Surround Sound 5.1 or 7.1 Speaker Recommendations Needed

I've put up with really naff cheap speakers for years, but when I want better quality sound for playing music, I pump it through the aux of my stereo system - my stereo is pretty crap also though.

I've decided it's time to get some 5.1 or 7.1 speakers. I've been trying to find reviews but all I find on google is price comparison sites and crap customer reviews from sites like amazon.

I don't want to spend a lot of money, my budget is about £40-80. I just want to make sure I get the best bang for my buck.

I'm planning to wall mount the speakers and set them up properly, which should sound great because my PC is directly in the middle of the back wall in my room.

Just been looking at the prefered layout of 7.1, and I think I'd be better with 5.1 (unless a 7.1 system is going to be louder for the same money?)

Logitech X-530s are decent if you want a well priced, good performer, look the part and are easily wall mounted. Theyre 5.1 and can be had for £44

Without spending alot more than £80, you probably wont notice much difference between the various sets out there.

What are you using them for? Films, games?
What sound card will they be running from?

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Originally Posted by Andaho

Just been looking at the prefered layout of 7.1, and I think I'd be better with 5.1 (unless a 7.1 system is going to be louder for the same money?)

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Dont look for volume look for quality. This is usually best judged using frequency response. The wider the frequency response the fuller and more even the sound will be. The human ear has a response of around 20hz-18Khz (however this obviously varies from person to person) and the best way to judge a speaker (without obviously being able to hear it) is to look at this & the size of the actual drivers. Idealy on each speaker you would hope for one fair sized mid range and one tweeter and then a nice big sub to create the frequencies you can feel. On this budget you might be a little lucky to get all so look for a decent middleground between a tweeter and a mid so you loose as little as possible.

For that budge i would personally say iff you want a really nice sounding set of speakers, just go 2.1

Suggestions:

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx...specifications

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/120641 Philips are much better than a make such as Logitech/Creative!

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/120414 Although these do have a better stated Frq range

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Originally Posted by Biscuit

Dont look for volume look for quality. This is usually best judged using frequency response. The wider the frequency response the fuller and more even the sound will be.

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I hope your joking about freq range affecting quality, even a cheap pair of £100 speakers probably have a range of 20hz-20khz. Loudness of the speaker is also important as this affects the dynamic range of the speaker.

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Originally Posted by Biscuit

The human ear has a response of around 20hz-18Khz (however this obviously varies from person to person) and the best way to judge a speaker (without obviously being able to hear it) is to look at this & the size of the actual drivers. Idealy on each speaker you would hope for one fair sized mid range and one tweeter and then a nice big sub to create the frequencies you can feel. On this budget you might be a little lucky to get all so look for a decent middleground between a tweeter and a mid so you loose as little as possible.

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How does size of the speaker actually effect quality ?? it doesnt, the crossover inside the speakers, and the general build quality/material of the speaker cone are important.

The Logitech X-530 are very good value for the money considering what you are actually getting, the bass is abit muddy and can take a while to get the volume right.
I have pair and they seem to pick up a foreign medium wave channel, if i move the right speaker about i can tune it in lol so they need to go back

However I'd ask what your playing the sound through? no point shelling out on a very expensive speakers and amp if your running it out of onboard sound.

Must admit I'm not much of an audiophile like some people and generally don't notice the differnce in sound quality too much unless it's got some really bad distortion or revurb.

I'm running off a cheap trust 5.1 set atm and I'm happy with it, it's not going to losen the neighbours teeth fillings or anything, but it's fine for my games, occasional music and dvd.
It was about £35-40, but I got it for £25 on a special offer if I remember correctly.

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Originally Posted by Pob255

However I'd ask what your playing the sound through? no point shelling out on a very expensive speakers and amp if your running it out of onboard sound.

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I am using onboard, but on a budget of £40-80 that's not expensive as far as speakers go :)

I've decided on the logitech, but can't decide between the X-530 or X-540.

I prefer the look of the X-530, but prefer the X-540 for having a remote instead of controls on the right speaker, but worried about the X-540 not having a cover over the sub-woofer as it might get kicked being under the desk! (or is it designed to face the wall? to annoy my mum in the other room?)

X-530
http://www.logitech.com/repository/326/jpg/2335.1.0.jpg

X-540
http://www.logitech.com/repository/327/jpg/2342.1.0.jpg

Decided to go for the X-540 and bought it from pixmania for £45, along with a new monitor, the Samsung 226BW, which with a promo code "Priceuk070801" is only £219. Delivery from pixmania is expensive at £10.80 but buying these 2 products together from there, the total price can't be beaten!

Can anyone advise on position of the back speakers...

I'm going to position the front speakers either side of the monitor, mounted on the wall (to keep my desk tidy and spacious), so they'll be about 1m apart... I have quite a big room, the wall behind me is about 20ft long, and my PC is in the middle of the back wall, I have 2 options:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/5373/aorbrk8.jpg

Also, is it good to mount them high? or to mount them in the middle of the wall at head height?

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Originally Posted by mcmiller

I hope your joking about freq range affecting quality, even a cheap pair of £100 speakers probably have a range of 20hz-20khz. Loudness of the speaker is also important as this affects the dynamic range of the speaker.
How does size of the speaker actually effect quality ?? it doesnt, the crossover inside the speakers, and the general build quality/material of the speaker cone are important.

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I did say a good way to determine the quality "without actually hearing it". The size of the speaker doesnt determine quality but without actually hearing the speaker its a good way of judging how true the frquency range actually is as a small speaker is unlikey to be able to wack out low and low-mid frequencies effectively, regardless of what it states it can do. Agreed loudness does affect the dynamic range but its useless without a decent frequency bandwidth. You can probably pick up a set of speakers that 'state' massive loudness just the same as there are some that 'state' massive frequency range. All i was saying is there are more factors to consider than volume

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Originally Posted by mcmiller

The Logitech X-530 are very good value for the money considering what you are actually getting, the bass is abit muddy and can take a while to get the volume right.
I have pair and they seem to pick up a foreign medium wave channel, if i move the right speaker about i can tune it in lol so they need to go back

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I dont hink you can honestly preach about quality of crossover and build quality of material, then recomemnd a set of speakers that pick up foriegn radio?!

lol what i said was for the price they arent too bad, im not saying there brillant far from it

if its 5.1 centre speaker is directly infront, left and right are 30 degrees of centre and rear are 90 degrees from centre, the height should be ear level between the tweeter and middle range. The sub doesnt matter as its omni directional

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Originally Posted by mcmiller

lol what i said was for the price they arent too bad, im not saying there brillant far from it

if its 5.1 centre speaker is directly infront, left and right are 30 degrees of centre and rear are 90 degrees from centre, the height should be ear level between the tweeter and middle range. The sub doesnt matter as its omni directional

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so from my diagram, is that A or B? :P

i'd say closer to a, but depends how fussy you really want to be

I'd agree with A but remember you'll probably be limited by the length of the wires ;)
Although I'd also move the front left and right out a bit more to the edges of the desk for better left/right seperation.

I'd sugest running a few test on the positions before you put the brackets up.

Oh the length of the wires isn't important, I have extra wire and a picture rail around the walls to run wires along :) In saying the left and right should be seperated more, should I put them in the corners of the room too? Also the biggest thing I'm wondering is if it will sound good with the speakers above head height (just below the picture rail) just so it looks neat in the room, or is it really best to have them at sitting-down ear level?

i might be mistaken but i think each speaker is connected via either a phono plug or a jack so some soldering will be in order to extend the wires