So I have an Audigy platinum (the original version, not version 2) and a set of the Promedia GMX 5.1 speakers. I'm currently using the digital coax out on the front panel of the audigy to pipe the signal to the GMXs.
It sounds ok (not great but ok for the most part) when it's playing. But these speakers hiss like the devil. I have tried reducing the output signal by muting pretty much every outbound signal on the PC and it doesn't matter, when they sit idle, they hiss. Klipsh's FAQs addresses the hiss problem w/ these speakers (by saying all speakers hiss--blah). It wasn't a problem until I recently moved the physical location of the PC--this loud pig had been drowning out the hiss.
In any case, I am convinced the hiss is from the DSP in the controller unit for the GMXs. Muting that takes the hiss away (but isn't very convenient). I have tried connecting a pair of the speakers to my regular stereo with encouraging results (no idle hiss). So my quandry is whether or not to toss the GMX controller (and sub) and replace that with a regular receiver and new sub (re-using the sat's until I can afford to upgrade those, too).
I am more or less satisfied with the sound of the GMX sats, but I know they could be improved... It seems to me like getting out of the 'pc speaker sets' would open my options quite a bit as far as upgrades go, but my question is: is my logic flawed? Will the receiver be a fix or was it a poor test because of the difference in signals between a PC and a regular stereo system.
It's not very convenient to haul my stereo equipment within cord's reach of the PC, so any thoughts or experience you might have would be appreciated.
Thanks!
pb
It sounds ok (not great but ok for the most part) when it's playing. But these speakers hiss like the devil. I have tried reducing the output signal by muting pretty much every outbound signal on the PC and it doesn't matter, when they sit idle, they hiss. Klipsh's FAQs addresses the hiss problem w/ these speakers (by saying all speakers hiss--blah). It wasn't a problem until I recently moved the physical location of the PC--this loud pig had been drowning out the hiss.
In any case, I am convinced the hiss is from the DSP in the controller unit for the GMXs. Muting that takes the hiss away (but isn't very convenient). I have tried connecting a pair of the speakers to my regular stereo with encouraging results (no idle hiss). So my quandry is whether or not to toss the GMX controller (and sub) and replace that with a regular receiver and new sub (re-using the sat's until I can afford to upgrade those, too).
I am more or less satisfied with the sound of the GMX sats, but I know they could be improved... It seems to me like getting out of the 'pc speaker sets' would open my options quite a bit as far as upgrades go, but my question is: is my logic flawed? Will the receiver be a fix or was it a poor test because of the difference in signals between a PC and a regular stereo system.
It's not very convenient to haul my stereo equipment within cord's reach of the PC, so any thoughts or experience you might have would be appreciated.
Thanks!
pb