OMG! I just bought 4.1 surround sound and this sounds INCREDIBLE! (What's the difference between 4.1 and 5.1?)

[ThisIsMatt]

Well, they're not 4.1's or 5.1's, but my two amps and two sets of speakers work pretty good with my front & rear outs from my SB live + 5.1

 

[Viperoni]

<< Just curious: Does anyone make a stand alone 5.1 decoder box? As in it takes a digital 5.1 signal and outputs it to 6 RCA channels? >>




Yup, they're called Decoders, and they basically hook up with the coax/optical digital input, and give you the 6 RCA jacks as an out......they usually have a volume control as well.
So you just hook up your amp(s) to it, and there you go
Plus if the standard changes, you just swap decoders

 

[Aihyah]

don't really need decoders anymore, newest ver of windvd decodes dts/dolby digital/dolby surround

 

[Viperoni]

yeah but you still need a way to get the 6 line level outputs to an amplifier..............

 

[Sugadaddy]

Midiland makes a little DD decoder, costs around 100$ I think. Anyways, if it's for a computer, software decoding is just as good, and 4.1 speakers are enough since you sit so close to the two fronts you can't tell the difference between a real center and a "ghost" channel.

For a real HT setup, it's another story...

 

[kami]

<< Center channel? Cool, but not necessary for me... >>


yeah that's what I thought when I was a newb...boy was i wrong probably the most critical speaker in a surround setup

now i have a $2.5k setup...trust me, it's addicting.......get out while you still can!!

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<<

<< Center channel? Cool, but not necessary for me... >>


yeah that's what I thought when I was a newb...boy was i wrong probably the most critical speaker in a surround setup

now i have a $2.5k setup...trust me, it's addicting.......get out while you still can!! >>

You have a $2,500 setup for sound? Jesus H. Christ, I could buy my dream system and an old beater to take me to work every day with that. What a waste of money!

Now... if that's your only means of entertainment (i.e. no separate TV, stereo, etc), that's not too shabby. But you'd never catch me wasting $2.5K on my computer. I got better things to invest in ...like friendships ...and tofu.

 

[Aihyah]

eh? one can easily spend 2.5k to build a computer. from scratch of course for a decent gaming rig.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<< eh? one can easily spend 2.5k to build a computer. from scratch of course for a decent gaming rig. >>

I have a kick-ass system on file for 1,500. Where's the extra grand come in!?

 

[DaLeroy]

<<

<<

<< Center channel? Cool, but not necessary for me... >>


yeah that's what I thought when I was a newb...boy was i wrong probably the most critical speaker in a surround setup

now i have a $2.5k setup...trust me, it's addicting.......get out while you still can!! >>

You have a $2,500 setup for sound? Jesus H. Christ, I could buy my dream system and an old beater to take me to work every day with that. What a waste of money!

Now... if that's your only means of entertainment (i.e. no separate TV, stereo, etc), that's not too shabby. But you'd never catch me wasting $2.5K on my computer. I got better things to invest in ...like friendships ...and tofu. >>



I think he is talking about his main Home Theatre here....2.5K on a PC stereo is overkill methinks!

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<< 2.5K on a PC stereo is overkill methinks >>

I'm hoping

 

[Aihyah]

<< eh? one can easily spend 2.5k to build a computer. from scratch of course for a decent gaming rig. >>

I have a kick-ass system on file for 1,500. Where's the extra grand come in!?

depends on what you want. if you want a nice 17" lcd then thats gonna set you back atleast $800 a good 19" crt.. $450-550, i paid 450 for my g400.
250-350 for the klipsch 4.1 or 5.1, 99-150 for audiology soundcard or the deluxe ver. 150 for a good case, 200 for a good 75+ gb hd, 50 mouse 20 keyboard(i'm a logitech mouse guy), dvd rom 100-150, cdrw burner 150+ for a good 16-24X, 20-50 for network card depending on your needs, 20-99 for modem if you need, 100-300 for video capture board or tv card, 100-350 for fast video card, 150 good motherboard.. if u go p4 your chip will be 200+ athlon 150~ or so, heatsink/fan 30-50 for a good one. 15 floppy, 100 for scanner if u want, 100-500 for a printer if u want 30-160 joystick if you want, same for steering wheel. rdram .. forgot how much that is but i bet i'd spend 200 at the very least, ddr is cheap.. 200 for a good slab of ram. now if you go scsi, the cost for many components is nearly double besides the cost of the scsi controller 30-50 for a good webcam, 30 for a good headset,

or you can just get a beautiful alienware 340watt ps p4 2ghz 384mb 36gb scsi gforce 3 sblive 5.1 16xdvd, plextor burner, usr modem, klipsch 5.1 keyboard/mouse, and nothing else really. no monitor. $3565

hehe just to play around with the site i slapped in all the top of the line stuff into the system, much of it not really the top of the line anymore, $11027.00

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<< << eh? one can easily spend 2.5k to build a computer. from scratch of course for a decent gaming rig. >>

I have a kick-ass system on file for 1,500. Where's the extra grand come in!?

