Advice on buying 5.1 DTS computer speakers

Right now I have a Creative Inspire 5300 speaker set, but my new computer has an Audigy 2 ZS soundcard that I want to use to the max. I'm not that big of a gamer, but I do love to listen to music in surround sound (even if it is simulated using software) and DVD movies.

I'm looking for some DTS speakers with optical/digital input, not typical analog. I don't care how many watts they are capable of doing... I live in an apartment and usually can't use them with the volume very high. My Inspire 5300 only have 6 watts per channel (and 18 for the subwoofer), and that's more than enough.

I do want the extra high fidelity digital speakers provide, and certainly DTS would be great. I'm not willing to spend $500 either, so I want something cheap.

I was thinking on buying the Creative Labs GD580 set (+/-$200), but I've read that when playing music only the two frontal speakers work. That certainly sucks, since right now I can listen to surround music from any mp3 or CD, and I'm not willing to give up that just to have DTS.

So... what speakers do you have? What do you recommend?

I have the same sound card as you and I just picked these up from newegg.com. They're fantastic.

Read some reviews on these, everyone loves them.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=36-121-121&depa=1

Logitech Z-5300e 5.1 THX Certified Speaker System.

Model# 970102-1403
Item # N82E16836121121

Specifications:
Configuration: 5.1
Power Output: 280 Watts RMS (2 x 35.25W front, 2 x 35.25W rear, 39W center, Subwoofer: 100 Watts RMS)
Frequency Response: 35Hz - 20kHz
Signal to noise ratio: >85 dB
Remote: Wired
Features: Polished aluminum phase plug satellites combine 2 drivers into one: the clarity of a tweeter with the richness & fullness of a separate mid-range, Use Matrix mode and source selector switch to create breathtaking 5.1 surround sound from stereo, 4 channel, or 5.1 sound sources, Pedestals rotate easily for wall mounting or desk placement

I'm looking for something a little higher end, though.

The 5300e are very similar to the Creative set I have now... they are much better looking than my Creative 5300 though!

it seems that you can get surround sound from a stereo source. You can check the manual at Creative.

I have Altecs that let me run 5.1 (faked, basically) from a single stereo source (using a switch). I have the other stereo output from my sound card running to my stereo.

There is also usually software with the sound card that lets you run the same stereo signal to some (more than one) of the outputs. But this is software version and sound card specific so check your particulars. I can dupe stereo sound to my first two outputs but the center speaker output will only output a single channel, so I really can't hook up other stuff. I tried a 7.1 card a while back but it couldn't work with my Win98SE.

Speakers are to a certain extent a matter of taste. I prefer Altecs, but I have had Creative too.

In your price range, there should be many options. Read some reviews and listen to the various candidates if you can.

but I've been reading some reviews on the GD580 set and several people complain about problems with the Audigy cards. Some mention that the problem is basically for games, but I'm not sure...

Check out this couple of reviews:
http://geek.pricegrabber.com/rating_getprodrev.php/product_id=1563780/id_type=M
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=36-116-141&depa=0

That would be great news, since these speakers seem to have exactly the specs I'm looking for...

but it's kinda hard to sort out what these guys are saying, much less what there is to it.

There seem to be three modes for these speakers. One takes multichannel stuff and makes 2.1 out of it. The other two take stereo and make 5.1 out of it. Or so the sucky manual reads.

The manual for these speakers is pressing two years old. Maybe something newer is in order. It seems to me that keeping multichannel stuff is a good idea, even if you aren't going to use this feature. And these speakers cost plenty.

But it would seem that for just getting 5.1 out of stereo these should work.

That's one of the reasons I'm looking for DTS, because DVD movies are much better with DTS than just Dolby Surround... but to be stuck with 2.1 for music would be downgrading for me since my 5300 set fakes 5.1 pretty well.

I'll check out the manual and continue looking for more reviews on the GD580... if the problem is just with games, I'm ok with it. as long as I have high quality 5.1 surround for music and movies, I couldn't care less about games.

Thank you! :hi:

and I am not communicating at my best.

But it looks like this system takes DTS and turns it into 2.1. It's like page 16 or 17.

Maybe you should check out something more modern. You have a nice sound card, you need something comparable in speakers.

Thanks a lot, I'll check what other companies have to offer. For some reason Creative has quite a few 2.1 and entry level 5.1 systems, but not much else. They have a great Megaworks system, but that's $500+.

if you are going to hook something besides the computer to the speakers.

If not, why not analog?

Digital has higher quality sound than analog, and I believe you cannot have DTS without digital input.

I read the manual of the GD580, and it did surprise me what you said... it seems DTS must be downgraded to 2.1, although that doesn't make any sense at all... :wtf:

on the computer and sent out as bunch of analog channels. The argument for having decoding done externally is that it is less noisy than pumping out a bunch of channels of analog. Personally I don't think that this is a big deal, but some might. And you are less likely to be able to upgrade the speaker system's decoding abilities.

There are some technical issues involved like the ability of the applications used to decode DTS (or whatever formats) and to interface the channels correctly with the soundcard -- or to just fling out encoded data.

WinDVD has a relatively nice FAQ page talking about this stuff (drop down a section). The table is nice but you have to look elsewhere for info about decoding formats as opposed to just driving channels. But it a matter of details and it is useful to figure out exactly what you want to do, because things could break down at some point.

http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/Faq.jsp?product=WinDVD

And I only provide this as an example of the possible issues with applications, soundcards and speaker systems when you move beyond stereo.

I'll investigate throughly... I don't have my computer here yet, but I'll receive it in just a few days. I'll try to use DTS with it to see how it works.

I thought you needed DTS compatible speakers in order to use DTS, but I guess I should do more of my homework before deciding to buy anything. :D

Thanks a lot! :hi: