5.1 or 2.1

R

rantanamo

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
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The time has to upgrade the old Creative 2.1 setup. My gaming setup is in a bedroom rall closet. I don't need it to be a main listening setup with super quality speakers as I listen to music on my bedroom setup and/or HTPC that already has a decent surround setup. I'm looking for something close range to game with. I've been looking at some 5.1 setups and 2.1 setups. I've never used 5.1 in PC gaming before so I don't know if its worth a cheaper set of speakers to get 5.1 or if a better quality 2.1 setup would be better. Basically the setup has 3 walls with the two side walls about 6 feet apart, so if I go 5.1, the rear speakers would go right beside my sitting position. I guess my question is cheap to decent 5.1(Logitech G51 or X-540 range) or a similarly priced 2.1 system? I guess I'm also asking if the surround effects in games are really that good? Again I don't need concert sound. I don't use this setup to watch movies as the polk setup in the same room does that. Just if 5.1 is worth cheaper speakers or not.
 
i'd vote 2.1 to

but if space is a concern why not try some decent headphones?
+ should have good positional audio to.
+ the same amount of money will buy you better headphones than speakers.
 
ZodaEX said:
My vote is for a better 2.1 over a cheaper 5.1
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Have you ever even heard a decent, but not expensive, 5.1 system (I'm talking about something like Logitech's X-540 or even Creative's similar Inspire T5700) when compared to a 2.1 system of the same price? The biggest advantage a 2.1 system has it that it is not as large a space-eater as a properly set-up 5.1 system will be, not to mention that wiring a 5.1 system is not fun under even the best circumstances. (I know from experience, as I used to have a perfectly-working Inspire 5300 5.1 speaker setup which only died due to the family dog chewing through the wired remote; I wound up putting the 2.1 Cambridge PCWorks that the 5300 replaced back into service.) Losing the 5.1 setup meant that certain activities I used to do more of at my computer (especially watching movies and TV) I now do more of in my bedroom (even though I'm limited to the speakers included with the TV, which naturally lack a subwoofer).

As more and more games are designed to take proper advantage of 5.1 (or even greater) speaker setups, the loss is even more apparent. (Don't even bring movies, or even TV, into the picture.)

That said, if anyone has a working wired remote that will work with an Inspire 5300, send me a PM, and we can discuss my taking it off your hands.
 
It sounds like you can't place the rears properly so there really isn't any point in getting 5.1.

If you COULD place the rears properly then I would go with the 5.1. I don't think there's going to be that big of a sound quality difference between an 80 dollar 5.1 and an 80 dollar 2.1. At higher price points it can make a huge difference, but the satellites that come with those systems are so cheap (we're talking a couple bucks each here) that adding three of them isn't inherently going to make the 5.1 system significantly crappier in SQ.

The difference in immersion between 5.1 and 2.1 is significant, however.
 
A good 2.0/2.1 system can certainly make things immersive. Of course, a good 5.1 system will be even better if you can set it up properly.
 
Nicolaskl said:
It sounds like you can't place the rears properly so there really isn't any point in getting 5.1.

If you COULD place the rears properly then I would go with the 5.1. I don't think there's going to be that big of a sound quality difference between an 80 dollar 5.1 and an 80 dollar 2.1. At higher price points it can make a huge difference, but the satellites that come with those systems are so cheap (we're talking a couple bucks each here) that adding three of them isn't inherently going to make the 5.1 system significantly crappier in SQ.

The difference in immersion between 5.1 and 2.1 is significant, however.
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That often is the big difference between 5.1 and 2.1 at the budget price-point (immersion).

A 5.1 speaker system (even one with budget satellites) is still designed to physically immerse the listener with audio information, placed as well as the soundfield created by the six speakers will allow; this is something that 2.1 speaker systems are physically incapable of.
Also, usually at the sub-$100 price point, there is zero difference between the satellites of a 2.1 speaker system and those in a 5.1 system in the same price range. In fact, compare the satellites of the Logitech X-240 and X-540, respectively.

In movies, immersion is important. In gaming, immersion is critical, and can keep you alive.
 
I've heard plenty of 2.0/2.1 systems that have made me turn around to look for the rear speakers that didn't exist.
 
You're not getting accurate directional sound from a hundred dollar 2 speaker computer system.
 
If you have a soundcard capable of doing Dolby Virtual Speaker or CMSS Virtual (the X-fi version) you might be well off spending money on a 2.0/2.1 system instead. Those two technologies are very, very good at creating a virtual surround sound field if you place the speakers in the ideal positions (distance between the speakers the same as their distance to you). For a while I was using a 2.0 bookshelf system and I was very happy with the virtual surround experience created by the X-fi, but of course real 5.1 sounds better. The problem is that a cheap 5.1 system will make all music sound terrible.
 
I bought the x-540 5.1's to upgrade from some old cambridge 2.1 speakers i bought years ago for about $45. The sound quality isn't as dynamic as something like bose 2.1's that I tried in the stores. Of course, the sound quality of $250 2.1's will be much better than 5.1's. For what it's worth, paying $60 to hear 5.1 sound in bioshock and crysis is well worth it. Besides, I have mediocre onboard audio (ds3r realtek).

My next question then is, will using an x-fi 5.1 over improve sound quality through the x-540's?
 
