Logitech Z-5500 Digital Soundroom

[Mussels]

^ and without encoding, optical = stereo.

 

[Conti027]

Just remember that using Optical with the Z-5500s will pass all encoding jobs to the speaker pod itself, essentially bypassing your sound card. You can sometimes use Dolby Digital Live to allow your sound card to do the encoding, and the Z-5500s will play what the sound card tells them to.

Is it any better or worse to have the z-5500 do it?
I have the Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card so I have to do S/PDIF.

 

[BumbleBee]

let your sound card do the work.

 

[Mussels]

let your sound card do the work.

that all depends on your sound card. its not like the z55's have horrible DAC's or anything.

 

[BumbleBee]

his sound card has a Burr-Brown 1792 DAC. I don't know what Logitech uses but it's probably not as good.

 

[Mussels]

his sound card has a Burr-Brown 1700 series DAC. I don't even know what Logitech uses but it's probably not as good.

if you researched it and that wasnt a blanket claim, then fair enough. most people just say 'SOUNDCARD BETTUR!' without any research into it.

 

[Conti027]

Well if I do let the sound card do the work will I still get the 5.1 or just 2.1 using s/pdif.
It sounds like if I use s/pdif I have to let the z-5500 encoding to get 5.1.
I just think it would be easier on the control pod to let my sound card do it.

I was look at Auzentech X-Fi Bravura 7.1 cause it seem to have it all. Headphone jack, analog 5.1 and s/pdif but it doesn't have Dolby headphone.
So I think I'll stick with my Asus Xonar STX since I mostly use headphones.

On a side note I yet to get a set of z-5500. I'm still looking for some new or very gently used.

 

[Mussels]

digital SPDIF = 2.0 only, unless its compressed. you need either dolby digital or DTS encoding on your soundcard enabled (and not all support it) to get 5.1 over SPDIF (as far as gaming is concerned, anyway)

 

[BumbleBee]

Logitech uses a Cirrus Logic CS42526-CQZ

http://html.alldatasheet.com/html-pdf/199001/CIRRUS/CS42526-CQZ/220/1/CS42526-CQZ.html

Asus uses a Burr-Brown PCM1792a

http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/pcm1792a.html

 

[Fourstaff]

The sub for this speaker is quite a bit larger than expected :S

 

[BumbleBee]

it's not that big.

meet the Epik Conquest

 

[Fourstaff]

it's not that big.

meet the Epik Conquest

http://i38.tinypic.com/ad11lc.jpg

lol, I mean compared to your regular budget ones.

 

[Cold Storm]

Oh, how I love the sound that comes from all bur-brown stuff.. Loved my Xtreme Sound card due to that.. I think I even used their op amps on the x-fi forte I had..

 

[Fourstaff]

This set of speaker is good. For the first time ever I bothered about positioning >.>

 

[stinger608]

digital SPDIF = 2.0 only, unless its compressed. you need either dolby digital or DTS encoding on your soundcard enabled (and not all support it) to get 5.1 over SPDIF (as far as gaming is concerned, anyway)

Awesome Mussels. I kind of thought that was correct, but until I read your statement I was unsure. I have a X-Fi Fatal1ty Pro and now have a Optical cable coming. Can't wait to mess with this setup.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

This set of speaker is good. For the first time ever I bothered about positioning >.>

Yeah they are...for the most part. The sound quality at this price and convenience point really can't be beat. That said, plenty of "audiophiles" and such shit on them if you look around. That said, I think audiophiles are generally wackos with more money and/or time than sense. And I'd say these are marketed more towards gamers who also like blasting tunes now and then anyway.

And yeah I own these too. Have for years. Still going strong though I don't get to use them much in my present apartment.

 

[BumbleBee]

Logitech used to have them on sale every once in a while for $200 and that was a good deal but at regular price you can do better.

 

[Streetracer]

Please can someone tell me the difference between the models of this product?

They are S-0115A,S-0115B,S-0115D,S-0115E

Is there a version that as the link wires between the speaker and the subwoofer with rca jacks?

Thankyou

 

[DanishDevil]

I tried to figure that out originally. Check the original post for any correlations that you can find. It looks to me that they started using pure speaker wire fairly early on in the product lifetime.

 

[BumbleBee]

Logitech used RCA (one end of the cable was hard wired to the satellite like the Z-5300) for less than 12 months but people complained the cables were not long enough and the previous model (Z-680) used speaker wire so Logitech changed it.

 

[Streetracer]

Thank you.

I hoped they still produced it with RCA cables since i wanted to change two of the speakers with a couple of wireless ones but, being such type of speaker self-amplified, of course the transmitter uses RCA connections........

Sad, I'll look for another solution.... thank you

 

[BumbleBee]

not sure if this has been discussed but the Logitech Z-5500 uses 18 gauge speaker wire.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10239&cs_id=1023904&p_id=4044&seq=1&format=2

 

[Mussels]

Thank you.

I hoped they still produced it with RCA cables since i wanted to change two of the speakers with a couple of wireless ones but, being such type of speaker self-amplified, of course the transmitter uses RCA connections........

Sad, I'll look for another solution.... thank you

you could always make an adaptor up for RCA to bare wire. its just a connector, the wiring itself is what matters.

 

[BumbleBee]

you can also route them through the wall and use a wall plate.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10425&cs_id=1042503&p_id=3639&seq=1&format=2

 

[Streetracer]

Thank you Bumble, I think they don't fit my needs.

I try to explain: I want to connect my PS3 to a surround system (a real one, at least 5.1, not some virtual thing), so the first necessity is a system with a Dolby-DTS decoder considering the digital output of the PS.

The other problem is that i have a difficult room fro speaker displacement: there is no possibility to spread all the necessary cables without them being visible, so i meed to replace the front side speakers with a wireless couple.

I found this model that i liked wery much:

http://cgi.ebay.it/G-BL-2-x-Casse-W...3294?pt=Casse_e_diffusori&hash=item3368a0889e

but, as all the other similar products, as i said before, they are self-amplified and, of course the transmitter uses RCA connections (or alternatively, a 3.5 jack) .

So, summing up, I need a decoding system with the possibility to substitute two speakers with a wireless couple..... it seems not so easy...........

I hope I've been clear enough.... sorry if not, but being Italian my English can be a bit "poor" sometimes.....