please recommend audio subsystem

[Heckler 5th]

i'll soon be getting speakers and a sound card so i would like to hear suggestions regarding the best combo for gaming. nothing too expensive. i'm leaning toward the logitech z-5500 speakers but still don't know the best sound card to get for em.

i'd like to get a DD Live-capable card but i bought the bluegears mystique several months ago and send it back cuz the drivers were horrible. settings had to be reconfigured after every reboot and the first second or so of every audio stream was cut off.

is there a DDL card with solid drivers out there yet that is markedly better at gaming than the EAX5-capable x-fi?

thanks, all!

 

[SophalotJack]

Check out gigaworks if you want the only strong / compatible 7.1 gaming speaker system for SB cards.

 

[slpaulson]

The only reason you should really need DD live is if you are hooking your speakers up to a reciever.

I'd get an X-Fi if you play games, otherwise an M-Audio card for music and movies.

 

[BigJohn444]

I am real happy with my Logitech z-5500 set. The satellites are great but not up to the excellence of the rest of the parts. The Ultimate would be to replace them with a Klipsh Quintet H.T. set which are the same parts used in their high end computer set, without the sub and amps. The Logitech sub is just fantastic, better that most home theater parts under $600 alone, and the controller of the z-5500 is just as good.

I plan to get an X-Fi platinum for my new Opty 175 rig as the pieces come together.

 

[Heckler 5th]

i was leaning towards DDL b/c that's the only way to get DD5.1 in games. otherwise, in order to get sound from the center speaker while playing, you'll have to use some kind of "bastardized" surround matrix- such as prologicII- either through the soundcard (x-fi) or speakers, correct?

anyone know from experience how this method compares to DD5.1?

 

[Ghouler]

I do not see point in digital connection between this (X-Fi) sound card and this speaker set (z5500).

Digital is not necessarily better if you have to use DDL or DPL to get your 5.1. sounds in games. But z5500 have 6 channel direct inputs that accept analog signal from any 5.1 + sound card.

It is reasonable to use digital connection to:
1.cure groundloop problems
2.protect signal from interference
3.avoid signal loss in long analog cables
4.avoid phasing due to long distances
5.bypass inferior DAC on a sound card.

That's all true, but 1-4 do not normally occur at home and if you go for X-Fi DAC on the sound card will be not worse in quality from the DAC on Z5500.

 

[Chris2wire]

You dont need the latest and greatset to get the best...

I LOVE my logitech 2300z 2.1 (may not rememebr the model number exact) speakers with 230w powered sub, joined with an audigy 2. The sound is crisp, clear and SHAKES the house. I hooked up my TV to it so now movies shake the house and the sound is amazing.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by: Heckler 5th
i was leaning towards DDL b/c that's the only way to get DD5.1 in games. otherwise, in order to get sound from the center speaker while playing, you'll have to use some kind of "bastardized" surround matrix- such as prologicII- either through the soundcard (x-fi) or speakers, correct?

anyone know from experience how this method compares to DD5.1?

DDL is an audio compression codec, not a gaming surround sound codec. DDL does not do anything magical with gaming audio, all it does it take the same '"bastardized" surround matrix- such as prologicII' and encode it into a Dolby Digital compliant stream that a DD decoder can process so you can use one cable to send audio from your card instead of multiple with analog.

Because no non-Creative sound card uses anything beyond the dated EAX 2 (which is what DDL cards are really encoding to DD), any Creative card will sound much better in gaming. Compressing EAX 2 audio into a DD stream is not going to come close to sounding as good as whatever variation of EAX HD Creative is up to in analog.

SophalotJack is right, on a budget, an X-Fi and 7.1 Gigaworks speakers is the best setup around for gaming.

 

[Ghouler]

or $200 less will get you Logitech's Z-5300e.
(I doubt you can hear any diff between Logitech Z-5300e and Logitech Z-5500.)

 

[Heckler 5th]

thanks, guys! that's exactly what i wanted to hear; EAX2 -> DD5.1 vs. EAX5 -> PLII. i'll stick to creative. x-fi on the way! speakers... not sure what to get yet. right now my opinion, most based on affordability, resembles:

z-5300e (~$130) > z-5500 (~$260) > x-530 (~$58).

thanks again for your input, everybody!