depends on what you want. if you want a nice 17" lcd then thats gonna set you back atleast $800 a good 19" crt.. $450-550, i paid 450 for my g400.
250-350 for the klipsch 4.1 or 5.1, 99-150 for audiology soundcard or the deluxe ver. 150 for a good case, 200 for a good 75+ gb hd, 50 mouse 20 keyboard(i'm a logitech mouse guy), dvd rom 100-150, cdrw burner 150+ for a good 16-24X, 20-50 for network card depending on your needs, 20-99 for modem if you need, 100-300 for video capture board or tv card, 100-350 for fast video card, 150 good motherboard.. if u go p4 your chip will be 200+ athlon 150~ or so, heatsink/fan 30-50 for a good one. 15 floppy, 100 for scanner if u want, 100-500 for a printer if u want 30-160 joystick if you want, same for steering wheel. rdram .. forgot how much that is but i bet i'd spend 200 at the very least, ddr is cheap.. 200 for a good slab of ram. now if you go scsi, the cost for many components is nearly double besides the cost of the scsi controller 30-50 for a good webcam, 30 for a good headset,

or you can just a beautiful alienware 340watt ps p4 2ghz 384mb 36gb scsi gforce 3 sblive 5.1 16xdvd, plextor burner, usr modem, klipsch 5.1 keyboard/mouse, and nothing else really. no monitor. $3565

hehe just to play around with the site i all the top of the line stuff into the system, $11027.00 >>

See... that's all crap. I can get stuff for cheaper with quality that I can't tell the difference between. I don't have to pay $1000's more for a few more decibels or a few more dots per inch.

 

Listen to 7.1 THX.

 

[Aihyah]

it depends what you need i don't spend that much at once, but i know i've spent far more the 2.5k over the years upgrading and stuff, i do have the advantage of being able to build my pcs and canibalize old parts. also depends if your a heavy game.. that likes the newest most cutting edge games. that or vid editing, for optimal vid editing system can get expensive.

course you could nef on forums using a $200 used pos 486

 

[Yzzim]

Wow.

Now all I need is $400

 

[Stallion]

Ok, I have a set of Cambridge FPS2000. I'm curious what are they considered? 4.1 or lower, any one know.

 

[Viperoni]

<< Ok, I have a set of Cambridge FPS2000. I'm curious what are they considered? 4.1 or lower, any one know. >>



Well if there's 4 speakers and 1 sub......you have 4.1

Oh, and about the Klipsch's, I dont believe their amp ratings are true, or they are using some sort of Class D amp technology (bit worse SQ) to get that...........look at the back; no heatsink at all.

 

[Viperoni]

<<

<< Center channel? Cool, but not necessary for me... >>


yeah that's what I thought when I was a newb...boy was i wrong probably the most critical speaker in a surround setup

now i have a $2.5k setup...trust me, it's addicting.......get out while you still can!! >>



Guys, he is talking about HT.
The center IS the single most important speaker in the system, almost everything comes from it.
Next of course is your sub
Then your fronts then surrounds.

 

[xyyz]

<< Wow.

Now all I need is $400 >>



I'd whore myself out to a WOMAN to get the money for these.... ;p

I have the Cambridge Soundworks FPS-2500's which are a 5.1 solution... and they're connected to the digital out of my soundcard...

the sad thing... is I really only use two speakers... :/

 

[Stallion]

<< Well if there's 4 speakers and 1 sub......you have 4.1 >>



Wahoo look at me ,I have a 4.1 setup too.

Thanks for the tip Viperoni.

 

[kami]

I'm talking about my home theater you weirdos $2.5k on the home theater. but it's also hooked up to my computer for mp3s...



<< The center IS the single most important speaker in the system, almost everything comes from it. >>


yeah, and most movies have a lot of front panning...and with the gap in the middle it doesn't sound too good.

 

[LocutusX]

<< yeah, and most movies have a lot of front panning...and with the gap in the middle it doesn't sound too good. >>



For extensive HT use, sure. But for only the occasional DVD watching at your computer - where the FL and FR are so close together, compared to a living-room HT setup - 5.1 isn't neccessary, 4.1 is sufficient. IMHO.

Perhaps when people start playing most of their games on TV-Out in their living room, and 3D sound in games starts using 5.1 channels (like XBox)... then maybe...

 

[TheKidd]

Klipsch??...bah! My Videologic Sirocco Crossfire's own the promedias.
Crossfires...

 

[Viperoni]

<< I'm talking about my home theater you weirdos $2.5k on the home theater. but it's also hooked up to my computer for mp3s...



<< The center IS the single most important speaker in the system, almost everything comes from it. >>


yeah, and most movies have a lot of front panning...and with the gap in the middle it doesn't sound too good. >>



I dont have a center as of yet (haven't built it yet ), and I know I'm missing out on a bit, but it's probably not as much as I think it is.

My view from the couch; widest zoom (33mm) setting on digicam

I'm roughly 6.5 feet away from the speakers, and about the same from the center speaker location......

Next project is the sub (*ahhh* 15inch DVC (3l of displacement b!@tch!), 270watt amp )