5.1 Surround Sound...should I get it?

[quote name='dtcarson']That looks like a pretty good layout. I know it's probably not to scale, I might spread the front left and front right channels out a little bit, but the way you've got it looks good. Your system should have some white noise/test signal you can use to calibrate. Also, if you're at all interested in home theater, it would be a good idea to invest in the Avia or Digital Video Essentials test disks, they can help you calibrate your tv and sound system. I've got the DVE, it was 16 bucks from DDD.

I didnt' even know they made optical switchers; that's pretty nice. That site also only wants 9.5 for a 6 foot optical cable.[/quote]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&style=

go here for some much cheaper optical cables...6' ~$3...and probably anything else you need (no offense to partsexpress.com, I have ordered plenty from them...and as a bonus, they have sex in their name)
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&style=
 
[quote name='dtcarson']I didnt' even know they made optical switchers; that's pretty nice. [/QUOTE]

Yeah. Check your local Radio Shack - that's where I got mine. 4 port Optical Switch for less than $10. I think its even cheaper now because they were getting clearanced out months ago.
 
dtcarson, for cable I go to monoprice.com I just ordered the Logitech Z-5500, USP surge protection at newegg though.

I just bought a 14ft network cable and a 12ft optical digital for a total for 9 bucks.

Radioshack got the optical switch? I don't know that, I'll check it out later.
 
Okay this thread definitely had me thinking. For some reason I never have been a big sound fan for my games, and boy have I been missing out. I have had a nice surround sound system for a couple of years now, and have used it for my HBO and cable, since it only needed a regular cable to connect the box to the receiver. However I just went out and bought a 15 dollar optical cord so I could hook my 360 up and it was the best decision I've made this year. The sound is amazing, and I will piss and moan anytime I play a 360 w/o it from now on. The sound goes A LONG ways to making you feel like your actually in the game, it an excellent investment. Anyway my point is that you should definitely invest in a surround sound system.
 
Wow, monoprice does have some excellent prices. I think I'm set for now, the nly things I might need are a couple more optical audio cables or better speaker wire, but I'm good right now.
Anyway, finally got my system setup. I unhooked everything and started from scratch--I should have started with the speaker wires, then done the video/audio cables, rather than vice versa. Oh well. I also had to play with it a bit--I wanted audio and video from the DVD player to go both through the receiver and directly to the TV, for those times I didn't want/need to use the reciever [also because progressive scan doesn't pass through closed captions.]
Anyway--I put in the Motley Crue: Carnival of Sins DVD.....man it was like being there! I had the volume on 28 on a scale of 0-79 and it was rocking the house.
Put in The Two Towers during a battle scene, at about 32, and it was superb. Arrows flying behind and around me, Ents stomping all around. Incredible.
Only thing wrong was, TTT is in 6.1 DTS ES, and the receiver supports that, but I wasn't getting anything from my rear surrounds. When I had the Crue DVD in , which was 5.1, there's a setting to use the rear surrounds in addition to everything else, so I know they technically work. My only thought is that my DVD player doesn't support 5.1+, but I'm not sure how to check that.
My previous sub was passive; you can really tell the difference with a powered. Apart from the PITA to put it together [which would have happened with anything], and the 6.1 confusion, I'm quite pleased. And my Harmony remote works everything, and now I don't need to send the video signals through the manual Pelican switchbox.
 
I really think yeah because surround sound puts you in the game literally. It also makes it way more exciting and its way fun to have the sound blasting while playing a shooter or some game thats really intense. HDTV I think is really good, but only if you don't like to play with the sound blasting. Don't get me wrong I love them both, but if I were to choose one, it would deffenently be Surround Sound.
 
think i am gonna get the logitech z5500...it is for a small office with a 27" LCD HDTV for ps2, xbox360 (and eventually ps3)...

don't want to spend more than that as it is going to be exclusively for games (and maybe the rare dvd viewing by the kids if other tvs are occupied)...already have a decent (not great) sony setup 5.1 DD, DTS receiver in living room with 50" plasma

also for those worried about inputs on any of these units, if you don't want to deal with an optical switcher, they have optical to coaxial converters (so you could hook up two optical sources to the logitechs or whatever) here:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=180-961
 
by the way if anyone is interested....

buy.com has the logitech z5500 for 219.99 with FREE shipping...there are a ton of $15 off coupons for new customers floating around out there...created a new account, applied the $15 off coupon for a total of 204.99 shipped....this is the cheapest i have seen these anywhere...cheapest i can figure from newegg is 239.97 with shipping
(also had a $25 gift cert for final CC charge of 179.99...ordered last night and shipped out today)
 
[quote name='soonerdoc']by the way if anyone is interested....

buy.com has the logitech z5500 for 219.99 with FREE shipping...there are a ton of $15 off coupons for new customers floating around out there...created a new account, applied the $15 off coupon for a total of 204.99 shipped....this is the cheapest i have seen these anywhere...cheapest i can figure from newegg is 239.97 with shipping
(also had a $25 gift cert for final CC charge of 179.99...ordered last night and shipped out today)[/QUOTE]

the logitech z5500 came today!! ordered from buy.com about 11:00 pm monday night, and they were delivered to my doorstep this afternoon, less than 48 hours after placing order !!! again used free shipping option....

sound pretty good so far playing chicken little dvd through xbox360...haven't had a chance to play much in the way of games....
 
If you get the Onkyo, which I suggest the 7.1 system instead of the lower end one (fewer inputs on the receiver if I remember correctly), invest in some good speaker wire. Thicker gauged wire definitely improves the quality. I have mine on Monster wire.

Onkyo is by far one of my favorite home theatre manufacturers.. excellent quality for the price. They consistently get great reviews on their home theatre equipment.

As for gaming, it'll never be the same. I have my Xbox, 360, and PS2 all on optical inputs. For fun, have a chick over and play Doom 3 or something else in the dark (any ambient creepy ass game will work). Funny stuff :)
 
[quote name='Skylander7']As for gaming, it'll never be the same. I have my Xbox, 360, and PS2 all on optical inputs. For fun, have a chick over and play Doom 3 or something else in the dark (any ambient creepy ass game will work). Funny stuff :)[/QUOTE]

Or for fun, if you have a chick over, you could just have sex with her.
 
[quote name='mmn']Or for fun, if you have a chick over, you could just have sex with her.[/QUOTE]

Or just turn the bass up on the subwoofer and have her ride it.....sex is more fun though, you got me.
 
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