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Late to the thread, but I'll comment:
First, I have an nForce2 board with SoundStorm.
You DO NOT want to just get the MW550 without a Dolby Digital decoder.
The nForce2 boards have two types of output (as commented on above):
Analog (3 jacks to get 5.1 sound)
Digital (one jack - outputs digital.)
Now, internally, everything is digital, obviously. But, you hear in analog, so somewhere a digital-analog conversion must happen.
If you use the MW550 without a digital decoder, and plug it into the analog output of the board, that conversion is being done by your motherboard's SUPER CRAPPY AC97 CODEC. You don't want to do this, you won't like it.
What you want is a speaker set that accepts digital input (IE., has a built-in digital-analog converter) or an analog speaker set (MW550) with the understanding you'll also need to buy a Dolby Digital decoder to stick between the analog speakers and your motherboard's digital out.
You just really, really, really don't want to go with an analog-only out.
Now, as to the GMX 5.1s you mentioned earlier.....I like them. They DO have a hiss (as noted by many reviewers)....but most comments about it are exhaggerated. First, it's not as bad as the Logitech Z-680 hiss in any case. Secondly, it's *only* noticeable when you have your speakers cranked to max volume with your mobo cranked to max volume....and aren't playing anything.
As soon as you output *any* sound to them, you aren't going to hear any hiss at all. Further, unless you built a 'silent PC', you probably won't hear it over your PC fans ever.
It's just a result of the gain being factory set on the fairly high side. It's really not a problem. I'd say....if I paid $600 for them, I'd be unhappy. For $400 I'd be a little grumpy, but fairly happy overall. They are running for just around $200 now, and for that price, it's hard to argue with their quality. They do *SOUND GREAT*. I mean, they can fill an office with a painful amount of sound without getting anywhere near max volume. And you'd be hard pressed, even at an uncomfortable volume, to notice any flaws in the audio reproduction. They just sound really, really good. I'm not an audiophile, either, so I'm at a lack of technical terms to describe it. I'd just call it clean and crisp sounding.
They do have a built-in Dolby Digital decoded, so you can get 5.1 sound out of your motherboard using the digital out.
And, yeah, they do look pretty damn sexy. Bigger than they look -my PC. That's a 17" LCD for comparison. (Sorry about the brightness of the LCD, it's late and dark here, had to have the camera hold the shutter open for 3 full seconds to get that shot).
First, I have an nForce2 board with SoundStorm.
You DO NOT want to just get the MW550 without a Dolby Digital decoder.
The nForce2 boards have two types of output (as commented on above):
Analog (3 jacks to get 5.1 sound)
Digital (one jack - outputs digital.)
Now, internally, everything is digital, obviously. But, you hear in analog, so somewhere a digital-analog conversion must happen.
If you use the MW550 without a digital decoder, and plug it into the analog output of the board, that conversion is being done by your motherboard's SUPER CRAPPY AC97 CODEC. You don't want to do this, you won't like it.
What you want is a speaker set that accepts digital input (IE., has a built-in digital-analog converter) or an analog speaker set (MW550) with the understanding you'll also need to buy a Dolby Digital decoder to stick between the analog speakers and your motherboard's digital out.
You just really, really, really don't want to go with an analog-only out.
Now, as to the GMX 5.1s you mentioned earlier.....I like them. They DO have a hiss (as noted by many reviewers)....but most comments about it are exhaggerated. First, it's not as bad as the Logitech Z-680 hiss in any case. Secondly, it's *only* noticeable when you have your speakers cranked to max volume with your mobo cranked to max volume....and aren't playing anything.
As soon as you output *any* sound to them, you aren't going to hear any hiss at all. Further, unless you built a 'silent PC', you probably won't hear it over your PC fans ever.
It's just a result of the gain being factory set on the fairly high side. It's really not a problem. I'd say....if I paid $600 for them, I'd be unhappy. For $400 I'd be a little grumpy, but fairly happy overall. They are running for just around $200 now, and for that price, it's hard to argue with their quality. They do *SOUND GREAT*. I mean, they can fill an office with a painful amount of sound without getting anywhere near max volume. And you'd be hard pressed, even at an uncomfortable volume, to notice any flaws in the audio reproduction. They just sound really, really good. I'm not an audiophile, either, so I'm at a lack of technical terms to describe it. I'd just call it clean and crisp sounding.
They do have a built-in Dolby Digital decoded, so you can get 5.1 sound out of your motherboard using the digital out.
And, yeah, they do look pretty damn sexy. Bigger than they look -my PC. That's a 17" LCD for comparison. (Sorry about the brightness of the LCD, it's late and dark here, had to have the camera hold the shutter open for 3 full seconds to get that shot).
