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PC audio help

S

Shamma

n00b
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Messages
14
I need some help with my pc audio. I'm currently using the on board sound (Realtek ALC889) with my old Logitech Z680 5.1 system. I also have a Yamaha RX-V765 reciever still sitting in the box. I'm looking at the HT Omega Claro Halo XT card. Can I use this card with the reciever and z680's or do I need to get new speakers too? If that is the case are Polk Audio TL250's worth it or are there good quality, sounding speakers for less?
 
Do you have optical or coax audio out on the motherboard ?
What's your budget for speakers and how many are looking for?
 
I have both on the motherboard.
about 600 for the card and speakers.

I'm probably going to want a card right?
 
If you plan to use the receiver, you don't really need a sound card as long as the onboard can do Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect. You can just connect the receiver via optical or coax, and let the receiver do the digital to analog conversion.
 
The only thing I've found so far is that the Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect are listed as optional, whatever that means. I'm sick of the on board audio so I'm going to get a card anyways. Just not sure which one. I also want some 5.1 speakers that are good as well.
 
Your receiver supports HDMI Audio, could you not just run HDMI to or through the Yamaha? Uncompressed 8 channel digital, no DDL or DTS connect required. No additional hardware either if your video card supports HDMI Audio. What type of GPU are you using?
 
MSI GTX580 Lightning Extreme
What would I connect my mic headset to because the on board sucks for that?
 
You don't need additional sound card - you have great DAC right in the receiver
Unless I'm mistaken if you your onboard codec support DDlive or DTS connect - worst case scenario it'll send multichannel pcm sound - not a problem.
Now, you have pretty decent receiver - $600 for 5.1 speakers:
This 5.0 set:
http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/544012176/jamo-s606hcs3?s_c=site_search
and two of these subs:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10906&cs_id=1090602&p_id=8249&seq=1&format=2

Use ether spdif out on the board or hdmi on the video card - I'd stick the prior for likely to work.
Get all the cables you need from monoprice as well.
 
Shamma said:
What would I connect my mic headset to because the on board sucks for that?
Click to expand...

I believe that then your headset (I assume not usb) will connect to front analog ports audio card onboard should re-route the signal.

If it doesn't then you must use hdmi out
 
Those 2 tower speakers are to big for me and I've read somewhere that you can't use surround in games when using hdmi from the video card. Also, my mic always sounds bad when using the on board, thats why I was looking for a card as well. I'm so new to the audio section that is sickens me.
 
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Game audio should be fine through HDMI, only thing that requires a sound card is EAX support, but not many games even support that anymore. The HDMI audio device shows up to Windows as a 7.1 channel device, programs are free to do with those channels what they please. As for movies with Dolby Digital or DTS, they can either be decoded on the PC and sent to the receiver uncompressed or I believe the raw DD/DTS streams can be sent and decoded by the receiver. The sound from either should be essentially identical.
 
dustNbone said:
Game audio should be fine through HDMI, only thing that requires a sound card is EAX support, but not many games even support that anymore. The HDMI audio device shows up to Windows as a 7.1 channel device, programs are free to do with those channels what they please. As for movies with Dolby Digital or DTS, they can either be decoded on the PC and sent to the receiver uncompressed or I believe the raw DD/DTS streams can be sent and decoded by the receiver. The sound from either should be essentially identical.
Click to expand...

You don't need a sound card for EAX support. EAX is dead, gone, deprecated. It's been since completely re-implemented in OpenAL which runs on any sound device just fine in software mode.
 
Shamma do yourself a favor and spend the $600 on decent speakers and a sub. You have a decent receiver and it's screaming to be mated to a decent set of speakers.

I just hooked my audio back up to the PC after cleaning our basement from the hurricane and the music almost brought tears to my eyes. Listening to music from my wife's pc speakers, I almost forgot what good sound felt like (yes "felt" is the word I wanted to use since it hits your soul, not just your ears). I still need to hook my sub up but am enjoying the music once more.

Edit: Oh and those Infinity Primus speakers do look nice. I hear they are one of the best budget speakers available. If you can find a good deal on Energy speakers, they are also very nice.
 
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BoredSysAdm said:
Snake oil ...
Click to expand...

Really? I understand being skeptical but the company in question is a good one. I tried one of their amps and another member here did too. The review site is solid. I understand that they are very unusual speakers but I will not rec something I would not buy myself.
 
Energy is fine. Depends on what you are most interested in.

For what I listed, you will get more realistic sound. The emotions in the voice. More detail. With the energy, you get better directional sound and 90% of any other speakers really. So there you go. Both are great upgrades over the logitech.
 
I hate to annoy, but I have to intervene,but here I suggested fine system, which is miles and miles above tiny speakers in this energy micro set or even worse logitechs
Some energy speaker are good indeed, but not the take classic - these only OK, not good - for really tiny rooms.
Polk subs are indeed crappy, and as far as their speakers go - I the only ones I liked out of entire Polk bookshelf model range is LSi series and you can't afford them even refub ones
 
I don't see many reviews for the infinity speakers.
 
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The Infinity look nice but I need some reviews to look at. No offense but I'm not going to take one guys word for something. Perhaps they are kick ass but I don't know.
Can I mount the 163's to a wall?
What about the TSi100's?
 
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I picked up a near mint (couple scratches) pair of Wharfedale E.Seventy off CL locally for $250 a couple weeks ago. Just wanted to tell someone.
 
I just looked at the size of them and they may be a bit to big for putting 2 on my desk
 
Look at Mirage Nanosats then. A pair of those and a decent sub will do nicely on a desktop.
 
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