Need help with PC and 5.1 prewire

[medicisspy]

I'm moving to a house which has a study room already prewired for a 5.1 ceiling setup. I would like to get some speakers installed and hook it up to my PC for gaming but I have no idea where to start. I've been using a basic Logitech Z906 setup for the last few years and the Logitech Z-5500s for many years prior to that. I'm not an audiophile by any means and I am more than happy with the sound quality of the Z906 setup.

There are only 4 outlets in the ceiling but there is a center channel so I guess the center speaker would have to be on the desk.

1. What are some decent speakers I can get installed in the ceiling that would be about the same quality as the Z906?
2. Same question as #1 for center speaker but that wouldn't be a ceiling speaker.
3. Would it sound weird if the surround speakers are in the ceiling and the center speaker is directly in front of me?
4. Once the speakers are installed and wired up, I guess I would need a receiver. Again, looking for a decent one but really don't need anything top of the line.
5. How do I hook up my PC to the receiver?
6. How would a ceiling speaker setup be for PC gaming in general, does anyone have a similar setup?

 

[sharknice]

I'm moving to a house which has a study room already prewired for a 5.1 ceiling setup. I would like to get some speakers installed and hook it up to my PC for gaming but I have no idea where to start. I've been using a basic Logitech Z906 setup for the last few years and the Logitech Z-5500s for many years prior to that. I'm not an audiophile by any means and I am more than happy with the sound quality of the Z906 setup.

There are only 4 outlets in the ceiling but there is a center channel so I guess the center speaker would have to be on the desk.

1. What are some decent speakers I can get installed in the ceiling that would be about the same quality as the Z906?
2. Same question as #1 for center speaker but that wouldn't be a ceiling speaker.
3. Would it sound weird if the surround speakers are in the ceiling and the center speaker is directly in front of me?
4. Once the speakers are installed and wired up, I guess I would need a receiver. Again, looking for a decent one but really don't need anything top of the line.
5. How do I hook up my PC to the receiver?
6. How would a ceiling speaker setup be for PC gaming in general, does anyone have a similar setup?

If you want you can just connect the speakers to your Z906 subwoofer (instead of the speakers it comes with) and use them that way. Or you can get a 5.1 receiver and connect it to your video card with hdmi which will sound better than using the Z906, but is going to cost a lot more.

The Yamaha NSIC800WH https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0046RE02W/ are the best in ceiling speakers at a reasonable price that I've seen. They often go on sale for $125 a pair on amazon, sometimes even cheaper. I listened to several much more expensive in celling speakers at a showroom and these sound better than those. They sound a lot better than what comes with the Z906.

With a real 5.1 receiver you can adjust the volume of individual speakers and make a mismatch sound better. It might sound a little weird having the logitech center paired with in ceiling speakers. I originally had my in ceiling speakers paired with a Polk Audio CS20 center channel which is about $100 and they sounded fairly similar.
A cheap 5.1 receiver is about $300.

This is what I have now. 5 of the Yamaha NSIC800WH and the cheapest yamaha 5.1 receiver

 

[medicisspy]

Ok just to make sure I understand correctly, you're saying I have 2 options:

1. I can install the 4 ceiling speakers and connect them directly to the Z906 subwoofer along with the Z906 center speaker and then just hook up the subwoofer as I normally would to my PC.
2. OR buy a dedicated 5.1 receiver and connect the 4 ceiling speakers along with the Z906 center speaker to the receiver and then use an HDMI cable and connect it to the video card. Would the video card just be doing pass through audio? Also, can I not connect the receiver to the digital SPDIF on my motherboard IO (or standard 3.5 jacks for that matter)? And how would I connect the Z906 subwoofer to the receiver?

In both options the Z906 center may sound odd with the Yamahas so I would be better off getting a CS20 for the center as you mentioned.

Also, nice setup, I've got a CX 48 also.

1. What wattage do you have for those Yamahas? The Z906 satellite speakers are 67 watts so I'm wondering if using one of those for the center with the 140 watt Yamahas will sound odd.
2. An recommendations for a decent $300-$500 5.1 receiver?
3. What are the side monitors you're using?
4. What desk is that?


