Logitech Z-5500 Digital Soundroom

[J.M.D]

Hi, so I have a ht omega claro plus and a z5500 and is having trouble configuring it to it's full potential. When I put in the output of the control panel audio to 6ch audio the background plays about 70% louder than when the characters are talking. But when I put 2ch output it is much it plays smoothly. I am having trouble configuring the speakers and the audio card. If anyone has the ht omega claro plus and the z5500 can you please help me out?

I seriously doubt, your analogue cables are plugged on wrong jacks. Please do a channel-Test from your HT Claro Control panel to make sure everything is connected well and correct. I would also recommend to have a Pink-Noise test from your logitech remote control (Test Button) to make sure the satellites are connected correctly.

I also have another question my pod volume button is kind of sticky when I turn it (it doesn't rotate smoothly, I have to use some force) How would I fix this without opening the pod. Is this normal?

It seems the white Greece behind the wheel is dried out. you can pull the knob out with a little force and apply some loosening paste and put it back with a little gap between the POD and Knob.

 

[techguy31]

I seriously doubt, your analogue cables are plugged on wrong jacks. Please do a channel-Test from your HT Claro Control panel to make sure everything is connected well and correct. I would also recommend to have a Pink-Noise test from your logitech remote control (Test Button) to make sure the satellites are connected correctly.

I'm using digital optical. Basically when I use it in 2 ch output on the configuration panel, it is fine. The person talking is in par with the background music. It's when I change it to 6ch output the person talking becomes super soft making me only hear the background noise. I am using Cyberlink Powerdvd 10 Ultra.
I also heard that using the 3.5mm jacks are better? Why is this I thought Digital is better. Well when I play some of my movies that have DTS and 5.1 ch sound coming out which is the best setup for my sound card and z5500 meaning how should I configure it in my sound manual, z 5500, cyberlink settings. How should I configure it when I use iTunes to play my music that will emit the best sound possible. Does z 5500 have dolby digital live? It's so difficult to configure. Plz.. Help
Thx lots.. I know it's alot of information because it's my first time.


It seems the white Greece behind the wheel is dried out. you can pull the knob out with a little force and apply some loosening paste and put it back with a little gap between the POD and Knob.

Thx for the tip...I will do that

 

[techguy31]

I seriously doubt, your analogue cables are plugged on wrong jacks. Please do a channel-Test from your HT Claro Control panel to make sure everything is connected well and correct. I would also recommend to have a Pink-Noise test from your logitech remote control (Test Button) to make sure the satellites are connected correctly.



It seems the white Greece behind the wheel is dried out. you can pull the knob out with a little force and apply some loosening paste and put it back with a little gap between the POD and Knob.

I'm using digital optical. Basically when I use it in 2 ch output on the configuration panel, it is fine. The person talking is in par with the background music. It's when I change it to 6ch output the person talking becomes super soft making me only hear the background noise. I am using Cyberlink Powerdvd 10 Ultra.
I also heard that using the 3.5mm jacks are better? Why is this I thought Digital is better. Well when I play some of my movies that have DTS and 5.1 ch sound coming out which is the best setup for my sound card and z5500 meaning how should I configure it in my sound manual, z 5500, cyberlink settings. How should I configure it when I use iTunes to play my music that will emit the best sound possible. Does z 5500 have dolby digital live? It's so difficult to configure. Plz.. Help
Thx lots.. I know it's alot of information because it's my first time


Thx for the tip.. I will be doing that.

 

[Mussels]

I'm using digital optical. Basically when I use it in 2 ch output on the configuration panel, it is fine. The person talking is in par with the background music. It's when I change it to 6ch output the person talking becomes super soft making me only hear the background noise. I am using Cyberlink Powerdvd 10 Ultra.
I also heard that using the 3.5mm jacks are better? Why is this I thought Digital is better. Well when I play some of my movies that have DTS and 5.1 ch sound coming out which is the best setup for my sound card and z5500 meaning how should I configure it in my sound manual, z 5500, cyberlink settings. How should I configure it when I use iTunes to play my music that will emit the best sound possible. Does z 5500 have dolby digital live? It's so difficult to configure. Plz.. Help
Thx lots.. I know it's alot of information because it's my first time


Thx for the tip.. I will be doing that.

since you're on digital, it just rules out those wires. odds are your center channel is either not connected, or wired in wrong.

