Question about Surround Sound

tayumpee

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Jul 5, 2013
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I want to get a 5.1 surround sound system. My laptop motherboard's onboard audio will support it, but I want to know how it works exactly. Since the jacks are 3.5mm, could I buy a subwoofer, and 2 sets of bookshelf speakers and use 2 bookshelf speakers for the front, and 2 for the rear?
 

tayumpee

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iBuyPower CZ-17, very similar to the MSI GT70 if not the same. Well, I was hoping under $200 but after looking at the prices of 5.1 surround sound systems, I doubt I'll be able to get a good system for that price. I'm currently using an old Pioneer sound system that has 50 watt satellite speakers and a 200 watt sub and I love it...but it doesn't support 5.1 and I'm 10 years overdue for an upgrade.
 

tayumpee

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I have a Pioneer XV-HTD1 DVD player/home theater system. It has 5.1 surround sound, but it'll only work for the DVDs, so I connect it to my computer with a composite to 3.5mm cable and only use the sub and 2 satellite speakers. I would really like to get a 5.1 surround system that would be at least the same as this one in quality and volume, but smaller in size. I'm sick of this central unit thing, it's huge.
 
If you laptop has optical out since your Pioneer has optical in, the cheapest route is still use the equipment you have and add a center, then some rear speakers.

You may want to check the manual. It should work with optical in, not just DVDs. No harm in trying it.

Happy surround, the Prisoner...
 
I see a digital coax in, misspoke when I said optical. Anyways a digital signal SDPIF in on the Pioneer. The laptop has HDMI out(surprised it doesn't have optical or coax digital out for that price. Maybe a HDMI to coax adapter to hook up to the Pioneer?
 

tayumpee

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The prices for adapters are pretty high compared to what I'm used to. Certainly not as high as a new system, but I'd rather get something up to date than hold on to this old thing. I could always sell this system and use the money for a new system. I'd really like to get rid of this because it doesn't have many useful ports on the back, it has a really bulky central unit, and its grey color doesn't match the rest of my hardware (yes I know, I shouldn't really care about that, but I do).

Back to my original question, I'll try to clarify because I don't think I explained it very well. I have a 5.1 surround sound card. From what I understand there are 3x 3.5mm jacks to get 5.1 surround sound: front left and right, center and sub, and back left and right.

What I want to know is if each speaker has to be specific to its use. For instance, are the front left/right speakers any different in hardware from the back left/right speakers? If they aren't, I should be able to use 4 of the same bookshelf speakers for front left/right and back left/right.

I also have a question about the sub and center. Since my sound card combines center and sub into 1 port, I'm guessing it works like stereo in that it splits the output into 2 "sides", but instead of left and right, it's center and sub. So I do need an actual subwoofer instead of a bookshelf speaker, but could I use a bookshelf speaker for the center speaker?

To combine these two questions, I'm asking if instead of buying an official 5.1 surround sound system, could I just buy a sub, and 5 bookshelf speakers? I apologize if I made that confusing.
 
Correct on the 3.5mm jacks for 5.1

In terms of front/back 4 bookshelf speakers will work fine for front and rear speakers. It helps to have the sub so the smaller bookshelf speakers don't have to strain to produce the lower frequencies. But it is something you can purchase later.

Correct; It splits the signal. A sub helps like I said above. A bookshelf speaker can work pretty good as a center. The center channel, especially is probably the most important speaker in 5.1 since dialogue and some sound effects are projected out of the center channel.

Buying speakers; It depends on your budget and the size of your room. My opinion is buy good quality mains(front left/right), a good center channel, a sub that meets your needs in terms of bass and less expensive rears(rears don't need to match up like some other people suggest.) I mix and match all the time with speakers.

Best thing is buy used. Find a local stereo shop in town and listen to the speakers first. Most stereo shops that sell used/new will offer full trade in value on electronics and speakers. For example, you buy a used amp for 200.00, you can trade it in a year later and get full trade in value to upgrade or buy something else.

I can provide links if you give me a budget and like I said above, look for a local stereo shop. Also, you might be able to incorporate your existing speakers into the mix for a while(even the old pioneer and hide it behind something). haha.

Happy surround, the Prisoner...
 

tayumpee

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Jul 5, 2013
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Thanks for all your help. I currently don't have any money to pay for all this because I plan on getting a new desktop first, so it wouldn't do me much good to decide what I'm getting now. I don't think I'd be able to use the old pioneer system though, it has a different kind of connection for the speakers. I'm not exactly sure what the connection is called, but it has open wiring at the ends that "clips" into the ports. This picture shows the connection: http://www.dansdata.com/images/gz033/spring320.jpg
 

tayumpee

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Jul 5, 2013
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I have them connected. I'd just like a system that's 3.5mm or RCA (use RCA to 3.5mm adapter) so I could use the system with other devices that only support 3.5mm.