Logitech X-530 70-Watt 5.1 Surround Sound

[TOAOCyrus]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/...f=dp_olp_1/002-1473560-3639200?ie=UTF8

Is this a good deal for a 5.1 system? I plan on using it for PC games and my xbox 360. I can get it for 40$ off amazon. Id like a system that has direct stero input but an adapter wouldnt be to much trouble.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I have this set for my gaming PC, it's fine for game audio but lousy for music (except P2P low bitrate garbage). Big thumpy bass from the subwoofer.

I use Polk bookshelf speakers and a receiver for music listening not my PC, so the weak midrange doesn't bother me.

It only has 1 input, but it accepts either 3 miniplugs for 5.1 from the PC, or red, white RCA from a console using an included adapter (2 female RCA to 3 miniplug jack). I think you'll just get stereo 2.1 with the console.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Pretty good for $40.

Note that you wont get true surround from your 360 through it.

 

[TOAOCyrus]

Does it have AV inputs or would I need an adapter for the xbox 360?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus
Does it have AV inputs or would I need an adapter for the xbox 360?

It only has 1 input, but it accepts either 3 miniplugs for 5.1 from the PC, or red, white RCA from a console using an included adapter (2 female RCA to 3 miniplug jack). I think you'll just get stereo 2.1 with the console.

The front-right speaker also has a headphone jack that works even with the speakers turned off but the speaker volume control has no effect on the headphone volume

 

[TOAOCyrus]

Hmm so it would be a waste to get this instead of a 2.1 system? Would I need a set with optical inputs to get 5.1 from the 360?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus
Hmm so it would be a waste to get this instead of a 2.1 system? Would I need a set with optical inputs to get 5.1 from the 360?

Well you'll get 5.1 from your comptuer, but yeah, it's sort of going to be a waste with 360.

You can get it so you get output on all speakers from your 360, but the rears will play the same sound as the fronts etc.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus
Hmm so it would be a waste to get this instead of a 2.1 system? Would I need a set with optical inputs to get 5.1 from the 360?

Does the 360 not have analog 5.1 out? (No idea either way)

Just to torment you:
The console might only output 5.1 over digital, but your PC almost certainly only outputs game 5.1 over analog.

With almost all PC soundcards and onboard audio the 5.1 is analog only and games are just stereo when you use an optical or coax digital connection from the PC.

So if you need digital from the 360 you need speakers with both analog 5.1 and digital 5.1 inputs.

 

[TOAOCyrus]

So what type of speekers would I need to get 5.1 from the 360?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus
So what type of speekers would I need to get 5.1 from the 360?

Something that decodes 5.1 digital streams.

Ex. Logitech z-680s / z-5500s

You can get a HTIB, but the cheap ones will tend to not have the 5.1 analog inputs you need to get 5.1 from your computer.

 

[SonicIce]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Pretty good for $40.

Note that you wont get true surround from your 360 through it.

can you get 5.1 from a 360 if its connected to a receiver? and does a 360 have analog audio out so you dont need digital 5.1 decoding?

 

[TOAOCyrus]

Well thanks for all the help guys. Ill probably go with a digital system for the 360 and get some nice headphones for my PC.

EDIT: is Dolby Pro Logic II a 5.1 standard?

 

[TOAOCyrus]

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Pretty good for $40.

Note that you wont get true surround from your 360 through it.

can you get 5.1 from a 360 if its connected to a receiver? and does a 360 have analog audio out so you dont need digital 5.1 decoding?

Im pretty sure its just digital. Ill look into a reciever.

EDIT: is Dolby Pro Logic II a 5.1 standard?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Pretty good for $40.

Note that you wont get true surround from your 360 through it.

can you get 5.1 from a 360 if its connected to a receiver? and does a 360 have analog audio out so you dont need digital 5.1 decoding?

I was under the impression that the only audio connections it has are stereo analog and a digital optical output.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

cheap 5.1 speakers = bad quality?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Pretty good for $40.

