half decent 5.1 speaker system

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.

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

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.

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

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

$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.

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

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.)

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

Definitely can't go by the MSRP @ Logitech.

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.

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.

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

GreenJelly said:

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

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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.

GreenJelly said:

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

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

freakdiablo said:

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

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Problem solved.

freakdiablo said:

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

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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

freakdiablo said:

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.

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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

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.

#18 said:

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.

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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.

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...