5.1 surround sound to PC

[motorboatinking]

Right now I have 5 speakers and a subwoofer hooked up to a reciever, and an HDMI cable going from my GPU(gtx 970) to my reviecever, and that is my playback for my sound. I do not like my reciever though, and am wondering if there is another way to use my speakers and subwoofer without it. Most sound cards I look at have a 3.5mm connector, but my speakers are just speaker wire that I twist into the reciever. Sorry I don't know real terms, I'm not that knowledgable with audio.

 

[random stalker]

well, the two problems are
- how to get the sound to the speakers and
- your speakers must be powered...

scenario 1 - 5.1 active computer speakers
- the first should be very straightforward - if you got some computer speakers /like the genius 6000, logitech z906 or whatever/ all connectors should be on the back of the subwoofer.
- the second should also be easy - the sub powers all the rest.
* so just connect the sound card output /be it analogue or spdif/ to the sub and it will sound.

scenario 2 - bookshelf passive speakers /the sub doesn't matter if it is powered or not/
to cut the story short, the sound card will not be able to power those hungry beasts, so you'll need the receiver to feed them some mad volts

 

[motorboatinking]

I do not want to have to buy new speakers, I really like the ones I have now. I never noticed that the back of my sub has slots for speaker wires. So I could get a sound card and plug my sub into it, then have my speakers going to the sub and that should work? What is the wire called that connects subs? It just says line on my sub. I want to make sure the sound cards I'm looking at are compatible.

I'm looking at this one http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0ZX2C30905

 

[random stalker]

yes, all you have to do, is connect the speakers and your sound card to the sub.
/you should have a integrated on-board sound card to try out - there should be a couple of coloured holes at the back of your computer/.
all the cables you should ever need should come with your speakers.
also, don't forget to set the crossover frequency at your audio panel /otherwise the subwoofer will be silent/.

as for getting a new sound card - depends on what you do and what is your budget.
- if you like music, movies, etc...> asus xonar dg or dgx /if you want a new one/, or xonar dx or sound blaster titanium hd /if you're lucky, you can score each one of them for about $40-50 off ebay. IF you are lucky/
- if you game a lot> sound blaster z, but that one will cost you arm and leg. You pay for the quality, but $100 may be a little too steep /can be cheaper on ebay though/