7.1 Speakers for Gaming/Music

Helium_Junkie

Helium_Junkie

Helium_Junkie

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East Sussex
I have a Creative 7.1 Xfi Extreme Gamer sound card and the oldest most decrepit junky nasty speakers in existence (creative 5.1's from the 1700's).

I am interested in some new speakers, but don't really know whats good.
The features I really want are:

Long cables for the satellites, mounting brackets or stands.
(I assume wireless speakers arent properly wireless, and in fact need a plug socket? Unless they use batteries?!).

Bass control on the volume control bit, i currently have to climb under my desk to turn it up/down!

Headphone input on the volume control bit so I dont have to unplug a speaker channel to use headphones!

Able to fully utilise the soundcard.

5.1 or 7.1 (As i understand it there isnt a colossal difference in how they sound?)

As much of the above as possible for under £200.

Any suggestions are very welcome :) Thanks all!
 
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I have logitehc z5400

why not those or z5500 they sound sweet

7.1 meh imo stick with 5.1 how many 7.1 sources are there really?
 
I can give a strong vote for the Creative T7900 Inspire speakers (7.1) which work really well with my X-fi Fatal1ty Platinum soundcard. I have them distributed around the room and while the length of supplied wire was adequate for some of the speakers I had to augment two of them to achieve the desired length. You can buy the necessary wire in any good AV shop or off RS, not sure of the category code but it;s labeled as:

Twin standard 13/0.2mm copper conductors.

Volume control has input and output jacks as well as bass control. I think you can get a wireless controller that will work with the system as well.

Overall I find them a bit heavy on the bass for music (I mostly listen to classical and U2/Coldplay type rock) but in games the kick off them is amazing, really makes blowing something satisfactory.

Far as I'm aware Creative Speakers and Creative Soundcards are made for each other literally and so should provide the best pairing.

The system cost me €100 and as far as I'm concerned it's well worth that and more.

Also, in response to the post above by mitch212k, he's right, there are very few sources of 7.1 sound at the minute but it is the future so you may as well get a good 7.1 over a good 5.1 now as how often are speakers upgraded compared to say a graphics card. Bluray/HD DVD both use 7.1 as do the latest games.

Finally, for SD DVD playback my advice is to download VLC player get the benefit of surround sound, when you get the speakers, without having to pay almost as much as the speakers just to make use of them.
 
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sorry mate but comparing inspire to my Z5400 THX's is insane. your satellites are 8w, mine are 39each...

My speakers blow inspires out of the water then vapourise them there is no comparison.
for good pc speakers you are always talking more than 70 quid wether its 2.1 or 5.1

Helium junkie if you can find the Z5500's for under 200 then you will have a very nice set of speakers that look awesome too
 
Ive got the creative 7.1 speakers as well. Great speakers, work very well with CSS when people coming up behind you lmao. I went from 4.1 to 7.1 was a big difference, dont know about 5.1. Wish ther was more 7.1 speaker sets around though.
 
@ 3t3P

At more than twice the price they'd definitely want to be better speakers and having looked at them they do have a very slight edge for frequency response but not much. They're just louder, it depends on the situation they're needed in and whether or not you're going to get the use out of all that volume. I never have the opportunity to turn my set up near half-way.

But you're right, the Z5400s are better speakers.
 
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