What's The Best Sound Systems For PC?

[s1l3noz]

-What I'm looking for-
I use my PC for almost everything, GAMES, MOVIES, MUSIC. I'm looking for the ultimate sound experience, espacially for gaming (since that's the main thing I do on a computer). Money is not object. I'm investing on my room to turn it into an ''Entertainment Center'' (LOL) and sound makes part of it. When I play a game, listen to music etc, I like to be immerge totally with sound all-around me. What about Logitech Z-5500 and G51??? Which one's the best??? And the others??? Let me know what you guys think.

Just to let you know how bad I put money into this, here's what I bought:
-Dell XPS 720 H2C:
-NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI Motherboard
-Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 OC'd to 3,67GHz
-Windows Vista Ultimate (64bit version)
-4GB Corsair Dominator OC'd to 1066MHz
-320GB Performance RAID 0 1st Hard Drive(2 x 160GB WD Raptor)
-320GB Seagate 2nd Hard Drive
-Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
-Dual 768MB Nvidia GeForce 8800 Ultra
-48x Combo + 16x DVD+/-RW w/ dbl layer write capable
-ATI Theater 650 PRO Combo Analog/Digital TV Tuner
-Samsung 22'' 226BW
-Eventually Logitech G15 Keyboard & G7 Mouse

Approximate cost: $8000+

Thank you guys for your help.

S1L3NoZ

 

[pauldh]

To some degree it's subjective. I wouldn't spend $400 on PC speakers without my ear being the final judge of which is best to me.

In no order, these are ones I'd want to hear before buying. Some are aging, but still good if available.
Logitech Z-5500
Logitech Z-680
GigaWorks S750
Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 5.1


How big is the room?

 

[frednitney]

Logitech Z5500 without a doubt

 

[jaguarskx]

Wow, the Dell XPS 720 H2C's price starts at $4899 what a waste of money.

If I were to spend $8,000 on a system I would at least get the 30" Dell 3007WFP-HC monitor. All 22" monitors are crap.

I use the older Logitec Z-680 speakers for my HTPC system. The Z-680 was discontinued when Logitec released the Z-5500.

On my desktop system, I use the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers.

 

[williamfontaine]

LOL spending that kind of money on a system, then getting an el cheapo monitor???

 

[s1l3noz]

williamfontaine LOL spending that kind of money on a system, then getting an el cheapo monitor???

I didn't ask your opinion about if you like my monitor or not. And by the way, I'm really satisfied with it.

pauldh:
The room is 19' x 14'

strangestranger:
Thanks dude I'll go check this out.


Why are you guys arguing over my comp or monitor? What I asked is fairly simple. !!!SOUND SYSTEM!!! You guys are probably right for everything you said...no doubt about it. But, as for now, I've never been more happy to play games and you know what? That's what matters to me.

Let's get back on topic!!!

 

[williamfontaine]

Well, sweet then. But trust me -- if you've got any dough left over, a nice 24", 26" or even 30" LCD that doesn't use a TN panel will do wonders. Better colors? Check. Better black? Check. Better viewing angle? Check. Better backlighting distribution? Check.

Oh, and as far as sound systems go, I love the Sennheiser HD555's. Yeah, it's headphones, but they ROX.

 

[s1l3noz]

Thanks williamfontaine I'll check that out because I'll probably need headphones too.

Concerning the monitor. The Samsung 226BW is a great one for game, mayby not the best but, 2ms, 3000:1 contrast...etc, is fairly good enough for games. No ghosting if not very little...

 

[polarity]

Not sure if it's still available (my old extigy still serves me well), but hopefully the X-Fi has CMSS. It remixes stereo for 5.1 speakers (maybe more if they've updated it) and does a pretty good job for a lot music. Better than having music come from just one side of the room. I've got $600 350w Sony home cinema speakers on my comp (It's used for a cinema at outdoor events over the summer), you can get serious quality sound if you go up to home theater stuff instead of designed for computer speakers.

 

[cafuddled]

I have the Creative GigaWorks S750 7.1 speaker set up and I have to say they are truly superb speakers. For watching movies they give you an experience on par with watching it in the actual cinema. It has features that can upscale 5.1 or 6.1 to 7.1 and the sub is more than enough to shake any house let alone a room.

I am using them with a Audigy 2 ZS platinum Pro set up and the quality sounds great letting the soundcard work to it’s fullest extent. Also it might be good to note that I have now had this speaker system for about 3 years now and it’s running just as well as the day I got it.

Hope this has helped.

 

[chevellerocks]

I honestly think if you are going to spend z-5500 money you should just get a reciever and speaker package.. i have both the z-5500's and a yamaha reciever and speaker package. The yamaha package is just sooo much nicer. I have it set up for both digital out and set up using 3.5mm to rca cable converters so if I wanna play games and stuff I don't lose out on the EAX. That is just my 2 cents.

 

[s1l3noz]

I just wanna let you know guys that I'm still reading your replies and you know what???

Thank you very much!!!

I really appreciate the fact that you take a few seconds to help me out. Every single reply makes things clearer. I'll let you know when my final decision will be made.

 

[gpippas]

If money really is no object then why are you looking at rubbish computer 5.1 systems. As has already been said get a reciever and a proper speaker package. NOT satellite speakers real speakers and a proper reciever. Use the digital conections. Even better use hdmi to give you access to the latest surround formats.

My recomemdations:

For the reciever

http://www.avland.co.uk/yamaha/dspz11/dspz11.htm

For the speakers

http://www.avland.co.uk/ms/performance/performance.htm

That will give you the most amazing sound you have evr heard. It also allows you to make the most of the new lossles audio formats.

