So what's the fuss about "digital" sound?

[ReDeeMeR]

I mean is there a noticeable difference btween analog and digital? What the hell is coaxial connection etc? I have no idea how the fuck do the cables look for neither SPDIF nor COAXIAL.
Was thinkin of Audigy2 + some nice speakers and well NEED HELP!

[sushi128]

no, i'd say there is a near non-existant difference between analog and digital for multimedia speakers. coaxial is the same cable u use for cable TV. SPDIF is digital interface. it can use both RCA and optical connection. optical and coaxial are both digital interfaces. though RCA can be used with SPDIF, it's generally used with analog signals.

as for a reccommendation, if you're gettin an audigy 2, u might as well go 6.1, and that'd be creative 6.1 6700's. if you've got somethin against creative (obviously not with their sound cards), then u could go for the logitech z680's, which happen to have a digital connection.

in any case, i think i'm gonna need to know your credit limit for this.

[Freakonaleash89]

There really isn't that much fuss about digital in my opinion. It really doesn't add anything. I would buy an Audigy 2 card if I played more games than music and a M-Audio 7.1 if I didn't play as many games.

I would recommend above all speakers to get a set of Klipsch ProMedia 5.1's. If you want the best, by all means get them, they are well worth the money. The Klipsches are analog by default but you can upgrade them to digital if you want by getting their digital decoder. The ProMedias come with standard wire with bare ends and 3 miniplugs to put in the sound jack.

Unless you like Dolgy Digital and all that stuff hardware decoded then you don't really need digital as you can get decent 5.1 through software.

I don't know shit about that coax cable bullshit either. I know if you want to upgrad a set of ProMedia wire you can buy a set of MonsterCables. This paired with the digital decoder gives you pretty much the best multimedia sound money can buy.

If I have said anything confusing or you have more questions feel free to ask.

[sushi128]

klipsch are FAR from worth the money. great speakers, no less, but for $400? hardly. and besides, they have a faulty crossover that makes a number of them hiss when adjusting the volume(although klipsch is selling a fixed one. quite shady of them, really. then again, i have NO idea where u can get it). and also, when they work, they work well. but when they don't, it's absolute hell (cause you paid so much):
http://forums.klipsch.com

i agree with getting the M-audio. not for the 7.1 (you're not even gonna get a setup with that many channels) but the sound quality on that card is superb.

another thing, do NOT GET MONSTER CABLE with PC speakers. it's pointless, more so than going digital. regular 14 or 16guage (whatever comes with those things) is about as good as it's gonna get with those speakers.

now for the kicker; you DON'T need logitech z680's or klipsch 5.1's AT all. the price you're paying is centered a lot around their POWER, and i assure you, you're never gonna be pushing NEARLY 400watts, let alone 500watts from the logitechs (both are $400, btw). i suggest going for quality, and altec lansings are my pick. i'd suggest the sirocco pro's, but it's impossible to get them to work here, so i've heard.

[fatBastard();]

Regarding the whole Analog vs. Digital sound, I would say that if you, as I do, use your computer for gaming, music AND DVD viewing then Digital sound is important in order to get true Dolby Digital Surround sound.

I used to have a SB Live card coupled with Cambridge DTT 2500 speakers. Then the connector for the sound signal from the CD-ROM drive went belly-up and I got myself an Audigy card as a replacement. Unfortunately Creative made a big blunder with backwards compatibility so now my center speaker only works when in Dolby Digital 5.1 mode (i.e. watching DVDs). More and more games are supporting surround sound (though not Dobly Digital 5.1) and I'm frankly getting tired of having to "tone down" the auditive experience and since my 30th birthday is just around the corner, I was thinking of giving myself a new speaker set as a present to myself :D )

Now, the question is: Which speakers do I choose?

The Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 speakers may be great but where I live they also cost twice as much as any of the other alternatives and then we're in a prize range where I would prefer to buy some HiFi speakers and a HiFi amplifier instead, so the Klipsch are out of the question.

I have my eye on two sets of speakers, both THX certified. The first set is the "Logitech Soundman Z-680 5.1" speakers and the second set is the "Cambridge Soundworks Megaworks 5.1 550" speakers. I have only found 1 comparison of the two sets so far and that was on "Tom's Hardware" (all the others only claim that one or the other is the best speakers on the market but they don't offer any comparisons).

What I've been able to gather so far is that the main difference between the two is that the Z-680 can be used with other appliances besides the PC (like consoles or external DVD players etc) and it has DTS decoding. Although there has previously been a problem with a certain hissing ("white noice") in the speakers, there is a solution to that problem now, so that should not be an issue anymore. The speakers are only delivered with analog cables so the digital cable(s) must be purchased seperately.

