Altec Lansing ADA880

[XAiN]

Is the Altec Lansing ADA880 4 channel? A couple of reviews I've read say it's not, the others don't mention it.

They look pretty good speakers, but if the rear is just going to mirror the front speakers and not give 3D sound, it seems like a waste...

Cheers,
Xain

<A HREF="http/www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=11119" target="_new">System Specs</A>

 

[XAiN]

This review touches on it, but I don't really understand what it's talking about:
<A HREF="http/www.3daccelerated.com/hardware_reviews/alteca880/dolby.shtml" target="_new">3D Accelerated</A>

Does this mean that only sometimes, particularly with DVDs, it will give 3d effects? If this is the case, it's not much use, but if it means most programs (games!) can use 3d sound, then great, I'm off to buy one

Cheers,
Xain

<A HREF="http/www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=11119" target="_new">System Specs</A>

 

[XAiN]

OK, this review:
<A HREF="http/www.gamebasement.com:82/pages/article_single.asp?id=21&page=3" target="_new">Game Basement</A>

Seems to think that if you have a digital source, you can get 3d sound (it doesn't meantion if this is all or just specific programs that use it) - I'm also getting a Herc Game Theatre XP which does have a digital out. Is this what it means, and does this mean I'll get 3D sound in games that support EAX and such?

I seem to be talking to myself here, please help me out!

Edit: Changed the URL so it goes to the correct page rather than the contents of the review

Cheers,
Xain

<A HREF="http/www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=11119" target="_new">System Specs</A><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Xain on 09/01/01 09:13 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[veritas718]

Believe it or not, the last MB/Sound Card that I had that supported the right digital format was an ancient nforce 2 chipset, nothing from sound blaster, current digital outputs..nothing actually supports the ADA880's dolby format correctly, please instruct me if I am missing how this is supposed to work!

(Iv always tried both methods of connting them - directly with the digital rca looking cable directly, and even a 3/8th" to rca connector, and obviously just the 3/8th" jack, which is what i always settle on in the end.

 

[Guest]

As far as I know, the ADA 880 is the best audio bundle that Dell ever shipped, but it doesn't have an optical input and most sound cards do not have an RCA style output for digital signals.

The solution to the problem is to get your digital signal via USB to SPDIF adapter. It took me a lot of research to figure this out, but I found a device for about $40 (made in China) that converts USB output to digital SPDIF out via RCA adapter or optical.

I bought this on eBay, but Amazon.com and Shenzhen Audio have what appears to be the same item. It does look the same.

Note that I use Win 7 64bit, and in the Windows sound mixer advanced properties, I've selected "2 channel, 16 bit 44100 Hz (CD quality)." Other settings also work, but you may need to do some trial and error if you experience drop outs in the signal.

Under the Supported Formats tab, I've checked Dolby Digital and DTS, and a sample rate of 96.0 kHz.

Again, you may need trial and error to get this to work.

Good luck. No reason to throw out a perfectly great set of speakers.

 

[erinbragh]

As far as I know, the ADA 880 is the best audio bundle that Dell ever shipped, but it doesn't have an optical input and most sound cards do not have an RCA style output for digital signals.

The solution to the problem is to get your digital signal via USB to SPDIF adapter. It took me a lot of research to figure this out, but I found a device for about $40 (made in China) that converts USB output to digital SPDIF out via RCA adapter or optical.

I bought this on eBay, but Amazon.com and Shenzhen Audio have what appears to be the same item. It does look the same.

Note that I use Win 7 64bit, and in the Windows sound mixer advanced properties, I've selected "2 channel, 16 bit 44100 Hz (CD quality)." Other settings also work, but you may need to do some trial and error if you experience drop outs in the signal.

Under the Supported Formats tab, I've checked Dolby Digital and DTS, and a sample rate of 96.0 kHz.

Again, you may need trial and error to get this to work.

Good luck. No reason to throw out a perfectly great set of speakers.

 

[erinbragh]

I have a ada880 altec lansing and love it. it is a 4.1 channel, surround sound is great, I have it hooked to a Audigy 2 ZS SoundBlaster card. Down load ada880 manual made sure that the surround sound was turned on (control speaker)! follow the instructions in the manual, then play with the settings. I messed around for a day and got the surround sound working great. will blast you out of the room! I messed with the, Windows sound mixer advanced properties, equalizer in windows media player also with the card settings. Make sure you set it to 5.1 and set it with a missing front center speaker. just 2 front and 2 rear with subwoofer. It is a total surround sound not just the same sound for F & R. I am running windows 7 professional, 64 bit.