Speaker Comparisons

As for the test, our own Digit mag had a issue dedicated to it. Dont remember which though. Whatever you do, go with the likes of Creative/Altec Lansing/Logitech and you won't go wrong .

I suggest you take a look at Altec lansing's offerings.

You can goo for Logitech X540 @5000/-

Its not a very powerful system (70W RMS) but for a small room like mine (10'X12') it is adequate. However dont expect performance like Z5500...you only get what you pay for; but like I said, it gets the job done very well.

Varunnagwekar said:

Hello,
I am planning to buy 5.1 speakers for my home PC setup. I had contemplated the Z 5500 but it is prooving to be too expensive. So hence i would like to buy something this is next in line (cheaper)

What I basically want is, speaker comparisons sort of like what Digit offers in their mags. Could you please tell me where I could find speaker comparison tests?

Also if that is not possible, then I have chosen
A- VS3251 rs 4,200
B- MMS460 rs 4,999

Could you please suggest me if these are good enough?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

Go for Logitech
G51 Surround Sound Speaker System or


X-540

I am willing to stretch my price range to 10k to 12k. Are there any good speakers that are worth these prices?

G51 has serious bass related issues.
X-540 is very good but can't beat Philips MMS460 which is loud and superb distribution of sound.

Better go for Altec Lansing. for 12k I think you can get FX5051.

Yus, i told you before only. Altec Lansing is good.

This is what *www.geek.com/altec-lansing-fx5051-51-speaker-system/
had to say about FX5051

"Given its small size and power per watt the FX5051 is worth considering, but when the Logitech Z-5300e, which is 280W and THX certified, can be had for less you had better look around before you buy."

And *reviews.cnet.com/pc-speakers/logitech-z-5300e/4505-3179_7-30993229.html
says this about Z-5300e

"Although the Z-5300e is an adequate low-end 5.1 speaker set, we'd recommend spending the additional $50 for Creative's $249 GigaWorks ProGamer G500 set instead."

Its getting more and more confusing...

Varunnagwekar said:

This is what *www.geek.com/altec-lansing-fx5051-51-speaker-system/
had to say about FX5051

"Given its small size and power per watt the FX5051 is worth considering, but when the Logitech Z-5300e, which is 280W and THX certified, can be had for less you had better look around before you buy."

And *reviews.cnet.com/pc-speakers/logitech-z-5300e/4505-3179_7-30993229.html
says this about Z-5300e

"Although the Z-5300e is an adequate low-end 5.1 speaker set, we'd recommend spending the additional $50 for Creative's $249 GigaWorks ProGamer G500 set instead."

Its getting more and more confusing...

Click to expand...

Z5300 not available now...even I was looking for one
And I have heard very good recommendation for G500 as well

I have decided to get Z-5500 and have placed the order for it. Should get it by tomorrow. Will tell the price I get it for then.

But what is the best sound card that i should get to get the full performance? I have absolutely no idea about sound cards.

Varunnagwekar said:

I have decided to get Z-5500 and have placed the order for it. Should get it by tomorrow. Will tell the price I get it for then.

But what is the best sound card that i should get to get the full performance? I have absolutely no idea about sound cards.

Click to expand...

Congrats.

The Creative X-Fi Elite seems to be a good sound-card for the z5500D which will do justice to the speakers .

But the question is do i really need a sound card? My friend says that the Z-5500 already has a built-in h/w decoder. So it doesn't need a sound card.
Or do i need a sound card to hear much in better quality?

Varunnagwekar said:

But the question is do i really need a sound card? My friend says that the Z-5500 already has a built-in h/w decoder. So it doesn't need a sound card.
Or do i need a sound card to hear much in better quality?

Click to expand...

You dont need a card but if you want to utilise the full potential of the speaker set than you will have to get a card .

BUT it will work without a card.

Thanks a lot to all of you. You guys have been a great help. I have decided to first use the onboard card and then upgrade later to a better sound card.
Tomorrow I'll get the speaker and provide a little bit of an update on the prices and stuff.

Okay here's the update. I got the Z-5500 speakers today for 19,900 from Vashi Plaza. And holy ****, the speakers are heavy man! It took two ppl to lift the entire speakers! It took me almost an hour to set it up, the good thing is that setting it up was very easy.

But unfortunately I am not very impressed with the quality of the speakers yet. It really doesn't feel like I bought a 20k speaker set. My bro has got a 35k Yamaha home theater and this one is no where near to it. I haven't installed a sound card and might not have calibrated the setting perfectly yet, so hoping the sound quality does improve after these.

give the spkrs a few weeks to break in. i am sure u won't regret the purchase. congrats!!

^^True.

Every speaker set needs atleast 10hrs. of usage before they show their true potential.

And didnt I tell you that you will need a g00d sound-card if you want to unlock z5500D's true potential !!!

^^don't scare him.

@@vivek, You need a Dolby/DTS decoding soundcard (and a DVD of Black Hawk Down) to find the full potential of Z5500.

On the sound card issue I have decided on a few of them
1-X-Fi Xtreme Audio
2- Audigy 4
3- Asus xonar dx
4-SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
Which is the best one according to the price and performance. Or is there another good sound card which you guys know and i might missed?