 

[J.M.D]

I'm using digital optical. Basically when I use it in 2 ch output on the configuration panel, it is fine. The person talking is in par with the background music. It's when I change it to 6ch output the person talking becomes super soft making me only hear the background noise.I am using Cyberlink Powerdvd 10 Ultra.

Ahh alright !! There is your problem. When you configure as 2ch output, all the 6 channel contents (DDL, DTS example) are downmixed and ouputted as just stereo channels. So you could hear everything mixed on your front left and right speakers only. But if you really wanna get all the 6 ch via a single optical cable, then you either need to turn on the DDL or DTS encoding capability feature if your sound card supports it or else you need to select SPIDF/passthru as the output method on your Cyberlink PowerDVD. So that your Z5500 can decode it in realtime DDL/DTS. Remember this only works with a Pre-encoded DDL/DTS source and thus its a best feature on our beloved Z5500's

I also heard that using the 3.5mm jacks are better? Why is this I thought Digital is better. Well when I play some of my movies that have DTS and 5.1 ch sound coming out which is the best setup for my sound card and z5500 meaning how should I configure it in my sound manual, z 5500, cyberlink settings. How should I configure it when I use iTunes to play my music that will emit the best sound possible. Does z 5500 have dolby digital live? It's so difficult to configure. Plz.. Help
Thx lots.. I know it's alot of information because it's my first time

Usually 3.5mm jacks means Analogue. Yes analogue sometimes does sounds better only if the sound cards are of high grade. Meaning high quality DAC's and better op-amps on the PCB and that means far superior sound is outputted. you can definitely notice the difference.
But if you have hooked up your speakers only on your Optical/Coax cable, then you are not really benefited of your sound card at all as the sound card just bypasses the digital signal to the external recevier (here Z5500 in your case) and thus it does all the processing job.

As these days most of the Mobo's are integrated with SPDIF/out, one really shoudnt need to throw his $$$$$$ , if his intention was only for the Optical/Coax output.

 

[techguy31]

Ahh alright !! There is your problem. When you configure as 2ch output, all the 6 channel contents (DDL, DTS example) are downmixed and ouputted as just stereo channels. So you could hear everything mixed on your front left and right speakers only. But if you really wanna get all the 6 ch via a single optical cable, then you either need to turn on the DDL or DTS encoding capability feature if your sound card supports it or else you need to select SPIDF/passthru as the output method on your Cyberlink PowerDVD. So that your Z5500 can decode it in realtime DDL/DTS. Remember this only works with a Pre-encoded DDL/DTS source and thus its a best feature on our beloved Z5500's



Usually 3.5mm jacks means Analogue. Yes analogue sometimes does sounds better only if the sound cards are of high grade. Meaning high quality DAC's and better op-amps on the PCB and that means far superior sound is outputted. you can definitely notice the difference.
But if you have hooked up your speakers only on your Optical/Coax cable, then you are not really benefited of your sound card at all as the sound card just bypasses the digital signal to the external recevier (here Z5500 in your case) and thus it does all the processing job.

As these days most of the Mobo's are integrated with SPDIF/out, one really shoudnt need to throw his $$$$$$ , if his intention was only for the Optical/Coax output.

Thx for the through explanation J.M.D. I will be trying to look for the spdif/out if I am going to use the digital. What if I am use the analog cables. How should I configure it in the claro plus settings and the powerdvd settings?
Thx again..

 

[twicksisted]

alright im officially not part of the club anymore lol
my speakers blew up last night, but fair enough ive had em for a few years and i did hammer them...

Anyways if anyone in the UK has use for perfectly working headunit and surround speakers / center channel, PM me... (my sub / amp on the other hand arent happy)

 

[DanishDevil]

Sorry to hear about 'em. A moment of silence.








