budget sound system advice

Ive owned a couple different Creative and Logitech systems in the past, in my experience Logitech has the better bang for buck ratio.

The Logitech listed above seems highly rated and the one I would go with.
 
Well.I've been putting off getting some speakers but I'm gonna get the logitech system.
But I need some help on setup.
I've heard setting up true 5.1 is a little complicated,I want set it up with my TV and PS3.
I'll say what I think is the right setup and someone could correct me please.
So for the TV I connect the 3.5mm jack from the sub to the TV and plug all the speakers in the sub?
PS3,connect RCA cables into sub and plug other end into PS3?
I've read this setup doesn't give true 5.1 because you need a splitter or decoder type thng?
As you can probably tell I'm a little unsure,so any help would be great.:)
 
I own a set of Z506s, surprisingly grunty little unit 👍 To get real 5.1 from the Z506 you have to connect all three 3.5mm jacks to the device that is providing a six-channel source; the unit provides a "fake 5.1" feature where a 2-channel source (using the RCA jacks, or just the green 3.5mm) is output in a simulated surround mode.

In order to get full six-channel audio from your PS3 with the Z506 you would need a decoder box that can take an optical audio source and convert it to analog over three 3.5mm jacks (green/orange/black). An example that I've personally used is the decoder box that comes with a Tritton AX Pro headset. If your TV has surround analog outputs - ie green/orange/black - then you would also need a switching device that can swap audio sources between PS3 and TV depending on what device you're sending sound through. If your TV doesn't do surround output then simply connect it to the sub via RCA and use a decoder box for the PS3. The PS3 will then have full six-channel surround while the TV will be simulated surround.
 
Ok,all I want is sound coming from all the speakers,whether it's stereo or dolby 5.1 but stereo should be good enough.
I know that TV programs only output in stereo but Blu-rays do 5.1 of course.
My TV is a samsung led smart 32''s so that should do stereo from its 3.5mm jack,or in other words most TV's can't do 5.1 on its own?
PS3 can do 5.1 with the type of decoder box you mention.
Also can you give me an idea of what they sound like?
I mean on old CRT's from about ten years ago,the sound they have is so much better than the tin cans in TV's today,that's my only comparison really,that and some old 2.1 speaker sets.
I'm hoping for something that's at least a little better than CRT's.
 
Last edited:
stiggygonzalez
Ok,all I want is sound coming from all the speakers,whether it's stereo or dolby 5.1 but stereo should be good enough.
I know that TV programs only output in stereo but Blu-rays do 5.1 of course.
My TV is a samsung led smart 32''s so that should do stereo from its 3.5mm jack,or in other words most TV's can't do 5.1 on its own?
Click to expand...

You'll never get 5.1 from a 3.5mm jack, it just can't be done. The output from that will be stereo converted to fake surround sound via whichever unit you buy. For true surround sound you'll want a decent AV receiver and some speakers, but that's a hell of a lot more expensive than £50 (My entry level system was £1,000 all in for the receiver, sub, speakers and all wiring). The difference is absolutely astonishing though, I used to have a 5.1 system that faked the output and a true 5.1 system is miles apart.

You could go down the route of a box that converts from optical to RCA but even then your speaker unit must have a way of taking those inputs due to the way it's wired, and the Logitech can't do that. You only need to look at the back of the Logitechs and compare it to a basic Onkyo AV receiver to see the difference in inputs/outputs to give true surround sound:

l_09032568_005.jpg


Onkyo_TX-NR727__B__Rear.jpg


I think, for your purposes, you've picked the best setup you can afford though. The Logitechs aren't bad speakers and the subs can pack a punch for something so small. Your best bet is to set them up and see how they sound.
 
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In my personal opinion, the answer lays with eBay!

Buy old stuff, cheap. Nothing you can buy new for £50 won't sound poo.

For instance...

Amp http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-DS..._HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item4181c6ec11

Mains http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEF-Coda-...omeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item2c847f02b8

Excl. carriage you're up to £30-ish for the amp and mains....

Plenty of other options will exist for centre (Celestion CSC's for £10-£15) and rears (Mission 731's for about £10)..

My point (rather than trying to point out specific equipment), is to stress the value to be found in old equipment. I flogged most of the the equipment mentioned above when it was new, and how cheap some of this stuff (5* Award winners at the time) is now is astonishing.
 
MatskiMonk
In my personal opinion, the answer lays with eBay!

Buy old stuff, cheap. Nothing you can buy new for £50 won't sound poo.
Click to expand...

Could not agree more. A little bit of patience and diligence can reap great rewards.

Although also sometimes companies will pair a great, but superseded amp, with some cheap speakers. It can be worth buying a package like that, with a view to eventually buying better speakers.

I found a package with an otherwise AU$600 Pioneer amp with lowly speakers included for AU$150 for a family member. New, that is.
 
Better than ebay are sites like www.canuckaudiomart.com and its US and European sister sites, (Australia just started up Aussieaudiomart recently) you rarely see any junk there and they use a feedback system...I've done a few deals there on used audio equipment, never a bad one. Audiogon is another site with a large used marketplace but it usually caters to the very high end gear.
 
Last edited:
Moglet
You'll never get 5.1 from a 3.5mm jack, it just can't be done. The output from that will be stereo converted to fake surround sound via whichever unit you buy. For true surround sound you'll want a decent AV receiver and some speakers, but that's a hell of a lot more expensive than £50 (My entry level system was £1,000 all in for the receiver, sub, speakers and all wiring). The difference is absolutely astonishing though, I used to have a 5.1 system that faked the output and a true 5.1 system is miles apart.