The Cambridge Sounworks speakers is tailor made for SoundBlaster cards and doesn't support other appliances or DTS. However, the fact that Creative owns Cambridge Soundworks should ensure optimal compatability with my soundcard (be it for gaming purposses or for watching DVDs).

Which do you guys think I sould go for or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[WhoGivesARatsAss]

cant u go for inspire.. anyways get a nice sound system from sony etc.. and u would love the sound in everything.. there are plenty of models and they are cheap as compared to a hifi system..

as for the logitech i said it bfr in another thread those speakers sound underpowered (atleast for my taste) but best is that u go for quality of sound.. personally i dont know shit abt cambridge soundworks.. or is inspire and cambridge the same thing and i am being an asshole or something.. but whatever the case be.. sony systems are the best and its always better to put those 100 more bucks and live ur life in peace for another 2 yrs or so.. if u get my meaning..

[Freakonaleash89]

Originally posted by sushi128
klipsch are FAR from worth the money. great speakers, no less, but for $400? hardly. and besides, they have a faulty crossover that makes a number of them hiss when adjusting the volume(although klipsch is selling a fixed one. quite shady of them, really. then again, i have NO idea where u can get it). and also, when they work, they work well. but when they don't, it's absolute hell (cause you paid so much):
http://forums.klipsch.com

i agree with getting the M-audio. not for the 7.1 (you're not even gonna get a setup with that many channels) but the sound quality on that card is superb.

another thing, do NOT GET MONSTER CABLE with PC speakers. it's pointless, more so than going digital. regular 14 or 16guage (whatever comes with those things) is about as good as it's gonna get with those speakers.

now for the kicker; you DON'T need logitech z680's or klipsch 5.1's AT all. the price you're paying is centered a lot around their POWER, and i assure you, you're never gonna be pushing NEARLY 400watts, let alone 500watts from the logitechs (both are $400, btw). i suggest going for quality, and altec lansings are my pick. i'd suggest the sirocco pro's, but it's impossible to get them to work here, so i've heard.

I have the Klipsch 5.1's and I have been to the forums. It looks like living hell over there as to failure rates of Klipsch speakers. But the 03-As and above are now really "fixed".

And I do pump alot of power through my speakers. Almost full volume quite often when listining to music and stuff with my Klipsches. They really arent that loud. Especially if you are deaf. But the sound quallity...

Get Klipsch analog speakers and you WILL be happy.

[ReDeeMeR]

Ok thanks for all your help, I'll look into the prices for all that was mentioned here, I saw a nice Sony system for 350+ and was thinkin to get that :D

[sushi128]

Originally posted by WhoGivesARatsAss
as for the logitech i said it bfr in another thread those speakers sound underpowered (atleast for my taste) but best is that u go for quality of sound..

logitech?? UNDERPOWERED? i'm gonna assume you're not talking about the z560's or the z680's. besides, it happens to be just the opposite. the bass on those things are very muddled, far from the quality of klipsch and altec.

[Freakonaleash89]

Gotta love the Klipsch woofers. the bombs hittin the beach in savin private ryan feel and sound sooo good. My dad said and i bullshit you not, that he hears the rumbling all the way in the basement. I'm on the 2nd floor too so thats pretty deep bass.
And it isnt even in the corner.

[Hobbes874]

Originally posted by Freakonaleash89
Gotta love the Klipsch woofers. the bombs hittin the beach in savin private ryan feel and sound sooo good. My dad said and i bullshit you not, that he hears the rumbling all the way in the basement. I'm on the 2nd floor too so thats pretty deep bass.
And it isnt even in the corner.
*drool* they make the BEST sound systems *drool*

[Bluu]

now i'm confused...are the promedias better or the z680s?
lets talk only abt quality and not value...

[Bluu]

what abt these sushi128...(you seem to be an expert at all this!)

http://www.hifi.com/store/category.cgi?category=spk_multimedia&item=k1pkm33e&type=store

[sushi128]

the megaworks are definitely the cream of the crop, ranking up there with klipsch and logitech ( i won't include altec; they don't make 5.1's). the thing is......they don't quite match up to the other companies, yet the price seems to suggest they do. great speakers, but like klipsch, not worth the price.

but, it seems if you're considering that, money is no object, so here's another one that might look good:

http://www.americas.creative.com/products/product.asp?maincategory=3&category=516&product=804

it doesn't state the RMS power, and that 600w rating is not to be trusted, but the megaworks series has gotten their act together since the 510D.

and also, for me, it's hard to say which is better between the 680's and the promedia 5.1's (might be and easier choice for some of you, i suppose). in the end i'd go with klipsch over logitech, cause it matches my home system(no, really, just quality wise). keep in mind for those who like bass, even a 4.2 klipsch system can't match up to one logitech 680 sub.

[fatBastard();]

Well, I've been snooping around a bit and found some interesting facts.

