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Logitech Z-5500 Digital Soundroom

urge said:
The ASUS Xonar doesn't have Optical out
Click to expand...

The Xonar does indeed have optical out and in, the soundcard's coaxial output is dual purpose and turns into optical out with a small attachment that comes supplied with the soundcard.

urge said:
Do you have any personal experience with the above cards?
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm using the Auzentech X-Meridian hooked up to my Sony AV receiver, it's also capable of encoding bit streams however it's production has stopped. The HT Omega is your cheapest alternative, you don't need to go for the highest end version for its encoding features.

Edit:

Also look out for the Auzentech X-Plosion, its cheap and has DTS and Dolby encoding with extremely reliable drivers.

Edit 2:

The Auzentech X-Fi Prelude would also meet your requirements, be prepared of the headaches of Creative's lack of technical support and drivers. Excellent card though, but there are cheaper alternatives.
 
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and because you may not have read your way through this thread...


1. Analogue 5.1 will work already on your system. Whatever your source is, you get that output. (2.0 channel MP3 files give you 2.0 channel sound, 5.1 games give 5.1 sound, etc)

2. Digital audio is only 2.0. ONLY. The exceptions being pre-encoded movies (dolby digital or dolby DTS) or, if you get a sound card with encoding capabilities it can turn analogue audio into a digital system, and keep the surround sound - this requires the original source to be greater than 2.0 channel! (encoding or not, a stereo MP3 file is going to remain a stereo MP3 file)
 
Well, most audio card software will auto. upmix it for you, though (the expensive one's for sure, even the cheap x-fis do).
 
TheGuruStud said:
Well, most audio card software will auto. upmix it for you, though (the expensive one's for sure, even the cheap x-fis do).
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lots dont. the creative cards always have, but the others dont.
I hardly see it as an option, becuase if you forget to turn it off it messes with movies and games.

IMO "surround sound" and "2x stereo" are *not* the same thing. i dont give a damn how many speakers are making noise, if its not positional. if its not position, whats the point of having surround sound speakers! just run them all off a single stereo cable if thats all you want.
 
Mussels said:
lots dont. the creative cards always have, but the others dont.
I hardly see it as an option, becuase if you forget to turn it off it messes with movies and games.

IMO "surround sound" and "2x stereo" are *not* the same thing. i dont give a damn how many speakers are making noise, if its not positional. if its not position, whats the point of having surround sound speakers! just run them all off a single stereo cable if thats all you want.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, but if it's set just to upmix (not the 2x) 2 ch it won't affect 5.1 stuff. I even had integrated that does it.

Even if it's only 2ch, it sounds much better also coming out of the rear. It makes it immersive. I can't stand fronts only. Even If I didn't have 5.1 sources I'd still get a 5.1 system.
 
Hello All!

My name is Sai. Me and my brother are proud owners of a z5500 for the past 9 months..

We enjoy watching DTS movies and that was the prime reason for selecting the z5500. The soundcard is a simple creative audigy that has a digital 96/24 output and we have connected the speaker to the card using a coax cable.

Reading through some of the posts here I feel that this is not sufficient for the best sound quality.
If that is so, then why?

Also recently when I was watching LOTR with DTS playback...I felt the center channel wasweak and it was not easy to grasp the dialogues....but when i cranked the volume up on the center and also overall, i could hear jarring distortions... what could be the problem?

I was watching it on MPC.

Thanks a lot guys!
 
playing it via digital should be fine. If you had problems with the audio, it was either that MPC wasnt passing it through properly (use the AC3 filter codec) or the source audio was just poor.
 
Thanks mussels,

I am using MPC with the AC3 filter. Source file seems fine. I wish I could change my Center channel to a slightly larger speaker. Something that can take higher load... has anybody tried that here?
 
sai_ace said:
Thanks mussels,

I am using MPC with the AC3 filter. Source file seems fine. I wish I could change my Center channel to a slightly larger speaker. Something that can take higher load... has anybody tried that here?
Click to expand...

regardless of how big a speaker you put in the center, it'll still be held back by the power of the amplifier. You could just boost it in AC3 filter?

Oh and i must ask - what do you have set for speaker options in AC3 filter. Many people set 5.1, when you need to set 'no change' for the digital files. Also, use SPDIF must be set/ticked for it to work properly.
 
Is there a way I can connect my Z5500's to the laptop in system specs?

It's connected fine to my desktop, but I'd wish I could enjoy it with the laptop too when I use the lappie at home...

The laptop's got only one sound output, which has a head-phone symbol :ohwell:

In the Realtek HD Audio Manager I have the sound on Quadraphonic since the lappie's got 4 inbuilt speakers, 2 at the front and 2 at the sides. In the Audio Manager it does give me the choice to make the sound at 5.1 so I guess attaching 5.1 external speakers (like the Z5500) is possible? How?

Thanks!:toast:
 
You could always connect it to one of the inputs on the Z-5500's and select DD PLII Movie or Music. If you're already using the three stereo jacks on the back, there's an input on the side of the controller.

