Help choosing 5.1 speakers / receiver

N

Nateious

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Jun 16, 2004
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I've been searching through these forums for some general recommendations but I figured I'd make a post because I have some specific questions.

I'd like to get some speakers for my PC, I currently use headphones 99% of the time but there are defiantly times I miss using speakers and I've been wanting to pick up a nice pair for years. I did read up the Logitech Z5500s and figured from what I read they are overpriced even more so now that the last time I looked on amazon they were listed at 997. I figure this is because they've been replaced with the Z906 which I read are even worse. From what I've read on these forums Logitech speakers are generally disliked and I'd like to get something good for my money so I figure I need to get a receiver and speaker set but I know absolutely nothing about that kind of a setup.

Here's a bit of the info for what I'm looking for:

I've got around a $500 budget, it's flexible but not by a bunch.
Feel free to recommend setups a bit over as I could always put off the upgrade till I have more $ but I don't think I could ever justify going over $700
I would use these mostly for gaming (90% games 10% music / movies)
I am pretty sure I have enough room to set them up properly though I can get exact dimensions of my setup area if requested
I probably don't have room for a 7.1 system, nor do I think I need it, if it came down to a 5.1 and a 7.1 around the same price, I'd rather get the 5.1 and get higher quality components than 2 extra speakers.
I currently have a Audigy 2 ZS and I've read that I can also output from the HDMI on my GTX570 and this will still work in all games. Is this true?
Do I need a new sound card on top of the speaker / receiver purchase?
If so what should I look for (again this is 90% for gaming)
I'd rather not mess around with optical out so I'd prefer using HDMI or analog for my output.
I'd like to be able to easily switch to using my headphones (Audio-Technica ATH-AD700) for late night gaming.

Thanks very much for any information you can provide and sorry for the long post, I wanted to preemptively answer any questions that might be asked.
 
If you can find a Klipsch Promedia 5.1 set, jump all over them. Otherwise, the Z906 set is the next in line (albeit) a huge drop from the Klipsch set.
 
DejaWiz said:
If you can find a Klipsch Promedia 5.1 set, jump all over them. Otherwise, the Z906 set is the next in line (albeit) a huge drop from the Klipsch set.
Click to expand...

Welcome to 2005 there. Come on man. Those do not even count as anything more than noise makers these days.

You can use your 570 hdmi with this HTIB. Buy some decent speaker wire from monoprice and you are gtg.

Yamaha YHT-395BL Complete 5.1-Channel Home Theater System
 
spaceman said:
Welcome to 2005 there. Come on man. Those do not even count as anything more than noise makers these days.

You can use your 570 hdmi with this HTIB. Buy some decent speaker wire from monoprice and you are gtg.

Yamaha YHT-395BL Complete 5.1-Channel Home Theater System
Click to expand...

Fair enough. Going full HT would be a great and viable option. I'll vouch for Yamaha, as I have a 5.1 set for my HT and they are amazing. Better than damn near everything that's roughly the same physical size speaker for speaker.

I posted the Klipsch since the OP did ask about dedicated computer speakers, and I've yet to find or hear anything better in terms of sound quality outside of a HT grade system, which the Promedia's are passable as, to boot.
 
if you want to game in surround through hdmi, the asus xonar hdav is the only sound card that can do it.
you cant send your a2 zs through your video card.

the only way to keep your a2zs and still get surround in games is to use analog.
not many recievers on the lower end can take analog these days.
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-A70...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1317173247&sr=1-14
this is a good one, but obviously, it eats a larger part of your budget.

if you are unwilling to use coaxial or optical there is no purpose in changing your sound card, unless you get the xonar hdav1.3
 
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While I do remember reading good things about the Klipsch Promedia 5.1s as far as I know they've been discontinued for years and I'm a bit wary about buying a used speaker set that old.

I'm a bit confused though for outputting audio from HDMI. Would I need a new sound card as Procyon12 suggests or does the video card output audio. I do have a Nvidia High Definition audio device in device manager so I assume it has some sort of audio capabilities.

Looking at the Yamaha system mentioned, it's 150 under budget, and while I have no problems saving money would the next model up be worth the extra 50 bucks?

