Recommend a good 5.1 speaker setup

[tornadog]

I recently got a 360 and have it connected to my PC monitor using the VGA cable. I found that I can only get stereo output using my current Altec Lansing 251 5.1 setup and that too by going through my Audigy's line-in. I want a speaker that can take an Optical/Digital input directly from the 360 without going through the PC's soundcard. Everything that I looked at, the Logitech Z-5500/Z-5450, Klipsch ProMedia, Gigaworks are all close to $300. Is there anything in the sub 200 range that can serve my purpose? Other option is to get a soundcard that takes optical input, can the new Creative X-Fi do that?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

With an I/O module, the X-Fi can do digital input.

If you're looking to replace your current speakers, you're pretty limited for your options. I think the most viable solutions for you would be either Logitech z-680s or Logitech z-5500s. The Promedias don't have a digital input and neither do the gigaworks if I remember correctly.

There is also the Klipsch gmx-d set, which I've seen for relatively cheap in the past, but it's not as nice as the promedia set and you're pretty screwed for hooking up a computer to it unless you have a DDL / DTS card.

You've also got crappy HTIB as a cheap option. I wouldn't recommend it, but it's out there if you want to do it. As long as it includes an optical input on its receiver, the set would function for you. Again, like the Klipsch GMX set, you'd have issues hooking up to a standard soundcard.

Another option which I again am not too crazy about is creative makes a digital decoder box. linky
This would allow you to take digital inputs and hook up your existing 5.1 speakers to it. I'm not crazy about this option because it's fairly hard to find these anymore and I don't like the idea of pumping this amount of money into getting more functionality into a set of budget computer speakers.

 

[tornadog]

so if I keep my Audigy 1, I can go with the Z-5500 and that would serve my purpose, right?

What options do I have if I replace my soundcard? which direction would that take me?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Right, 5.1 analog hooked up from Audigy to the z-5500's analog inputs, and then hook up the xbox via the digital connection. You'll be able to play xbox without the computer on.

For a different soundcard, you'll need something with digital input and most cards don't tend to have that. There have been some X-Fi deals lately for ~$60 which is a good price on that.

Today there's another digital input on X-Fi thread that has some links
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=27&threadid=1928166&enterthread=y

There are some other cards that have this capability too, but most are not gaming oriented.