Didn't Mussels need a head unit?

 

[Mussels]

alright im officially not part of the club anymore lol
my speakers blew up last night, but fair enough ive had em for a few years and i did hammer them...

Anyways if anyone in the UK has use for perfectly working headunit and surround speakers / center channel, PM me... (my sub / amp on the other hand arent happy)

Sorry to hear about 'em. A moment of silence.



Didn't Mussels need a head unit?

yeah i did need one, had to RMA the whole set at great expense.

definitely keep the head unit and speakers, someone will need them sooner or later here on TPU.

 

[J.M.D]

What if I am use the analog cables. How should I configure it in the claro plus settings and the powerdvd settings?

If you are planning to go on analogue then i recommend you configure your claro output as 5.1 Ch or 6 Channel mode. If your Claro Plus has got a bass-redirection or Flexibass feature , then you may turn it on as it re-directs a selected range of Low Frequencies to your heavy Sub. But its Subjective. Also Configure the Cyberlink PowerDVD output as 6 Ch mode.

As its analogue you will need a pair of 3 cables. Make sure each goes where its intended to go. Or else everything will be messed up.

 

[techguy31]

If you are planning to go on analogue then i recommend you configure your claro output as 5.1 Ch or 6 Channel mode. If your Claro Plus has got a bass-redirection or Flexibass feature , then you may turn it on as it re-directs a selected range of Low Frequencies to your heavy Sub. But its Subjective. Also Configure the Cyberlink PowerDVD output as 6 Ch mode.

As its analogue you will need a pair of 3 cables. Make sure each goes where its intended to go. Or else everything will be messed up.

Alright thx man...

 

[Garfo]

hello all

got myself a set of theses puppys
got em 2nd hand off someone

 

[DanishDevil]

Congrats! How do you like 'em?

 

[Garfo]

Congrats! How do you like 'em?

yep do like them just aving bit trouble with th optical cable thing maybe be my x-fi io panel?

 

[DanishDevil]

What exactly is your problem? Do you have the input on the speakers set to Optical, and the output on your sound card set to Optical? You can't do optical and analogue at the same time on your PC.

 

[Garfo]

well its a strange 1 really

put the optical lead in back of lcd thing set it on that 2 op setting then put lead in op out on front panel of sond blaser thing,and i get no sound at all and it says on lcd thing:no digital data

 

[DanishDevil]

In your sound card settings, you need to set the default device to Optical Out.

 

[Garfo]

will try again now

sorry 2 be a noob,i ahve just right click on sound icon on right of screen and cliced playback options clicked default spdif out.

so do i restart or go in 2 the creatives control panel?

also which switch on back of lcd thing need 2 be on?

 

[DanishDevil]

I'd set the output through the creative control panel.

 

[Garfo]

all i have on that is

SPDIF Input settings: Default [will not let me use drop down box]

Digital output(PCM)Sampling Rate Settings 48KHZ [wiv drop down box]

 

[DanishDevil]

Can somebody else with an X-Fi card help this guy out? I've got a paper to write and a final to study for, and I'd love to help Garfo, but I just don't have the time to research it right now.

 

[techguy31]

the switch in the back is for the 1-3 stereo and the 6ch direct. If you are using the digital then go to the control panel of your audio device and put it on spdif/out or something like that. And if you are using a application like powerdvd or something also change it to spdif/out so that it will know what to do. Basically if you are using digital or analog spdif/out on all control settings. If using 6 ch direct then go to control panel and to 6ch out or 5.1 out.

 

[Mussels]

its going to say no signal until you actually start playing some sound... and it takes a second to kick in most times, so try music or something.

 

[zAAm]

Sometimes it's necessary to turn the control pod off and on again (haven't had time to diagnose exactly when this is necessary though). Seems that the stream isn't always detected correctly.

 

[Garfo]

hmmm thanks 4 the help guys but i think the io panel is $%^£ed its gotta be right?
so this optical lead is it any good 4 gameing and music/movies?
also when in 6 channel aud it dont let u have any effect settings is that normal?

many thanks