First of all there is no doubt that all 3 speaker set (i.e. the Klipsch, the Megaworks and the Z-680) are really good speakers.

Further up this thread I wrote that in order to get true Dolby Digital surround you had to have digital speakers and that is NOT correct. You can indeed get true Dolby Digital surround with analog speakers but the analog speakers can not decode the Dolby Digital signal themselves. That means that either your software/hardware player or your soundcard (e.g. SB Audigy) needs to decode the signal before relaying it to the speakers.

Both the Megaworks and the Klipsch are analog speakers whereas the Z-680 and the speakers I have now (Cambridge DDT 2500) are digital speakers.

As I already wrote earlier, the Klipsch speakers costs for some reason almost twice as much as the Megaworks and the Z-680 and in that is too much for an analog speaker set for computer use. WGARA suggested I just buy standard HiFi amplifier and some speakers but there are two reasons why this is not the optimal solution for me:

1) I've already got a HiFi stereo system with a reciever, a tabe recorder, a CD player and an LP player. I really don't want another "complete" and "stand-alone" HiFi system taking up space next to my stereo.

2) I have only about 70% of the standard human hearing capabilities in my left ear and about 90% in my right and on top of that I've got a moderate case of tinnitus. Perhaps because of this minor handicap, I'm particularly passionate about sound/music and that's why I'm willing to spend a great deal of money to get a good system BUT ... to be honest, too much is a waste of money and effort since I won't be able to hear to subtle differences anyway :(

So basically what I'm looking for is a speaker set that plays excellent at moderate sound levels (I dare not risk making the tinnitus worse by turning the volume too far up but too far down and I can't hear anything). Because of my hearing problem and my interest for music, I've gotten quite good over the years at distinguishing the subtle nuances in music like recognizing instruments or picking out a single instrument group in classical music or following the second or third voice in choir arrangements etc and that's the main reason I'm looking for speakers that are capable of delivering a clean and clear sound picture in all the ranges ... but again, too much is wasted effort I'm afraid.

I presently own an Audigy1 card and only the Audigy2 card supports 6.1 surround so the new Megaworks speakers (though probably excellent) wouldn't do me much good unless I also upgrade to an Audigy2 card. As far as I know, the only 6.1 speakers on the market as of yet are analog speakers and though I, to be honest, don't know what gives the most auditive boost: Dolby Digital vs. DTS or 5.1 vs. 6.1, I DO know that price of both the new Megaworks speakers and an Audigy2 card comes close to that of the Klipsch speakers and I still would not be able to get DTS sound. Besides, it's not as though 5.1 doesn't sound great in the first place :D

Now, the question remains: Should I go for the Megaworks speakers and have my CPU handle the Dolby Digital decoding, the result of which I don't know since my DDT 2500 has handled the decoding so far, meaning that I will still not get either DTS or 6.1 but at least be fairly sure that with the analog connections I should be able to hear the center speaker in games ... or should I go for the Z-680 which means I get DTS surround sound (where applicable of course) and no that my system performance during DVD playing will not be any different from what I have now, but risk still not getting the center speaker to work when the signal is not digital?

Is it possible or even necessary to connect the speakers to the PC with full 5.1 analog connections while still having them connected with digital connections or does the one exclude the other?

P.S. Quite be accident I finally found out WHY the center speaker doesn't work with my DDT 2500 ... they actually never did :rolleyes: It turns out that the DDT 2500 is only capable of processing 4.1 (unless we are talking about Dolby Digital but that's only when watching DVDs). It was my SB Live card that had a feature called something like "Live Surround" which simulated the center speaker. So even though sound was comming from the center speaker, it was nothing more than the mix between the two front speakers :rolleyes:. The Audigy card does NOT have the "Live Surround" feature and since my DDT 2500 isn't capable of processing 5.1 sound, the center speaker is now silent. *Sigh* Why the heck didn't Creative just say so in the first place? I've seen hundreds of confused and angry customers, including myself, who couldn't understand why the hell their otherwise perfectly fine DDT 2500 speakers suddenly had a "dead" center speaker when they upgraded to an Audigy card.

Sorry about the long post, but I would really like to hear what you think about my dilemma Sushi128 and if anyone else have an oppinion on the matter, I would of course also like to hear from you :)

Cheers!

[WhoGivesARatsAss]

Holy Son of Gun.. Fat how the fuck can u write such long posts.. get the z-680s they will certainly play quite nice on "moderate sound levels" and have fun with them..

and from what i know.. DTS is actually digital encoding of Dolby Digital.. as DD was introduced for analog purposes.. so if u are getting digital speakers u are all set to enjoy anything..

and i also recommend a hearing aid and not using telephone, and/or headphones for prolonged periods of time.. (no pun intended)..

have fun

[Freakonaleash89]

I'm looking for speakers that are capable of delivering a clean and clear sound picture in all the ranges ... but again, too much is wasted effort I'm afraid.

