Is surround sound truely worth it to a gamer?

MSI Magus

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So I recently saw someone make a comment on how much more pleasurable his gaming experience has been since he got surround sound. I thought that surround sound was still a like $200-$300 kind of expense, but while looking for something else at Amazon I found a surrond sound system for like $60 that has 4 and a half star reviews. Its got me thinking about picking them up, but first I wanted to ask those of you that already have SS do the rest of you think it adds much to your gaming experience or is it just a nice touch and not really worth the price of an extra game?
 
It ultimately depends on what you play - I doubt that surround would be as important for a person with a passion for point-and-click games (like Tales of Monkey Island, for example). However, I will say that FPS fans could potentially benefit.

The biggest problem with surround sound is having the ability to set it up without making your living room look like shit. The living room in the house I live in is MASSIVE and I would either have to set up speakers on stands (cords become an issue) or attach them to back walls and a bookcase - which seems ugly and unnecessary.

Ultimately, I think that having two -amazing- speakers is better than having five "allright" ones. But the bottom line is: if you can afford it, have room for it, and play appropriate games where spatial awareness is important, you might have a whole lot of fun. (Worst case scenario - you might enjoy some movies with a 5.1 getup!)
 
I have a 7.1 setup and love it. Some games are designed to take advantage of the extra speakers and it really makes them more immersive. One of my favorite 7.1 games is Warhawk.
 
I play all types of games. RPGs used to be my prime love but the genre has been stagnant forever and I have shifted to playing a lot more of other genres. Basically if its a good game ill play it, doesnt matter if its a FPSer, a quirky downloadable title like Flower or Burn Zombie Burn or Mario if its a game that gets good press/good reviews from gamers ill buy it eventually.

As for the speakers these are the ones I am looking at.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-X-54...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251732387&sr=8-1

The room their in isnt a problem, we have a 2 bed room apartment and me and my fiancee dont plan on having kids so we have a whole room dedicated to our gaming/movies/TV watching.

Edit - BTW feel free to suggest other SS units but I dont want to go over $100ish.
 
I've got a 7.1 setup myself and can't imagine not having it. You're able to hear so much more when you're playing something like an FPS. Fallout 3 sounds incredible on my setup in regards to hearing things go on behind me. It makes a huge difference IMO.

It's one of those things really that you don't know what you're missing until you have a surround setup and are able to hear things you never heard before in games or movies.
 
For years I only played games using the TV speakers.

A couple months back I won $1000 at the casino, and decided it was time for an upgrade. I grabbed the Onkyo HT-S9100 THX 7.1 surround sound HTIB when it was on sale for $800. The reviews were great, and it's touted as the best HTIB you can buy.

The reviews weren't wrong. The sound is fantastic. I cannot believe how many minute details in games I was missing. My girlfriend was playing something while I was napping on the couch, and I started hearing a cricket chirp behind the couch. I *literally* thought it was a real cricket in the room. She laughed her ass off when we realized it was the game!

So yes, you definitely need to experience it. Plus, regular TV sounds much better too.
 
I think it adds a lot to gaming/movie experience. With that said I have never heard a decent sounding set up from one of those $100 systems. If you are going to bother then wait until you can get a good receiver (either 5.1 or 7.1) and some decent speakers.
 
I think it makes a big difference, especially in FPS etc. when you can here which direction you're getting shot from, which direction footsteps are coming from etc.

I'm also more into movies, TV and sports than I am games, and surround sound adds a lot to that as well. I've had a cheapish (around $600) 5.1 system for a decade or little more and I could never go back to TV speakers or even just 2 channel stereo separates.

I'll eventually upgrade to some better quality stuff. I'm not as interested in 7.1 since it's enough of a pain to have the 5.1 speakers around in a condo without looking crappy, so stuffing two more rear speakers isn't very feasible--maybe when I have a bigger place.

But in short, for gaming (and even more so if you're into movies, TV etc.) a surround sound set up is essential IMO--as is a decent quality and size HDTV. Not that you can't enjoy games otherwise, especially if you're on a limited budget as I'm sure many of the college age and younger CAGs are.
 
I'd say it's absolutely useful for games where something will be going on behind you (saved my ass many a times in Killzone 2). I do have to say, as someone who tries to do everything as cheaply as possible, that you don't want to skimp on home theater or you will be severely disappointed.
 
[quote name='Rig']For years I only played games using the TV speakers.

A couple months back I won $1000 at the casino, and decided it was time for an upgrade. I grabbed the Onkyo HT-S9100 THX 7.1 surround sound HTIB when it was on sale for $800. The reviews were great, and it's touted as the best HTIB you can buy.