If that's the only physical output you've got, then that's your only option. You could contact the manufacturer and ask, but I think you're out of luck for true 5.1 sound. I used PLII plenty for music and movies, and it still sounds great!
 
Black Panther said:
Is there a way I can connect my Z5500's to the laptop in system specs?

It's connected fine to my desktop, but I'd wish I could enjoy it with the laptop too when I use the lappie at home...

The laptop's got only one sound output, which has a head-phone symbol :ohwell:

In the Realtek HD Audio Manager I have the sound on Quadraphonic since the lappie's got 4 inbuilt speakers, 2 at the front and 2 at the sides. In the Audio Manager it does give me the choice to make the sound at 5.1 so I guess attaching 5.1 external speakers (like the Z5500) is possible? How?

Thanks!:toast:
Click to expand...

check what outputs it has. It will have a headphone out jack at least, but its not impossible for it to have 3 plugs (For 5.1 analogue) or an optical out/coax out.

Even if it doesnt, you can always grab a 5.1 USB sound card.
 
I was thinking of how to hook up my new (ordering it this week) Sony VAIO FW to my Z-5500's, and I think I'm going to go with a Creative USB Sound Card that's about $50 that has an optical out. My 360 uses an optical out, though. Anyone know of a USB or ExpressCard (34) sound card that has a Coaxial out?
 
USB is starved for BW. I'd definitely look for a card.

edit: I didn't find any haha
 
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DanishDevil said:
I was thinking of how to hook up my new (ordering it this week) Sony VAIO FW to my Z-5500's, and I think I'm going to go with a Creative USB Sound Card that's about $50 that has an optical out. My 360 uses an optical out, though. Anyone know of a USB or ExpressCard (34) sound card that has a Coaxial out?
Click to expand...

i have a creative SB live! 24 bit external, it has optical and coax out. its an old unit, i'm sure they have newer ones that do the same thing.
 
Black Panther said:
Is there a way I can connect my Z5500's to the laptop in system specs?

It's connected fine to my desktop, but I'd wish I could enjoy it with the laptop too when I use the lappie at home...

The laptop's got only one sound output, which has a head-phone symbol :ohwell:

In the Realtek HD Audio Manager I have the sound on Quadraphonic since the lappie's got 4 inbuilt speakers, 2 at the front and 2 at the sides. In the Audio Manager it does give me the choice to make the sound at 5.1 so I guess attaching 5.1 external speakers (like the Z5500) is possible? How?

Thanks!:toast:
Click to expand...

if you can see a red light shining out from the heaphone socket (99.9% of laptops have this unless its a really really old ragged dated 'seen better days' hag of a laptop) you can most possibly hook it up to the Z5500's Via TOSLINK to Optical - I know for a fact that most laptops that has built in AC'97 audio built within the last 3-4years (maybe more) will support a 'digital linkup' via their headphones socket.

I know it works because i done exactly the same thing when i was testing my own Z5500's
 
I have seen that before. In fact, my Auzentech had it, but instead of its stereo ports, it was in its coax ports.

I don't think my Sony's got it, though :'( And it's my damn Blu-Ray player! I'll look into it.
 
you could try a PCIMA soundcard.... they make really good audio production ones which are 24bit 192khz and they should have optical out.... i think theres a good budget range called ESI that make them for DJ's who use laptops though I havent used one before.

that way you wont have to have a seperate usb / firewire soundcard attached to the lappie and it would sit firmly in the slot
 
if and when you do get it sorted out, i have a small guide/files list for setting up AC3 audio passthrough for optical speakers, to make sure you get proper 5.1 outputs. (it tends to drop back to 2.0 in most players on default settings)
 
Thanks Mussels. I'll let you know.

twicksisted said:
you could try a PCIMA soundcard.... they make really good audio production ones which are 24bit 192khz and they should have optical out.... i think theres a good budget range called ESI that make them for DJ's who use laptops though I havent used one before.

that way you wont have to have a seperate usb / firewire soundcard attached to the lappie and it would sit firmly in the slot
Click to expand...

PCMCIA, right? I don't have one of those slots on the Sony. I've got an ExpressCard 34 slot (as opposed to the full 54).
 
I don't see it mentioned either, but look at the second reviewer. He said he's using it with optical...I gotta look into it. Good price anyway.
 
DanishDevil said:
If that's the only physical output you've got, then that's your only option. You could contact the manufacturer and ask, but I think you're out of luck for true 5.1 sound. I used PLII plenty for music and movies, and it still sounds great!
Click to expand...

It's also got an S/PDIF Digital output... :confused:

I checked the specs:
Built-in Intel® High Definition 5.1CH Sound System
S/PDIF Digital output
1 Built-in Microphone
4 Built-in Speakers

I'm a noob when it comes to audio connections... I saw the image on wikipedia and the connector looks very different from the headphone one?

Am I confusing things up?
 
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