The Best 5.1 Speaker Setup?

[psy44]

what do you reccomend if you had a budget of $800 on sound? (sound card + speakers + whatever else I need)

 

[pac1085]

If you want them just for your computer, I'd get:

SB Audigy/TB SantaCruz/Hercules GTXP($35-250)
Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 Speakers($399)
Klipsch ProMedia DD-5.1(~$150)

Otherwise you could look in to a regular home theatre system.

Or maybe one of those sound cards and a speaker/receiver package like this

 

[mchammer187]

what will it be used for music, movies, games?

this would be my pick

SB Audigy / Santa Cruz / Herc GTXP / Extigy

and Creative Megaworks 510D

www.3dsoundsurge.com for reviews

For people that are not prepared to make these comprises or at least minimize them and are prepared to pay in most cases several hundred dollars the number of systems available in the multimedia speaker market is much more limited. It becomes further limited if you want proper 4-speaker gaming from any sound card or motherboard solution with the exception of the Nforce boards since the system must have direct four channel inputs. To date it really has come down to the VideoLogic Sirocco Crossfire, Monsoon MM2000, Altec Lansing ADA890, Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 and just recently the Logitech Z-560 and Altec Lansing 641. Of course even in this grouping there are different prices and performance levels to consider but for a number of reasons they all stand out when considering our multichannel system evaluation criteria. The options are further limited for 6 direct 6 channel-input systems with a true center channel. Prior to the MegaWorks 510D there was only the Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 in this higher performance grouping.. There?s no question that the MegaWorks 510D joins this small group and become just the second 5.1 system to do so.

The high-end response will be the relative, and I do mean relative, weakness of the system where in particular some may prefer the more prominent treble of the ProMedia 4.1 and 5.1 or the slightly smoother and more detailed high frequency response of the Sirocco Crossfire.

Where the MegaWorks 510D will excel, even in comparison to this group, is a smooth and consistent midrange that is almost as good off axis as on axis. While the Crossfire and the Monsoon MM2000 comes close for on axis performance and in the case of the Crossfire not that far behind in off axis performance, neither one of them comes even close to matching the more full sound the MegaWorks satellites offer thanks to the much better bass extension. The ProMedia 4.1/5.1 satellites match or even slightly beat that satellite bass extension, but falls somewhat but noticeably behind the Crossfire and MM2000 when it comes to the smoothness of the midrange. The result is that the MegaWorks 510D will, in my opinion, offer clearly the best midrange performance even in this exclusive group.

if music / midrange is most important to you definitely pick the megaworks

if dvd / gaming is most the klipsch 5.1's or the megaworks

megaworks is $100 cheaper also

 

[watts3000]

I agree with ICSVortex the promedia's kick ass. I have the 2.1's and I love them. Looking to upgrade to 5.1's as soon as I sell these.

 

[etalns]

Klipschs

 

[Utterman]

Originally posted by: ICSVortex
If you want them just for your computer, I'd get: SB Audigy/TB SantaCruz/Hercules GTXP($35-250) Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 Speakers($399) Klipsch ProMedia DD-5.1(~$150) Otherwise you could look in to a regular home theatre system. Or maybe one of those sound cards and a speaker/receiver package like this

That Klipsch ProMedia DD-5 looks interesting. I was looking at the information at their site, but do you have any more information about it?

 

[Pariah]

Creative Megaworks 510D

Better all around speakers than Klipsch.

 

[DSX]

Klipsch 5.1 pro Media auto system is the only way to go. I have a set and they are simply amazing.
Creative megaworks?! They are great speakers but they dont compare to Klipsch.

 

[Piano Man]

Well I too was in your position until about 3 weeks ago when I decided to treat myself. After reading a lot of reviews and specs I decided on the following:

Speakers:
Cambridge SoundWorks MegaWorks 510D Speakers. Why? Well, first of all, they have what the klipsch's do not, warmth. In the two head to head comparison's I've read, both parties declared the Megaworks the better. Plus, 3dsoundsurge really liked them, also. The only thing I don't like about these things is that Cambridge is owned by Creative, and I hate Creative. Fortunately, these things are all Cambridge. They are built around their newton series of speakers.

Sound Card:
Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96. Why? First, it looks cool, damn cool. But that isn't why I got it. The thing has true 24bit/96Khz(unlike the Audigy, which only does 24bit internally, it really outputs 16bit. If terratec lied like Creative, they could claim 32 bit, since that's what it does internally). It has support for Dolby Digital with DTS or AC3. The breakout box has Optical IN and Out, Midi In and Out, Phono In with a built in preamp(this is huge), and so on. It also has LED's to measure peak values. Basically, this card has it all. I've heard complaints about game support, but with the new drivers, I haven't had a problem. It supports A3D 1.0/2.0 and EAX 1.0/2.0. Can't get much better than that. The germans don't skimp when it comes to features. Check it out here.

 

[Goi]

For just pure sound, without any gaming features, this is what I'd get
M-Audio Audiophile 2496 audio card($159).

Skip the crappy Klipsch's/BA's/Altecs/Creatives and get the Videologic Sirrocos. Or, even you have a couple hundred more, skip even the Videologics and get real HT 5.1 speakers such as the Home Theater Direct Level TWOs($499 direct) and then get a decent receiver to drive them.