5.1 Speakers for PC gaming

markwilliams82

markwilliams82

markwilliams82

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Not sure if its best to ask this in here or the home cimena section but I've got some spare speakers following an upgrade to my home cinema set up to do a 5.1 set up on my gaming PC
Is this possible to do?

I have 2 x Edifier R1280DB bookshelf speakers on my desk currently and then have 2 x satellite speakers 1 x centre and 1 x sub to complete a 5.1 setup

My PC has a Creative Labs Creative Sound Blaster Z SE internal soundcard connected by optical to the Edifiers for PC audio.
The Edifiers are then also connected by RCA to 3.5mm

I currently have my Edifiers connected by optical to soundcard (PC) and then RCA to 3.5mm for my PS5 to output audio via HDMI

However I set it up, I'd need to be able to select inputs to rotate between the PC and PS5 and if possible, have bluetooth connectivity
 
I think a AVR with full set of pre outs should work.

PC to AVR optical-optical
PS5 to AVR HDMI
AVR to Edifier L/R pre outs
AVR to the remaining speakers (active?) pre outs
AVR to subwoofer (active sub?) pre out

You'd need a AVR that is capable with your screen, if it's 4K 120hz VRR you'll need a modern AVR as video will pass through AVR then onto TV.
 
You could technically do physical outputs from the soundcard to active speakers like your Edifiers, it would be a bit of a faff but probably much cheaper than the AVR route unless you lucked out on a second hand one.

2XR1280DB as fronts, get a mini amp for £15-20 for the satelites/rears (might not be the best match for the EDifiers) and then another mini amp for a centre channel.

I actually saw a Denon X4000 (I think it was the X4000) in a Cash Convertors window for around £120 the other day which actually isn't bad.
 
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Thanks, I thought it may be the route of its own AVR

See if I can pick something up second hand

I’ve got the Alienware OLED ultra wide at the moment but thinking of a change next year to a 4k OLED instead
 
Are the satellite speakers and center active or passive?

Either way you'd need a AVR, speaker level if speakers are active, pre outs if they're active.

Or if everything is active, then a av pre amp will work...but you won't find a cheap one with 4K HDR VRR...probably be looking at £4000 :D
 
hornetstinger said:
Either way you'd need a AVR
Click to expand...

The soundcard he owns has multi-channel physical outputs, you do not need an AVR to get surround out of it like I've already explained.

Would an AvR be a better solution? Absolutely, but it is viable albeit a bit of a faff around doing it with active speakers or mini-amps with what he owns.
 
Gray2233 said:
The soundcard he owns has multi-channel physical outputs, you do not need an AVR to get surround out of it like I've already explained.

Would an AvR be a better solution? Absolutely, but it is viable albeit a bit of a faff around doing it with active speakers or mini-amps with what he owns.
Click to expand...

And how to switch PS5 audio?

That includes decoding, multi channel.
 
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hornetstinger said:
And how to switch PS5 audio?

That includes decoding, multi channel.
Click to expand...
There's third party boxes out there that should work, although I'd be concerned about latency and reliability given where most come from and it's fairly niche.

An AvR is going to be the safest bet but it's not the only one. If I had some spare kit sat around I'd try it out myself just for the sake of it. I'm not dragging my speakers around from other rooms though, I actually have a couple of mini amps and an old Xonar DG in a box somewhere.
 
I’ve had a nosey at anyone selling AVRs near to me. Found someone selling a Denon X3000 for £150 that does 4k video for if and when I swap the monitor so that’s an option, not sure how good that amp is though
 
Gray2233 said:
There's third party boxes out there that should work, although I'd be concerned about latency and reliability given where most come from and it's fairly niche.

An AvR is going to be the safest bet but it's not the only one. If I had some spare kit sat around I'd try it out myself just for the sake of it. I'm not dragging my speakers around from other rooms though, I actually have a couple of mini amps and an old Xonar DG in a box somewhere.
Click to expand...

It would need depending on how he's connecting it

HDMI input
HDMI output
Video pass through, to what his TV is now (lets say 1080p @ 60hz) upto the maximum spec of the PS5 4K @ 120hz, VRR
Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, DTS, DTS HD, Dolby HD decoding
Bass managent
Settings for distance, levels
Optical input
RCA input, stereo and/or multi channel.
Pre out, and speaker outputs

:D
markwilliams82 said:
I’ve had a nosey at anyone selling AVRs near to me. Found someone selling a Denon X3000 for £150 that does 4k video for if and when I swap the monitor so that’s an option, not sure how good that amp is though
Click to expand...

Depending on your speakers, whether they're active, passive or a mixture of both, you might need one with pre outs. No sure if that model has pre outs I'll check.

ok it has pre outs

www.classicaudio.fi

Denon AVR-X3000 – Classic Audio

Siistikuntoinen AV-vahvistin. 7.2…
www.classicaudio.fi www.classicaudio.fi

But it's a old AVR, the HDMI spec isn't upto date. For full PS5 support you'd be looking at 3700 range, as those supported everything upto 4K 120hz.

HDMI 2.1 spec is needed (or recommended) for the latest consoles.
 
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the speakers I’m using to makeup the system are the canton 5.1s that I upgraded recently

Save throwing them out I thought I’d at least use them on a smaller room set up

They worked on my denon amp in the living room ok, just the edifiers I’ve never used on an AVR before
 
markwilliams82 said:
the speakers I’m using to makeup the system are the canton 5.1s that I upgraded recently

Save throwing them out I thought I’d at least use them on a smaller room set up

They worked on my denon amp in the living room ok, just the edifiers I’ve never used on an AVR before
Click to expand...

Personally I'd just look into a new single system rather trying to get mixture of things working, with mix of mismatching speakers that have different sound charaistics, and having to buy a expensive AVR (to get HDMI 2.1 and pre outs)

Plus a risk buying such an old AVR, not exactly the most reliable brand out there, run hot etc.
 
Yeah I do get that.

I’m torn between trying to do a 5.1 set up for it or alternatively get an Edifier sub and Fosi 2.1 amp to run a smaller set up

I have the cabling downstairs to move my ps5 if I ever want to use the proper home cinema set up
 
markwilliams82 said:
Yeah I do get that.

I’m torn between trying to do a 5.1 set up for it or alternatively get an Edifier sub and Fosi 2.1 amp to run a smaller set up

I have the cabling downstairs to move my ps5 if I ever want to use the proper home cinema set up
Click to expand...

Still issue of audio & video routing, decoding/downmixing, pre out to sub, speaker terminals to cables.

I have a AVR upstairs with passive speakers, and active sub, I use it for PC, and can use it for PS3/Xbox, DVD player, Kodi box, Squeezebox audio streamer.

Still not perfect as the AVR doesn't pass 4K 120hz etc etc, and doesn't support 2560x1440p 144hz so for PC I send optical audio to the AVR only, not video.

That way I get Dolby Pro Logic, DTS, Dolby Digital decoding, L/R speaker correction, phase alignment, bass management.
 
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