What 7.1 speaker set to suit a good Z87 gaming computer?

Aug 6, 2013
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10,510
So I bought and put together an i7 4770 GTX 780 gaming rig and want to plug in a 7.1 speaker set to the back of the Asus Sabertooth motherboard; but do not know a good match for such an arrangement.

Please reccomend a set that popular online retailers sell. Budget is mid-range.
Lets not go crazy here and blow out any windows. May accept a great 5.1....if..
 
Solution
what is your budget? use numbers, we have no idea what your midrange prices means (it could be $50 or it could be $500 for all we know)

why 7.1 over 5.1? there are many more quality 5.1 sets and 7.1 is not fully supported by many programs and movies however 5.1 is.

what size room? so that we know how to size the speaker output.

are you an audiophile?

provided the budget is large enough ($450 minimum) what are your thoughts on home theater speakers?

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mid range budget speakers.... i would say look at the z906 which is around $300. its 5.1 only but good quality for pc speakers. probably the best 5.1 you are going to get (except perhaps the z5500 which is hard to find since its out of production) unless you look at home...
what is your budget? use numbers, we have no idea what your midrange prices means (it could be $50 or it could be $500 for all we know)

why 7.1 over 5.1? there are many more quality 5.1 sets and 7.1 is not fully supported by many programs and movies however 5.1 is.

what size room? so that we know how to size the speaker output.

are you an audiophile?

provided the budget is large enough ($450 minimum) what are your thoughts on home theater speakers?

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mid range budget speakers.... i would say look at the z906 which is around $300. its 5.1 only but good quality for pc speakers. probably the best 5.1 you are going to get (except perhaps the z5500 which is hard to find since its out of production) unless you look at home theater solutions.

again.. please provide some more detail as for a budget and your wants/needs.
 
Solution
Aug 6, 2013
8
0
10,510


A) Midrange is unlikely to be $50 for a PC surround sound system; in all fairness..
Are you American?

B) A $500 dollar system would be mid-range if you can buy PC speaker sets for $1,000 I guess....

C) A 5.1 surround set you mentioned looks pretty reasonable; the Z906

(I bought the Logitech Z5500 set (for $150) six years ago in the UK for my PS3 and it still works perfect [and LOUD])

I just checked here on amazon Japan and the Z906 is over $500. Hmmmm.... How about I move my PS3 Z5500 kit to the PC and get new ones for the HDTV sys...
Anyway...
I wasn`t sure where the market had gone since 2007, especially with PC gaming sound systems.

D) I asked for 7.1 because my Motherboard has plug-in jacks for 7.1 surround sound; but I don`t know what Asus were planning on people using;
as there is no amplifier power from them...
.............I just wondered if everyone knew of a range of speakers that this would suit...otherwise Asus would not have put 7.1 surround sound jacks there.

I did consider buying a surround sound CD amp and connecting it up, but the Z906 might be fine.

E) As for the room; it is an average sized space (actually an upstairs hallway PC); and the 906 will suit the space.

F) And although not an audiophile, I do appreciate moving that direction.

I just wondered if anyone was going to suggest sitting the monitor on top of a TEAC unit or something and sticking in Hi-fi speaker set.....

Thank you..............:p


 
A) you would be suprised at what people expect for a budget. yes. i assume you are in japan (according to what you said).
B) again... we have no way of knowing what your budget is so you must tell us. what i think of as mid range may differ from what you do. we need an actual figure to work from. for example $400 or ¥40500.
C) the z906 is not quite as good as the z5500 but its not bad. you could move the z5500 over and get new speakers. you could even hook up the pc and tv and ps3 to one system if they are reasonably close to one another.
D) there are a few 7.1 computer speaker sets however the majority are 5.1. since there is a lack of choices and since there is a lack of content for 7.1 i just wanted to verify that you knew this and wanted to proceed regardless. the gigaworks s750 is a 7.1 set for pc use. there are not a whole lot of them however. listing 7.1 is mostly a marketing gimmick since not many people will use it.
E) i agree.
F) then going with a z906 or moving the z5500 would make sense. you could always upgrade your tv setup with something more "audiophile" eg a set of home theater speakers and a receiver.

if you re-read my original post i did suggest that you might want to look at home theater speakers provided you have the budget for it. its what i use for my own personal system.. i use a klipsch satelite speaker set and sub with a pioneer receiver. it works out great.

182ipu.jpg


anyways.... its completely up to you which route you want to go but your options are limited to what your budget is.

if you want to upgrade your hdtv system speakers and move the z5500 to the pc we can help you pick out new speakers
if you want to upgrade to a home theater speaker kit for the pc we can do that.
if you want to just buy a z906 perhaps there is a cheaper place for you to do it (do you live near big city tokyo.. akihabara has tons of electronics..)

i've even seen a few home theater kits which accept rca inputs for each channel (front left, front right, center, sub, rear left and rear right) which you then use 3.5mm to rca splitters on for use with a soundcard. while this isnt the route i would choose to go myself... i've seen people on here discussing such sets.

you have to let us know what you were thinking in order for us to give you any consultation.

