Z-5500's + Xonar DX

Avalanche

Avalanche

Pendleton - Learn It, Live It, Know It
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Since I'm a relatively big noob when it comes to sound cards, I'm trying to get advice for one to pair up with my Z-5500's. I've been doing research on what would be the best bet for the system and what other have experienced, and many have concluded the Xonar DX is a good bang for the buck card.

My confusion happens at the connections. I presume the connection from the receiver on the set would go to the corresponding jacks on the card. But I'm staring at the Newegg images going, "What if that jack is supposed to go there....". I guess I'm trying to see if someone can explain to me which jacks go with which.

The more descriptive the directions, the better. Thanks in advance.
 
Xonar DX

Z-500

You connect the front jack of the Xonar to the front jack of the Z-5500

You connect the rear jack of the Xonar to the rear jack of the Z-5500

You connect the sub jack of the Xonar to the sub jack of the Z-5500

All total, you should have three wires, which give you 5.1 surround sound: 2 Front Spears (front jack) + 2 Rear Speakers (rear jack) + Center/Sub (center/sub jack) = 5.1
 
well now i feel stupid. thanks for the help though.

any thoughts on the card? its been getting good reviews
 
It's a good sound card for the money. It does EAX in software, versus hardware on the X-FI. That's the biggest different between the two cards, and that's why many people get the Xonar rather then the X-Fi, plus, many people seem to dislike Creative for many reasons.

So, yes, it's a good card and you wont be disappointed.
 
EQTakeOffense said:
I'd get the Xonar rather then the XtremeGamer
Click to expand...

For what reasons? What are the differences besides the XtremeGamer having hardware EAX 5.0 and the Xonar having Software EAX 5.0? I was leaning towards getting the XtremeGamer but I don't know why everything says the Xonar is so good too.
 
I recently upgraded from an Audigy 2 to a Xonar DX.

I have to say that the audio quality and "Fullness" of sound is much better on the Xonar DX on my ATH-A700 headphones. It really does sound amazing. I don't even need to mess with the EQ or change any settings for that matter, even between different music types.

But, on my Z5500's I don't hear any notable improvement. I think this has more to to with the Z5500's then the Xonar. Then again they sounded great before and they sound great now.

For games all I have been playing is GRID. Although it sounds great IMO -especially with "game" mode on, GRID still doesn't allow me to select the "Hardware" option in audio setup. I've read this option is reserved for EAX 5.0 enabled cards - which the Xonar can do, but the game doesn't see it. Codemasters fault or Asus's fault?

BTW, I'm running the Z5500's through the Digital out and the ATH-A700s are plugged directly into the Xonar. I've found the z5500 control pod headphone jack is lacking.
 
Shadowfury957 said:
For what reasons? What are the differences besides the XtremeGamer having hardware EAX 5.0 and the Xonar having Software EAX 5.0? I was leaning towards getting the XtremeGamer but I don't know why everything says the Xonar is so good too.
Click to expand...

Based on what I've researched, modern C2D and C2Q processors don't really take all that much of a performance hit with software EAX just because most games are still single threaded. If I understand correctly the argument for having hardware EAX works better when debating over single core processors.
 
I have been thinking about getting a new sound card for my system and this Xonar DX seems pretty good since it has a nice pricetag. I am eventually going to buy a 5.1 setup, but I am just trying to see exactly how this card compares to onboard "HD" audio in my mobo.

I am eventually going to have a bluray player and these logitechs up to my system, but was wondering why should i upgrade my sound card?
 
I am eventually going to have a bluray player and these logitechs up to my system, but was wondering why should i upgrade my sound card?
Click to expand...

Well, for starters if you're going to watch Blu-Ray movies, you should get a decent soundcard to decode the audio.

Blu-Ray supports:

Linear PCM (LPCM) - up to 8 channels of uncompressed audio. (mandatory)
Dolby Digital (DD) - format used for DVDs, 5.1-channel surround sound. (mandatory)
Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) - extension of Dolby Digital, 7.1-channel surround sound. (optional)
Dolby TrueHD - lossless encoding of up to 8 channels of audio. (optional)
DTS Digital Surround - format used for DVDs, 5.1-channel surround sound. (mandatory)
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio - extension of DTS, 7.1-channel surround sound. (optional)
DTS-HD Master Audio - lossless encoding of up to 8 channels of audio. (optional)
Click to expand...