You could go down the route of a box that converts from optical to RCA but even then your speaker unit must have a way of taking those inputs due to the way it's wired, and the Logitech can't do that. You only need to look at the back of the Logitechs and compare it to a basic Onkyo AV receiver to see the difference in inputs/outputs to give true surround sound:

l_09032568_005.jpg


Onkyo_TX-NR727__B__Rear.jpg


I think, for your purposes, you've picked the best setup you can afford though. The Logitechs aren't bad speakers and the subs can pack a punch for something so small. Your best bet is to set them up and see how they sound.
Click to expand...



Well I've got the Z506 and I'm happy to say it sounds really good!
Great bass and depth from the sub.
But I'm not getting the full experience,I'm only getting sound from 2 speakers and the sub.
The speakers are all in the sub and the 3.5mm jack from the sub to TV.
I want audio from all speakers for the TV,can that be done with an audio splitter?
 
Are you using these connections?

31opB2DBF3L._SX466_.jpg


It certainly won't give you proper 5.1, but should provide all channel stereo at least. Maybe going rca direct to the sub only gives two channel stereo?
 
stiggygonzalez
The speakers are all in the sub and the 3.5mm jack from the sub to TV.
I want audio from all speakers for the TV,can that be done with an audio splitter?
Click to expand...
Make sure the TV is plugged into the green jack, and the green jack only. The Z506 doesn't do 3D surround (fake surround) otherwise :)
 
stiggygonzalez
Well I've got the Z506 and I'm happy to say it sounds really good!
Great bass and depth from the sub.
But I'm not getting the full experience,I'm only getting sound from 2 speakers and the sub.
The speakers are all in the sub and the 3.5mm jack from the sub to TV.
I want audio from all speakers for the TV,can that be done with an audio splitter?
Click to expand...

The product info on PC World's Website indicates that even from 2 channel sources (such as your TV), will be "converted" to an "immersive surround sound experience". The logitech website is rubbish and the manual is hopeless, but perhaps there is a mode button on the sub that converts it from 2 channel to 5 channel without the need for splitters?

Back in the day, this would just have been called Dolby Pro-logic. Seems these days people are more sold on the idea of 5.1, even when it doesn't resemble 5.1 at all.
 
Well I managed to get full audio from my PS3 using the white and red cables but because that's the only input,it looks like a splitter is required.
I also tried put the red and white cables directly in the TV and in the sub but no sound at all.
Also I don't have the green,yellow and black cables.
I can't get audio,from my TV and PS3 at the same time,what should I do?
 
stiggygonzalez
Well I managed to get full audio from my PS3 using the white and red cables but because that's the only input,it looks like a splitter is required.
I also tried put the red and white cables directly in the TV and in the sub but no sound at all.
Also I don't have the green,yellow and black cables.
I can't get audio,from my TV and PS3 at the same time,what should I do?
Click to expand...

Splitters would pretty much work, or more ideally an input switching box if you might want to plug other things in to the sub also.

What specific model is your TV?

edit: I'm thinking it's possible the Red and Whites you used on the TV were inputs, not outputs. And/or, if your PS3 is connected to the TV via HDMI the TV might not take that audio signal and send it to the outputs automatically.
 
MatskiMonk
Splitters would pretty much work, or more ideally an input switching box if you might want to plug other things in to the sub also.

What specific model is your TV?

edit: I'm thinking it's possible the Red and Whites you used on the TV were inputs, not outputs. And/or, if your PS3 is connected to the TV via HDMI the TV might not take that audio signal and send it to the outputs automatically.
Click to expand...
Ok,this is it:http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/UE32F4500AKXXU
 
@stiggygonzalez

Looks like I might be right, the only Analog output your TV seems to have is the headphone output, unless the SCART socket is fully wired (ie. for input and output), which I'm not sure - but I highly doubt. The Red and White sockets are inputs only, and as such will not take the audio signal from the TV to another device.

Basically you TV only has Digital Audio Outputs, and the Logitech system only as Analog Audio Inputs. Pretty fundamental problem right there - but it is one that has existed for as long as Digital Audio!

The workaround here is to use a 3.5mm Jack to 2 RCA phono lead.. the 3.5mm jack goes into the headphone socket on your TV, and the 2 RCA (red and White) go in to the Red and White on the Sub (this is not ideal since it means you'll have two volume controls to fiddle with I think).

If you want your TV and PS3 connected, you could either use a splitter/splitters going into the sub, or the input switcher I mentioned earlier.... or take the Audio from your PS3 to your TV via HDMI, then use the headphone workaround I mentioned above to get the audio signal from the TV to the sub.


Also,

I don't mean this in anyway as a dig at you stiggy, you sought advice first, and were on a tight budget, but retailers shouldn't be allowed to sell this stuff unless they can come and set it up for you. As I've mentioned I sold HiFi for years and I must have served HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of people who thought they were getting a good deal buying this kind of set-up (usually from Argos), then they'd come and spend 20 minutes of our time (as a proper independent HiFi retailer) expecting us to explain to them how it should/will/might/won't work, when all we got in return was about £1.50 profit on a couple of Y-splitters ---- it's half the reason why my earlier post in this thread was advising getting some 'proper' HiFi to do the job.

Also, also :D

I'm really tired and have a horrible cold - the TV manual reads more like a computer manual so it's entirely possible I missed something obvious.
 

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