From Computer to Home Theater!

[Raptor22]

Hi guys, I'm planning something kinda crazy here!

Okay... basically I got nothing but a PC with a good sound card (X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro PCI-e) and I'm trying to get rid of my current computer system for a more expensive more powerful home theater!

I noticed on my sound card it has the S/PDIF in and out... believe they are for connecting to receivers? So in this case, I can literally hook my PC to any home theater systems NOT designed for computers right? I really do hope that is the case.

So I got some okay hardware currently... a Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 Ultra system with FOUR ProMedia SWS addon subs. I find this a waste of space... and I plan on getting something a lot more powerful that takes up less space. Currently looking at the Klipsch Synergy Sub 12 subwoofer. Read countless superior reviews on it and even heard one myself at my local Best Buy. I couldn't resist!

So if I wanted to hook something like that to my PC, I'd need to have a receiver/amp right? Or however you wanna call them. Since the Synergy Sub 12 is self powered, is connecting speakers directly to it possible? Would save a lot more space and $$ than getting a receiver right?

So let's say if receiver is required... any suggestions of what brand/model to get that's not a wallet breaker but yet still very good? Speaker-wise, I'm looking at a few Klipsch bookshelf/surround speakers and they all seem excellent... except for the fact I'd need to do some saving up to get those (Yeah, I know... I'm a big Klipsch fan lol). Would love to hear experiences from Klipsch fans out there who know more about which speakers sound better with which sub/receiver etc.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who believes PC audio is way too amateur these days. In fact, since most our media (music, movies, games, etc) takes place on the PC and not the living room TV, it has every right to have better sound, don't ya think?

Thanks for your time and hope to get some ideas! Quite a noob myself when it comes to home theater stuff, never messed with it before.

Raptor22

 

[Highbar]

Well you are right that you could connect your sound card to a receiver. As for hooking speakers to you sub, no that wont work. The sub is powered for itself and not for speakers, you'll still need a receiver.

Now comes the important question... What is your budget? That is the most import thing.

Also there are a lot of subs out there that are going to blow away that little Klipsch. Start listening to everything you can and see what you like.

 

[Raptor22]

Hello Highbar, my budget is quite low actually... that's why I was eying the Synergy Sub 12. Impressive size and sound for what it costs. How could you say it's little? You must have a whole cinema at your house then LOL!

As I said, I plan on selling my current system with all addons. The ProMedia SWS is actually worth A LOT these days. No longer produced and is rare as hell. You can't find them even if you tried! I'm pretty sure FOUR of them can get me some decent cash The Ultra 5.1 system is also worth quite a bit. It is believed by most people to be the best PC speakers ever built. They usually end up with a high selling price on eBay. That and with some saving up, I could probably get a decent home theater system (not anything fancy though) but much better than what I have right now I'll bet.

Just a plan for now, but once I learn more about how everything works, most likely I'll do it!

 

[Highbar]

I don't have anything compared to some of the guys around here but I like what I have and add to it whenever I can. I'm thinking a new sub with my tax money

Just to give you an idea of what is out there take a look at the SVS PB10. It's about the same size as that Sub12 but will reach lower and louder, and it's only a 10" driver Oh it's cheaper too. I'm looking at it's bigger brother, the PB12. If you check out the SVS site they even have complete speaker and sub sets that are right around what the sub12 and synergy's run for at BB, knew they had them so I checked the price there. If you like the Klipsch sound though I would say stick with their speakers as the horns sound different then most.

 

[Phil Taylor]

If you want to save some bucks you may want to look at the JBL Sub 12 - it's about half the price of the Klipsch Sub 12 on Amazon. The Klipsch is rated at 300W RMS and the JBL is rated at 400W RMS. Take the difference and put it toward an Onkyo 606 receiver - just under $400 - use your current Klipsch surround speakers and you'll be good to go.