The Z-5500 can only do Dolby Digital, and DTS and PCM (although only in stereo). So, you'll basically have a 1080p picture, with DVD quality sound.

EDIT: Actually, there aren't even any soundcards that support TrueHD or the like, your best option is to use a A/V receiver.
 
If you want a proper home cinema configuration you will have to get a proper am/receiver combo and some proper speakers! Not cheap pc speakers with a useless 10watt RMS or something and a sub that produces the same bass as you get from tapping a brick wall!
 
EQTakeOffense said:
Well, for starters if you're going to watch Blu-Ray movies, you should get a decent soundcard to decode the audio.

Blu-Ray supports:



The Z-5500 can only do Dolby Digital, and DTS and PCM (although only in stereo). So, you'll basically have a 1080p picture, with DVD quality sound.

EDIT: Actually, there aren't even any soundcards that support TrueHD or the like, your best option is to use a A/V receiver.
Click to expand...

priteshvarsani said:
If you want a proper home cinema configuration you will have to get a proper am/receiver combo and some proper speakers! Not cheap pc speakers with a useless 10watt RMS or something and a sub that produces the same bass as you get from tapping a brick wall!
Click to expand...

Ahh..thanks for the replies. Yes, I knew a A/V receiver would be the best option. Now I have to figure out how to hook it all up. This is a very n00bish question, and I am about to look it up but can 5.1 audio channels be had over a single cable. I am just trying to see that I know on some sound cards, there is a jack for front speakers, rear, etc. and this goes to the subwoofer (the logitechs) in this case. When people hook their A/V receiver's to their computer, how exactly do they hook them up to get all of those Dobly digital, etc. hmmm....(time to start googling). I suppose those people who use A/V receivers probably have a stand alone bluray player as well and a monster screen. So my situation is probably laughable (me trying to play bluray movies on my 24" gateway with a LITE-On bluray optical drive and onboard sound).

Thanks for the help
 
Sorry but i disagree,the Logitech can play audio DTS-HD/DD true Hd/LPCM 5.1 you have to use the direct analog out.Use PowerDVD or ArcaSoft MediaTheather and they will decode that audio to electric signal ( not Digital) and send it via Analog out to your Z5500.What the Z5500can´t do is to receive that kind formats via optical (Digital signal) and decode it.:)
 
pbls said:
Sorry but i disagree,the Logitech can play audio DTS-HD/DD true Hd/LPCM 5.1 you have to use the direct analog out.Use PowerDVD or ArcaSoft MediaTheather and they will decode that audio to electric signal ( not Digital) and send it via Analog out to your Z5500.
Click to expand...

You're forgetting that the Z-5500's speakers aren't even close to the quality of a speaker that would benefit from a DD TrueHD or DTS HD MA signal.



What the Z5500 it to receive that formats via optical and decode it.
Click to expand...

Did you leave out a word or something here, I don't understand this statement.
 
priteshvarsani said:
If you want a proper home cinema configuration you will have to get a proper am/receiver combo and some proper speakers! Not cheap pc speakers with a useless 10watt RMS or something and a sub that produces the same bass as you get from tapping a brick wall!
Click to expand...

You my friend are wise, oh so wise :D:D
 
criccio said:
You're forgetting that the Z-5500's speakers aren't even close to the quality of a speaker that would benefit from a DD TrueHD or DTS HD MA signal.

That´s not the point here,did i say that they have the same sound quality then a $5000 plus system??No i didn´t,i just say they can reproduce that kind of audio via Analog out from a good soundcard and using the "6 Ch Direct" on the Pod.
Click to expand...
 
pbls said:
..snip..
Click to expand...

I was just making sure that information was out there. Unfortunately on this forum there is a fair amount of people that believe the Z-5500 to be a good speaker system.
 
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