The reviews weren't wrong. The sound is fantastic. I cannot believe how many minute details in games I was missing. My girlfriend was playing something while I was napping on the couch, and I started hearing a cricket chirp behind the couch. I *literally* thought it was a real cricket in the room. She laughed her ass off when we realized it was the game!

So yes, you definitely need to experience it. Plus, regular TV sounds much better too.[/QUOTE]

Heres the thing though, pretty much all the 7.1 systems I am seeing are a few hundred bucks. Hearing things in games I never heard before is awesome and so is feeling like a gunshot happened right next to my head. However I wont pay $200-$500 for that let alone $800. So I guess my question now is less is surround sound worth it and more would I get if not the same effects as a 7.1 system a good enough experience from 5.1 or not? I can justify the $60-$120 possibly(especially since I have $100 amazon GC)but if the 5.1 systems arnt worth it I will wait and hope for a big Christmas deal on 7.1
 
You can get the surround experience cheaply--and for most things 5.1 is going to be fine as not that many things support 7.1. And even in ones that do, 5.1 is a huge upgrade over TV speakers, computer speakers etc. to just have the sound coming from multiple directions.

If you go cheap, the sound quality won't be very good--but the surround experience is still there. You definitely don't seem to be an audiophile who cares about surround quality (and I know you're an uber cheapass) so you're probably fine going with a cheaper 5.1 HTIB set up to just get the surround experience.

It's not going to sound as good as a nicer set up, but if you don't care, and care more about being cheap on it, then go for it as it's still nicer to have the surround experience. It's just going to not sound as good, and be pretty bad for music etc.
 
the difference between 5.1 and 7.1 is not worth a big jump in price and the additional cables etc imo. Also most games / movies / tv are not mixed in 7.1.

The $60 system is not going to satisfy you, and you are better off just getting a decent stereo speaker setup.

That being said... I'm a huge proponent of 5.1. I have a Paradigm 5.1 speaker setup and I love it. Games and movies really come alive. Especially well mixed stuff (COD4 / Fallout 3 / Dead Space (omg...so good)) Anyway...wait until you have enough money to get a decent 5.1 setup rather than cheaping out. You won't regret it.
 
Thanks to the last two posters. Both of your responses were really helpfull even if they contradicted each other ;)

It seems a lot of people are saying even if I go for 5.1 and a cheaper set not to get the set I linked to. With that being the case links to surround sound you recommend are greatly appreciate. If their within a reasonable price I might grab em and if not I can at least watch for sales and price drops.
 
Depends on how much you want to spend. The $60 one will still sound better than just TV speakers, but like other users said, eventually you'll want something with more oomph. For a starter, I'd say go for the $60 specially if you have a small budget, if you can wait a few months, save up a bit more, and pick up something better.

EDIT: Black Friday is just around the corner ;)
 
Honestly you can get a lot out of a high quality 2.1 setup if you have the right speakers (not the crap that comes with a home theater in a box).
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']Depends on how much you want to spend. The $60 one will still sound better than just TV speakers, but like other users said, eventually you'll want something with more oomph. For a starter, I'd say go for the $60 specially if you have a small budget, if you can wait a few months, save up a bit more, and pick up something better.

EDIT: Black Friday is just around the corner ;)[/QUOTE]

Hehe well technically I have about $3-4k I can just drop on whatever I want, so its not that im broke its just that im a cheapass ;)

It seems quite a few of you say the $60 one offers a nice upgrade so its probably what I will go with. But if someone suggests something for $150ish that people think offers a really great experience and wont need to be upgraded as fast id grab em in a heartbeat.
 
I have two big ass JBL speakers hooked up to my 5.1 Onkyo and they sound great already. I still have not bothered to setup a 5.1 system. If your going to buy a surround sound setup expect to pay more than 150 dollars for a good one.
 
dont bother with 7.1 unless youre doing a decent build. which it doesnt sound like you are.
i have the logitech 540 in my office. its fine for that. i certainly couldnt see putting it in a living room.
a decent sound setup has a huge effect on my gaming and movie viewing enjoyment. sound is a large part of both and you dont know what youre missing. id try and find a friend that has something to go check out to experience for yourself.
you dont need to buy it all at once either. just make sure your center and fronts are matched.
if you want to do any research go check out avs.
 
If you're a competitive gamer it'd be better to get a set of headphones that have a good soundstage so that you can tell where bullets are coming from, or if anybody picks anything up on the map, etc. All the pros use one.

I don't know which ones though.
 
