Noobish questions regarding surround sound with PCs/consoles etc

[JH_man]

Hi guys and gals

As title says I got some noobish questions regarding surround sound and PCs, consoles etc. In short when the sound is output from a PC, how it works etc. This is all kinda badly formulated, but I hope ppl understand my questions:

- if I got a surround PC speaker system, what is needed to get surround sound from them (game/card)?

- if the game dont have surround sound (what games do?), will the speakers try simulate it?

- if the game have surround and speakers are surround, but I dont have a surround sound card, will I get surround sound?

- if I got a audio system (not PC system, normal one, receiver + speakers), how and what is the best way to connect my PC to it?

- if the PC sound card isnt surround card, will I get surround sound from movies I play on my PC (PC speaker system or normal one)?

- do anyone know how a PC speaker system like Logitech Z5500 compare to a normal surround receiver (JVC/pioneer etc) with surround speakers system (lets say with a price tag of 2-3 times that of the Z5500)?

And if ppl got comments regarding similar issues feel free to state them, would like to know how this stuff work before I either buy a expensive PC speaker system or a receiver + speakers.

JH_man

[ripken204]

well you're in my mode right now, ive been looking at this stuff for a few months. i really want a new receiver/speakers but ya, those cost way too much but sound way better than a z5500 would. creative sound cards will not emulate surround sound so for like mp3 you can only listen to sterio. same with games that dont support surround, its only sterio. but the auzentech xplosion and the auzentecy xpurity are great cards. they hardware encode any signal into 7.1. so that means any game/song/movie will be in surround sound, its pretty sweet. om planning on getting the xpurity and that z5500 by the end of the year when i have all of my money for it... with these auzentech cards, you can use analog.... or you can use optical thru a toslink cable :) the z5500 can do optical and thats what im going to do. if you get a recevier then almost all of them now come with an optical input too. so all u need for that is a single toslink cable compared to 5 analog rca cables. if you have more questions feel free to instant message me, its in my profile, ill be happy to discuss more with you.

[JH_man]

So, noone else that can help out with some answers on these questions?..

JH_man

[Serra]

1. if I got a surround PC speaker system, what is needed to get surround sound from them (game/card)?

Well you need a source that outputs in surround sound (whether that's a game, a movie, what have you), and a sound card or onboard surround sound (very common these days).


2. if the game dont have surround sound (what games do?), will the speakers try simulate it?

I don't know where you could find a list of games that do and do not have surround sound capabilities, but to answer the second part, your speakers themselves won't try to simulate it, they will output what they are told to. Now the case *may* be that whatever you have controlling them (ie. sound card or speaker controller) may output to all channels. If so, you're really just going to get left + right sound, but from more than just two speakers.


3. if the game have surround and speakers are surround, but I dont have a surround sound card, will I get surround sound?

It will depend on your motherboard then. If your motherboard can output in 5.1/6.1/7.1, yes. If your motherboard only has headphone jacks for example, no.


4. if I got a audio system (not PC system, normal one, receiver + speakers), how and what is the best way to connect my PC to it?

Generally I should think using fiber-optic audio cable is the best way. For its purposes it's essentially a lossless technology (considering the cabling has a max length in stores of about 4m). You could also do it using digital coaxial and/or analogue audio surround outputs, but the latter will be less common as inputs on receivers (as a general statement) and digital coaxial incurs quality loss by its very nature (not huge because it *is* digital, but it's there and an audiophile could tell).


5. if the PC sound card isnt surround card, will I get surround sound from movies I play on my PC (PC speaker system or normal one)?

Nope.


6. do anyone know how a PC speaker system like Logitech Z5500 compare to a normal surround receiver (JVC/pioneer etc) with surround speakers system (lets say with a price tag of 2-3 times that of the Z5500)?

Depends heavily on what your receiver and speakers are that you would buy seperately. I, for example, would never buy a JVC/Panasonic/Toshiba/Sony receiver/speaker set. I wouldn't even take one as a gift. It would be too ridiculous to even try to compare without exact specifics (I'm not an audiophile but I *did* sell high-end speakers + receivers long enough to be extremely picky myself).