 

[alexwakelin]

If you want to save some bucks you may want to look at the JBL Sub 12 - it's about half the price of the Klipsch Sub 12 on Amazon. The Klipsch is rated at 300W RMS and the JBL is rated at 400W RMS. Take the difference and put it toward an Onkyo 606 receiver - just under $400 - use your current Klipsch surround speakers and you'll be good to go.

I'm not sure where you were looking, but the specs I found for these two subs are:

JBL: 250 watts RMS Frequency response 25hz-???
http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=SUB12&Language=ENG&Country=VN&Region=ASIA&cat=SUB&ser=VEN

Klipsch: 300 watts RMS Frequency response 24-120Hz
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/synergy-sub-12.aspx

The RMS wattage rating doesn't mean much without knowing the sensitivity of the driver though. The Klipsch will probably have cleaner bass though, the JBL is from their budget line of Venue series speakers.

For what the Klipsch costs though, the SVS will certainly play louder, lower and cleaner than the Klipsch. Other than DIY, it is hard to beat the SVS subs for the money. If you want to use your promedia speakers with a new receiver, you will want to check what the impedance of them are. Some multimedia setups use non-standard impedance speakers. Most home theater speakers are 8 ohms, but with a good receiver you can use speakers between 4 and 8 ohms.

 

[Phil Taylor]

I'm not sure where you were looking, but the specs I found for these two subs are:

JBL: 250 watts RMS Frequency response 25hz-???
http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=SUB12&Language=ENG&Country=VN&Region=ASIA&cat=SUB&ser=VEN

Klipsch: 300 watts RMS Frequency response 24-120Hz
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/synergy-sub-12.aspx

The RMS wattage rating doesn't mean much without knowing the sensitivity of the driver though. The Klipsch will probably have cleaner bass though, the JBL is from their budget line of Venue series speakers.

For what the Klipsch costs though, the SVS will certainly play louder, lower and cleaner than the Klipsch. Other than DIY, it is hard to beat the SVS subs for the money. If you want to use your promedia speakers with a new receiver, you will want to check what the impedance of them are. Some multimedia setups use non-standard impedance speakers. Most home theater speakers are 8 ohms, but with a good receiver you can use speakers between 4 and 8 ohms.

Here's where I got the specs on the JBL --
http://www.amazon.com/JBL-ES250PBK-Watt-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B00166ZFSO/

 

[alexwakelin]

Here's where I got the specs on the JBL --
http://www.amazon.com/JBL-ES250PBK-Watt-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B00166ZFSO/

OK, that is from the JBL es line, it's a step up from the Venue line. That model might be comparable to the Klipsch.

http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=ES250PBK&Language=ENG&Country=us&Region=USA&cat=SUB&ser=ES

I still think if the OP was considering spending enough for the Klipsch they should get the SVS. If they are looking to save some money, but still get a decent entry level sub, they might want to look at the JBL or the T250 from the speaker company.

http://www.thespeakercompany.com/Subwoofers-C17.aspx

 

[Raptor22]

I've looked around my local stores and never found an SVS brand Buying online the warranty gets pretty tricky though...

Hard to believe out of all the reviews I've read, everyone says the SVS PB10 outperforms the Sub 12! Again, rookie at home theater stuff so yeah...

My current sats on the ProMedia are okay, but it kinda lacks the lower mid range to very high bass, so I thought about getting either a sub with very high frequency response range or some sats with good lower down response. Not sure how I'd hook the ProMedia sats to anything else.

Would an SVS PB10 or PB12 sound good with Klipsch speakers?

Thanks guys!

 

[alexwakelin]

I've looked around my local stores and never found an SVS brand Buying online the warranty gets pretty tricky though...

Hard to believe out of all the reviews I've read, everyone says the SVS PB10 outperforms the Sub 12! Again, rookie at home theater stuff so yeah...

My current sats on the ProMedia are okay, but it kinda lacks the lower mid range to very high bass, so I thought about getting either a sub with very high frequency response range or some sats with good lower down response. Not sure how I'd hook the ProMedia sats to anything else.

Would an SVS PB10 or PB12 sound good with Klipsch speakers?

Thanks guys!