Hell yes it's worth it! Of course, this is also somewhat dependent on the games you are trying to play. Some games only have a stereo mix, and those won't benefit very much from a surround sound setup. But when a game does have a full-on Dolby 5.1 mix, it is an incredible upgrade to the experience. I remember one game I was playing, in the game itself it was raining. And for the life of me, I was convinced that it was raining outside my house. But then I glanced out the window and realized that there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The surround-sound for the atmospheric effects were so convincing that it sounded like I was in a rainstorm.

This is the kind of boost to immersion that surround sound allows for. A lot more games these days are supporting full surround-sound audio mixes, so it is becoming more worthwhile to get surround sound. On the plus side, surround-sound systems aren't as expensive as they used to be. You don't need a full-on Bose set for your gaming room. The cheaper brands that release surround-sound sets for $200 - $300 are just fine for the average gamer. Just make sure it is a set that comes with a decent mixer, and not just a DVD player or some crap like that. The surround sound mixer is the core of a surround sound setup, and should be it's own independent device. A decent-sized bass cannon is also a big plus.
 
Sound makes all the difference in the world to me. I'd honestly rather have high definition sound than high definition picture quality (if I had to choose one or the other). Whether you're playing shooting games, racing games, RPGs, etc. it's always nice to have good quality sound.

I can see how you'd think it's not a necessity. It seems to me that once someone acquires some level of surround sound, then their appreciation for quality sound is greatly improved.
 
I dont see a headphone slot on my TV so that wont work.

Edit - I should add too that im mostly looking at this for console gaming. I already have stuff for my PC and I really dont play on the PC much anyways.
 
In no way was I saying definitely go for 7.1. Like others, I'd agree that 5.1 is all well and good. Most things aren't mixed in 7.1.

In my case, I needed all the pieces for a surround sound, and I wanted about the best system I could get for what I had to spend. It just happened that the package I got fit both of those categories and was 7.1.

You should see my small-ass apartment living room...speakers everywhere! :lol:

(My cat goes nuts when sounds are going off all over the place...she doesn't know which way to run!)
 
I've had a small 5.1 setup hooked to my PC and PS2 for years (and now PS3 and Wii). I think it adds a lot more to the game, more than just lame HD graphics can. For a couple hundred dollars it's cheaper than HD and won't make all my classic stuff worse either. Not all games use it, so a receiver may just spread the same output to all the speakers, but I felt it was worth it.
 
ive always wanted to play a zombie game that took advantage of it so you can hear them wailing and moaning in the distance or hear them shuffling behind you. since you mentioned it id be curious to know what games of this gen really take advantage of surround sound.
 
When I worked at Circuit City(R.I.P Sucka) I got awesome deals on Polk speakers,but I a bought the Pioneer Xbox surround for 70 bucks because I moved to a smaller place . No, it's not the same as the Polks, but they do the job. It's kinda like when you compare TVs in a store and yours looks small, but when you take it home, you're like"Hey it looks huge here!" As long as you set the speakers up correctly and don't crank them up too loud to amplify the distortion, you should be fine on the "cheaper" surrounds. Onkyo IS the way to go though if you want a good system at a decent price.
 
[quote name='mazinga z']When I worked at Circuit City(R.I.P Sucka) I got awesome deals on Polk speakers,but I a bought the Pioneer Xbox surround for 70 bucks because I moved to a smaller place . No, it's not the same as the Polks, but they do the job. It's kinda like when you compare TVs in a store and yours looks small, but when you take it home, you're like"Hey it looks huge here!" As long as you set the speakers up correctly and don't crank them up too loud to amplify the distortion, you should be fine on the "cheaper" surrounds. Onkyo IS the way to go though if you want a good system at a decent price.[/QUOTE]

Just checked for Onkyo and the only ones on Amazon are $250+ ;(
 
Hell yea, dst 7.1 Jvc. makes big difference to games. Every sound from background music to gun shot or foot step sound more full and deep. Sounds you never noticed before become apparent and it helps engulf you in the experince.

Besides that theres no real benefit gameplay wise with the exception of maybe shooters online, where you can here footstep and stuff better in case some one sneaks behind you or is comming closer
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']I dont see a headphone slot on my TV so that wont work.[/QUOTE]
You can get Headphones, get an amp, and get cables off Monoprice.

If you buy a receiver with whatever surround sound system you have (which you should) then you can plug your headphones into that.

*shrug*
 
Those Logitech x-540 seem praised, for a being so cheap, i know the that z-5500 are supposed to be pretty good too. Im interested in picking up the x-540 for my den gaming area, something cheap but a taste of the 5.1 experience for an afforadble price. As far a i know for under $100 the X-540 are the best there are. They have this button that can change anything to 5.1. It wont be the real deal but its noticeable.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Just checked for Onkyo and the only ones on Amazon are $250+ ;([/QUOTE]

If you want the best, Onkyo is what you need to go with, well worth the money.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']If you want the best, Onkyo is what you need to go with, well worth the money.[/QUOTE]

I just wish there was a way to test out these damn things before buying them. Its not like a TV where I just walk into the store and can see a clarity/size difference.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Just checked for Onkyo and the only ones on Amazon are $250+ ;([/QUOTE]

Again, you're not going to get anything of even decent quality for games, movies and music for less than that.