 
Aug 6, 2013
8
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10,510


Your table looks uncomfortable; if you type there. Did you ever consider putting some brackets on the wall and using some (wide) kitchen worktop to rest that lot on ? (with Curved front face [so a square-faced table front EDGE doesnt dig in your forearms]).
Leaving a gap at the back for all cabling...(a wide worktop across that gap would need a rib or two under it if you are not using large brackets along the back edge [sides supports can be shaped 2x1 timber]).... but for amusement, I digress.

I guess up to $500 is fine, and I have been looking at the Z906 which seems to fit the bill (physically it looks better than the Z5500 4-satellite speakers kit).

Also...the Wi-fi TEAC unit I saw on amazon.jp is only $220...and I have been looking at speakers for that....

http://www.amazon.co.jp/TEAC-%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AFCD%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC-AirPlay%E5%AF%BE%E5%BF%9C-%E3%83%96%E3%83%A9%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF-CR-H700-B/dp/B005ZMR7Y0/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1385335124&sr=1-4&keywords=teac+%E3%82%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%83%97

But, I trust Logitech products, and that set you mentioned is simple enough as I dont want to have to have additional issues (wife demanding volume down). :D

It would be nice if the Logitech speakers were simple for wall/ceiling mounting (as I prefer).

The TEAC Does look juicy though..... :p

P.S.
I generally prefer to buy from Amazon as I cannot figure out how to shop at Akihibara. Images in Kanji are illegible to me. Hiragana and Katakana I can cope with.
 
my desk is more than comfortable enough. i like typing with my keyboard aset a bit more than halfway back on my desk which is about 3 feet deep (.914m) so my elbows actually rest on the desk. yes i am totally aware of proper ergonomic posture however i am just not comfortable working that way and prefer resting my arms on the desk. go figure.

also consider the price of free its hard to complain. a retail store i worked for at the time was getting rid of display tables and i picked one up for no cost to me. the top was a bit worn and it was veneered so i put a formica top on for less than $40 (¥4051) which dressed it up quite a bit. i now have a massive desk which manages to fit all of that equipment on it and yet give me enough open space for me to feel comfortable. yes, i like lots of open space so i dont feel clustered.

i hate keyboard trays too so i guess that explains alot.

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in any case... $500 is a fair budget and there are a few routes you could go.

you are correct. the z906 is not a bad choice at all. while perhaps not as good as the z5500 it certainly is no slouch either. there really arent a whole lot of options which compete in computer speakers at least in terms of 5.1. to get better you would have to move to home theater or hifi speakers.

why exactly are you looking at a cd receiver? were you looking at this to connect up to the pc or the tv? you can play music with the pc much more efficiently and if you wanted to do it with the tv i'm sure you already have a dvd player which supports cd formats which makes this system redundant.

basically the box just allows you to play cd audio, access files over wifi and take a single source input. it can also only power 2 speakers at a maximum of 40w which limits the size of speaker you can buy. a dedicated receiver however can power 5 speakers often at 80w or even in some cases 100w or more for a similar price. in many cases they also support ipods/iphones/android for music and sometimes can offer network file playing but perhaps not over wifi.

rear of teac showing limited connections and only two speaker outputs.
TEAC_CR-H700__S__Rear_R640x320.png


this is a receiver like i was talking about. note surround sound support and multiple inputs (although multiple inputs arent really needed for your pc)
pSNYNA-STRDH540_alternate2_v786.png


the z906 is wall mountable with a speaker bracket.

the z906 set may be more muddled in sound quality than the energy take 5.1 classic due to the speaker design. if you want a bit higher quality sound you might be better off going with a real receiver and those home theater speakers. you could use an amplifier instead (since receivers include an amp) however the amps tend to be more expensive than receivers for some reason which is why i recommended a receiver. not the teac. that is more of a stereo receiver not home theater receiver.

if you have any more questions perhaps i can explain further?

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i was actually in tokyo for vacation last april and i spoke very little japanese and understood very little hiragana and yet i made my way around just fine. i'm a huge tech buff (no wonder i frequent this forum eh?) and anime buff (if you could guess by my personal quote, avatar and signature) so i spent many days in akihabara. while i did not buy any electronics i was certainly in some of those shops. lots of electronics stores there well... and all of the anime/manga, adult and the relentless assault of maid cafe hostesses.... LOL. it certainly is unique.

in general i found that the japanese are typically very helpful and will do their best to try and explain things to you. we got a bit misplaced a few times (but we had a map) and more than a few times we had people try to help direct us. they were also more than helpful in typing numbers into a calculator (or in one case the calculator app on my phone) when i didnt understand the amount they said (they spoke too fast for my level of understanding). i've dealt with people who were fluent in english and also those who knew very little and everyone did the best they could.

if you can speak japanese fluently enough if you ask somoene to help you with what the written text says on the specifications i'm sure someone will help you out. you would have alot easier time than i did at least.

amazon.co.jp might not be the cheapest option. sometimes the smaller shops have better deals although this is not always the case. it can depend. there are a few other major japanese e-tailers like yamada-denkiweb and a few others which i cannot recall off the top of my head. you might want to look around a bit.


edit:

PS...