Note that you wont get true surround from your 360 through it.

can you get 5.1 from a 360 if its connected to a receiver? and does a 360 have analog audio out so you dont need digital 5.1 decoding?

Im pretty sure its just digital. Ill look into a reciever.

EDIT: is Dolby Pro Logic II a 5.1 standard?

Oh boy, does 360 not have true 5.1 output to start with?

Pro Logic II is basically like a way to get "fake surround" out of a stereo source. You'll get different info out of each channel, but it wont really be true surround output as in discrete info for each speaker channel.

I was under the impression that you could get DD from the 360.

 

[TOAOCyrus]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus

Originally posted by: SonicIce

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Pretty good for $40.

Note that you wont get true surround from your 360 through it.

can you get 5.1 from a 360 if its connected to a receiver? and does a 360 have analog audio out so you dont need digital 5.1 decoding?

Im pretty sure its just digital. Ill look into a reciever.

EDIT: is Dolby Pro Logic II a 5.1 standard?

Oh boy, does 360 not have true 5.1 output to start with?

Pro Logic II is basically like a way to get "fake surround" out of a stereo source. You'll get different info out of each channel, but it wont really be true surround output as in discrete info for each speaker channel.

I was under the impression that you could get DD from the 360.

its got Mono, Dolby Pro Logic II, Digital Stereo, and Dolby Digital 5.1.

 

[TOAOCyrus]

is this a good brand?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...eCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

http://cgi.ebay.com/INNAX-5-1Ch-Dolby-D...oryZ1499QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[DaveSimmons]

I don't see an optical or coax digital input on the Inax, just analog inputs like the Logitech has.

What is the 5.1 output from the 360, coax (RCA) digital socket or optical digital (square with flap)? You might want to find the manual if you're unsure.

 

[TOAOCyrus]

I believe it uses both

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemsetup/xbox360/accessories/vgahdcable.htm

"When connected to a compatible AV surround receiver and speaker system, the VGA HD AV cable can pass 2-channel digital audio (for stereo or Dolby Pro Logic listening) as well as full Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround signals to envelop you in rich, dynamic music and sound effects."

Actually maybe not

"Digital Output Settings: configure this setting only if you'll be using the Toslink optical digital-audio output from a compatible Xbox 360 AV cable (optical digital-audio cable sold separately)"

Yeah I would need an optical cable.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Ok, so if you can get DD / DTS output from your 360, that's the connection that's the true surround output you're looking for.

I would recommend against getting a no name speaker set off ebay. These are going to be equivalent to a POS HTIB set you get from a retail store.

The one you have linked to there will still not get you 5.1 from xbox. That has a 5.1 analog input just like a set of computer speakers would.

You need a digital optical input and a 5.1 analog connection to get 5.1 from the 360 and your existing sound output from your computer.

 

[TOAOCyrus]

I suppose my best bet would be a reciever like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-STR-K670P-Home...12QQcategoryZ39800QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Plus an coaxil digital or analog speeker system. All the optical speaker systems are out of my price range.

But I would need to find a reciever that takes both digital and analog input.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus
I suppose my best bet would be a reciever like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-STR-K670P-Home...12QQcategoryZ39800QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Plus an coaxil digital or analog speeker system. All the optical speaker systems are out of my price range.

But I would need to find a reciever that takes both digital and analog input.

This one does digital and analog, but it will only do stereo analog.

I think basically the cheapest decent option for both kinds of 5.1 input is one of the Logitech speaker sets.

That said, it's not the end of the world if you don't get true surround from your system.

 

[TOAOCyrus]

Hmm after checking out e-bay I can probably get a Logitech Z-680 set in my price range. Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TOAOCyrus
Hmm after checking out e-bay I can probably Logitech Z-680 set in my price range. Thanks for all the help guys.

Good luck. That should be substantially better than a HTIB you could get in the pricerange and it will have the inputs you need from both sources.