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Sound card and speakers?
- Thread starter merlin87
- Start date
$400 total including sound card and speakers?
hmm.
The answers is not very complicated, or is it?
Ok, get the newest version of the sound blaster- the audigy 2 zs, the 2 zs platnum, or the 2 zs pro platnum
http://soundblaster.com/products/Audigy2ZS_platinum_pro/
as sound blaster cards are good sounding and most compatible with games etc.
Now for sound - you want a 5.1 or greater set up?
5.1 = 5 channels - center, front left, front right, rear left and rear right - plus a subwoofer (the.1 in the 5.1 configuration)
Or you can go 6.1 or 7.1 - but these may be a bit of over kill on the channels as they are not as distinctive - but some like that
NOW for 5.1 speakers I suggest the Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.1 $399.99
http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=712
Check Best Buy for pricing. These are excellent THX certified speakers 500 watts. As I own the 4.1 version, I can tell you the sound quality is excellent with games, dvds, AND music.
Logitech (yeah the guys that make mouses) have a great series of speakers, my recommendation there is the z-680 series - also 5.1 500watts THX certified
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,contentid=5048,CRID=2,detail=4
now they usually can be found for less than the list $399.99
creative (makers out the sound blaster audigy sound cards) have their own speaker sets and I'd recommend their high end ones for the 6.1 or 7.1 set up
http://creative.com/products/welcome.asp?cat=4
Good luck
hmm.
The answers is not very complicated, or is it?
Ok, get the newest version of the sound blaster- the audigy 2 zs, the 2 zs platnum, or the 2 zs pro platnum
http://soundblaster.com/products/Audigy2ZS_platinum_pro/
as sound blaster cards are good sounding and most compatible with games etc.
Now for sound - you want a 5.1 or greater set up?
5.1 = 5 channels - center, front left, front right, rear left and rear right - plus a subwoofer (the.1 in the 5.1 configuration)
Or you can go 6.1 or 7.1 - but these may be a bit of over kill on the channels as they are not as distinctive - but some like that
NOW for 5.1 speakers I suggest the Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.1 $399.99
http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=712
Check Best Buy for pricing. These are excellent THX certified speakers 500 watts. As I own the 4.1 version, I can tell you the sound quality is excellent with games, dvds, AND music.
Logitech (yeah the guys that make mouses) have a great series of speakers, my recommendation there is the z-680 series - also 5.1 500watts THX certified
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,contentid=5048,CRID=2,detail=4
now they usually can be found for less than the list $399.99
creative (makers out the sound blaster audigy sound cards) have their own speaker sets and I'd recommend their high end ones for the 6.1 or 7.1 set up
http://creative.com/products/welcome.asp?cat=4
Good luck
theres a few q's you have to ask your self,
1. is quality that important? if it is save a bit more and buy components.
2. are you sure you need a sub, by the sounds of thing wat you are asking for is not a sub more an excuse to have small shitty speakers so that the sub can put back the bass lost, so therefor i would personaly suggest the follwing,
http://www.richersounds.com/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=301216
http://www.richersounds.com/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=202001
and add an audigy2
http://komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=117994&cks=PRL
mind you these are only uk prices and therfor you might be able to find a better deal in the US.
im willing to put money on the fact that this will sound better than most computer speakers can ever dream of sounding like.....
however many people dont have keen ears and all they want is bass bass bass, and dont care for mid clarity.....i mean my friends dont understand why i dont use bass boost on d-ej200 PCDP....'COS IT SOUNDS LIKE ARSE....
1. is quality that important? if it is save a bit more and buy components.
2. are you sure you need a sub, by the sounds of thing wat you are asking for is not a sub more an excuse to have small shitty speakers so that the sub can put back the bass lost, so therefor i would personaly suggest the follwing,
http://www.richersounds.com/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=301216
http://www.richersounds.com/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=202001
and add an audigy2
http://komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=117994&cks=PRL
mind you these are only uk prices and therfor you might be able to find a better deal in the US.
im willing to put money on the fact that this will sound better than most computer speakers can ever dream of sounding like.....
however many people dont have keen ears and all they want is bass bass bass, and dont care for mid clarity.....i mean my friends dont understand why i dont use bass boost on d-ej200 PCDP....'COS IT SOUNDS LIKE ARSE....
say you want to spend like under $200 to make an excellent sounding surround sound system
There are several options -
like buy the OEM edition of the AUDIGY 2 - as it will definately be cheap and excellent sound.