SVS is an internet only brand. They are able to offer you such a good sub at a low price by cutting out the middle man. Should something go wrong with your sub, getting warranty service shouldn't be a problem. Do a search on these forums for SVS customer service, they take customer satisfaction very seriously.

Any good sub (such as the SVS) will have a flat response, but room accoustics can play a part in this as well. You might be able to improve your current subs by experimenting with placement.

Klisch speakers should blend well with any good subwoofer. Some of their smaller satellites only have 3 inch drivers and will probably need to be crossed over at 100-120hz. This might be difficult for a budget subwoofer, which might start to roll off at those frequencies. The svs should handle it no problem though.

As you can see, the SVS has a VERY flat response curve.

Many other manufacturers do not even make this information available to their customers.

 

[Highbar]

You're not going to see SVS in any stores they are an internet direct company. You get the value by not having to pay the middle man, ie the store, as Alex already said.

Now I was just looking up the speakers you have now and see they are your standard style pc speakers where the amp is in the sub and all the speakers hook to it. If you move into the world of real sub-woofers, even the sub12, you will need to get something to power those speakers if they are able to be driven by a different amp. If not you will need to get new speakers also. One of the main things that will tell you if a different receiver can power your speakers is the Ohm rating of them. I couldn't tell anything from the manual, is there a rating on the speakers? If so what is it? Most receivers are made to drive speakers rated around 8Ohm, as most home speakers are around that.

All in all you are looking at buying no less than a new sub and a receiver power the speakers you have. More than likely you are going to end up buying new speakers also.

 

[Raptor22]

Good stuff Alex!

Quite correct about the Klipsch sats... my ProMedia ones have 3 inch drivers and they fade out at around 100-120Hz... so if the crossover is set at default (80Hz), there are popping noises coming out of the sats whenever there are low bass beats etc. because they can't handle it. If the crossover is set higher, the sub is unable to handle it (I believe the ProMedia Ultra 5.1 sub has a cutoff freq around 90-100Hz). They are designed for low bass down to 25Hz.

This is gonna be a big project for me and will take a lot of saving up. You guys really got me tempted to get the SVS subs... and since I'm a greedy person I've got my eyes on the SVS PB12

I could say I am fairly experienced with sub and speaker connections... like RCA and basic sats speaker wires etc. BUT when it comes to receivers I am totally clueless. I believe my parents have an old Onkyo receiver in the living room and I've never really looked closely at it. I'm probably gonna take a photo of it later for you guys to laugh at?? Hah

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

PC Digital Audio to Receiver

My desktop's optical output is connected to my Denon receiver's optical input for Dolby Digital & DTS bitstream.

Apparently, I have not figured out why my desktop's HDMI is only outputing Video, but not Audio. So I just got lazy and hooked up the optical digital audio instead.

Apparently, the place where I bought the PC from has no clue. But Optical digital audio bitstream is just fine by me.

 

[Raptor22]

OKAY! I have done my "noob" research and decided on the following items to get:

Klipsch Synergy F-1 front speakers
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/f-1.aspx
Klipsch Synergy C-1 center channel
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/c-1.aspx
Klipsch Synergy S-1 surround speakers
http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/s-1.aspx

AND, the ultimate SVS PB12 subwoofer (big boom??)

I can only imagine how good this will sound after it's all come together. My only problem left is the receiver. Which one to get and how to hook them all up...

Any recommendations? And also how do you think my speaker selections are? I'm simply a die hard Klipsch fan... I can't change myself hehe

 

[krzywica]

My desktop's optical output is connected to my Denon receiver's optical input for Dolby Digital & DTS bitstream.

Apparently, I have not figured out why my desktop's HDMI is only outputing Video, but not Audio. So I just got lazy and hooked up the optical digital audio instead.

Apparently, the place where I bought the PC from has no clue. But Optical digital audio bitstream is just fine by me.

This is usually a combination of 1. setting HDMI output in the bios, and 2. setting HDMI in the OS or driver or both. I would check that and if you have further questions you can PM me.

