Home Theater 5.1 Set-up for PC: Anyone have Experience

I have the opportunity to purchase a nice home theater 5.1 system with the subwoofer having its own built-in amplifier. Has anyone utilized a home theater set-up for their PC sound? Is it over-kill?

My sound card is an M-Audio Revolution 5.1. The tech help said that as long as my card has 3x2 channels, output connecters for L/R, rear L/R, and center/subwoofer I should be fine. This system includes 3x1 mini to 2 RCA cables to connect for connection.

The only thing I don't like at the system I am looking at is that the master volume, the sub woofer volume and subwoofer frequency VR switcher is on the back panel. I can preset the volume and frequency cut off and use the volume control of the playback software to adjust the volume.

What do you thinK? Suggestions, advice, encouragement, warnings -- all are welcomed.

I say go for it. I've done it for a while on a lowend HT system.

Make sure your card has good DACs for those RCA plugs or get a card that will allow digital outputs along the lines of optical or the Coax SPDIF. That will make it sound the best with least clutter.

Tebore said:

Make sure your card has good DACs for those RCA plugs or get a card that will allow digital outputs along the lines of optical or the Coax SPDIF. That will make it sound the best with least clutter.

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the m-audio revolution 5.1 has great DACs so don't bother getting a card that has digital out because for surround you'd have to use a card that has digital encoding to dts or dolby (auzentech cards, tb montego) to make everything surround, otherwise only already encoded dts or dolby (dvds) will make it out of all your speakers, other sound will be 2 channel

it's hard to tell if it's a good choice without knowing what speakers, so i'd say if they're encased in wood you have a good bet they'd be better than most computer speakers, if plastic, forget about it

R4, I'm glad you know about the quality of M-Audio. One of the frustrating things for me is that as good as their products are their manual contains nothing other than how to install. The box this card comes in shows a tiny drawing of how to set up configurations, but that is no good at all.

Do you know of an online sight that can show me by drawings or pictures the kind of set up they are talking about, i.e., 3x1 with the utilization of 3x1 mini to 2 RCA cables that will connect the sound card to the back panel of the subwoofer?

One more thing. These are some of the specs for the M-Audio 5.1:

* Digital out transmits PCM, plus passthrough of AC-3 and DTS (coaxial)

* Supports DTS output and Dlby Digital 5.1 decoding using third party applications

* 6 analog lines outs (3 stereo 1/8" mini jacks)

* SRS TruSurround XT delievers virtual surround with stereo speakers

* SRS Circle Surround II transforms stereo content into surround

* Gane support with Sensaura, EAX, DirectSound and A3D

R4, any chance of telling me what these mean and what it says this card is capable of and not capable of? I know this is alot so I don't expect long answers. Its just that I have really no experience other than your typical low end PC speakers, and thus I have no frame of reference or knowledge to make an informed decision. Thanks for reading this; your help is much appreciated.

Edit: To make this easier for you, R4, here is the link to the product. I am not jumping at this; just researching. I have read reviews by those who bought the system and like it and I can get it well below the MSRP asking price brand new.


http://db.jaton.com/AVProductDetail.aspx?P_ID=AV-318

Route44 said:

R4, I'm glad you know about the quality of M-Audio. One of the frustrating things for me is that as good as their products are their manual contains nothing other than how to install. The box this card comes in shows a tiny drawing of how to set up configurations, but that is no good at all.

Do you know of an online sight that can show me by drawings or pictures the kind of set up they are talking about, i.e., 3x1 with the utilization of 3x1 mini to 2 RCA cables that will connect the sound card to the back panel of the subwoofer?

One more thing. These are some of the specs for the M-Audio 5.1:

* Digital out transmits PCM, plus passthrough of AC-3 and DTS (coaxial)

* Supports DTS output and Dlby Digital 5.1 decoding using third party applications

* 6 analog lines outs (3 stereo 1/8" mini jacks)

* SRS TruSurround XT delievers virtual surround with stereo speakers

* SRS Circle Surround II transforms stereo content into surround

* Gane support with Sensaura, EAX, DirectSound and A3D

R4, any chance of telling me what these mean and what it says this card is capable of and not capable of? I know this is alot so I don't expect long answers. Its just that I have really no experience other than your typical low end PC speakers, and thus I have no frame of reference or knowledge to make an informed decision. Thanks for reading this; your help is much appreciated.

Edit: To make this easier for you, R4, here is the link to the product. I am not jumping at this; just researching. I have read reviews by those who bought the system and like it and I can get it well below the MSRP asking price brand new.


http://db.jaton.com/AVProductDetail.aspx?P_ID=AV-318

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Route44, I am in no way an audio guru and cannot tell you what everything listed means, but I will tell you what I understand as best as I can. Digital output is naturally PCM which is an uncompressed 2 channel signal, it has the ability to passthrough compressed signals so it can be decoded by the component (receiver in this case), these signals are compressed because they are surround and not 2 channel (dts, dolby). The card itself can decode the surround signals from sources already encoded in surround such as from dvds, then output surround to the card's analog outs which is what you would be doing in order to have surround for all your applications that support it. Each stereo mini jack is 2 channels which means 6 analog outs (3x2). You will connect to each mini jack a mini to 2 RCA cable(one for each channel) to your receiver which will send it to the speakers. SRS is fake surround and useless. (at least in my opinion) Also, some gaming standards and technologies are integrated into this card, but I'm sure this EAX isn't the newest and on par with say X-Fi series cards. This is more of an audio enthusiast card and not gamers. For sound quality this card is one of the best values. I use a card with a very similar chipset to the revolution and it blows my audigy 2 away.

I would think that it will be wasted on those speakers as they don't look to be any good. I could be wrong as I haven't heard them, but I don't have any faith in them by the looks of them. It may be a better idea to get some 2 pairs of bookshelfs, a center, a sub, and a receiver to piece together your own HT system, a decent system would cost at the very very least $400-500.

R4, thanks for your honest evaluation. It is appreciated. I wish I could afford $400-$500! As for the Revolution 5.1 I do know they designed it off of their 7.1 with gamers in mind but still with good audion for music. But then I am sure I am telling you nothing new.

Route44 said:

I have the opportunity to purchase a nice home theater 5.1 system with the subwoofer having its own built-in amplifier. Has anyone utilized a home theater set-up for their PC sound? Is it over-kill?
.

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i've used HT gear for my computer for at least 2 years. 3 of my freinds now use HT gear on their computers as well. its a contagious hobby . Starting small is the key. Later on you can learn more about the different types of subwoofers and bookshelf speakers.

Its a very rewarding hobby. go for it.