Oh last question - does it sound odd in games with the sound coming from above you or does it feel pretty natural as if the speakers are at your head level?

 

[sharknice]

Ok just to make sure I understand correctly, you're saying I have 2 options:

1. I can install the 4 ceiling speakers and connect them directly to the Z906 subwoofer along with the Z906 center speaker and then just hook up the subwoofer as I normally would to my PC.
2. OR buy a dedicated 5.1 receiver and connect the 4 ceiling speakers along with the Z906 center speaker to the receiver and then use an HDMI cable and connect it to the video card. Would the video card just be doing pass through audio? Also, can I not connect the receiver to the digital SPDIF on my motherboard IO (or standard 3.5 jacks for that matter)? And how would I connect the Z906 subwoofer to the receiver?

In both options the Z906 center may sound odd with the Yamahas so I would be better off getting a CS20 for the center as you mentioned.

Also, nice setup, I've got a CX 48 also.

1. What wattage do you have for those Yamahas? The Z906 satellite speakers are 67 watts so I'm wondering if using one of those for the center with the 140 watt Yamahas will sound odd.
2. An recommendations for a decent $300-$500 5.1 receiver?
3. What are the side monitors you're using?
4. What desk is that?


Oh last question - does it sound odd in games with the sound coming from above you or does it feel pretty natural as if the speakers are at your head level?

1. yep
2. Your video card would not just be doing audio passthrough, it would act as if it's connected to a monitor, and the receiver's HDMI out would connect to a monitor.
You can use SPDIF but SPDIF does not do uncompressed 5.1 surround sound. So you'll only get stereo if you use it unless you're playing a movie with compressed 5.1 DTS or dolby digital, games will not do surround sound that way.
Receivers don't have 3.5 MM jacks for surround sound. The audio inputs are HDMI, SPDIF optical, and the red/white RCA jacks (but only for stereo, not 6 that can be combined for surround sound). HDMI is the only option if you want 5.1 surround sound for games.
You can't connect the Z906 subwoofer to the receiver, only the Z906 speakers. Subwoofers connect to receivers with a single RCA jack.

I would not recommend the CS20 specifically, I don't think they sell them anymore and I actually gave mine away to my brother, but I thought it matched fairly well with the yamaha in ceiling speakers. So maybe whatever newer model they replaced it with, or some other ~$100 center channel would be a good match. When I got it it was a black friday deal for $45 or something.

1. The Yamahas are 140 watts each. It might sound a little weird, but you can try it out and I think you can adjust the volume for the center separately on the Z906, and you can using a receiver. You also don't need to use a center channel, you can set windows to use just fronts and rears.
2. I use a Yamaha RX-V679BL, but they have newer models now, you could use their cheapest 5.1 system (RX-V385) and be fine.
3. They're just older monitors that I've kept as I've upgraded. On the left I have the first GSYNC monitor that had the DIY GSYNC kit, then the first 2560x1440 144hz gsync monitor. On the right I have one of the first 120hz 1080p LCDs, and another older viewsonic monitor. I used to use 8 monitors until I got the CX 48.
4. It's a custom made desk, the front and back can move independently.


It sounds a little different, you can tell the sound is coming from above and not just straight at you, but you get used to it pretty quick.

 

[medicisspy]

Thanks, this is all extremely helpful. Just 2 more things I'm still unclear about from your previous response:

2. Your video card would not just be doing audio passthrough, it would act as if it's connected to a monitor, and the receiver's HDMI out would connect to a monitor.

Currently I have a single monitor, the CX 48. I connect the CX to my 3090 via HDMI 2.1, which is the only HDMI port it has. So would I connect my video card to the receiver via the HDMI 2.1 port, and then the HDMI out on the receiver would connect to the CX 48? I would need a receiver that is HDMI 2.1 compatible then correct?

