half decent 5.1 speaker system

[freakdiablo]

I need a good upgrade to a logitech x210. price range $250-$300, but since most places sell the x530 for <$100, I was wondering if thats any good.

[Maviryk]

What's wrong with the Logitech Z-5500's? That's a full decent 5.1 system.

[freakdiablo]

o ya forgot about those. Just live in switzerland, and its kind of behind on the high end stuff. might have to order one of those and wait the month for it to clear customs.

[jivetrky]

x530's are OK....but I'd call them more of a basic system, IMO. If you want a decent/good system, go with either z5300's or z5500's.

And if you are talking about a price range of $250-$300 USD, then you can easily get a set of z5500's

[freakdiablo]

well, ya, USD. I just checked the logitech website, the z5500 was $400, and I dont think that was including shipping.

[Maviryk]

$400???

I'm pretty sure I got mine for about $250ish from ZZF. Currently on the Egg they're $290 after shipping. Prices are CONUS though, that may be the problem.

[freakdiablo]

looking at the logitech website now.http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2177,CONTENTID=9486

[Maviryk]

Ah, well, that's just MSRP. I'm sure you can find them online for cheaper. The only place nowadays that charges MSRP and then some is local retailers like Best Buy. That's why I only shop online (unless I'm buying groceries.)

[jivetrky]

yeah, street prices of z5500 will run $225-$250 and z5300 will run $100-$150

Definitely can't go by the MSRP @ Logitech.

[warlock110]

yeah, for 200+ bucks you can get decent speakers. for me i go with 2 floor speakers, i got my set of athena F1 for 200 along time ago, i use it with my 50 bucks reciever, comes out pretty dang good for analog output. if i'm gonna spend 200+ on computer speakers it better have digital out lol... i think 5.1 is a bit on the marketing side, cuzz it's very hard to get the placement right for 5.1 speakers considering the computer space where you move around alot. i rather stick with 2.1 and be ok.

[Sir Barton]

5.1 is nice, but for your budget a decent receiver and some bookshelves will offer far better audio quality than a set of 5.1 computer speakers. The drawbacks to the Logitech Z-5500s is that they use only 1-way speakers, and the DAC thats used when you run a digital connection to them is no good either. The better audio setups use a 2 or 3-way speaker setup. Between my external DAC, Polk bookshelves, and stereo receiver, I have about $250 tied up. My floor speakers were free, vintage Pioneer hi-fi CS-77s that were ~$300 per pair....in 1973. :attn:

[GreenJelly]

Buy computer speakers only. All other speakers are made for at or abover 6 feet away from sound source.

[Sir Barton]

Buy computer speakers only. All other speakers are made for at or abover 6 feet away from sound source.
Not true. In an ideal speaker setup, the distance measured between the speakers should be the distance you are sitting away from them. As usual, take into account other variables, such as the size of the room and the number of speakers you plan to use.

[freakdiablo]

Buy computer speakers only. All other speakers are made for at or abover 6 feet away from sound source.
Never heard that before. Doubt its true, but if it was, so? Ill just place them 6 feet away from my comp.

[Slaps]

Never heard that before. Doubt its true, but if it was, so? Ill just place them 6 feet away from my comp.

Problem solved.:beer:

[GreenJelly]

Never heard that before. Doubt its true, but if it was, so? Ill just place them 6 feet away from my comp.

Trust me, its true...

I have years and years of Audio equipment experiance. Home Audio Speakers are made with a directional field smaller then what is usefull in computer speakers.

Also Bass and Treble moves at different speeds. The timing of these speakers will be off the further/closer you get away from their sweat spots. Good receivers will have features to adjust the sweat spots, and you can do it with a equalizer, but it is Very difficult to get right. There are tools to help you adjust the speakers better, but it is better to buy speakers designed for this. Also you can only expect so much from this setup. Thats why you dont see $10,000 computer speakers on the market.

Also Good Home audio equipment is an overkill, because bookshelf speakers dont do well on tables, and any floor stand speakers are definately not made to go through a desk.

Dont take my word for it... Go to http://forums.audioholics.com/ and post for yourself. Im on their and I give advice their all the time. I will give the same advice I am giving you here. Others will have different opinions, and I am interested in what they will say. However, this topic has come up before.

Their is another issue with sound equipment... and its best quoted in this thread, by me... in response to another persons observation about the forum there.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=218249&posted=1#post218249

It states the true nature of audio equipment, and the work we do there. My approach is to give opinions. I cannot give absolutes. Infact when it comes to the human ears, no one can. We can give absolute scientific data using sound testing equipment in sound buffered rooms, using high end microphones and sending sign waves through speakers, but it just doesnt make abit of difference since we are all different.

