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New Setup help would be much appreciated

230 views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  Tacoboy 
#1 ·
hi guys,
Im looking to set up an above average 2.1 speaker system (most likely in future add for 5.1) ive read good things about jbl and audioengine. Im also interested in a desktop microphone. Currently use astro a50 but im trying to switch it up as wearing headphones all the time for me isnt comfortable. Id like to hear a nice bass from a sub for gaming and music. my question is id like to keep my desk as clean as possible so is it better off to go with a nice sound card over a receiver? i have an old one but its huge and i prefer to keep my pc area as neat as possible. i see the sound blaster zxr has good reviews and im interested in that. it has 2xrca left and right input im confused as to how i would connect a 5.1? if someone could elaborate on that. im used to passive speakers only. suggestions on microphones and speakers would help a ton, thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbravo33 View Post

hi guys,
Im looking to set up an above average 2.1 speaker system (most likely in future add for 5.1) ive read good things about jbl and audioengine. Im also interested in a desktop microphone. Currently use astro a50 but im trying to switch it up as wearing headphones all the time for me isnt comfortable. Id like to hear a nice bass from a sub for gaming and music. my question is id like to keep my desk as clean as possible so is it better off to go with a nice sound card over a receiver? i have an old one but its huge and i prefer to keep my pc area as neat as possible. i see the sound blaster zxr has good reviews and im interested in that. it has 2xrca left and right input im confused as to how i would connect a 5.1? if someone could elaborate on that. im used to passive speakers only. suggestions on microphones and speakers would help a ton, thanks in advance.
So for starters lets figure out what you want to achieve.

Do you want a gaming/media focused sound system, or do you want a system dedicated to music and high fidelity?
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbravo33 View Post

Gaming and media. Let's start there. dacs vs sound cards all this reading giving myself a headache. I'll let u take it from here and lead me in the right direction. Lol
so a dac is a digital to analog converter. It takes the 1s and 0s from the computer and transforms it into an analog music signal.

Both a sound card and a receiver will both have a dac inside. When you hear people talking about a dac, it is usually for hi-fi purposes and is usually only meant for 2 channel audio.

A sound card and a receiver have two major differences.

1: Both units have a digital processor. This is the thing that will simulate sound stage and sound positioning. Games will often times have code that will talk to the audio processor on a sound card. This might give you some extra sound effects and better audio positioning. This is why sound cards are generally more gamer focused. Receivers on the other hand have special software to talk to movie standards such as dolby to get you a better movie experience.

2: A receiver is an amplifier and a sound card isn't. The receiver has the ability to power average passive speakers. A sound card can't power much of anything. So if you want to use good bookshelf speakers, you will have to get a receiver.

I would probably tell you to get a receiver and some passive speakers. The nice thing is that a receiver is far more robust and generally has better audio quality.
 
#5 ·
I would probably tell you to get a receiver and some passive speakers. The nice thing is that a receiver is far more robust and generally has better audio quality.[/quote]

Thank you for clarifying, Think I'll stick to just some desktop speakers for now. my motherboard came with a dac so i'll try that out. Dont have right room setup just yet for full 5.1

Edit: Came with an external dac
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbravo33 View Post

hi guys,
Im looking to set up an above average 2.1 speaker system (most likely in future add for 5.1) ive read good things about jbl and audioengine. Im also interested in a desktop microphone. Currently use astro a50 but im trying to switch it up as wearing headphones all the time for me isnt comfortable. Id like to hear a nice bass from a sub for gaming and music. my question is id like to keep my desk as clean as possible so is it better off to go with a nice sound card over a receiver? i have an old one but its huge and i prefer to keep my pc area as neat as possible. i see the sound blaster zxr has good reviews and im interested in that. it has 2xrca left and right input im confused as to how i would connect a 5.1? if someone could elaborate on that. im used to passive speakers only. suggestions on microphones and speakers would help a ton, thanks in advance.
Guess it comes down to the budget, the more cash, the better the audio quality.

If you do not plan on not using full sized front speakers and just want smaller speakers all around.
If you do mot want to deal with the size of a modern A/V receiver.
And just having 5.1 speaker setup, is more important then the audio quality.
Then get something like the Logitech Z906 5.1 (maybe used).

but it really comes down to the budget?
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbravo33 View Post

Gaming and media. Let's start there. dacs vs sound cards all this reading giving myself a headache. I'll let u take it from here and lead me in the right direction. Lol
If your doing 5.1, then do not get a DAC
Any DAC that has good audio quality, is usually a 2-channel unit, not 5.1.

