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Thread: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

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    Question 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Dear Hexus!

    I have had the Logitech X-530 5.1 speakers for... well, many many years now. I feel like they're reaching the end of their life span. The speakers frequently crackle on start up, the sound doesn't feel as good as it used to (the latter is ultimately a subjective statement based on rose-tinted glass view of the past! The former stands though true though!) The bass seems more muffled now than boomy. Also, the problem I have always had with these speakers - the frequent picking up of various, multi-lingual radio channels - has become substantially worse in the last few months.

    Thusly, I'm in the market for new 5.1 speakers! The main things I'm looking for are...
    Good quality sound from speakers and bass
    A horizontal profile centre speaker, rather than vertical.
    <£100 - might be tempted to go a little bit over that if it assures high quality but, generally, I'm somewhat confined financially at the moment...

    I was tempted by, the perhaps obvious upgrade
    http://www.scan.co.uk/products/logit...x-wii-and-more
    With an Xbox 360 that I *very* occasionally use for gaming, the wide range of connecters at the back is a plus. I've read that, for some users, these suffer from the same issues as the X-530 - poor shielding resulting in interference and radio signals.

    So, I turn to you, dear Hexus' for your advice and suggestions.

    With thanks in advance for your time,
    Kirano

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    Pork & Beans Powerup Phage's Avatar
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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    What's the budget ?
    If it were me z5500 or z906
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Dig.../dp/B0006HBCL8
    http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analy...906-18183.html

    Edit: just re-read the OP. Ignore me.
    Last edited by Phage; 09-07-2014 at 07:53 PM.
    Society's to blame,
    Or possibly Atari.

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    This seems to get good reviews on Amazon, although I've not heard the system myself:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microlab-FC3...c+speakers+5.1

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Quote Originally Posted by Phage View Post
    What's the budget ?
    If it were me z5500 or z906
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Dig.../dp/B0006HBCL8
    http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analy...906-18183.html

    Edit: just re-read the OP. Ignore me.
    Haha, no problem Phage! The z906 looks like a beautiful system and has some excellent reviews. If I had more money/less sense, I would definitely go for it!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbobgod1969 View Post
    This seems to get good reviews on Amazon, although I've not heard the system myself:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microlab-FC3...c+speakers+5.1
    Nice find! So I actually bought a set of 2.1 MicroLab speakers for a friend of mine and she absolutely loves them. I've heard them myself and the sound quality is superb - actually what made me start thinking about how bad my ones sound now! Those MicroLab ones are just a smidge over my price range - this is the next one down in the series
    http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...=22&subcat=165
    which might fit the bill I guess - more in line with the wattage of the z506. I'll keep an eye on the FC360 though - might be worth me going that little bit over.

    Thanks for the help so far! Anyone else used/have MicroLab speakers? Any further suggestions?

    Edit - So the above (FC360) are on scan for about £20 less than Amazon. One lonely review in which the person gives it three stars because the found the base too loud and it didn't look the best! Which is fair enough I gues but still... :/ I might dig around online and see what other reviews I can find...

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Actually the FC360 is cheaper over at Scan, at £87.01 :

    http://www.scan.co.uk/products/micro...FdOhtAodTV8AgA

    or the FC730 are even cheaper at CCL!

    http://www.cclonline.com/product/770...ystem/SPK0465/
    Last edited by MrJim; 09-07-2014 at 09:41 PM.

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    I don't really see the point in budget 5.1 systems, when they sound worse than the equivalent set of 2.0 speakers. And if you can get a cheap amplifier and hi-fi speakers, even better.

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Quote Originally Posted by jim View Post
    I don't really see the point in budget 5.1 systems, when they sound worse than the equivalent set of 2.0 speakers. And if you can get a cheap amplifier and hi-fi speakers, even better.
    So... Do you care to give some suggestions with that statement?

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Quote Originally Posted by Kirano View Post
    So... Do you care to give some suggestions with that statement?
    I can... but fully expected you to stick with your 5.1 preference!

    I was very happy with my Creative T40 speakers (and still use them with my TV). Maybe they're not *quite* as punchy as a subwoofer is, but they're pretty solid in the bass IMO and better all round. Question is, do you want quality? If so, investing the money in 2 speakers will always be better than investing it in 6. If you're desperate to have surround sound, then obviously you're better off with the 5.1. But when I switched, I really didn't miss them - at all. And losing the wires was a very welcome relief.

