Speaker configuration advice wanted

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jonwil

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Dec 29, 2014
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I recently bought a set of Creative Labs Inspire T3300 2.1 speakers (to replace a set of Inspire T3130 that died) and I want to know what Windows settings (I run Windows 7) would be best for these speakers.

Do I want to select "Full Range Speakers" in the Windows configuration or not?
Also, do I want to select "Bass Management", "Virtual Surround" or "Loudness Equalization"?

I use my system for YouTube videos, my MP3 collection and for gaming (and no I couldn't have bought a super-fancy speaker set, my budget didn't stretch that high plus my room layout leaves nowhere to put the rear speakers of a 5.1 :)

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
<troll>
The 'I have craptastic Creative plastic boxes for speakers -setting
</troll>

:D
 
It was either the Creatives or the even worse (based on past experience) Logitech option.
The shops I have access to don't exactly sell a vast range of high-end speakers.

And before someone points me at online options, let me say that for various reasons (including the fact that these speakers were a birthday gift where I told the person looking for a gift that I needed new speakers and they took me to the shop and bought me some) online wasn't an option in this case.
 
Yes to full range speakers. No to bass management. Loudness EQ is 'volume normalization' of a sort. I'd say no as it will ruin dynamic range. Could be useful for hearing footsteps in FPS games perhaps. Virtual surround is personal preference. I'd say no, but feel free to try it.
 
No to full range since you have a sub and don't need the speakers to produce bass. Turn off all eq and "sound enhancements" for music listening (listen to music the way the producer wanted it to sound). For gaming try the sound enhancement see if it adds anything.
 
I would say 'yes' to full-range since it's a 2.1 speaker set. You're going to tell Windows that you have a stereo speaker configuration and you will want to tell it that you have full-range speakers regardless of how dinky these speakers might be.

Because of how a 2.1 speaker configuration typically works, they should be designed to take in a full range of audio frequencies and then divide them out appropriately to the speakers and sub and cut out whatever frequencies the speakers and sub can't handle; you shouldn't need software (Windows) to do that job for the speakers.

As has been said, disable any bass management and loudness features as that should be handled by the speakers' built-in amplifier. Virtual surround is a personal preference that you'll need to try for yourself but I would personally disable.
 
djoye said:
I would say 'yes' to full-range since it's a 2.1 speaker set. You're going to tell Windows that you have a stereo speaker configuration and you will want to tell it that you have full-range speakers regardless of how dinky these speakers might be.

Because of how a 2.1 speaker configuration typically works, they should be designed to take in a full range of audio frequencies and then divide them out appropriately to the speakers and sub and cut out whatever frequencies the speakers and sub can't handle; you shouldn't need software (Windows) to do that job for the speakers.

As has been said, disable any bass management and loudness features as that should be handled by the speakers' built-in amplifier. Virtual surround is a personal preference that you'll need to try for yourself but I would personally disable.
Click to expand...

Correct.
 
jonwil said:
It was either the Creatives or the even worse (based on past experience) Logitech option.
The shops I have access to don't exactly sell a vast range of high-end speakers.

And before someone points me at online options, let me say that for various reasons (including the fact that these speakers were a birthday gift where I told the person looking for a gift that I needed new speakers and they took me to the shop and bought me some) online wasn't an option in this case.
Click to expand...

Well you can't pick your gifts obviously. At least without pissing off the person who gave it lol.
 
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