If I'm honest I would get 2 sets of the speakers to make use of the 11 channels the amp can deliver otherwise they are just wasted.

£10500x2 = £21000 for the speakers.
£5000 for the amp.
£2000 for the wiring (good quality wiring is essential)

Total = £28000 or
At current exchange rates $57,705.68

Plus the $8000 you have already spent which probably doesn't include the building of a dedicated room for it.

Surely your funds are not that limitless. If they are buy all that equipment and fly me to your house so I can please listen to it. Because my sound budget is about $5000 and I thought my system was good.

That setup would put almost every cinema to shame bar a select few.

Are you planning to roba ank any time soon?

 

[BigMac]

So you are looking for the ultimate sound experience for gaming?

What you should be looking for (especially if you have money burning in your pockets like you seem to have) is http://www.ambx.com/

Why go for sound only if you can go for full immersion: ambi lighting, rumbling pads, small ventilators to create wind, and possibly even smelling sensations?

I don't own the stuf myself as I do not have a money problem (not an excessive money problem that is) and I don't have stock, so feel free to completely ignore my suggestion

 

[cafuddled]

Does anyone not think he looks like a weardo?

 

[BigMac]

:lol: :lol:

It's not about how he looks, it is about how he is experiencing gameplay, right?

I would not care one single bit how I look to others when I'm in my virtual world of +$8000, if I was that kind of a bloke

 

[cafuddled]

It's not too bad, about £250 for the full kit. But would you not feel a bit silly sitting there with your lights flashing and fans blowing in your face with your wrists vibrating while your other half is watching East Enders or some trash on the telly asking you kindly to keep the volume down? It seems like the kind of thing you see at some kind of an event and you keep asking one of your mates to go on so you can stand there and laugh at him while he looks like a complete tosser.

 

[devolutionist]

I'm a big fan of the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's. Best price/value/quality combination I've seen in a long time. You can pick them up for around $160-ish at most places.

 

[xccclusiv]

Settle on your sound system yet?
Bit late for a reply but I use a Creative Soundblaster X-Fi Platinum with a front panel,connected via fiber optic cable to Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers.Make sure you have the Dolby and DTS bitsteams on the soundcard set to ON(external decoder) as the logitech control module handles the task.
Also using Zalman 5.1 headphones and an MXL Desktop recording microphone much to my satisfaction.

Built by me,for myself.
Note:this config is best suited for GAMING.
Movies and music are best served by other products.Soundcards are prone to electrical interference generated inside the case.Solutions are USB-DAC(DigitalAudioConverters)Burwen Bobcat,Stello DA100 and Stereo-Link1200 are a few options.Connect via RCA cables to your amp/receiver and onward to your favorite loudspeakers or 7.1 system.Here is an amazing .pdf link with some hardcore PC sound advice!!(always store CD files in lossless format i.e.FLAC etc. on your hard drive for best sound.
http://www.hifi500.com/30615_eprint.pdf

 

[Badarthur]

Im a pro DJ and the best PC sound rig Ive ever seen for a PC is the Marshall or Hammond gorilla AMP. You have seen the little Guitar Amp's that look like they are a bout a Foot square, That's what Im talking about. You can pick one up for about 20 to 30 buck's at the local pawn shop or retail on them is only 60 buck's or so and they give excellent sound as they ae designed to put out big clear sound with Pro audio line out and that's 10db and up not home audio that start's at -04 db like your home stereo. The only thing is you have to build your own cable from 1 1/8mini to rca adapter to a rca cable for left and right to rca to 1/4in jack's that the AMP uses. All you have to do is make sure the one you buy has 2 input's like 1 mic and 1 Aux or like on my Hamond it says's 1 imput and 1 CD/tape for a total of 2 input's for stereo. BA

 

[MaxRabbit]

Wow badarthur-it's like on the Today Show when the $9 Champagne kicked the $5000+ champagne, eh?

 

[xccclusiv]

Have a look at this fine piece,connect your PC via usb and play DVD/CD/AMFM or mp3 through DAC/preamp/poweramp with 50 watts to drive some serious 2way monitors for crazy sound!
Only a 12 inch footprint as well...(internal PC soundcards are only fit for games)

http://www.sixmoons.com/audioreviews/aprilmusic/aura.html
Great idea BA,would be awesome with some used JBL theatre speakers(from a closed down movie theatre).
Tell us the rms wattage of those amps?

 

[brett_monkey]

Klipsch!! By far the best out there. The pro-media 5.1 or 2.1 are the best when coupled with a good quality sound card.

 

[animal_chin]

Get some home audio speakers from here. You can make your own speaker setup by choosing the woofers, mids and tweeters. Scanspeak makes some of the best home and car audio speakers known to man. The car audio company Alpine even uses them for there premium F1 Status speakers. The Scanspeaks are probably the best but Vifa, Seas and Morel are also outstanding.

Call up this company and tell them you situation We still don't know exactly what your looking for are you looking for, sound quality, loud volume, mix of both, 7.1 or a 5.1, a harsh or soft tweeter, lots of mid base or not much, a flat response curve, a warm sounding speakers, lots of base. Your post really leaves out the information people need to answer your question. It's like if you are searching for a job you wouldn't go up to somebody and ask what the best job is. Same is true with audio, everyone has there is no "best speaker" for everyone, there is a best speaker for you, which is probably different than the set of speakers a guy down the street likes. Basically I pointed you in the right direction if your looking for a high end sound system. Madisound is a very reputable company with pretty good prices. Just call them up and tell them what your after or better yet go to a high end audio store and start auditioning speakers.