XtremeAudio and XtremeMusic are waste of money
Audigy 4 has become old
no idea about asus xonar dx

Go for creative X-Fi XtremeGamer or look at M-Audio cards (some of the old ones are not supported on vista though but the new ones just rock with all the necessary connectivity I/O)

desiibond said:

^^don't scare him.

@@vivek, You need a Dolby/DTS decoding soundcard (and a DVD of Black Hawk Down) to find the full potential of Z5500.

Click to expand...

No, the Z5500 doesn't need a dolby/DTS decoding sound card. It has its own decoder and it can take in Coaxial/Optical inputs. All you need will be a mobo/soundcard with 5.1 or optical/SPDIF out

desiibond said:

XtremeAudio and XtremeMusic are waste of money
Audigy 4 has become old
no idea about asus xonar dx

Go for creative X-Fi XtremeGamer or look at M-Audio cards (some of the old ones are not supported on vista though but the new ones just rock with all the necessary connectivity I/O)

Click to expand...

Xonar Dx is an eXpensive Sound card for the rich boys .

mod-the-pc said:

No, the Z5500 doesn't need a dolby/DTS decoding sound card. It has its own decoder and it can take in Coaxial/Optical inputs. All you need will be a mobo/soundcard with 5.1 or optical/SPDIF out

Click to expand...

But this setup won't play game audio in surround. It will output game audio in stereo and there are still issues with Dolby in this setup.

desiibond said:

But this setup won't play game audio in surround. It will output game audio in stereo and there are still issues with Dolby in this setup.

Click to expand...

Why not if you use the analog out of your soundcard and connect it to the analog in of these speakers ?

Yep. To keep things simple, get a Dolby/DTS soundcard and forget about swapping cables or changing settings because optical out is not worth the headache it creates with settings.

wow...so many comments and only one or two have recommended Philips MMS460!!
Ok, lemme say, MMS460 is better than VS3251 in every terms. From looks to dynamic sound, its all the way, a stealing deal!
or, there is one better thing u can do...
Buy two Ahuja LSUs along with a typical Onkyo Amp set. The complete setup will cost you around 7-8K but will rock ur and ur society's world!!

And true, Z5500d has its own decoding unit. But this set demands appropriate audio settings along with a descent soundcard (ofcourse!) to get ur room shaking.
Ok, once done, trust me...there is nothing like u've ever listened before. Ok, accepted u can go for custom setups. But stop right there...hey, u can get a Denon/Yamaha 5.1 setup with complete 500W output. And if somehow you do...trust me, ur wallet'd be cryin' for refill!!

Last Sunday I had been to a picnic with my friends to The Great Escape. Because of which my left ears got blocked and left me partially deaf for the entire week. Now since I have got my ears cleaned out today (finally!) the speakers sound much more better.
Also as "vivek404" and "KPower Mania" had recommended, after a few days of usage the speaker is sounding better than before. My friend said that the insides of the speakers are very tight when new and they sound better when they get loosen in a few days.

Also during the week I have found out that the music sounds much much better in the "6 channel direct sound" mode than in the dedicated music mode it offers. Why is this? Does the music have to be recorded in 5.1 channel mode for that?

Its also the same things with movies, it sounds much better in that 6 C.D.S mode than in the dedicated movie mode. Although that's because those movies are not DVD quality movies. But I had heard somewhere about some matrix technology which converts normal movie audio into 5.1 surround audio or something like that?
I am sorry if i am sounding very vague, I am a total noob when it comes to speakers and sound technology.

Varunnagwekar said:

Also during the week I have found out that the music sounds much much better in the "6 channel direct sound" mode than in the dedicated music mode it offers. Why is this? Does the music have to be recorded in 5.1 channel mode for that?

Click to expand...

From the statement, I think you are confusing true surround with splicing music into multiple channels. True surround is a recording that's been recorded with multiple mics with each channel discrete. Upmixing music is something that can be a preference, but Pro Logic was designed more for upmix either stereo TV or pre-5.1 movies into a "faux surround", which is why it works well for them. And thats what decoder in Z5500d is doing for you.
To get the pure 5.1 audio, u need to download original DVD-Audio 5.1 tracks. Play them and u'll actually listen the difference.

Varunnagwekar said:

Its also the same things with movies, it sounds much better in that 6 C.D.S mode than in the dedicated movie mode. Although that's because those movies are not DVD quality movies. But I had heard somewhere about some matrix technology which converts normal movie audio into 5.1 surround audio or something like that?
I am sorry if i am sounding very vague, I am a total noob when it comes to speakers and sound technology.

Click to expand...

Same thing here. Matrix Technology works just like SBS Multi as in Sony. See, its just upmixing the actual mp3 track and sending it into discrete signals to different satellites. Due to which, listening is pleasure. To experience the true potential of ur system, u need to try it with either DD 5.1/DTS 5.1 audio. DTS preferably!

@sam9s,
Heyy...bro! Long time yaar!
About the comment to thread, i wasnt recommending anything. Its just a comment for my point!
Plus, I was trying to be in flow... hehe...
And about the website, yeah! Its good. I've been to this site.
However, for more stuff, details and recommendations, i believe AVS still is best to me.