If you looking at 5.1 speaker audio, for a PC, your usually looking at getting a sound card.
For 5.1 speaker audio, a modern A/V receiver, with a 5.1 speaker setup, can give you the same 5.1 speaker setup for a computer, but taking up more space and I'm guessing will cost you more.

A sound card or modern A/V receiver, aready come with a 5.1 (or 7.1) DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) function built in.
 
#8 ·
I have a question that I'm looking at the same setup as OP.

I have a decent 500W receiver, a 10" sub, and 5 small surrounds.

Right now I have the new Asus Crosshair 6, with the SupremeFX on board DAC that I'm using the optical input to the receiver.

I was looking at the Sound Blaster Z SBX. Will I gain audio quality with SB card? Or is the Asus SoundFX perform the same?

I use my PC for both music and gaming.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Motley01 View Post

I have a question that I'm looking at the same setup as OP.
I have a decent 500W receiver, a 10" sub, and 5 small surrounds.
Right now I have the new Asus Crosshair 6, with the SupremeFX on board DAC that I'm using the optical input to the receiver.
I was looking at the Sound Blaster Z SBX. Will I gain audio quality with SB card? Or is the Asus SoundFX perform the same?
I use my PC for both music and gaming.
Unless your motherboard come with DDL (Dolby Digital Live) or DTS-Connect software (which it does not).
You can only pass 2-channels of PCM (un-compressed) audio (at least 24-bit 96K or even 24-bit/192K) to the receiver.
Lots of add-on sound cards come with Dolby (DDL) or DTS (DTS-Connect), which can encode (compress) up to 6-channels (5.1) of digital audio, that can them pass thru (S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) connection, but limited to 24-bit/48K.
The SB-Z card comes with Dolby, also a lower cost option is the Asus Xonar DG/DGX card.

If your graphics card and the receiver and your computer screen all come with HDMI, you can run HDMI from Graphics card to receiver, then HDMI from receiver to computer screen.
HDMI can carry up to 8-channels (7.1) of PCM (uncompressed) 24-bit/192K of digital audio.
Unless your playing a modern action Blu-ray movie disk, you may not hear a practical difference between optical and HDMI.
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tacoboy View Post

Guess it comes down to the budget, the more cash, the better the audio quality.

If you do not plan on not using full sized front speakers and just want smaller speakers all around.
If you do mot want to deal with the size of a modern A/V receiver.
And just having 5.1 speaker setup, is more important then the audio quality.
Then get something like the Logitech Z906 5.1 (maybe used).

but it really comes down to the budget?
I'm trying to see my best options without using a receiver. Budget 1000 and that includes a microphone which I originally stated with a mount. So mount, microphone, speakers, sound card if applies.
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tacoboy View Post

Unless your motherboard come with DDL (Dolby Digital Live) or DTS-Connect software (which it does not).
You can only pass 2-channels of PCM (un-compressed) audio (at least 24-bit 96K or even 24-bit/192K) to the receiver.
Lots of add-on sound cards come with Dolby (DDL) or DTS (DTS-Connect), which can encode (compress) up to 6-channels (5.1) of digital audio, that can them pass thru (S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) connection, but limited to 24-bit/48K.
The SB-Z card comes with Dolby, also a lower cost option is the Asus Xonar DG/DGX card.

If your graphics card and the receiver and your computer screen all come with HDMI, you can run HDMI from Graphics card to receiver, then HDMI from receiver to computer screen.
HDMI can carry up to 8-channels (7.1) of PCM (uncompressed) 24-bit/192K of digital audio.
Unless your playing a modern action Blu-ray movie disk, you may not hear a practical difference between optical and HDMI.
Right on, thanks taco for the detailed info. I will go ahead and get the SB Z card then.
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbravo33 View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tacoboy View Post

Guess it comes down to the budget, the more cash, the better the audio quality.

If you do not plan on not using full sized front speakers and just want smaller speakers all around.
If you do mot want to deal with the size of a modern A/V receiver.
And just having 5.1 speaker setup, is more important then the audio quality.
Then get something like the Logitech Z906 5.1 (maybe used).

but it really comes down to the budget?
I'm trying to see my best options without using a receiver. Budget 1000 and that includes a microphone which I originally stated with a mount. So mount, microphone, speakers, sound card if applies.
The Logitech Z906 is around $400,
Spending more then $400 for 5.1 speaker audio and about your only option is to get a receiver.
 
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