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Sub-$200 5.1 Surround Setup??

D

dotdotdot

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jan 23, 2005
2,391
44
Does anyone know of a GOOD QUALITY Sub-$200 5.1 Surround Sound speaker setup?

I have the Altec Lansing ATP3 which is good but old which is a problem now that I got two DVD audio discs which revert to 2.0 sound

I listened to it on my living room surround sound TV and it sounded SO MUCH BETTER and ther were instruments that could not be heard w/ my current setup.

My dad won't get me anything over $100 most likely, but if its good and 200 dollars maybe... and if it was less, better!

Please help!

(A third DVD audio disc is coming tomorrow!)
 
I found some speakers...

Altec Lansing | Logitech

They cost from $60 on Amazon.com -> $199 Street

The thing is, they have 280 watts and below - I have no idea what Watts are, but my current setup has 30...

They didn't get the greatest reviews...
 
dotdotdot said:
I don't even know what that is! lol
Click to expand...

A surround sound receiver takes the digital signal, decodes it, and amplies it to power the speakers.

Are you talking about a standalone system or one for the computer? $200 is kinda low for a standalone system, unless you want something very cheap, which in turn will provide bad sound.

Or are you talking about speakers for your computer? In that case, do you already have a 5.1 soundcard?

Also, you might want to google for the correct way to place the speakers in a 5.1 setup used for dvd audio, as it differs a bit from the typical movie 5.1 setup. The placement of the speakers is important, so look into that. :cool:
 
ghostee said:
A surround sound receiver takes the digital signal, decodes it, and amplies it to power the speakers.

Are you talking about a standalone system or one for the computer? $200 is kinda low for a standalone system, unless you want something very cheap, which in turn will provide bad sound.

Or are you talking about speakers for your computer? In that case, do you already have a 5.1 soundcard?

Also, you might want to google for the correct way to place the speakers in a 5.1 setup used for dvd audio, as it differs a bit from the typical movie 5.1 setup. The placement of the speakers is important, so look into that. :cool:
Click to expand...

I am talking about the computer speakers

I have a great soundcard I believe it supports up to 7.1 but that seems exsessive... 5.1 is the "standard" for high quality DVDs and DVD Audio...
 
dotdotdot said:
Does anyone know of a GOOD QUALITY Sub-$200 5.1 Surround Sound speaker setup?
Click to expand...

I don't think such a thing exists. However, if you go to www.shoponkyo.com, you can get a reconditioned HT-S570 system for $220, and if you join their "club Onkyo" thingy (which seems to have no obligations or annoyances), you save an additional $10. Plus you get free shipping. (And this ain't cheapo free shipping either...I got the--rather substantial!--package BEFORE I got the email notification that it had shipped that morning.)

I did this recently, after spending quite a lot of time on this very subject of good-but-not-horribly-expensive 5.1 surround sound systems, which included the buying and subsequent selling of a Logitech Z680 system. So I can vouch for the fact that the Onkyo works, works very well, and I doubt you are going to get a better deal because I sure couldn't find one. These aren't "computer speakers" as such, but they function perfectly well as computer speakers; that's what I use them as. You just plug stuff in and they work.

Maybe your dad will put in $100 and you can scrape together $110 by whatever means necessary, and it will be worth it. Maybe if you're REALLY good and promise never to ask for anything else ever again (or at least until next Tuesday, whichever comes first), he'll spring for the whole cost. No way are you going to get anything good for $100 though.

--Eric
 
Eric5h5 said:
I don't think such a thing exists. However, if you go to www.shoponkyo.com, you can get a reconditioned HT-S570 system for $220, and if you join their "club Onkyo" thingy (which seems to have no obligations or annoyances), you save an additional $10. Plus you get free shipping. (And this ain't cheapo free shipping either...I got the--rather substantial!--package BEFORE I got the email notification that it had shipped that morning.)

I did this recently, after spending quite a lot of time on this very subject of good-but-not-horribly-expensive 5.1 surround sound systems, which included the buying and subsequent selling of a Logitech Z680 system. So I can vouch for the fact that the Onkyo works, works very well, and I doubt you are going to get a better deal because I sure couldn't find one. These aren't "computer speakers" as such, but they function perfectly well as computer speakers; that's what I use them as. You just plug stuff in and they work.

Maybe your dad will put in $100 and you can scrape together $110 by whatever means necessary, and it will be worth it. Maybe if you're REALLY good and promise never to ask for anything else ever again (or at least until next Tuesday, whichever comes first), he'll spring for the whole cost. No way are you going to get anything good for $100 though.

--Eric
Click to expand...

I am still on the task of waking him up with the description of the Powerbook... lol so that won't work...

He has Logitech 5.1 speakers which were top of the line in like 2003... maybe he can get himself new ones? :D wishful thinking!
 
dotdotdot said:
I am talking about the computer speakers

I have a great soundcard I believe it supports up to 7.1 but that seems exsessive... 5.1 is the "standard" for high quality DVDs and DVD Audio...
Click to expand...


http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/products/soundcards/santacruz/indetail.asp

thats your sound card. ok you can either buy a 5.1 speaker set that support standard mini stereo plugs for all the speakers or buy one has a reciever and speakers that supports PCM or AC-3 input. what the second part means is that the reciever will have the speaker plugged into the reciever and one line from the sound card the "versajack" into the reciever. this might work better because it can double for an external dvd player etc. if that doesn't matter than look sometimes like the first one.
 
superbovine said:
http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/products/soundcards/santacruz/indetail.asp

thats your sound card. ok you can either buy a 5.1 speaker set that support standard mini stereo plugs for all the speakers or buy one has a reciever and speakers that supports PCM or AC-3 input. what the second part means is that the reciever will have the speaker plugged into the reciever and one line from the sound card the "versajack" into the reciever. this might work better because it can double for an external dvd player etc. if that doesn't matter than look sometimes like the first one.
Click to expand...

Whats the second part - I don't understand what you said...

the first part is what I think I'm going to do...
 
I want something that won't "buzz" if I make it loud... LOUD

Like a high watts system...

Are Altec Lansing 5.1 systems good? There are two of them (it says 3 but 1 was discontinued) and they are like 50 watts
 
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