Hi guys, I have been wanting to get a really nice audio system setup that I can use for both movies (on a TV) and gaming on my computer (will be used for the most). I have a few questions in regard to this:
1) Would it be better to piece it together from parts from various manufacturers or would a combo package (eg, Logitech's Z5550)?
2) Is on board HD Audio by Realtek good enough (doubts it)? I have heard that the onboard sound chips have improved so much over the years, buying a dedicated sound card isn't really worth it. True?
3) If I decide to build the system from various parts, would I need a receiver of sorts or would my sound card be all I need?
4) I have heard mixed responses to 7.1 or 5.1 audio. I would imagine the 7 speakers to be better but for what reason would 5.1 win out? Also are there special speakers for high definition audio or are all speakers capable of such (eg HDTV vs SDTV)?
5) I know headsets are supposed to deliver the best gaming experience but I'd like to enjoy a large audio system and I worry about the speakers interfering with a separate microphone's pickup on voice chatting, especially if it is going to be as powerful as I've been hinting at. Are there any microphones you can recommend to combat this? Would a performance or recording quality microphone be a good idea such as a high quality condenser microphone? I am a musician and plan to use this system in part for recording so I am not opposed to that.
6) Finally, as far as sound cards go, are the Creative X-Fi cards all they are cracked up to be? The models which support the front bezel or input hub appeal to me for plugging in my guitar studio direct for recording. Are the X-Fi's good for this or are there better cards out there suited for this?
I know its a lot of questions but thank you so much in advance for your help.
1) Would it be better to piece it together from parts from various manufacturers or would a combo package (eg, Logitech's Z5550)?
2) Is on board HD Audio by Realtek good enough (doubts it)? I have heard that the onboard sound chips have improved so much over the years, buying a dedicated sound card isn't really worth it. True?
3) If I decide to build the system from various parts, would I need a receiver of sorts or would my sound card be all I need?
4) I have heard mixed responses to 7.1 or 5.1 audio. I would imagine the 7 speakers to be better but for what reason would 5.1 win out? Also are there special speakers for high definition audio or are all speakers capable of such (eg HDTV vs SDTV)?
5) I know headsets are supposed to deliver the best gaming experience but I'd like to enjoy a large audio system and I worry about the speakers interfering with a separate microphone's pickup on voice chatting, especially if it is going to be as powerful as I've been hinting at. Are there any microphones you can recommend to combat this? Would a performance or recording quality microphone be a good idea such as a high quality condenser microphone? I am a musician and plan to use this system in part for recording so I am not opposed to that.
6) Finally, as far as sound cards go, are the Creative X-Fi cards all they are cracked up to be? The models which support the front bezel or input hub appeal to me for plugging in my guitar studio direct for recording. Are the X-Fi's good for this or are there better cards out there suited for this?
I know its a lot of questions but thank you so much in advance for your help.