Custom PC 2.1ch speaker setup

R

rkf76

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 3, 2005
Messages
173
Hey guys, I want to make a custom 2.1 setup for my computer and figured this would be the best place to get the info I need in order to make it happen.

What I'd like to do is utilize a pair of Infinity front stage speakers that I've had for about 10 years, but have only used for a year or two. These speakers have two drivers and a tweeter in each housing, I'd like for them to play the mids and highs, and then of course a decent subwoofer, nothing too crazy, i'm sure an 8" sub would be more than enough.

So, how do I make this happen? What do I need in order to utilize regular speakers for use on my computer? I do have a soundcard, a Creative SoundBlaster Xtreme Music IIRC. I'm willing to upgrade but don't want to break the bank, I think up to $100 for the card would be my limit.

As for the sub, i'm thinking a powered one would be the way to go but I'd be open to suggestions/ideas. But if you're gonna suggest something, be reasonable, nothing extravagant, I'd like to keep my investment to below $200 if at all possible.
 
The xtreme music is a decent sound card.

Its the xtreme audio thats a load of crap.
 
Oh check the back of your Infinity speakers an see what the sensitivity is. should read like 90 db.

I would check craigslist for a cheap receiver with a subwoofer output to plug into the soundcard. If you want new and cheap but decent there is the Sherwood 6500 for around $120.

You could also get a T-amp. It is very basic but tiny and it does the job. $50 or so for that. You just run the t-amp from the sound cards front speaker/headphone output and the sub from the center channel/sub output. Turn both about 3/4 of the way up and control the volume via the soundcard.
 
Fawkes said:
The xtreme music is a decent sound card.

Its the xtreme audio thats a load of crap.
Click to expand...
Keeping in mind this setup is for music playback, which card do you think fits my needs the best, the Xtreme Music or the E-MU
0404? Please explain.

***Update***
I stumbled upon the AudioTrak Prodigy HD2 sound card and it looks like it's the one that fits my needs the best for the least cost.

spaceman said:
You could also get a T-amp. It is very basic but tiny and it does the job. $50 or so for that. You just run the t-amp from the sound cards front speaker/headphone output and the sub from the center channel/sub output. Turn both about 3/4 of the way up and control the volume via the soundcard.
Click to expand...
I've heard the term "T-amp" a few times while doing my research but I've never looked into it, I guess I will.
 
don't feel compelled to buy a new soundcard.

like fawkes already pointed out the xtreme music is a real x-fi, the x-fi audio is the card that spaceman meant. i modded a xtreme music with new op-amps and new caps and it sounds very good.

just buy an amp for your speakers and a subwoofer if you think that you're speakears need one now.
listen to that setup for a while and decide later if you need to upgrade your soundcard.
 
Fawkes said:
The xtreme music is a decent sound card.

Its the xtreme audio thats a load of crap.
Click to expand...

Yea, the XtremeMusic is basically the same as the XtremeGamer card. XtremeAudio is the one without hardware acceleration so uses more cpu resources than the others.
 
shadowlord said:
don't feel compelled to buy a new soundcard.

like fawkes already pointed out the xtreme music is a real x-fi, the x-fi audio is the card that spaceman meant. i modded a xtreme music with new op-amps and new caps and it sounds very good.

just buy an amp for your speakers and a subwoofer if you think that you're speakears need one now.
listen to that setup for a while and decide later if you need to upgrade your soundcard.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, it's the Xtreme Audio that I have:eek:
 
ok, lets see what we could do.

the front stage speakers you mentioned earlier, are they floorstanders or bookshelfes ?

it's because if they are floorstanders you might get away without a sub in the beginning. with the money saved you could look for a nice amp with an own digital/analog-converter.
google the Panasonic SA-XR57, maybe you could find it cheap enough to fit your budget.
 
I have a brand new XR57k for sale in the classifieds here.;) I still have another one and its sound is excellent!

But, aside from that, you could also go with a simple T-Amp setup. This one from partsexpress.com would work great:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-958

I also have one of these in another room that I've tried a variety of speakers on which all sounded good with this amp. Highly recommended, but make sure you get efficient speakers (preferably >=90db sensetivity) .

To go along with either of these, get yourself a decent sub and you're golden.

Just on a side note, I agree with those who've said there are better alternatives to the X-Fi Extreme Audio out there. Even the X-Fi Gamer Fatality has better sound, not to mention cards and DACs from other manufacturers...
 
shadowlord said:
ok, lets see what we could do.

the front stage speakers you mentioned earlier, are they floorstanders or bookshelfes ?

it's because if they are floorstanders you might get away without a sub in the beginning. with the money saved you could look for a nice amp with an own digital/analog-converter.
google the Panasonic SA-XR57, maybe you could find it cheap enough to fit your budget.
Click to expand...
They're actually meant to hang on the wall, but for all intents and purposes let's call them bookshelf's.

