Help with computer Hi-Fi

[macming]

I'm looking to build a sound system around my computer. As of now, the majority of my music is in mp3 format (192K) and I primarily watch movies off my computer as well.

I've been happy with the Cambridge Soundworks FPS2000 so far, but the amplifer on the speakers are slowlying going. Last night, these speakers were fluctuating its voloume by themselves. Must be a loose connection somewhere.

So, I'm thinking about buliding up a bigger, and better sound system for my computer. I have a few questions.

1) First, Im thinking of upgrading my sound card from a SB Live 5.1 to a SB Audigy Z2 or Z4 platnium.

2) Speakers:

-Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.1 ($399) is what I'm looking at.

or, I can go all out and buy a nice home theatre system slowly.

My question is, will the home theatre sound much better than the Klipsch in my case? The quality of the source media is already jerpodized because of the mp3 format.

If I go with a home theatre, I will most likely use fronts, one center, and one subwoofer. All will be fairly good components:

amp/receiver ($1000)
front ($1000)
sub ($1000)
center ($500)


For my needs, a friend of mine told me I that I will be better off getting an amplifer instead of getting a receiver. My sound card will do the DSP for me, and I am hoping to use an optical connection to skip the DAC processing. However, I still need a sub out, as well as a center channel because most amplifers do not seperate the singal for me.

What would you do in my situation???

1) Go with the Klipsch computer speakers
2) GO with the home theatre, but get a receiver
3) Go with the home theatre, use an amplifer

Thanks

Ming

 

[MDS]

It all depends on what you want to spend and in what time frame.

The cheapest alternative is to just go for the new Klipsch computer speakers and be done with it, but if you are looking to build a home theater, I would NOT build it around the computer. No how, no way will using the computer be superior to even a low-end home theater setup. I am a programmer and have lots of computers, so this is not meant to be a flippant answer.

If I were you, I would build a decent home theater system slowly over time as funds permit. Whether you pick a receiver or separate pre/pro and amp is dependent on how much you want to spend. Split the difference and get a receiver that has pre-outs so you can always add an amp later if you decide you need/want more power.

As far as your mp3 collection goes...mp3 at 192kbps sounds damn good on most music. I have nearly 5,000 on my computer along with the corresponding wav file from which they were created. You can always use a digital cable (optical or coax, whatever your sound card has) to connect the computer directly to your receiver.

 

[macming]

It all depends on what you want to spend and in what time frame.

The cheapest alternative is to just go for the new Klipsch computer speakers and be done with it, but if you are looking to build a home theater, I would NOT build it around the computer. No how, no way will using the computer be superior to even a low-end home theater setup. I am a programmer and have lots of computers, so this is not meant to be a flippant answer.

If I were you, I would build a decent home theater system slowly over time as funds permit. Whether you pick a receiver or separate pre/pro and amp is dependent on how much you want to spend. Split the difference and get a receiver that has pre-outs so you can always add an amp later if you decide you need/want more power.

As far as your mp3 collection goes...mp3 at 192kbps sounds damn good on most music. I have nearly 5,000 on my computer along with the corresponding wav file from which they were created. You can always use a digital cable (optical or coax, whatever your sound card has) to connect the computer directly to your receiver.

I'm almost done with University, and I will not be buying a house any time soon. I watch my TV, DVDs, and everything on my computer since I got a 22" monitor

The reason why I'm looking at the Klipsch speakers is that they have reasonablly good speakers, along with two 8" subs in a bandpass (not a big fan of bandpass, but oh well) in the subwoofer enclosure. For a small computer room, I think it would definitely be loud enough.

However, I am not going after pure SPL, I'm much more of a sound qualiity person.

Say if I go with a home theatre setup, are there high end amplifers out there allowling me to run 2 fronts, 1 center, and 1 powered sub off it? The high end sound cards do come with their own decoders, so I'm not going to worry too much about the decoding.

I will be using the optical connection.

THanks

Ming

 

[MDS]

Sure amplifiers can be found in 1,2,3,5,7 channel configurations. Amplifiers have line-level inputs so you must feed it a line-level signal from your soundcard.

The last time I looked, the Klipsch ProMedia speakers are standard computer speakers; ie they have an amplifier built into the subwoofer enclosure and you connect the outupts from the soundcard to the sub and the speaker outputs from the sub to your speakers. So you don't need an external amplifier if you buy them. If you want to use an external amp, you will have to get normal speakers that don't connect to the sub.

You can't use an optical or coaxial digital connection. Those are for feeding the bitstream unaltered to an external decoder like a preprocessor or receiver or 'digital speakers' which have a decoder built in. I'm sure the card can decode the multi-channel DD or DTS, downmix it to 2 channel PCM, and send it out the digital out but that is still a digital signal and can't be sent to an amplifier.

 

[macming]

Sure amplifiers can be found in 1,2,3,5,7 channel configurations. Amplifiers have line-level inputs so you must feed it a line-level signal from your soundcard.

That's good to know. Thanks. Do you think going from a SB Live card to an Audigy 4 pro would make an audible difference for mp3s?

The last time I looked, the Klipsch ProMedia speakers are standard computer speakers; ie they have an amplifier built into the subwoofer enclosure and you connect the outupts from the soundcard to the sub and the speaker outputs from the sub to your speakers. So you don't need an external amplifier if you buy them. If you want to use an external amp, you will have to get normal speakers that don't connect to the sub.