I second SVS BTW.

And whats your receiver budget? Thats the most important question to be answered.

 

[Raptor22]

I looked on Newegg and saw mainly Yamaha and Onkyo receivers... so I'm assuming they are the dominant brands of receivers?

According to Newegg's prices... I'd say my budget should be around 300-500. I just need a decent receiver that supports 5.1 and Dolby Digital etc. Don't need any fancy stuff like XM Radio and 10,000W lol.

Also, is it possible for a receiver to "overpower" the speakers when the power is rated higher than the speaker's?

 

[alexwakelin]

I looked on Newegg and saw mainly Yamaha and Onkyo receivers... so I'm assuming they are the dominant brands of receivers?

According to Newegg's prices... I'd say my budget should be around 300-500. I just need a decent receiver that supports 5.1 and Dolby Digital etc. Don't need any fancy stuff like XM Radio and 10,000W lol.

Also, is it possible for a receiver to "overpower" the speakers when the power is rated higher than the speaker's?

If you don't need a receiver that can decode audio via hdmi, you can get a decent receiver for well under $500.

I would recommend one of these:
http://store.audioholics.com/product/2360/69/yamaha-rx-v365-surround-receiver
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONLTXSR304BLK/Onkyo/TX-SR304-5.1-Channel-Home-Theater-Receiver-BLACK/1.html

As long as your speaker and receiver wattage ratings are in the same ballpark you will be fine.

 

[Joeteck]

Hi guys, I'm planning something kinda crazy here!

Okay... basically I got nothing but a PC with a good sound card (X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro PCI-e) and I'm trying to get rid of my current computer system for a more expensive more powerful home theater!

I noticed on my sound card it has the S/PDIF in and out... believe they are for connecting to receivers? So in this case, I can literally hook my PC to any home theater systems NOT designed for computers right? I really do hope that is the case.

So I got some okay hardware currently... a Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 Ultra system with FOUR ProMedia SWS addon subs. I find this a waste of space... and I plan on getting something a lot more powerful that takes up less space. Currently looking at the Klipsch Synergy Sub 12 subwoofer. Read countless superior reviews on it and even heard one myself at my local Best Buy. I couldn't resist!

So if I wanted to hook something like that to my PC, I'd need to have a receiver/amp right? Or however you wanna call them. Since the Synergy Sub 12 is self powered, is connecting speakers directly to it possible? Would save a lot more space and $$ than getting a receiver right?

So let's say if receiver is required... any suggestions of what brand/model to get that's not a wallet breaker but yet still very good? Speaker-wise, I'm looking at a few Klipsch bookshelf/surround speakers and they all seem excellent... except for the fact I'd need to do some saving up to get those (Yeah, I know... I'm a big Klipsch fan lol). Would love to hear experiences from Klipsch fans out there who know more about which speakers sound better with which sub/receiver etc.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who believes PC audio is way too amateur these days. In fact, since most our media (music, movies, games, etc) takes place on the PC and not the living room TV, it has every right to have better sound, don't ya think?

Thanks for your time and hope to get some ideas! Quite a noob myself when it comes to home theater stuff, never messed with it before.

Raptor22

Actually, X-fi does not do Dolby digital. 2.0 only even on optical out. Yeah, makes no sense. Does 7.1 analog out only. One of the reasons why I bought a HT claro +. Does 7.1 via optical.

 

[Raptor22]

Actually, X-fi does not do Dolby digital. 2.0 only even on optical out. Yeah, makes no sense. Does 7.1 analog out only. One of the reasons why I bought a HT claro +. Does 7.1 via optical.

But as long as the receiver does Dolby Digital, I should be okay right?

 

[Joeteck]

But as long as the receiver does Dolby Digital, I should be okay right?

No...it does not do Dolby digital. only 2.0 via optical. You'll need to use the 7.1 analog outs on the card to the 7.1 ins on your receiver to get 7.1. One of the down falls of the X-fi... One of the reasons why I got the HT claro +.