A guy on another board enlightened me on the wonderful world of T-amps. I hadn't considered one due to the crazy low specs of 10 watts per channel, but I've been educated now and an amp is definitely an option. I did some research and found what seems to be a very nice amp in the Dayton Audio APA150. That being said, i'm not too sure how I'd wire up my prospective system:

Dayton Audio APA150 $139.98

300-812L.jpg

300-812i.jpg


Infinity TSS-SAT1200 (not the exact model, but similar) already have

204049711.jpg


Dayton Audio SUB-80 8" powered sub $95

300-631i.jpg

300-631l.jpg

300-631ii.jpg


AudioTrak Prodigy HD2 sound card $75

hd2goldS.jpg


I think it would go something like this:

RCA's from Prodigy to APA150
RCA's from APA150 to sub
Speaker wire from APA150 to speaker inputs on back of sub
Infinity's wired into speaker outputs on back of sub (utilizing the high pass filter on the sub)

Sound about right? Or am I way off here?
 
rkf76 said:
RCA's from Prodigy to APA150
RCA's from APA150 to sub
Speaker wire from APA150 to speaker inputs on back of sub
Infinity's wired into speaker outputs on back of sub (utilizing the high pass filter on the sub)

Sound about right? Or am I way off here?
Click to expand...

you have one connection to much in your list. no need to go with rca's and speaker wire to the sub.

in youre case, i would go line out of the soundcard to the RCA line in on the sub and from the line out on the sub to the amp then with speaker wire from the amp to the speakers. the sub should apply it's high pass filter on the line out to.

hope this clears things up a bit.
 
shadowlord said:
you have one connection to much in your list. no need to go with rca's and speaker wire to the sub.

in youre case, i would go line out of the soundcard to the RCA line in on the sub and from the line out on the sub to the amp then with speaker wire from the amp to the speakers. the sub should apply it's high pass filter on the line out to.

hope this clears things up a bit.
Click to expand...
OK, hopefully you're right. I'll ask around and see if anybody can confirm that for me. I was just thinking the high pass circuit was totally separate from the rest of the sub so I figured I'd have to send it a signal in order to get one to come out. But if it applies the high pass on the line out, using the low level line in as the source, then there's no problem. Thanks for the response bro, helps alot.
 
Hey,

that dayton looks suspiciously like an Emotiva BPA-1. If it is, for $150 it is a VERY good sounding amp. I used one with some Totem Mites and loved the sound.
 
spaceman said:
Hey,

that dayton looks suspiciously like an Emotiva BPA-1. If it is, for $150 it is a VERY good sounding amp. I used one with some Totem Mites and loved the sound.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I believe they're one in the same.

I went to storage today and got my speakers, they're Infinity L-MPS (Satellite). Specs on them are:

Frequency Response................................180 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Crossover Frequency ................................................5 kHz
Sensitivity....................................87 dB @ 2.85 V, 1 meter
Nominal Impedance............................................... 8 ohms
Power Rating........................................15 ~ 80 watts (rms)
Driver Complement.................(2) 3 1⁄ 2" paper-cone woofers
1⁄ 2" polycarbonate-dome tweeter w/acoustic lens

Hopefully that amp will make these things rock. Any idea on how I'd wire all my components up?
 
Well, with that amp all you need is to connect it to the source w/ rcas to the line input and then run another pair of rcas to the sub via the line output. Simple. The only speaker wire you need is for the infinity speakers.

Set the crossover to 100 and the lowpass/flat switch to lowpass in order to keep the infinity speakers from blowing up.
 
wait a minute spaceman...

could it be that you are mixing some things up?

applying the lowpass would only pass the low frequencies from the amp to the speakers and not prevent them from blowing up. what you meant would be a high pass.
i think most of the controlls on the back of the amp are for running it in bridget mode as a subwoofer amp. i.e. the lowpass filter and the mono switch.

maybe i'm terrible wrong here but maybe i keep rkf76 from getting in trouble.
could anyone chime in?
 
I think that it is ok but will make certain. I agree, usually it is high pass but since there was no high pass label.....Good catch though. I can find out quick enough. bb
 
spaceman said:
Well, with that amp all you need is to connect it to the source w/ rcas to the line input and then run another pair of rcas to the sub via the line output. Simple. The only speaker wire you need is for the infinity speakers.

Set the crossover to 100 and the lowpass/flat switch to lowpass in order to keep the infinity speakers from blowing up.
Click to expand...
I think I'd need to use the sub's onboard high pass filter in order to keep from sending low frequencies to my Infinity's cause the xover on the amp is for low pass.

shadowlord said:
wait a minute spaceman...

could it be that you are mixing some things up?

applying the lowpass would only pass the low frequencies from the amp to the speakers and not prevent them from blowing up. what you meant would be a high pass.
i think most of the controlls on the back of the amp are for running it in bridget mode as a subwoofer amp. i.e. the lowpass filter and the mono switch.

maybe i'm terrible wrong here but maybe i keep rkf76 from getting in trouble.
could anyone chime in?
Click to expand...
You're correct.
 
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