Logitech X540 5.1 surround sound not working, tried everything I can, is it impossible?

[Shiggy]

Speaker is Logitech X540 5.1

Motherboard is ASUS Z87-A



This was how I used to plug my cable to from speaker to motherboard.
(Speaker - Motherboard)

Green - Line Out
Black - Rear
Orange - Center/Sub

Problem with this setup was that on the sound test on both the Playback Device and on the Realtek Audio Manager the sound was only coming out from the front left and front right. Everything was dead silent, however the volume meter(?) was showing the sound playing.

Now as a solution after searching for solution I unplugged the black and orange plug and only use the green plug. On the Realtek Audio Manager the setting is now on stereo, virtual surround.

However I fear that this is not the actual solution to the problem. I'm looking for a permanent fix so the sound can play perfectly through each speaker how they are suppose to play.

Also to add, during both setup I have tried all speaker did play sound when playing a video or music. However it was just sound, nothing that can be said as surround sound.

 

[thee_prisoner]

My guess you haven't setup the windows portion yet. Right click on the windows speaker icon on your tool bar,not the realtek one. Enable 5.1/7.1 in playback devices/windows configuration. Also, for some reason this EQ program isn't included with all mobo's. http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/get-the-realtek-equalizer-back-in-windows-7-vista/ the download is safe, I use it.

be seeing you, the Prisoner...

 

[Shiggy]

My guess you haven't setup the windows portion yet. Right click on the windows speaker icon on your tool bar,not the realtek one. Enable 5.1/7.1 in playback devices/windows configuration. Also, for some reason this EQ program isn't included with all mobo's. http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/get-the-realtek-equalizer-back-in-windows-7-vista/ the download is safe, I use it.

be seeing you, the Prisoner...

Thank you for the help. I have done the Windows portion of the setup as well(probably was one of the first thing I did to check), however this was not the solution.

Also that program seems legit but I hate to say this that I'm not looking for those kind of fix for the speakers. What I want is to be able to actually plug in all the cables in the right spot, then be able to have perfect surround sound as how the speakers I have is meant to be.

As I said earlier on the first post I currently have only the green plug plugged in and am using virtual surround with stereo.

I have done different combination of plug, from how they're meant to be, and all other combination by plugging green to orange for example, but none of them fixed the problem.

Just makes me wonder how people with no problem at all managed to use 5.1 surround speaker on their PC.

I got this speaker more than 4 years ago I believe and since then, from time to time I've been asking the same question looking for answers. No solution so far.

 

[thee_prisoner]

Ok. just wanted to make sure that windows recognized 5.1. Well since you used the test for all speakers, I was thinking your source material was bad. Also with source material if it's 2.0 it will only be heard in 2.0 unless you use speaker fill which will be a simulated surround. All the plugs need to be put into the correct spots. Now when you did the test tones you only got sound from 2.0?

The program is legit. But I added that for people to have some EQ options, since the realtek EQ options are poor.

This is my rant, mobo manufacturers and realtek will say support for Dolby/DTS but if you look at the specs, they will say additional software required. In your case it does have at least DTS but is still a simulated surround, I'm thinking mobo is for for optical S/PDIF surround but can't do true discrete 5.1 of above.

So when you go into windows config, does it show a 5.1 option? IS this the speaker system you have? http://techgage.com/article/logitech_x-540_51_speakers/

What is windows/realtek showing for your playback device? In terms of surround sound if the source material or your settings, where that EQ comes in, you won't hear a lot until you adjust each channel.

For me on PC surround with movies, TV and games I use this headset http://support.turtlebeach.com/entry/830517110/ or my home theater, using good speakers, amps and a surround processor setup for sound.

 

[Shiggy]

Ok. just wanted to make sure that windows recognized 5.1. Well since you used the test for all speakers, I was thinking your source material was bad. Also with source material if it's 2.0 it will only be heard in 2.0 unless you use speaker fill which will be a simulated surround. All the plugs need to be put into the correct spots. Now when you did the test tones you only got sound from 2.0?

The program is legit. But I added that for people to have some EQ options, since the realtek EQ options are poor.

This is my rant, mobo manufacturers and realtek will say support for Dolby/DTS but if you look at the specs, they will say additional software required. In your case it does have at least DTS but is still a simulated surround, I'm thinking mobo is for for optical S/PDIF surround but can't do true discrete 5.1 of above.

So when you go into windows config, does it show a 5.1 option? IS this the speaker system you have? http://techgage.com/article/logitech_x-540_51_speakers/

What is windows/realtek showing for your playback device? In terms of surround sound if the source material or your settings, where that EQ comes in, you won't hear a lot until you adjust each channel.

For me on PC surround with movies, TV and games I use this headset http://support.turtlebeach.com/entry/830517110/ or my home theater, using good speakers, amps and a surround processor setup for sound.

So when you go into windows config, does it show a 5.1 option? IS this the speaker system you have?

Right now, no the windows config is at 2.0, but I believe that is because I only have the green plugged in. When I had all three(green, black, orange) plugged in there was 5.1 option. When all three were plugged, the sound test only play sound on front left and right.

