Sound Blaster Audigy 2zs setup with Logitech Z5500

[Alxander]

Hello Guys!
Ive been reading this forum for about 15min.. and i started to search for cables, instead of changing dif setups, and stuff like that.. Then i maneged to Find the ULTIME SOLUTION!!

check this site out!

--> http://av-connection.com/ <--

Ibought the High-grade SoundCard Koaxial Digital Audio Interconnector Cable (MiniJack - Phono)!!!

You are also able to buy diferent lenghts, so everything should be settled for now =)

its located in denmark.. but its fast shipping anyway!!

 

[mike4him]

Ok-call me stupid (or just ignorant), but I just got a Dell XPS with the SB Audigy 2 Z, and the Logitech 5500 speakers with it, but what can I do about the connections to the speakers??? There are no such jacks (red, black, bare wire spring loaded type) anywhere on my PC! Are the speakers wireless? I've read much of what's been posted, but I am not making the connection (pardon the pun) of just how to hook up speakers and control center. I can see about the control center, but not all the speakers. Help!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: mike4him
Ok-call me stupid (or just ignorant), but I just got a Dell XPS with the SB Audigy 2 Z, and the Logitech 5500 speakers with it, but what can I do about the connections to the speakers??? There are no such jacks (red, black, bare wire spring loaded type) anywhere on my PC! Are the speakers wireless? I've read much of what's been posted, but I am not making the connection (pardon the pun) of just how to hook up speakers and control center. I can see about the control center, but not all the speakers. Help!

There should be speaker wire that goes between the speakers and the sub.

(doesn't the manual have instructions?)

 

[mike4him]

DUH!!

See, that's why I posted! I assumed the wires went to the PC, not the suboofer. I've never set anything remotely like this before, so I'm learning with every moment. Makes MUCH more sense now!

Thanks bro.

Mike

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: mike4him
DUH!!

See, that's why I posted! I assumed the wires went to the PC, not the suboofer. I've never set anything remotely like this before, so I'm learning with every moment. Makes MUCH more sense now!

Thanks bro.

Mike

No problem, and welcome to Anandtech.

The z-5500s hook up almost like a hometheater system except the amp for the speakers is built into the sub instead of being powered from an amp or receiver.

Enjoy them :thumbsup:

 

[BKnight]

Ok, I read this entire thread and I still can not determine what cable I need to use between my Audigy 2 ZS and Logitech Z-680 speaker pod. Specifically, for the 3.5mm jack labeled 'digital out' on the Audigy 2 ZS card, do I need:

A) Mono 1/8" plug to RCA (click here)

B) 4-split 1/8" plug to RCA (click here)

I have a male to male RCA cable that will plug into the Digital Coax input on the pod for the Z-680s. So in summary, I want the digital output (1/8") from the Audigy 2 ZS sound card to connect to the digital coax input on the Z-680 speaker pod.

 

[PurdueRy]

You need A

 

[BKnight]

Thanks rleemhui. I will have to make a Radio Shack trip then.

 

[hobbes79]

Well I have an xps with the audigy card and the z5500 speakers. I just skimmed this post, but I got it to work... though soe of the sound card options are grayed out. You need to open up creative audio console and select spdif passthrough and then reboot. Then in your dvd player (for example nero showtime) set audio output to spdif. The z5500s will then decode dd or dts

My question is why is the thx setup console only have an analog option... the digital output is grayed out. Anybody know???

 

[imported_skyxliner]

ok you guys can't imagine this but i spent my entire night reading through 7 pages of information haha and i am still confused despite gaining some knowledge.

I currently have an asus motherboard with onboard 6 channel sound by cmedia. my motherboard also comes with an add on card that is for spdif in and out.

since the z5500 comes with a direct 6 channel cable, i'm going to connect analog to my onboard sound.
then at the same time i'm going to connect the spdif out through 2 male RCA coax to the speakers

is this the correct procedure?

and for the coax digital cables.. I mean aren't these just regular rca cables that you find around the house to connect between various audio and video equipments? or do i have to go to radio shak and ask specificly for coax digital cables?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: skyxliner
ok you guys can't imagine this but i spent my entire night reading through 7 pages of information haha and i am still confused despite gaining some knowledge.

