruger22c.com/speakers1.jpg

My current setup.

 

[Ruger22C]

No, yoyo. I'll do that now.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Ruger22C
www.ruger22c.com/speakers1.jpg

My current setup.

Are those pieces of plastic covering the speakers?

 

[Ruger22C]

It's tape to make it stay on ... *cough*

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Ruger22C
It's tape to make it stay on ... *cough*

Heh ok.

It seems like you don't have much room around for larger speakers. Most of the better speakers are going to be larger.

 

[Ruger22C]

That's OK. I'm moving soon and will have ALOT of room.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Ruger22C
That's OK. I'm moving soon and will have ALOT of room.

Oh good. I was worried that putting larger speakers in that space wouldn't really work for you.