The flight to narita sucked. i now know what sardines feel like for 12 hours
 
Aug 6, 2013
8
0
10,510


A) I really did not know that (TEAC only 2.1) I just ASSUMED all good quality Amps/CD-Amps/Radio-Amps were at least 5.1 these days.. :heink:
My old Onyko TX-SA-608 Rig I bought a few years ago here (for my [main] TV room) is 7.1, and is pretty reasonable but I wanted to spend less on the PC sound set than I did on the TV Onkyo and the big speaker set I bought it with.
I wanted a combo-Amp because the CD tray would save me having to put a CD in the PC tray near my knees, which I almost bump risking breaking it (also some CD`s I dont RIP, I just play [and a Hi-Fi CD-Amp would be good quality....). I was thinking of putting a spacer on top and sitting the Monitor on top.... (I know I would have to keep air-flow to keep it cool).

B) Its also nice to know the z906 set is wall mountable with the right speaker brackets, but I wonder if the value is there now, looking pragmatically,..... as the Z5500 only cost me $150 and the 906 is over $500 here and has weaker sound you say.....I didn`t know an old set like the Z5500 would be capable of more output than a new set which I assumed to be far more capable in all ways than kit from around 7 years ago.

C) Sadly I am not fluent in Japanese as I live in the countryside, and my family speak English, but I try and learn a bit. I am a lazy student as I communicate/read everything I need in English online.

P.S. The plane seats are fine, if you are a little wuss. I also find them a pain and need around 6-asprin and a double G&T per trip.

Edit..

Seriously, all this reading around can be a bit confuzzling....

Until I can make up my mind for sure about which way to go.....I wonder what you think in the meantime of the Creative labs Evo-ZX wireless headset (for gaming etc) as an option of a direction to go in: it would save me running a bunch of wires...and lower power use...and no brackets etc...
and I do like neat.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/Creative-Blaster-%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%86%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88-Bluetooth-HS-SBEVO-ZX/dp/B00DYOR9M6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385363240&sr=8-1&keywords=Evo+ZX

It would help the Asus Z87 Sabertooth Onboard sound jump up in class a little....? While not disturbing anyones homework.

Options... option.... options...

I can then give my mini Bose speakers to my good old XP rig. A family member lined up for it.

I will keep this as my last post on the topic.
 
no need to keep it as your last post. a discussion board exists for users to post back and forth until a problem is fixed or an idea fully fleshed out. you can keep posting if you need additional help or want to run a few other ideas against me or other users.

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A)

cd music is stereo only (typically) therefore it makes sense that cd amps are also stereo only.

if you want surround sound then you want a home theater receiver. you can get a cheap sony or onkyo 5.1 receiver for $200 while that teac which is 2.0 is $220. you may spend less for the receiver part in the end. at most you would spend $30 more or so if you went with a better model for about $250.

music quality will be the same on the computer or the teac once you flip a few settings around.

the only benefit something like the teac with an included cd player is that you do not need to have the pc on to listen to music. you could add on a desktop cd player or use a portable cd player if you wanted and set it as an input on a receiver.

if you did not mind the pc being on you could just put an external cd/dvd drive on the desk for the computer as well. this would eliminate the need to ever use your pc cd/dvd tray at all.

i wouldnt put things on top of a receiver. you might not think it but the receiver generates some heat after awhile. i had a ps3 on top of mine (with 1" wood spacers" for awhile and i had some overheating problems with the ps3 on hot days.

B)

if you bought the complete z5500 set (5 speakers, 1 sub, control module) for $150 then that was a good buy. if i remember correctly the z5500 used to sell for more money than the z906 currently brings. the average price is anywhere from $250-300 in the states.

the z906 isnt a bad set however most audiophiles on a budget state the z5500 was just a bit better. do remember that the z5500 had a few flaws and they are likely corrected on the new model. i dont think there is a huge gap between the two in terms of performance just a few subtleties.

C)

too bad... that would have made things easier.

do you have any friends over there yet? if so perhaps they could help you out.

if you plan to be there for awhile you definitely want to learn at least enough to get around. i understand how confusing it can be since i tried to learn a bit for my trip.

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due to a few factors i wasnt able to get an isle seat which limited my ability to get up whenever i wanted.

it wouldnt be so bad if i was able to get up and walk around a bit or at least stretch.

sitting in the uncomfortable seat for half a day while desperately trying to entertain yourself is the worst part.

plus the fact that you have zero space and have a hard time even using a laptop or other device because of no room and awkward positions.

if i had the money i would have went 1st class (those seats looked nice and big) however we paid for the flight on airline miles points so essentially got the flights for free!

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personally i wouldnt buy a pair of soundblaster headphones for $200.

yes they are wireless however for $200/20000jpy you can get other products which will sound much better.

for instance i personally use a set of audiotechnica ath-m50s (which were about 8,900jpy cheaper) and although wired they are built solid and have excellent sound. arguably they are the best sounding headphones under $300.

buying new speakers will not improve how well your onboard sound from the z87 performs however something like what i recommended (ath-m50) will definitely sound better than mini bose speakers.

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again.. no need to end your posts here

keep on posting if you have more questions or ideas.