For those of you with more than one speaker system...

[stan03]

... attached to one computer, how did you do it? i have some Z 680s, but i also have some regular home speakers (i don't know what to call them but they have a three speakers one big one at the bottom, middle sized in the middle, and a tiny one near the top.), how can i hoook these up to my computer in addition to the Z680s? the connectors are a red and black wire.

[Albuquerque]

The black and red connectors are for connecting those tower speakers to an outboard amplifier. In order to use those speakers, you will first need an amplifier to run them... The soundcard in your PC just isn't going to have enough power to drive those speakers...

Once you have found an amplifier, you will then need to set the amp to use an Auxilliary RCA input (aux in, or maybe CD in, do NOT use phono in). Once configured as such, you will need to go to your local radio shack and buy a stereo 1/8" din -to- RCA stereo out wire (usually about $3.99 for a cheap one). This wire will have a small headphone jack at one end, and two RCA plugs (one white, one red) at the other end.

Now here's where it gets weird...

If you are running your Z680's with the SPDIF output from your Audigy, it may be that you simply cannot run them all at the same time. Most sound cards will disable the analog output ports when the SPDIF output port is enabled. Thus, you'll need to make sure the analog ports still work on your card if you're using that SPDIF out...

However, if you're not using the SPDIF out but instead are plugging in your Z680's by way of the three different headphone connectors, then you will also need to purchase a 1/8" stereo DIN splitter. Plug the male end of the splitter into the front speaker channel port on your sound card, then plug your Z680 front speaker plug into one of the other ends on the splitter, and then plug in your Radio Shack cable into the other end of the splitter.

You would then be splitting the front audio channel from your sound card to both the Z680's and to your amplifier -> which then powers those tower speakers of yours.

If you ARE using the SPDIF out (which you really should be) to run your Z680's and the Audigy doesn't allow for the analog ports to be active at the same time as the SPDIF, then you are out of luck.

[seamadan000]

if you are using the SPDIF out you can get a splitter for either optical or coax from radio shack as well, and do what he described above, except in this case you will need a reciever/amp that accepts either optical or coax (whichever you are using) and plug one of the cables from your shiny new splitter into the reciever and the other into you logitechs.

good luck to you!

[Albuquerque]

I didn't know you could plug a splitter into an optical jack... I thought it had to be an active device, or maybe that's what you're actually talking about?

[seamadan000]

optical splitters are active devices that reproduce the signal and send it down both cables, coax splitters are simpler, just 75ohm versions of regular (50ohm) RCA splitters

[stan03]

im using the analog jacks... now im just trying to convince my dad to get me an amp.... how many watts should i get?

[seamadan000]

depends on the speakers and the type of setup you want (surround sound, stereo only, etc). It also depends on the brand of amp you get, a Denon reciever rated at 60wpc will be just as powerful as a cheap reciever rated at 110wpc. Look at www.jandr.com for some good deals on some totally decent stuff, and feel free to ask about brands and models.

good luck to you!

[stan03]

will 60wpc be enough? can an amp be too powerful? and i would like surround sound.

[seamadan000]

It would take some more info on the particular speakers to know how much to feed them, but I would say that even 40wpc would be enough for an older 3-way speaker. You can have too much amp, but only if you crank the amp too high. At a certain level it takes xxwatts from an amp. More power just gives you more headroom. So you can have a 40watt amp or a 4000 watt amp and be fine as long as you dont crank the volume too much.

[stan03]

ok, the speakers are really old and i don't really know much about them, ill post everything i can find about them when i get home.

[seamadan000]

if they are old then I would bet good money that a solid 40wpc will drive them as hard as you would need. Back in the day a good amp only put out 20-60wpc, so the speakers had to be able to run well on that kind of power.

So the moral of the story is: just about any modern amp will do just fine, and you should be one happy camper.

Also, for some free, unsolicited (and probably unwanted :)) advice:
If you are only planning on running the two speaker and not a surround sound setup you can look for an old stereo reciever/amp (newspaper classifieds and garage sale rock!) and use that. All you would have to do is hook you computer up to, say, the tape input and you would be set. I bet it would sound better than most cheap modern amps (in fact I know it would) and the you can get one for virtually no $$$.

just a thought

[stan03]

could you provide me a link to a good one?

[seamadan000]

for an old one you will just have to look around. Happy hunting :D

for a newer one you would have to give me what kind of stuff you want, most notably, whether you want surround sound or just stereo. And there is always the money factor.....

but, for a pretty good deal on a nice surround reciever you can't go wrong with this puppy: http://www.jandr.com/JRProductPage.process?RestartFlow=t&Section_Id=946&Product_Id=3955363

[KKAT]

i have a dual speaker setup. first speakers--hometheater
second speakers--infinity bookshelfs
2 receviers though.
i connected my hometheater to the optical port on my board.
for the second set i run a mini to rca plug from my comp to a receiver.
i have onboard audio (audiostorm 5.1). for both to work i had to enable both analog and digital inputs. the only thing you have to watch out for is timing.

[stan03]

hmmm are thier amps i can get like those people put in thier cars, instead of recievers? 220 for a refurb one is pretty expensive.

[Albuquerque]

An amplifier for car use will want to run off a 12v power supply, and will need considerably more amperage than you will get out of your PC's power supply. I personally have a 30-amp 12v power supply and most good car amplifiers simply draw too much power and start causing power clipping at any "good" volume level.

Unless you want to buy an outboard 50amp 12v DC power converter along with your car stereo amplifer (cha-CHING on your wallet), you will want to buy a real stereo receiver.

Dude, don't buy one BRAND new. Just go to yard sales, or swap meets, or a pawn shop. Pick one up for $20 or $30 and you're set.