Updated 11/23/2008 - HDTV and Surround Sound Recommendations! - Page 40

pebblez · 05-12-2007, 04:38 PM

It does matter about the distance. If you want proper imaging, then they all need to be equadistant. Secondly, in a 5.1 set up there are no rears, but surrounds. So they would go to your sides or about 110 degrees from directly infront of you.

Another manufacturer you may want to look at would be Logitech: their speakers

Rob · 05-12-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lambo_freak

It does matter about the distance. If you want proper imaging, then they all need to be equadistant. Secondly, in a 5.1 set up there are no rears, but surrounds. So they would go to your sides or about 110 degrees from directly infront of you.

Another manufacturer you may want to look at would be Logitech: their speakers

Hmm..this may be a little tricky, I may buy a top notch set of phones instead, any suggestions?

Deathwish238 · 05-12-2007, 06:35 PM

The Creative X-Fis are great. I believe you should be able to control the volume level of channel. Of course having all speakers the same distance away is optimal...but it's not often possible.

Rob · 05-12-2007, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deathwish238

The Creative X-Fis are great. I believe you should be able to control the volume level of channel. Of course having all speakers the same distance away is optimal...but it's not often possible.

So I could have them at different distances and adjust the volume, OK.
How would I work out how loud each channel would be, would it have to be done by ear?

Shike · 05-12-2007, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bopper_T

. . . How would I work out how loud each channel would be, would it have to be done by ear?

SPL meter, RadioShack sells them for about $40. You can try by ear though, some people are good and some people suck at it.

Rob · 05-12-2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shike

SPL meter, RadioShack sells them for about $40. You can try by ear though, some people are good and some people suck at it.

One of these?
Then how would you do it?

Shike · 05-12-2007, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bopper_T

One of these?
Then how would you do it?

How would you do it with an SPL meter? You would put it in a fixed position used for listening, and test ever channel individually until they all had a uniform sound rating to that listening position. So one channel will inhearently be louder farther away so it may match the others, understand? Or one that is too close will be made softer.

I only bother with 5.1 for HT really. Creative's X-Fi 3D imaging actually works peculiarly well with headsets. Of course, for analog sound quality there is a good chunk to be desired . . . so if you want really good SQ too geting a DAC/AMP would be ideal, but expensive.

Deathwish238 · 05-12-2007, 07:00 PM

It's pretty easy really...and if you have a home theater(which I believe you do) you should get one to calibrate it as well

Rob · 05-12-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shike

How would you do it with an SPL meter? You would put it in a fixed position used for listening, and test ever channel individually until they all had a uniform sound rating to that listening position. So one channel will inhearently be louder farther away so it may match the others, understand? Or one that is too close will be made softer.

I only bother with 5.1 for HT really. Creative's X-Fi 3D imaging actually works peculiarly well with headsets. Of course, for analog sound quality there is a good chunk to be desired . . . so if you want really good SQ too geting a DAC/AMP would be ideal, but expensive.

I get it, cheers.
Tbh, I didn't understand a word of the second paragraph, except the underlined bit

If it were you, would you buy a cheapish 5.1 setup, or a decent set of headphones?

Shike · 05-12-2007, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bopper_T

If it were you, would you buy a cheapish 5.1 setup, or a decent set of headphones?

Well it really depends on what you're planning to do, I guess I'll sum it up.

Games: A decent headset would do fine. If you need a mic Platronics tend to be fair priced and crystal clear it terms of a headset. If you just want some closed headphones so you don't hear noise around you from outside the game a set of closed Sennheisers would probably work well.

Movies: If you plan to listen to movies on it, this is where I believe the headset or headphones really don't do justice. Even a fair priced set of Logitechs would probably be fair.

Games + Music: DAC/Amp combo if you seek audio fidelity. If just listening to it for the sake of listening to it (like the radio), then don't concern yourself too much.

How should I say it? Demands are filled easiest for games with a headset, movies basically scream for an actual 5.1 setup of decent quality, and for Hi-Fi music listening it will get rather expensive regardless.