I can't imagine ever using anything less than 5.1 for gaming. It's far superior to 2.1 for gaming purposes. This is, of course, assuming that you have decent speakers.

For music, I prefer stereo (2.0 or 2.1). But would never use it for gaming.
 
Nicolaskl said:
The difference in immersion between 5.1 and 2.1 is significant, however.
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A high quality (read: audiophile) setup using good pre/pro and positioning will immerse you inside the sound just fine. You can't possibly think/expect a logitec setup will do this.
 
wildfire99 said:
High quality 2.1, with el-cheapo rear speakers. Go quadraphonic.
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That's called 4.1 not 2.1. And if you're going to do that might as well get 5.1.

Btw: I see lots of people saying they'd go 2.1 over 5.1 for "gaming" and I'm curious why?
 
Project_2501 said:
A high quality (read: audiophile) setup using good pre/pro and positioning will immerse you inside the sound just fine. You can't possibly think/expect a logitec setup will do this.
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Positional audio is extremely important for immersion.

Everything is relative. Obviously a 1500 dollar 5.1 system is going to be better than a 100 dollar 5.1 system, but a 100 5.1 system is going to be more immersive than a 100 dollar 2.1 system.
 
echn111 said:
That's called 4.1 not 2.1. And if you're going to do that might as well get 5.1.

Btw: I see lots of people saying they'd go 2.1 over 5.1 for "gaming" and I'm curious why?
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The problem with moving from 4.1 (computer-only) to 5.1 is that you now have the additional financial burden of purchasing what is, or at least should be, the most expensive and high-grade loudspeaker in your setup: the center channel.

I'd still take high-quality stereo over inexpensive multi-channel any day. I have it both ways. I have a two-channel monitor setup with dedicated amplifier off a high-quality M-Audio card, along with a less expensive X-Fi setup with Logitech X-530's. The former costs around $1500, and the latter was about $100. I can't do a direct A/B because they are on different systems, but most days I use a decent set of monitor headphones on the gaming rig because:

A) It sounds better
B) It goes louder without distortion
C) It does not suffer from room reverberation or echo
D) It does not bug the neighbors
E) The levels are always matched.

So... inadvertently I'm suggesting that the OP might want to consider a good set of headphones in the $200-300 range. Oops, too much. Then again, now that I re-read the original post, the issues of the closet will negate any benefit to high-quality components. But that's a bit beside the point... if I had a choice I'd still prefer the 2.1 setup.

But that aside, it's like asking if you want two plates of prime-grade rib-eye steak, or five plates of chuck steak. They are not the same, but everyone is different, and some people will always choose the chuck and be very happy with it. Personally, I'd rather hear 90% of my audio in higher quality than having a few oddball surround effects and only having 60% of the audio be crisp and obvious.

In gaming, it's even worse, since (at least in my experience) there are few useful aural cues to be had in game environments. Most of the time I actually know the surrounds are working is when the positional logic for the sound is borked and has decided that someone chopping wood or other sound effect is RIGHT NEXT TO the rear right channel and plays it at hyper-loud volumes compared to the rest of the audio. Very annoying. Doesn't happen with 2.1, either. If you do have Generic Monster creeping up behind you, your 2.1 setup will still do a decent job of communicating that. You can't really "hear" right behind you anyway (due to psycho-acoustic issues), even if a speaker was right there.

But because the surrounds play such a small role, and since we aren't naturally very attuned to the quality of audio coming from behind us, I always tend to prefer and recommend (when on a budget) to get a good 2.1 system, then either add on to it later, or use cheap rear channel speakers. Which is another point... you can't upgrade cheap 5.1 later with ease, but you can upgrade good 2.1 later by just adding more speakers.
 
Hey Rantanamo, some of the people here didn't read your opening post at all. They keep giving you advice for music :) even though you didn't ask for and don't want that.

Rantanamo, What sound card have you got in your system? If you are only using onboard sound, then the best upgrade you can do at the moment is to get a good sound card. the difference is really noticable.

If you have a good sound card, then what type of games do you play? Role playing games? First person shooters? If you only play roleplaying games, etc. where postional sound isn't that important, then I would get a good 2.1 system. But if you play First person shooters or a mixture, then I would get the best 5.1 headphones I could afford. No game sounds as good on speakers as they do on headphones for postional audio. LOL I am sure I am going to get flamed for that, but I have a $4000 speaker system hooked up to my computer but I still use the headphones for Counter strike source, call of duty 4 etc, because I can hear exactly where people are coming from and the direction of fire. If I am playing lord of the rings online or other games like that I use the speakers.

So that would be my upgrade path.

New Soundcard,
Great headphones,
Speaker system.

PS. My headphones are the medusa speedlink 5.1 pro gaming. And they are really amazing. Not that expensive either.
 
Good point on the headphones. I can fully understand the advantages of good quality headphones for gaming, especially for 3D gaming.

However, if we look at a speaker based system for gaming, a decent 5.1 set-up will always beat a decent 2.1 set-up. No substitute for actual speakers to provide positional immersion, rather than simulated 3D sound using 2.1, in 3D games.

The keyword here is "decent". Admittedly, if you're on a strict budget, don't bother going 5.1 as it's going to sound bad. It may make sense, in this case, for getting a crap 2.1 system over a crappier 5.1 system.
 
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