Remember that logitech speaker set I recommended? It has serveral little brothers -
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/productlist/US/EN,CRID=18
FOR EXAMPLE: the Z-640 5.1 set list price: $79.95 but can be found for less or the X-620 6.1 set for similar pricing
These wont sound amazing or blow your ear drums but should be acceptible for most situations.
Now for a a bit more $ look at the Z-5300 series 5.1 THX certified - should do you quite well $199.99 - again they may be less $$$ online.
Hope this helps
There are several options -
like buy the OEM edition of the AUDIGY 2 - as it will definately be cheap and excellent sound.
Remember that logitech speaker set I recommended? It has serveral little brothers -
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/productlist/US/EN,CRID=18
FOR EXAMPLE: the Z-640 5.1 set list price: $79.95 but can be found for less or the X-620 6.1 set for similar pricing
These wont sound amazing or blow your ear drums but should be acceptible for most situations.
Now for a a bit more $ look at the Z-5300 series 5.1 THX certified - should do you quite well $199.99 - again they may be less $$$ online.
Hope this helps
thanks for the replies. lots of great info. let me clear a few things up, i guess a sub would not be as important as clearity. clearity is the most important thing. my system would only need 5.1, even that is overkill IMHO. i rarely watch dvds on my comp with the sound blasting the doors down. but i do play lots of games. the current speakers i have right now is some altech lansing from like 4 years ago. its a decent set, but i notice when i do turn up the volume a bit, it guts all distorted and such. thats the reason for the upgrade. and i do have a older sound blaster audigy. im not sure really which model it is, but it is probably some oem one that came with my old dell.
Ok, so you have an audigy 1 OEM - what I have - my suggestions then change as you want no more than 5.1 and inexpensive.
Ok, the promedia 4.1 by Klipsch would rock your world, except they dont make them anymore... BUT you can get a refurbished set directly from klipsch -
http://store.klipsch.com/details.asp?ProdID=35
for $129.99 + s/h
That may be a good deal for you... THX certified 400 watts ....
Or we can go to other options - again my mind goes to Logitech as they also have certified THX solutions for reasonable prices...
Again the Z-680's come to mind as well as the 4.1 THX certified Z-560 set. They list for 199.99 but seem to be close to closeout by logitech. I know you will be able to find them for much lower $... FYI: They are 400 watts too.
Again if you want real cheap get the logitech that run around $79 - the Z-640, they will be around 70 watts and more than adequate for most needs. They definately will be better than your present altech lansing (never really liked that brand...)
Ok, the promedia 4.1 by Klipsch would rock your world, except they dont make them anymore... BUT you can get a refurbished set directly from klipsch -
http://store.klipsch.com/details.asp?ProdID=35
for $129.99 + s/h
That may be a good deal for you... THX certified 400 watts ....
Or we can go to other options - again my mind goes to Logitech as they also have certified THX solutions for reasonable prices...
Again the Z-680's come to mind as well as the 4.1 THX certified Z-560 set. They list for 199.99 but seem to be close to closeout by logitech. I know you will be able to find them for much lower $... FYI: They are 400 watts too.
Again if you want real cheap get the logitech that run around $79 - the Z-640, they will be around 70 watts and more than adequate for most needs. They definately will be better than your present altech lansing (never really liked that brand...)
ok, the certification DOES mean something - otherwise Klipsch and logitech (Or Sound Blaster for that matter) would not bother spending large $$$ on the license /certification-
It basically means that the speaker set meets the standards set by Lucas Film and its THX certification.... Is it a selling point? Yes, but it does give you a nice level of confidence that the speaker set you are buying can put out good sound.
see this link:
http://www.thx.com/mod/products/multimedia.html
And I DO agree with the Klipsch choice - my v2-400's (upgraded via new connector to the 4.1 standard) absolutely rock - 400watts is more than adequate in getting you an eviction notice if you live in an apartment tho...
It basically means that the speaker set meets the standards set by Lucas Film and its THX certification.... Is it a selling point? Yes, but it does give you a nice level of confidence that the speaker set you are buying can put out good sound.
see this link:
http://www.thx.com/mod/products/multimedia.html
And I DO agree with the Klipsch choice - my v2-400's (upgraded via new connector to the 4.1 standard) absolutely rock - 400watts is more than adequate in getting you an eviction notice if you live in an apartment tho...
GodsMadClown
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2002
- Messages
- 3,112
It means that they paid money and licesing fees so that they could sell more product. It also means that they have to raise the price to compensate. It does not mean much else.