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YHT-395BL-Complete-5-1-Channel-Theater/dp/B004SL4ADA
vs
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YHT-49...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1317175436&sr=1-15

As for the receiver mentioned, http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-A70...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1317173247&sr=1-14 what would be a good pair of speakers to pair with it. While it does eat up a good portion of my budget, I don't mind going a bit over if it gives me something that's more flexible for future upgrades
 
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the problem is that when you dont have a dolby digital live or dts connect feature on your sound card, you cant get surround in games, through a digital output.

no video card hdmi audio has this feature.
 
I see, then it looks like I'm limited to a receiver that works with analog inputs. Looking at the receiver you recommended, I assume I'd need 3 of something like this cable
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=5598&seq=1&format=2
to go from the Audigy 2 ZS Front Rear and Center outs to the receiver ins?

I know that the receiver eats more than half of my budget but can you recommend speakers to go with that receiver, I'd rather go over budget a bit than get nothing at all.
 
there is a solution, which is to buy something like this, and use optical.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132006

but the reciever i linked is a good one anyway...it just might be overkill for a small space.
within budget:
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-NS-SP1...RD62/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317183394&sr=8-1
these are basically the same speakers as the yamaha combo above, so the extra $150 all goes into the reciever.

not within budget:
http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-HD-300-Definition-Theater/dp/B001XURGSK/ref=pd_cp_e_pw_3
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-RM705-Theater-System/dp/B000WGJX5A/ref=pd_cp_e_pw_1
 
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If you are using optical out, does a game have to specifically support Dolby Digital or DTS to use surround or is that support through the sound card?

If I went with the Klipsch HD 300 the total would be close enough to my budget to not bother me, the Polk Audio RM705s with the receiver would be a bit too high for me.

Thanks for all the input, I'll check back again tomorrow to see if there is anything new but I think I might end up going with the receiver you recommended and either the Yamaha or the Klipsch speakers
 
Nateious said:
If you are using optical out, does a game have to specifically support Dolby Digital or DTS to use surround or is that support through the sound card?
Click to expand...
no, thats the entire point. games dont care about any of that, and the sound card handles it. if games had DD or DTS support built in we wouldnt be in this predicament.

If I went with the Klipsch HD 300 the total would be close enough to my budget to not bother me, the Polk Audio RM705s with the receiver would be a bit too high for me.

Thanks for all the input, I'll check back again tomorrow to see if there is anything new but I think I might end up going with the receiver you recommended and either the Yamaha or the Klipsch speakers
Click to expand...

the yamaha a700 is a great reciever, and leaves your upgrade path very open.
 
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2 more quick questions

1st I just noticed that with the Klipsch HD 300s only the center channel is magnetically shielded while for both the Polk and the Yamaha sets are completely shielded. How important is this if the front left and front center speakers may be near a CRT and my computer itself.

2ndly what type of speaker wire (as I assume I will have to supply my own) should I get, monoprice has multiple gauges and I am not sure what is proper.
 
I'd go fully shielded, but that's me. Most cases will inhibit magnetic fields, but I like extra peace of mind.

12AWG if you want to go overboard, but 22 to 16 AWG should work fine. Heck, I'm using the 24 AWG that came with my Yamaha 5.1 set on a 5x100W receiver/amp (max, not RMS) with zero problems.
 
if its right next to a crt it might be an issue.
it wont do anything to the computer.
 
Procyon12 said:
no, thats the entire point. games dont care about any of that, and the sound card handles it. if games had DD or DTS support built in we wouldnt be in this predicament.
Click to expand...

Oh wow, I had no idea, that's actually kind of neat, I think I'll still stick with the receiver and an analog setup though but at least this opens up more future possibilities.

As for the CRT and the speakers, hmm that's a bit troubling, I can't really move the CRT much, it's the only other monitor I have and I use it for my linux box which is right next to my windows box (I use synergy to share my keyboard / mouse between the 2 systems) Maybe I'll be looking at those Polk speakers after all...
 
Products in the category of "Wasting your money" :
Klipsch HD 300
Polk Audio RM705 5.1
Yamaha YHT-395BL
Yamaha YHT-495BL

All you need a pair of good monitors like my JBL LSR2523P - I currently play Deux Ex - HE and it's amazing
Nothing posted here above can match them in sheer performance and quality
jbllsr2325polar2.jpg


Your Audigy 2 ZS is a fine card - keep it.