You can't connect the Z906 subwoofer to the receiver, only the Z906 speakers. Subwoofers connect to receivers with a single RCA jack.

So would I need to buy a new subwoofer also? The Z906 sub is 165W so anything decent in that range should be fine? And at that point, if I went with option 2, I would pretty much not be using anything from the Z906 (receiver, new sub, 4 ceiling speakers, 1 new center speaker to match ceiling speakers).

 

[sharknice]

Thanks, this is all extremely helpful. Just 2 more things I'm still unclear about from your previous response:


Currently I have a single monitor, the CX 48. I connect the CX to my 3090 via HDMI 2.1, which is the only HDMI port it has. So would I connect my video card to the receiver via the HDMI 2.1 port, and then the HDMI out on the receiver would connect to the CX 48? I would need a receiver that is HDMI 2.1 compatible then correct?


So would I need to buy a new subwoofer also? The Z906 sub is 165W so anything decent in that range should be fine? And at that point, if I went with option 2, I would pretty much not be using anything from the Z906 (receiver, new sub, 4 ceiling speakers, 1 new center speaker to match ceiling speakers).

That is potentially a problem. I have a 3090 connected directly to the CX with HDMI 2.1 like you do. But I have a second graphics card connected to the receiver with HDMI.
I think receivers that properly support 4k@120hz VRR 4:4:4 are only just now coming out. I don't know how well they work or how expensive they are. Last years models from every brand had bugs with HDMI 2.1.
But if you did get one of those you would simply connect your 3090 to the receiver and the receiver to the CX and it would be good to go.

You don't need to use a subwoofer, but if you want to use a sub you would need a new one. You can always add one on later and there really isn't any matching involved, it's just how big do you want it and how much money are you willing to spend.
I don't use a subwoofer for my desk, but I have 15" Dayton Audio subwoofers for my TV.

 

[medicisspy]

That is potentially a problem. I have a 3090 connected directly to the CX with HDMI 2.1 like you do. But I have a second graphics card connected to the receiver with HDMI.
I think receivers that properly support 4k@120hz VRR 4:4:4 are only just now coming out.

Hmm, well I do have the onboard HDMI for the Intel integrated graphics. So I guess I could keep the CX connected to the 3090, and then connect the receiver to the integrated graphics maybe? Never tried that before so not sure if it would work.

 

[sharknice]

Hmm, well I do have the onboard HDMI for the Intel integrated graphics. So I guess I could keep the CX connected to the 3090, and then connect the receiver to the integrated graphics maybe? Never tried that before so not sure if it would work.

I haven't tried it before but that might work.

 

[medicisspy]

Will try that out, thanks for all the help!

 

[hajalie24]

You can also get a receiver with eARC. Connect the PC to your CX and CX to the receiver. You should still get 5.1 uncompressed sound.

TSR-700 is $400 I believe but goes on sale at $330 at Costco. It's currently has bugged HDMI 2.1 but Yamaha has said they will have a newer model with it fixed and repair it for free for current users. Currently I use eARC with my CX and it works great.

 

[medicisspy]

You can also get a receiver with eARC. Connect the PC to your CX and CX to the receiver. You should still get 5.1 uncompressed sound.

TSR-700 is $400 I believe but goes on sale at $330 at Costco. It's currently has bugged HDMI 2.1 but Yamaha has said they will have a newer model with it fixed and repair it for free for current users. Currently I use eARC with my CX and it works great.

Interesting.. I will look into that also. How is it currently bugged, are they mostly minor issues?

 

[hajalie24]

Usually you plug all sources into the receiver and then the receiver connects to the TV. However, these receivers don't do the full 40gbps bandwidth needed so it doesn't support 4k 120hz.

However, they support eARC. eARC sends lossless audio from the TV back to the receiver, for when you're watching live tv or anything connected directly to the TV.

So if you just connect your PC to the CX, and the CX to the receiver via the HDMI port labeled ARC, you should get lossless 5.1 audio while retaining gsync, 4k, 120hz, etc.

 

[medicisspy]

Ah ok got it, thanks.