This data is helpfull because it defines the mean. Higher quality speakers approach the mean.

That isnt even taking into account the nature of the space you are using these speakers in, the power source, the prefered volume level, etc. There are so many variables here that it becomes very difficult to make choices.

We, and I, buy High end audio systems that are VERY clear, and in almost all circumstances they will sound better then the lower costing speakers. Some speakers just wont work for my lifestyle and my space.

There are HUNDREDS OF YEARS of experiance on that forums. People who have dedicated their lives to sound reproduction and sound systems. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, work in high end stereo shops, live with multiple brands of speakers, and have spent allot of time with these speakers.

Mike

[Dan0512]

o ya forgot about those. Just live in switzerland, and its kind of behind on the high end stuff. might have to order one of those and wait the month for it to clear customs.

Don't.... you'd have to pay an indecent amount of money (import tax).. been there ;).

Instead... shop here

www.digitec.ch

That's where I've bought most of my stuff. Decent prices (US-Switzerland comparison).


dan

[#18]

Umm I am wondering, just how good is my Klipsch Promedia 5.1 THX now?

I bought it brand new for $350 ages ago, like 4~5 years ago I think.

[warlock110]

Umm I am wondering, just how good is my Klipsch Promedia 5.1 THX now?

I bought it brand new for $350 ages ago, like 4~5 years ago I think.

it's probably alot cheaper now :)... i've also used computer speakers, and i like creative better than logictech... they give off a warmer tone than logictech speakers... just a personal pereference.

[darkcow]

klipche are the only good computer speakers. those logitech ones for ture quality its just a joke. the quality is just pure ****ty.


if you want some high quality stuff. go to some grandparents house and take their 10 year old ones and their old reciever..

what many of you fail to realize is that sound quality was perfected a decade ago. all this new **** is just more conveincience. instead of copper wires we have yellow and red connectors. or just one computer sound cable for both channels.


notice those big assed speakers, they're probably 7 years or so old, but they have AMAZING quality, plugged up a super high quality record player and some vynals of my... its pure music bliss.

http://filebunker.net/a/albums/userpics/grr004pu5.jpg

and you can't even compare his 5.1 system to those. sure they are "ok" but they're no where near the older ones.



for true 5.1 experiance you need a reciever and some high quality home theatre speakers, not some logitech ones...

[Sir Barton]

klipche are the only good computer speakers. those logitech ones for ture quality its just a joke. the quality is just pure ****ty.


if you want some high quality stuff. go to some grandparents house and take their 10 year old ones and their old reciever..

what many of you fail to realize is that sound quality was perfected a decade ago. all this new **** is just more conveincience. instead of copper wires we have yellow and red connectors. or just one computer sound cable for both channels.


notice those big assed speakers, they're probably 7 years or so old, but they have AMAZING quality, plugged up a super high quality record player and some vynals of my... its pure music bliss.

http://filebunker.net/a/albums/userpics/grr004pu5.jpg

and you can't even compare his 5.1 system to those. sure they are "ok" but they're no where near the older ones.



for true 5.1 experiance you need a reciever and some high quality home theatre speakers, not some logitech ones...
Amen brother. Im jammin out some 30 year old Pioneer CS-77s :attn:. Im more of a hi-fi fan myself. I wish people would still make large 3 or 4 way floor speakers with 10"+ woofers in them. To me, those kinds of speakers have the best sound as opposed to a separate subwoofer. All of my music is in flac level 5, X-Fi running in ASIO at 44.1KHz bit-perfect output, running digital coax to my external DAC, to my receiver...like you said, pure musical bliss :attn:. I have the bookshelves on my desk, and the floorspeakers are positioned by my TV, all running off the same receiver.

[freakdiablo]

That brings me to my next point. Is it a good idea to stay with Logitech, or would I get better quality with someone who concentrates on audio equipment like THX?

[GreenJelly]

This has become a topic that is outside the realm and scope of the forum and the people who visit it.

I would welcome this topic to be posted on audioholics... Their are some really sharp ears on that site. I personally dont have that much experiance with computer speakers, and dont have much to contribute beyond what I said. But this is a Overclocking Forum, and not a Audiophile forum. I would feel more confort with the answers given their then I would here.

Mike

As far as THX, it is more of a marketing thing, and doesnt promise the best value (performance/price). I try to find and recommend the best value. This is independent of the THX certification.