I currently have an asus motherboard with onboard 6 channel sound by cmedia. my motherboard also comes with an add on card that is for spdif in and out.

since the z5500 comes with a direct 6 channel cable, i'm going to connect analog to my onboard sound.
then at the same time i'm going to connect the spdif out through 2 male RCA coax to the speakers

is this the correct procedure?

and for the coax digital cables.. I mean aren't these just regular rca cables that you find around the house to connect between various audio and video equipments? or do i have to go to radio shak and ask specificly for coax digital cables?

You just need a single 75ohm RCA cable to hook up digitally. The yellow video composite cables that everyone has should be 75ohm and work just fine.

Actually 25ohm audio (Red and White) should work fine although not exactly what is specified.

 

[imported_skyxliner]

how could i go about testing whether the cables are 75 or 25... i'd like to go with 75 since its whats specified but i'm not sure how to tell cause these cables in my house aren't exactly labeled

can i use one of those electrician machines that tests the frequency or something to find out if they are 25 or 75? haha i'm not too sure... my dad has one of those

also, i know creative soundcards comes with software that helps you configure your speakers as in like loudness and the positioning and the delay time of each speaker or all that good stuff..

if i'm using onboard sound... is there any programs out there that can achieve the same thing

cause the drivers that come with my onboard sound are not as advance.. pretty simple controls..

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: skyxliner
how could i go about testing whether the cables are 75 or 25... i'd like to go with 75 since its whats specified but i'm not sure how to tell cause these cables in my house aren't exactly labeled

can i use one of those electrician machines that tests the frequency or something to find out if they are 25 or 75? haha i'm not too sure... my dad has one of those

also, i know creative soundcards comes with software that helps you configure your speakers as in like loudness and the positioning and the delay time of each speaker or all that good stuff..

if i'm using onboard sound... is there any programs out there that can achieve the same thing

cause the drivers that come with my onboard sound are not as advance.. pretty simple controls..

A multimeter? Well, I've never measured the impedence of an RCA cable before, but I'd imagine it could be a very simple task.

If the RCA cables are video cables with yellow ends, I think you're going to be ok.

As for onboard sound, I think you're pretty much stuck with whatever software you have.

 

[Rasnowl]

Ok, I got really confused reading these replies, but could someone help me?

I've got an Audigy 2 ZS and Logitech Z680's. I want to use my Z680's decoder for Dolby/DTS decoding, via AC3 passthrough. I realize that this will only work for DVD content, and just want to get that setup.

I've changed the AudioHQ setting to AC3 passthrough, and my DVD software (Media Player Classic) I've also changed to AC3 passthrough.
I'm using a mono RCA to minijack cord for the physical connection.
I change the "Digital Output Only" setting in the Creative control panel to off and on and it doesn't work either way.
On the Z680 control box, I have it set to Coax and it doesn't detect any digital data.

I've tested optical capability on the Z680's with my PS2's optical out and it works just fine.

Now what??

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Does it not work on just DVDs or not at all?

 

[Rasnowl]

No the analog audio is just fine. I'd like to get the only digital content I should be able to play, which is DVD track with pre-encoded digital signals. If I leave the default settings I get some nice 5.1 analog audio, but I'm not sure how to get everything in sync for the Z680's to decode the DD signal via an AC3 passthrough.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Rasnowl
No the analog audio is just fine. I'd like to get the only digital content I should be able to play, which is DVD track with pre-encoded digital signals. If I leave the default settings I get some nice 5.1 analog audio, but I'm not sure how to get everything in sync for the Z680's to decode the DD signal via an AC3 passthrough.

I mean do music/games work in digital?

