Help me configure my surround speakers correctly

[Alanthor]

Hi,

I got ALTEC LANSING ACS 495, and I need help. My audio card in my pc is Realtek HD Audio, 6 rear ports.

First of all, this doesnt seem to be correct... It looks weird, dont u think? I've double-checked, the right satellite is on the right side and vice versa, but it looks so weird..

And regarding the setup in Windows. (I run Windows 8.1 pro). And yes, I run the speakers in "Prologic surround".

In Realtek HD Audio software, in "Speaker config", I have it on 5.1 speakers with "Front left and Right", "Subwoofer" and "Surround speakers" checked. Is this correct?

Thx in advance.

 

[Cristi72]

Hello,

You will not be able to have Prologic Surround without a surround system. Your system is a 2.1 system, that means it can accomodate only stereo signals. If you use the Surround setting on that audio system, your sound will be lacking on bass and it will not sound good on medium (especially the voice passages). Make an experiment: use your Prologic settings on some audio track, then change to STEREO + Full-Range setting and listen the same track again to hear the differences.

EDIT: you must connect the speakers to the green jack, FRONT speakers.

 

[Alanthor]

What..? So I should set my speakers as "Stereo"?... To be honest, I dont give a jack shit about music, hehe. Gaming is my thing. In BF4, I have the sound options set to "Hi-Fi" and "Surround". Then I activate ProLogic surround mode. Ur telling me that its bad? So, these speakers aint surround at all...?

U made my day rly rly confused

 

[Alanthor]

I confirmed with whom I got it from. It isnt a 2.1 system. Its 2 speakers per satellite or something like that.

 

[Cristi72]

What..? So I should set my speakers as "Stereo"?... To be honest, I dont give a jack shit about music, hehe. Gaming is my thing. In BF4, I have the sound options set to "Hi-Fi" and "Surround". Then I activate ProLogic surround mode. Ur telling me that its bad? So, these speakers aint surround at all...?

U made my day rly rly confused

I am sorry, I am the one confused right now... Indeed, your system is a surround one, just not a "normal" one... You have the front and the rear speakers in a combo front speaker, that's why the upper speaker is facing outwards and not inwards as usual. Moreover, the system is making its own surround sound from stereo, so you will see no benefits by using the surround setting on Windows, because the inputs are only stereo. Also, you will need some kind of driver to make the system to work as intended.

Please check this:

http/www.neoseeker.com/forums/141/t1403026-need-drivers-for-acs495-altec-lansing-speakers/

http/supportapj.dell.com/support/systemsinfo/document.aspx?~file=/acc/acs495/controls.htm

 

[Alanthor]

I've researched about that aswell, the driver thingy. I understood it as if ur running like Windows2K or something, then u can have the ACS495 software INSTEAD of using the controllers on the speakers. But it doesnt affect the surround quality or ability.. Or am I completely wrong here?

So... Should I change in Realtek HD Audio from 5.1 to Stereo, or whats up?... I dont get it.

 

[Cristi72]

I've researched about that aswell, the driver thingy. I understood it as if ur running like Windows2K or something, then u can have the ACS495 software INSTEAD of using the controllers on the speakers. But it doesnt affect the surround quality or ability.. Or am I completely wrong here?

So... Should I change in Realtek HD Audio from 5.1 to Stereo, or whats up?... I dont get it.

Let me put it this way: if you want to output the Prologic from the PC, you should use either analog or digital signals.

When use analog signals, you should have 2 stereo audio cables going from PC to speakers, one for front speakers and one for rear speakers. Is this the case? because if you have only one cable, it will work just in Stereo mode.

When use digital signals, you will use a stereo cable AND the USB cable, and of course you will need the drivers.

The system has its own Prologic setting, in STANDALONE mode, but that has nothing to do with the Prologic setting from PC, as it lacks the information about the rear/subwoofer speakers (the system process the information only from the front speakers).

Please post a picture from the back of the subwoofer with the connections you are using now, and a picture from the top of the right-side satellite (the one with function buttons).