Need help with surround sound system

Zero_Lancer

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Dec 3, 2010
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So I want to get a surround sound system for my game consoles and computer, all of which are hooked up to my tv. I'm a little confused on how sound systems work with my computer. On my motherboard there are 6 3.5 mm audio jacks: Line in, frond, mic in, side SPK, rear SPK, and ctr bass. I was told by a friend that if I get a surround sound system that I just need to send one cord from my computer to the system and it will split to the to the side, center, bass etc... But if that's true then what are all the other audio jacks on my motherboard for? Or is he wrong somehow? Also would something like this work with my computer?

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Surround-Sound-Speaker-System/dp/B004M18O60/ref=sr_1_8?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1428719114&sr=1-8&keywords=surround+sound+system

Thanks for the help.
 
Solution
speaker system /theater system are just words. now generally pc speakers tend to be worse quality than what you'd find in the hifi and home theater markets but there are some rather bad low end products in both markets though. generally you'd know crap when you see it.

that would work as it looks like it is a regular receiver and not a HTIB set, not sure how good those speakers are though. the ones i listed above are comparable in price once you total things up and i'm pretty confident in their value for the money though of course you dont have to buy them and can get other systems you can get locally.

i've seen wireless speakers and even wireless speaker sets/kits but most of your good speaker brands tend to be wired. there are tons...
the 3.5mm jacks on your motherboard are for pc speaker systems (an analog signal)

the z906 is not a home theater system, it is an overpriced computer speaker set. while certainly not bad, for similar cost or a little more you can do better.

also of note: home theater in a box (htib) all in one type sets can often lack on build quality and sometimes even if they support optical or hdmi they might only accept a 2.0 stereo input, you'd need to check beforehand to make sure it supports 5.1 if getting one of these sets. this is why i always recommend a receiver instead and getting a speaker set.

your friend is likely referring to actual home theater systems which get connected via hdmi (for best and uncompressed sound (or optical/coax for compressed 5.1 if your devices support it, otherwise stereo sound). the z906 also takes optical so perhaps this is what he meant as well.

for just a bit more than the z906 you could get an energy take classic 5.1 set and an entry level receiver. or, you could go with the similar monoprice 10565 which is like the energies but unbranded. both will do better than the z906.

as far as the z906 connectivity, you could hook it up to your pc via 3x 3.5mm cables and things like the ps4 via optical though you're going to need to swap the optical around if you have multiple devices and if a device doesnt have optical you might need to pull the 3.5mm cables out and revert to just stereo sound or use a fairly expensive adapter to get optical.

the one nice thing about a receiver is multi-sourcing. you can plug in multiple sources via hdmi, optical, coax or rca and just turn one knob and have it work. no pulling cables, no adapters, no headache.

i've been using a receiver, 5.0 speaker set and a subwoofer with my pc, ps3, ps2, laptop and other sources for years and i wouldnt go back. photos in my signature (build) in case you wanted to see what such a setup looks like.

....just a few comments i had.
 

Zero_Lancer

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Okay, I think I'm starting to get this. A receiver sounds like a great idea, since I have like 4 gaming consoles and a PC. But it raises a couple more questions. Is there a difference between a speaker system and a theater system, or are they really just the same thing? Also would something like this work with my setup?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/yamaha-500w-5-1-ch-3d-home-theater-system/4372018.p?id=1219098067770&skuId=4372018

It's got enough hdmi inputs for my consoles and PC, so there should be a problem there. I don't really have a set budget but I don't want to go all crazy expensive, just a decent surround sound for my room would be fine. Also does anyone make wireless speakes for theaters systems? because it would be nice not seeing a whole bunch of wires on my walls. And just to make sure, if i get a 5.1 system and play a video on my computer that has 5.1 sound and i have it connected with hdmi, all the sound will be sent and not just something like 2.0 or stereo right?
 
speaker system /theater system are just words. now generally pc speakers tend to be worse quality than what you'd find in the hifi and home theater markets but there are some rather bad low end products in both markets though. generally you'd know crap when you see it.

that would work as it looks like it is a regular receiver and not a HTIB set, not sure how good those speakers are though. the ones i listed above are comparable in price once you total things up and i'm pretty confident in their value for the money though of course you dont have to buy them and can get other systems you can get locally.

i've seen wireless speakers and even wireless speaker sets/kits but most of your good speaker brands tend to be wired. there are tons of great ways to hide wires if you need (run along top of molding and run a cap on top, flat speaker wire you can paint over, run under the floor, etc)

i can vouch for 5.1 over hdmi as i personally use this and have for over 4 years. my ps3 is also hooked up over hdmi.
 
Solution

Zero_Lancer

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Dec 3, 2010
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Okay, after looking around for a bit I think I'll go with this yamaha one, it fits my needs just right. Thank you very much for all the advice and knowledge, you really helped me out a lot.