spec me some 5.1's

slothmeister · 26 Apr 2006 at 21:23

Hope you guys can help again, i've been bitten by the spending bug and this time i want to buy some new speakers.

At the moment i have some old school cambridge sound works 4.1's which are running as 2.1's as the rears don't work, i've had a look on the ocuk site and quite like the look of the logitech's z-5400's.

However i'm not sure if i should go for some separates and an amp or an all in one set like the logi's above, has anyone got the above speakers and would like to reccommend them or can anyone suggest some separates worth a look in.

The only thing i ask is that they are black and under £150.

Spec away.

slothmeister · 27 Apr 2006 at 19:22

fish99 · 27 Apr 2006 at 21:22

If you want 5.1 then hi-fi probably isn't an option at that price, not even 2nd hand. An AV receiver 2nd hand would probably be £80 at least, plus then £40 for a pair or rears, £30 for some stands for them, £40-60 for a pair of cheap used floorstanders and then £15-20 for a centre maybe. Then speaker wire.

None of it would be particularly special either.

Also a PC is just too small a space for proper hi-fi speakers. An average set of hi-fi bookshelf speakers are supposed to be 2m apart and you're supposed to listen from 2m away. Plus they're supposed to be 40 cm from rear and side walls. Setting them up round a PC would ruin the soundfield.

If you go the hi-fi route, it would probably have to be stereo. A stereo amp, and then a pair of shielded bookshelf speakers, or maybe something a little smaller than can be wall mounted. Check out JBL Control 1. Amp wise, maybe a cheap Marantz or Cambridge Audio off ebay. The little Sonic Impact t-amp is another option maybe. If you just buy hi-fi bookshelf speakers and plonk them on a PC they'll probably sound awful. Either get them on some sort of stand or mounted on your wall.

Never used those Logitechs so wouldn't want to comment on them. Acoustic Energy Aego Ms get good write-ups if you want a 2.1 set. I eventually got fed up of all the wires of 5.1.

slothmeister · 27 Apr 2006 at 22:26

cool, thanks very much, at least i know now, just need to see if anyone else has them that can recommend them.

Booner! · 27 Apr 2006 at 23:34

Hey mate, just received z-5500's and if the 5400 are anything like the 5500 then you WILL be impressed! i have mearly scratched the surface with them and only using analog! (until next week, getting digital stuff) but these Z-5500's were worth every penny and i originally had budget of £130 and idealy looked at the 5400 model. but i would highly recommend buying the 5500's which have ample amount of settings and connections whilst maintaining a super high quality surround sound for movies, music and games (and volume)!

Phil2008 · 28 Apr 2006 at 14:41

Booner! said:
Hey mate, just received z-5500's and if the 5400 are anything like the 5500 then you WILL be impressed! i have mearly scratched the surface with them and only using analog! (until next week, getting digital stuff) but these Z-5500's were worth every penny and i originally had budget of £130 and idealy looked at the 5400 model. but i would highly recommend buying the 5500's which have ample amount of settings and connections whilst maintaining a super high quality surround sound for movies, music and games (and volume)!

Ive just got the logitech z680s, and the sound qual is amazing and I using optical connection. I've never had a hi-fi so loud as these speakers. I cannot even put the volume up half cos it gets scary when my room and windows rattle. The system is just daring me to turn up the volume.