(you should be able to play non DD stuff via a PCM signal through digital to your speakers)

 

[Rasnowl]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Rasnowl
No the analog audio is just fine. I'd like to get the only digital content I should be able to play, which is DVD track with pre-encoded digital signals. If I leave the default settings I get some nice 5.1 analog audio, but I'm not sure how to get everything in sync for the Z680's to decode the DD signal via an AC3 passthrough.

I mean do music/games work in digital?

(you should be able to play non DD stuff via a PCM signal through digital to your speakers)

Oh, I didn't really try it. I don't mind switching modes to play 5.1 analog music/game content and then switching again to play digital 5.1 DVD content when I have to. I just want to get that DVD content working, and have no idea why it's not working.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Rasnowl

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Rasnowl
No the analog audio is just fine. I'd like to get the only digital content I should be able to play, which is DVD track with pre-encoded digital signals. If I leave the default settings I get some nice 5.1 analog audio, but I'm not sure how to get everything in sync for the Z680's to decode the DD signal via an AC3 passthrough.

I mean do music/games work in digital?

(you should be able to play non DD stuff via a PCM signal through digital to your speakers)

Oh, I didn't really try it. I don't mind switching modes to play 5.1 analog music/game content and then switching again to play digital 5.1 DVD content when I have to. I just want to get that DVD content working, and have no idea why it's not working.

I'm trying to get you to troubleshoot it.

If music works in digital mode, then we know the problem is related to DVDs specifically.

If the music doen't work, then we know the whole setup is messed up and it could be anything from the physical connection to a damaged soundcard to driver problems etc.

 

[Rasnowl]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I'm trying to get you to troubleshoot it.

If music works in digital mode, then we know the problem is related to DVDs specifically.

If the music doen't work, then we know the whole setup is messed up and it could be anything from the physical connection to a damaged soundcard to driver problems etc.

Oh I see now. When I click "Digital Output Only" and put the Z680's on the Coax input, "No digital data" comes up on the Z680 control center. This happens even when I'm just playing MP3's, so to answer your question: no content is being sent out over my coax line apparently. The physical connection, once again, is a minijack from the soundcard's digital out to a mono rca jack plugged into the Z680 control center.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Seems like it's not the DVD output settings that are causing the problem then.

Do you have a receiver or something that can accept a digital coaxial signal so you can see if you have any results from that?

 

[Rasnowl]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Seems like it's not the DVD output settings that are causing the problem then.

Do you have a receiver or something that can accept a digital coaxial signal so you can see if you have any results from that?

Unfortunately not. The closest I was able to test was the optical input, with my PS2, and that worked fine.

 

[Weatherton]

I have a sound blaster audigy (original) and a set of Klipsch Promedia 5.1 speakers... they seem to be only running in stereo mode (no center or rear channels). Can someone please run through the connections I should have on the soundcard and the settings I can mess with in the drivers? Also, any drivers you refer to, please help me find them (creative's site seems to suck at finding drivers now).

 

[Weatherton]

Nevermind, I was using a crippled version of PowerDVD and then was using winamp (in stereo mode, lol) to test my configuration using a 5.1 music file that talks from each speaker... it's working now.

 

[funboy6942]

I was having problems as well with my Z2 gamer and my 5500's till this thread BUT then I went and did music and a movie testing the diff between analog and Coaxil input in stereo and in DD.

My findings were that both music AND movies actually sounded better if I let the card decode DD and listened to my music in the analog mode as well. It had better depth and the highs were much more crisp.

Has anyone else taken the time and find that the soundblaster does a better job with the audio then the Z5500's do if you let it all pass through the sound card and let it decode it all?

I can hear a massive diff with my test music Cat Stevens and the movie so far tested was Star Trek Nemesis.

Just make sure both analog and digital are both hooked up and while playing switch between the two. I can really hear a diff and the soundcards built in decoder wins for me. Which sucks because with this forum I was really excited getting it working but my nature to test to see whats better killed my buzz