But if you just want the surround sound experience--having sound coming from 5 places related to action on the screen--and don't care about the quality of that sound, then you can get something cheaper.

Just don't expect to be wowed by explosions, or to have music sound very good played through a cheaper set up etc.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']I just wish there was a way to test out these damn things before buying them. Its not like a TV where I just walk into the store and can see a clarity/size difference.[/QUOTE]

If you can find a home theater store, they will have some set up. But usually only the more expensive stuff.
 
I have a Sony 5.1 receiver, had it for a number of years now, and I love it. Sound is the most important. In COD4... sound has some gameplay advantages as well. If you got an enemy near you, you can hear where he is in respect to your location (w/ surround sound speakers), and that till help you locate an enemy when its not on your radar.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']If you want the best, Onkyo is what you need to go with, well worth the money.[/QUOTE]

i wouldn't say onkyo are the best...

they are a pretty good consumer brand, yes. But there are a LOT of better speakers / receivers out there.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']If you want the best, Onkyo is what you need to go with, well worth the money.[/QUOTE]

I just wish there was a way to test out these damn things before buying them. Its not like a TV where I just walk into the store and can see a clarity/size difference. Someone said to check at friends houses but none of my friends have surround sound.
 
I spent about $140 for my Onkyo 5.1 surround sound system refurbished from their offical website. I love it and couldn't imagine gaming without it.

Just don't invest in that Bose 321 sound system. My friend has it and I swear mine sounds better. There's nothing like having 2 speaker behind you.
 
Surround Sound is probably more important than a good TV. When you factor in that it is something that you will be using a long time you might as well spend the extra money.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Again, you're not going to get anything of even decent quality for games, movies and music for less than that.

Just don't expect to be wowed by explosions, or to have music sound very good played through a cheaper set up etc.[/QUOTE]

I can't say I agree with that. I've been using a Regent 5.1 HTIB I got as a Christmas present 4-5 years back and it was definitely not that bad. I don't think over $125 was spent on it. Granted, I changed the left and right speakers almost immediately as my father had some better Yamaha's lying around, but the sub kicks ass, and I don't remember the included speakers being horrible.

OP, if you want to be a real cheapass, just slowly buy up some decent audio equipment and make a sort of Frakenstein setup. I currently use to small Cambridge Soundworks speakers I found at Goodwill for less than $30 (with a subwoofer). Just check yardsales, Goodwills, craigslist, etc. Eventually you will be able to piece together a kickin' system.
 
Well, replacing the fronts probably made a huge difference--especially for music.

And of course, it depends how picky you are on sound quality. I'm not an audiophile, but I've not heard a sub 300 box set I thought sounded very good. But many people aren't remotely knowlegable or picky about sound quality etc., and will be fine with a cheaper set up. Provided it's loud enough for the room it's going in.
 
Yes, on the right content.
Good games that really make use of the multichannel, and a system that's set up right, sounds great. Cars whizzing by you left and right, gunshots behind you, even people talking or monsters walking behind you. The crowd in Rock Band cheering and singing along all around you.

Many systems offer 'fake' surround as well, where it can either split the non-5.1 audio into a pseudo 5.1, and/or let you send the full signal to each speaker (All Channel Stereo is what mine calls it, and it's good if I just have my ipod plugged in).
I make more use, and notice more, my surround sound than my HDTV. And I use it on all content, from current generation video games, to Get Smart or Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD.

You can get a good intro system for
 
[quote name='62t']Surround Sound is probably more important than a good TV. When you factor in that it is something that you will be using a long time you might as well spend the extra money.[/QUOTE]

That's always my take on these things. You get what you pay for, up to a point (not wasting money on monster cables, Bose etc.).

I try to find good deals on games, movies etc. as they're exactly the same regardless of whether you pay MSRP or wait and find them for $5-10. But when it comes to TV, surround set ups etc.--that's something I'm going to be using every day I'm home for years. Like I said, I dropped $600 on a fairly cheap (at the time) surround set up back in 1998 or 1999 and still use it.

So I think it's really something that even most cheapasses should save up a bit and spend a bit more money than they may like to get something of decent quality. Unless they just don't care at all about A/V quality, or are a cheapass as they have a very tight budget (but if your budget is super tight you shouldn't be buying luxuries like TVs and surround sound set ups anyway).
 
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