    As I said, the amplifier route is much better - I took a Marantz PM-32 and a pair of Tannoy Saturn S30 speakers off g8ina's hands for nothing, and they blew away everything else I've tried with my PC. It's no surprise though, when you think that the cones are about a hand-width in diameter compared to the typical 2" in PC 5.1 systems. Obviously to go out and buy new it's not really a fair comparison, as it would cost a huge amount, but you can get a heck of a lot of quality for very, very little - and it just proves how poor "PC speakers" are by comparison when you can shell out £100+ for something inferior to a 20 year old Hifi set.

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Quote Originally Posted by jim View Post
    I can... but fully expected you to stick with your 5.1 preference!

    I was very happy with my Creative T40 speakers (and still use them with my TV). Maybe they're not *quite* as punchy as a subwoofer is, but they're pretty solid in the bass IMO and better all round. Question is, do you want quality? If so, investing the money in 2 speakers will always be better than investing it in 6. If you're desperate to have surround sound, then obviously you're better off with the 5.1. But when I switched, I really didn't miss them - at all. And losing the wires was a very welcome relief.

    As I said, the amplifier route is much better - I took a Marantz PM-32 and a pair of Tannoy Saturn S30 speakers off g8ina's hands for nothing, and they blew away everything else I've tried with my PC. It's no surprise though, when you think that the cones are about a hand-width in diameter compared to the typical 2" in PC 5.1 systems. Obviously to go out and buy new it's not really a fair comparison, as it would cost a huge amount, but you can get a heck of a lot of quality for very, very little - and it just proves how poor "PC speakers" are by comparison when you can shell out £100+ for something inferior to a 20 year old Hifi set.
    Well, I certainly appreciate you taking the time to explain your preferences and the systems that you have/had. I think that the surround sound aspect is quite important to me - I guess I always found surround sound speakers to be much more immersive than 2.1 for me. I suppose I've never had particularly good stereo speakers, though my parents do have a *fairly* good sound system attached to the TV and I do notice the lack of surround on that when I go home.

    I relate to your comment about the wires!

    I am more inclined now to go for something towards the higher quality end of what is available in the surround sound department though, following what you've said. I don't really want to go for a budget system - not least because, if the cheaper Logitech z506 is anything to go by, some can have the design issues that lead to picking up interference/radio signals intermittently/all of the damn time.

    Frustratingly though, the decision has been made for me. A review of my finances this last weekend reveals that I am going to living well into my (thankfully still interest-free) overdraft for the next few months - I have a conference in Chicago at the end of August which I will have to pay myself and probably can't get reimbursed until after, which means September pay date... End of September pay date. So this upgrade will have to be put to rest for now. I'll either revist this thread in a few months or avoid the necromancy and start a new one.

    Thanks all for your help! Please feel do post more thoughts/links in the interim!

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    As a (for me, frustrating!) update to this, Amazon just emailed me about the Logitech z-906 5.1 system. Retails on Scan for around £350. Was available New from Amazon at around £260. Has now dropped to £215!! I've read a lot of good reviews about this system - very good sound quality, amp and connection options. Probably well out of my price range for now, unless I get myself an imaginative accountant...
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...161_em_1p_0_ti

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Funnily my speakers just died and I'm just using headphones until I can source some audio engine A2+ speakers
    Society's to blame,
    Or possibly Atari.

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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    I prefer surround sound Headsets now a days less bleedthrough and maximum quality, you would be surprised with the quality now a days. Have a look at Razer or Corsair's Range.
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    Re: 5.1 Speakers for PC Gaming

    Quote Originally Posted by Phage View Post
    Funnily my speakers just died and I'm just using headphones until I can source some audio engine A2+ speakers
    Oh no!
    And the Logitech deal was short lived. Back up in price now...

    Quote Originally Posted by csgohan4 View Post
    I prefer surround sound Headsets now a days less bleedthrough and maximum quality, you would be surprised with the quality now a days. Have a look at Razer or Corsair's Range.
    I've had a surround sound headset for a while now (Roccat Kave 5.1) and I certainly agree you - I was quite surprised by the quality too! I use them almost all the time now, especially since the quality of my speakers has decreased. However, while I find the headset immersive and the bass remarkably good, it doesn't 'fill the room' in the same sense that speakers do...

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