[Slaps]

klipche are the only good computer speakers. those logitech ones for ture quality its just a joke. the quality is just pure ****ty.


if you want some high quality stuff. go to some grandparents house and take their 10 year old ones and their old reciever..

what many of you fail to realize is that sound quality was perfected a decade ago. all this new **** is just more conveincience. instead of copper wires we have yellow and red connectors. or just one computer sound cable for both channels.


notice those big assed speakers, they're probably 7 years or so old, but they have AMAZING quality, plugged up a super high quality record player and some vynals of my... its pure music bliss.

http://filebunker.net/a/albums/userpics/grr004pu5.jpg

and you can't even compare his 5.1 system to those. sure they are "ok" but they're no where near the older ones.



for true 5.1 experiance you need a reciever and some high quality home theatre speakers, not some logitech ones...

Honestly, i have been looking for some of those HUGE floor speakers like the ones my dad had as a kid(i'm 23). Those things rocked so hard.

[freakdiablo]

Well, most people seem to be aggreeing on one of two things: 1. go with a z5500 or 2. buy a reciever and get some speakers to go with it.

[GreenJelly]

I say buy computer speakers, buy a home theater system, and hook your computer to your large LCD TV.

Then a little table, with a long distance wireless mouse and keyboard and your all set.

But you got to spend ALLOT on speakers... very important. I recommend the B&W 603 or 604's

[freakdiablo]

1. I dont need the best speakers, why i titled thread "half decent 5.1 speakers"
2. No room in my room for a large screen TV, couldn't afford one anyway.
3. Just got a logitech G15 keyboard and G5 mouse

[GreenJelly]

I would recommend you to go to audioholics. They really do know this stuff, and they know how to test, and listen to speakers. Its really important to talk to people who have experiance with GREAT speakers even when buying low cost speakers. Your perception of music, sound, volume and quality changes. You got to reteach yourself when you get into the hobby of high end audio. And that experiance pulls you into areas outside of the normal persons experiance.

We all grew up with low cost boom box's, clock radios etc. We expect noise and have grown accustom to it. We even associate volume with noise. This all changes when your listening to $1000 speakers.

So this perspective grows and allows people to recommend things. In the end however its up to you. The problem with computer speakers is that testing them is nearly impossible, and if you do test them its usually at a noisy best buy or compusa. Hardly a place to audition and compair speakers.

So Audio Reviews from magazines become important, and thoose guys read the magazines that review this stuff at the high expectations I require.

Thanks
Mike

[freakdiablo]

ok, bringing the same question to audioholics. thanks.

[Wolverine690]

I've been using Creative Labs DTT3500's for what...6-7 years now...I've always been happy with them...they sound great they don't have a ton of power which really you don't need for a PC setup IMO, but they have enough to rock the house/apt. I've seen & heard some of the newer Creative Labs stuff over the years since then and haven't found anything that really blows me away more then my current setup. (with the exception of the Gigaworks S750 which does look and sound on epaper nice)

Also yeah THX is just a thing where the speakers met or exceeded the sound quality, settings or whatever set forth by Mr. George Lucas on company.

As for having a home theather setup vs. pc speakers there is a bit of a difference but I've done it & IMO it is just easier and usually in most cases cheaper to go with PC speakers.

Anyhow good luck... :)

[GreenJelly]

ok, bringing the same question to audioholics. thanks.

Please post the link, for I was going to do the same thing... I want to hear what it good... for I am thinking of replaceing my RCA's and receiver with a pair of Computer Speakers.

Mike

[sektor]

Just ouf of curiosity, would going with a low cost HT system be better than a Logitech speaker setup?

For example. look at this:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=119869

It is under $200, I don't need ultra-high end. I want something that is going to provide very good 5.1 sound for 70% gaming, 20% music and 10% movies (giver or take some on all).

Wouldn't that be better?

I don't know much, but it seems right?

If that is correct, how do you plug this into your home computer?

[leojharris]

Just ouf of curiosity, would going with a low cost HT system be better than a Logitech speaker setup?

For example. look at this:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=119869

It is under $200, I don't need ultra-high end. I want something that is going to provide very good 5.1 sound for 70% gaming, 20% music and 10% movies (giver or take some on all).

Wouldn't that be better?

I don't know much, but it seems right?

If that is correct, how do you plug this into your home computer?

how about this for 80 dollars us +shipping:

http://www.directron.com/ada995.html

i just bought one and it sounds rather nice; the only reference i have is an older cambridge soundworks system and it's much better than that.

dvd's, games and anything else using 5.1 surround sound come through really nice with good highs and lows through low to very high volume levels.

only thing that sucks is that it doesn't have headphone jacks built into the unit ...

for 80 bucks, though ... right nice.

[freakdiablo]

Please post the link, for I was going to do the same thing... I want to hear what it good... for I am thinking of replaceing my RCA's and receiver with a pair of Computer Speakers.

Mike
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=219264#post219264