I realize that, and that's why I dont mind the $399 price for "computer speakers" The advertised power is 500 Watts for the Klipsch speakers, but I'm pretty sure that is for the maximum output.

You can't use an optical or coaxial digital connection. Those are for feeding the bitstream unaltered to an external decoder like a preprocessor or receiver or 'digital speakers' which have a decoder built in. I'm sure the card can decode the multi-channel DD or DTS, downmix it to 2 channel PCM, and send it out the digital out but that is still a digital signal and can't be sent to an amplifier.

That, I did not know before. Looks like I need a receiver if I do go the HT route. For aobut $1000, I can probalby pick up a Yamaha 2500 if I looked hard enough, which should be sufficient for any speakers I may get later on.


To be honest with you, I wasn't very impressed with my friend's Manrantz 9300 running some Paradigm speakers. Sure the system goes insanely loud without distortion, but I wont listen to it that loud most of the time anyways. It is an irony that my same friend likes the sound quality of his computer speakers (Cambridge FPS2000) better than his home theatre setup. That is why I am still considering getting quality computer speakers.

I cannot hear in my right ear, which defies the point of going with a surround sound package. However, I dont mind spending a little extra cash on quality speakers to get the pure sound like in my car.

I think I may have to find a place to demo the Klipsch speakers that also carries higher end home theatre setup. Then I can truely know the difference between the two.

Ming

 

[jaxvon]

Well, how big of a listening area are you looking to cover? If it's just nearfield (IE sitting in your computer chair), then a reciever would be overkill. However, if you plan on integrating your computer into an HT system, then it would make sense to go the computer route. Judging by your budget, you could get a damn nice system if you wanted to go all-out HT.

If you want some nice 2-channel sound for you computer (though, without bass), Swans Audio makes some nice powered monitors. You can find 'em on Newegg.

If you were to go for the HT, how big of a room would you be using it in?

PM me if you want to ask some specific questions or whatever. I'm a mega-computer geek.


Edit: Deaf in one ear!? Maybe you should just go oldskool mono

 

[macming]

Well, how big of a listening area are you looking to cover? If it's just nearfield (IE sitting in your computer chair), then a reciever would be overkill. However, if you plan on integrating your computer into an HT system, then it would make sense to go the computer route. Judging by your budget, you could get a damn nice system if you wanted to go all-out HT.

My computer room is fairly small as of now (13'x10'), and most of the time, I sit in my comfy computer hair, but occassionally, I sit on the couch in my room. My current setup Cambridge soundworks FPS2000 (4x 4 watts RMS, 16 watts RMS to sub) is sufficiently loud for this room.

As aforementioned, my music and movies are mostly on the computer. So even if I do get a large screen TV later, I will incorporate a laptop of a mini system into my HT. However, that will be at least 5 or 10 years down the road, and by then, money will not be soo much of an issue. I'd be happy to spend up to $5000-$7000 for a complete setup.

My dilemma as of now is, would building a HT theatre sound MUCH MUCH MUCH better than the Klipsch setup? I am used to high end equipment in my car (alpine 9815, PPI amps...etc), and the sound is not too much more clear than my computer speakers.

Edit: Deaf in one ear!? Maybe you should just go oldskool mono

LOL...funny guy... I am in Engineering, and most engineers happen to like old school. hahah Not me though.

Here is a computer question for ya: would the Audigy Pro 4 sound much better than a SB Live 5.1???

CHeers

Ming

 

[jaxvon]

Yeah, it would sound better. It has better components, better Signal to Noise Ratio, etc. However, for your application, I think you'd do better to get something from M-Audio. They make high-quality stuff and their drivers are...just that. Drivers. They don't load up your computer with useless garbage (like Creative). They do use more CPU cycles than comparable Creative products, but they're generally regarded to have higher quality. M-Audio makes semi-pro stuff where sound quality is more important than other stuff. If you're a hardcore gamer, then an Audigy maybe be the best way to go because of all the EAX and such it can do. But, since it sounds like you're more for audio, I'd give M-Audio a try. They can also be purchased at Newegg. For you, I'd suggest the Revalation 5.1 or 7.1. Both offer 1/8" analog outs as well as a coax-digital out that you could use in the future to hook up your computer to a reciever.

As far as speakers go, are you really looking for surround sound at the moment, or just stereo?

I also agree with your approach. If you're just using your computer in its own room right now, sitting in a nearfield area, then I think you'll be fine with a good set of computer speakers like the Klipsch ProMedia Ultras. They've got plenty of power as well as a 2-way design (as opposed to Logitech's single driver approach).

I'd get the computer system for right now with the aforementioned M-Audio card and save up to buy an HT later. If you feel like building it in pieces, then that's great too. BUT, it should have its own space, or at least live in the den or wherever you'd have a TV and seating set up.

If you plan on using a media center PC, you may want to look at getting a case for a "real" computer rather than a laptop and just using components in it. Ahanix makes some very spiffy-looking aluminum cases with a vacuum fluorescent display. Those can also be found on Newegg.


Some links:

M-Audio on Newegg
Swans Speakers
Klipch Promedia Ultras

Happy Listening!