Yes that IS the speaker I have.


What is windows/realtek showing for your playback device?

Windows is showing three playback device:
- Speakers
- Realtek Digital Output
- Realtek Digital Output(Optical)
I have always used Speakers, and have never used the other two Realtek option.

Realtek also have the exact same three playback device with one additional which is just a microphone.

 

[thee_prisoner]

If you go into speakers> properties>levels it should show the analog outs and at least in my case it shows the sound level of each channel.

THE windows config can be at 2.0 even though your setup is only plugged in for 2.0.

Edit: the windows config can give an option for 5.1 even though the setup is only plugged for 2.0.

 

[Shiggy]

If you go into speakers> properties>levels it should show the analog outs and at least in my case it shows the sound level of each channel.

THE windows config can be at 2.0 even though your setup is only plugged in for 2.0.

Okay, so I replugged the cable.

Speaker - Motherboard
rear - rear
center/sub - center/sub
front - line out

Front is plugged to line out because the other option which is side(on the motherboard) does not emit any sound.

I also have a slight feeling that the problem I had was on how to use the "Matrix mode" on the volume control(the little pad to adjust volume, turn on/off power, etc.) of my speakers.



---This is what I got from a different source---

If you do not enable the Matrix mode (the switch on the right of the volume control), you will not hear anything in the rear speakers when listening to a 2D source (music, streaming video, or most divx formats).
On the other hand, if you enable the Matrix mode and listen to a 5.1 DVD movie you will just not hear some sound, or it will be played very low. For instance, you will barely be able to hear the voices on a DVD.

Conclusion:
Enable Matrix most of the time, unless you know the source is 5.1 (DVD or mkv movies, and in some games).
The Matrix mode is there to mix any left-right stereo sound into a kind of surround sound.

It's too bad the driver does not detect automatically if the source is 2 or 5.1.

What is even worse is the impossibility to rebalance the sound volumes in Matrix mode.
I use Realtek HD Audio manager as well but I do not see anywhere the option to enable a "speaker fill option" nor the possibility to set speakers to "full range" (what does that mean anyway?). This tool sucks!

I'd like to boost the rear speakers as well, the front-rear balance is really bad - it actually does not "surround" anything because the volume of the rear is barely audible.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Ultimately my conclusion is that this speaker sucks, as in difficult to use. Maybe the best option is to buy a better set of speakers that is easier to setup and operate.

 

[thee_prisoner]

Sorry had to edit my last post. Did you download the program from realtek? It adds the eq, plus speaker fill and etc.

In terms of surround with a 5.1 source, there isn't always a lot sound information coming from rears. It just depends on how it's mixed.

 

[Shiggy]

Sorry had to edit my last post. Did you download the program from realtek? It adds the eq, plus speaker fill and etc.

In terms of surround with a 5.1 source, there isn't always a lot sound information coming from rears. It just depends on how it's mixed.

I think, I think I'm set actually.

So now that I know how to actually use the "Matrix mode" on the volume controller I just have to either turn that on or off depending on the source of the audio whether it's stereo or surround. When playing certain games I noticed when Matrix mode is off the surround takes effect with all speakers working. When Matrix mode is on while playing the same game it just makes the speakers "stereo(if that's how to say it)" making the same audio play through all speakers, meaning no surround.

When the audio file of what I'm playing does not support surround, lets say 2.0 audio, and if I have Matrix mode off it just plays the audio through the front and center/sub speakers without the rear speakers. When Matrix mode is on with the same 2.0 audio, same audio plays through all the speakers including rear.

---Surround sound audio file---
Matrix mode off = surround sound
Matrix mode on = equal sound from all speakers

---non-surround sound audio file(2.0)---
Matrix mode off = only the front speakers, and maybe center/sub(I'd have to check)
Matrix mode on = equal sound from all speakers("virtual surround")

Also with the plug-in on that back of the PC, I think I figured that out as well.

Right now...(Speaker ---> PC)

Green(front speakers) ---> Line out

Black(rear speakers) ---> Rear

Orange(center/sub) ---> Center/Sub

... and one time when I was setting up I was always trying to plug the Green on the speaker side to the Blue on the PC side. The Blue on the PC side is labeled as "Side".

I didn't read anything to confirm this, but my wild guess tells me that the Blue(Side) is only used for a 7.1 surround system.

So it would go like this for 7.1...(Speaker ---> PC)

Green(front speakers) ---> Line out

Whatever color(side speakers) ---> Side

Black(rear speakers) ---> Rear

Orange(center/sub) ---> Center/Sub

... but for me since I am only 5.1 I can just ignore the Blue(side) on the PC side.

 

[thee_prisoner]

Light blue is line in. Side speakers in a PC 7.1 set up, the output is grey. Yes you can ignore the light blue.

When you turn on matrix, basically what it does is fill all speakers and in case the the rears just reverses the rear to opposite left and right.

It looks like you got it right, congratz!

be seeing you, the Prisoner...



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