Logitech 5500 & XFI Extreme Gamer

joejoe

joejoe

joejoe

Associate
Joined
25 Apr 2007
Posts
22
Hi all.

I was going for the G500's to go with my XFI Gamer ( not bought either yet ) for compatibility reasons. However, I fancy having the hardware decoding available to me, so am now looking at the 5500's.

The question I have, hopefully someone already has this setup, is -

Do the 5500's have any hardware ( cable connectivity ) or software issues when linked up with the XFI Gamer that would not exist if I were to go for the G500's. Basically, if my XFI will work just fine with the 5500's and have all the abilities that are offered with a G500/Xfi combo, I'm going for the 5500's.

Any help would be much appreciated.
 
I have been using an X-Fi XtremeMusic (basically the same as the XtremeGamer) and Z-5500's for 18 months now and have been very pleased.

You will want to be connecting the X-Fi using the 5.1 analogue cables that come with the speakers, not the optical/coaxial (as they main features of the X-Fi such as EAX, CMSS, Crystaliser etc are analogue only).

Do note the Vista drivers are very early right now, with a lot of features not working, though they do work.
 
ive also got that setup, ive had no problems with the xfi + Z5500 at all.
using analogue for games and coax for music (96Khz output), also got my xbox 360 set up with the speakers using optical
 
All setup. Using the Creative control panel and the speakers are all over the place. Sound coming out of the wrong speakers, some not working at all.

Not sure if this is Vista or creative. Just uninstalling all the drivers and reinstalling to see if that solves it. I know for a fact the speakers all work and are connected properly, cos playing a CD and then using Pro-logic 2 gets sound out of all of them. Via the control panel, it seems I have no sub and it can't make it's mind up which speaker is which.
 
use the test facility on the Z5500's to check speaker connections
then somewhere in the XFI software you can test the soundcard > speaker connections
 
Test done via 5500's, and all OK. However, not so using the creative software. Pre-vista driver update, all sound channel tests ran through the front speakers only. After the update, I now have the center working also.

But rears and sub, no luck. What is wierd is the sub test and rear speak test plays through the front speakers. From what I can see, the creative software is pumping the test signals through the wrong jacks. I only had one jack connected to the sound card yet all 6 test channels were output down that one jack!!

I can only summise that creative still have not resolved vista issues or I have had some sort of installation problem. Already uninstalled/re-installed.

Anyone out there having the same problem, or hopefully not having this problem with the test signal ( I then have hope that it's just a bad installation ).
 
Hmmm. Found reference to this on Creatives site. They blame Microsoft, which I'm sure have a finger in it. However, it's more likely Creative being slow to update their drivers as well. Apparently they have a team of developers on it.

In the meantime, Vista's going back in the box and Win XP is coming out until such time as Vista has matured. Shame, quite liked Vista but I'm a gamer and I ain't having anything get in the way of that.

Thanks for all the input guys.
 
Back on XP and better, or is that fluke. Cos they are playing up again.
Got my old speakers out and when the 5500's start to stutter, moved the leads over, while the music was still going, and no problems. Moved back, stuttering again.

Looks like the speakers. They'll be on the way back to OCUK first thing in the morning. Not sure if I want them replaced or go for something different.
 
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