If you are interested in HT and surround gaming - Maybe this is for you: 2 x Infinity Primus P163 speakers - at $85 each. this avr and this sub
To make it full 5.1 add PC251 center and pair of P153 surrounds
 
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BoredSysAdm said:
Products in the category of Wasting your money:
Klipsch HD 300
Polk Audio RM705 5.1
Yamaha YHT-395BL
Yamaha YHT-495BL
600/jbllsr2325polar2.jpg[/IMG]
Click to expand...

I'm sorry I don't know enough about this to understand that graph and in addition it appears that the speaker you listed is 200 dollars on amazon for I think a single speaker which would put me well over budget.
 
Nateious said:
I'm sorry I don't know enough about this to understand that graph and in addition it appears that the speaker you listed is 200 dollars on amazon for I think a single speaker which would put me well over budget.
Click to expand...

For JBL LSR2325P - Mean just to get a pair these, not 5
I got them for $167/each on sale
 
Ah, I'm looking for a surround setup, but even if I only got 2 and found them for 167 each I assume I'd still need the receiver and that's still well over my budget. I realize that I can probably get higher quality speakers if I get less of them and pay more per speaker, but it's not the setup I'm looking for. Thanks anyway though.
 
Nateious said:
Ah, I'm looking for a surround setup, but even if I only got 2 and found them for 167 each I assume I'd still need the receiver and that's still well over my budget. I realize that I can probably get higher quality speakers if I get less of them and pay more per speaker, but it's not the setup I'm looking for. Thanks anyway though.
Click to expand...

No problem, but I'd like to mention, JBLs are active monitors and do not require a receiver, they plugin directly to pc with cable like this one: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=5599&seq=1&format=2
 
Oh, I didn't realize that. This is the first time I've ever looked at any speaker setup that wasn't specifically made for a PC so this is very new to me. Many years ago I used to have a set of Cambridge Soundworks FPS2000 and while I assume they can't hold a candle to a home theater system I did like the surround setup in the few games I had that supported it back then, so I'd still rather stick to a 5.1 system.
 
BoredSysAdm said:
Your Audigy 2 ZS is a fine card - keep it.

If you are interested in HT and surround gaming - Maybe this is for you: 2 x Infinity Primus P163 speakers - at $85 each. this avr and this sub
To make it full 5.1 add PC251 center and pair of P153 surrounds
Click to expand...

except he wont be able to use is Audigy 2 ZS and game in surround sound with that reciever.
 
I'm probably going to order that receiver tonight and since the Klipsch aren't shielded either the Yamaha or the Polk speakers, I know the Polk put me about a hundred over my original budget but a friend of mine is trying to convince me to get them and I could just eat the difference from my planned computer upgrade fund for when the Sandy Bridge-E's come out :)
 
You won't be upset with either the Yamaha or Polk set. Get what your gut tells you to get.
 
Procyon12 said:
except he wont be able to use is Audigy 2 ZS and game in surround sound with that reciever.
Click to expand...

No, but between possible onboard spdif out or his GPU HDMI port - something could worked out

to OP: I think that you never actually heard good speakers. Do yourself a favor and visit local pro music store and ask to listed to a few of Monitors (hopefully they will have JBL's like mine) or atleast KRK Rockit, Behringers or similar systems

The HTIB systems you've been advised are garbage and not worth the materials they are made of.
With $500 budget there is one brand I could recommend one brand and that heavily discounted:
http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...el-Home-Theater-Package-with-iPod-Dock/1.html
 
BoredSysAdm said:
No, but between possible onboard spdif out or his GPU HDMI port - something could worked out

to OP: I think that you never actually heard good speakers. Do yourself a favor and visit local pro music store and ask to listed to a few of Monitors (hopefully they will have JBL's like mine) or atleast KRK Rockit, Behringers or similar systems

The HTIB systems you've been advised are garbage and not worth the materials they are made of.
With $500 budget there is one brand I could recommend one brand and that heavily discounted:
http://www.accessories4less.com/mak...el-Home-Theater-Package-with-iPod-Dock/1.html
Click to expand...

I do not have onboard spdif and from what I read I can't do surround with my video card's HDMI out as both my motherboard and soundcard lack the proper connections. I can't be positive as I've said I'm new to this, but looking at the receiver included with your Onkyo package it does not have analog inputs which would mean I'd still need to get a receiver with analog inputs on top of that package. While I appreciate you trying to help me find a better quality system I don't think I can afford that right now. If I end up not being blown away with the speakers I end up getting, I can always return them, save up a bit more and I'll still have the receiver, which from what I've read here and other places is fine for what I'll be using it for.
 
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