5.1 for PC and games consoles

Otaku Punk

Otaku Punk

Otaku Punk

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Joined
18 Nov 2005
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150
Location
Leamington Spa
I currently connect my PS2 and digibox etc to my PC speakers in order to save space. As i'm looking to go to a 5.1 setup whats my best option for around £70-80? I've looked at having PC speakers with a decoder but these seem to be way out of my budget. Would home cinema speakers be a better option? My big worry is that i plan to buy a PS3 and want to have it in full 5.1 glory, as opposed to being limited to stereo as i am now or would be without a decoder. Any suggestions?
 
Save up £190, get the Logitech Z-5500's. Arguably the best PC 5.1 speaker setup, has built-in decoding for Dolby Digital, DTS and Pro Logic II, analogue input, optical, coaxial and line-in - perfect.

Get an optical switcher http://www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/SW001.html (site is not a competitor, AV site not PC hardware) to plug multiple consoles into the optical.

Right now, I have my PC (X-Fi) into the 5.1 analogue, PS2/XBox/360 into the optical, DVD Player in the coaxial and GameCube in the line-in (as most GC games use Pro Logic II).

PS3 will of course have optical and thus will be compatible.
 
Theres some cheap 5.1 solutions available at a popular high street store with a huge catalogue...those solutions are inside your price range. The rest are well beyond it. The best as mentioned is the Z5500, apart from a proper amp+speakers setup which is a bit more.
 
Most cheaper high-street 5.1 systems will not have a decoder though, which you will HAVE to have in order to get 5.1 sound from any games console.

Obviously a dedicated amp/speaker setup would kill any PC setup, but then again, the Z-5500's are ample for any bedroom environment.
 
The 5.1 solutions I mentioned above have a decoder and have got decent reviews from gamers, even though I don't think much of them - acoustic solutions, and the 5500's are well out of the OP's budget range.
 
hmm, thanks for the replys guys. Looks like its a case of saving for the logitech 5400s (bit closer to my price range). Seems this autumn my credit card is taking a serious hit with speakers, a new console and PC upgrades!

On that note, does anyone know anything about the z-5400s? I cant find reviews anywhere, but with the only obvious differences between them and the 5500s are the output wattages and cosmetic differences i've been taking them to be pretty similar. Anyone have these or has heard them in action?
 
Last edited:
Nobody?
I cant seem to find any shops displaying these speakers, so i cant listen to them myself. And reviews for them seem to be very scarce. Any help would be appreciated.
 
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