Too much would be the Logitechs. If you want to rumble yourself fuckin silly with distorted sound get a set of Logitech. I really wouldn't recommend getting the MegaWorks either but you wouldn't go wrong with them. I would get a set of Klipsch 5.1 even if they don't have digital. Dolby 5.1 can be simulated in software and it is better than many decoders at this pricepoint (better than logitechs i think).

With Klipsch you get nice rich clean and crisp accurate sound at all but the highest volume levels at which they sound a little too shrill for my tastes.

[Bluu]

great!
thanks everyone...

[fatBastard();]

Freak: I've also come under the impression that the Klipsch speakers are indeed the best when it comes to sound quality, but as said, the ProMedia 5.1 speakers costs about the same as both the Megaworks AND the Logitech speakers put together and even though I do care about quality, it's a bit too much for something I probably won't be able to enjoy fully anyway.

I know it is hard to advise someone else when it comes to listening experiences since we all have our own preferences as to what "sounds" great but if you wrap a necktie around your head, so it covers your right ear, stick a finger in your left ear, whistle a continous high pitch note and THEN begin to enjoy the sound quality from your speakers, you'll have a much better idea of the sitation I'm in ;)

These speakers are to be used primarily for gaming and DVD viewing. Though I do listen to music on my computer, it is mainly streamed internet radio (only rarely as high as 128 kbit quality) and some MP3's but most of my music listening is done on my NAD stereo or via headphones (I've got some great ones from Denon with brilliant clarity even at low volumes :D), so the Best of the Best is not really what I need only the Best of the Rest :D

P.S. WGARA: I use my "good" ear when on the phone and even though I do use headphones when I'm at work, the volume is never more than than the level of normal speech. I DID try a hearing aid in an experiment to block out the tinnitus but everything gets distorted (especially music) and the tiny delay in sound almost drove me nuts since the hearing aid was only for my left ear. Anyway, it's not like I'm almost deaf or anything. I can easily differentiate between a bad set of speakers and a good set of speakers but I can't tell the difference between a good set and an excellent set ;)

[sushi128]

first of all, don't connect both the analog and digital at the same time. i'm sure one excludes the other, but this is mostly advice from my non-techie inclined friend :)

i'm sorry, but i'm going to have to reccommend klipsch on this one. both their promedia line and reference series(my set :)) excel in the mid range. nice fiber composite sub and satalites.

6.1 adds a rear center channel that provides background noises and more surround. as far as i'm concerned, the more channels, the better. the boys at THX have gottena 10.1 set up, and i believe that if the merits of sound production are to be preserved, we have to capture all sounds coming from the sources at which we hear them. everyday sounds can come from any number of sources, hence......the need for more channels.

I would suggest going for Dolby digital, simply because you wouldn't notice the loss in sound. Dolby works by eliminating noise in the coding that is too close the intended frequency; it also takes advantage of the beat frequencies that the human ear can ahrdly detect, as well as others.

Dolby Prologic and Dolby surround was introduced for analog. Dolby Digital is good wholesome digital.

quite honestly, any more than 5 channels(4.1) is wasted on a PC multimedia system(for general use, eg., gaming). i would reccommend altec 641's, but that's not what you're looking for. price, i can't help ya. but as for decoding, if you want to take the load off software, klipsch has their own decoder, the DD 5.1. haven't played with it much, but certainly an option. and also, just because these speakers can produce frequencies of up to 20khz, doesn't mean frequencies that high are utilized. some advice, amplitude will hurt u more than the pitch :)

i always thought the most the SB live could do was 4 point surround. interesting....

and the audigy, i believe EAX HD is suppose to have you covered with that center channel. i'll see what i can find on that for you.

Update: EAX HD seems to only be for games. and even then, only for those that support it.

[ReDeeMeR]

Yes, but it's awesome in games when used right. :D

[sushi128]

well, as evident, i've never used it. reading up on it, i wouldn't think it's too good. it sounds like trying to produce imaginary channels, seeing how games aren't encoded in 5.1. whatever, i should give it a try at my friend's house...

[Freakonaleash89]

Hey you Fatbastard you are mostly right about the Klipsch costing alot more. The Z680s are $195 and I paid $358 for my 5.1's. I think Klipsch speakers are way too much money and if I had to do it over again I would get an audition of the Logitech ones. For you though you might wanto consider getting the Logitechs because they sound heavier and you might be able to hear it easier. I haven't heard them though (the 5.1s that is) but I think its a solid set.

I have also heard the Logitechs have had problems with units failing, but thats just a rumour(and they dont like to exchange sets with you like klipsch). If anyone has ever visited the Klipsch forums though... jeez 2 out of 3 fail within the first year. Hopefully they are now fixed with the 03-A's. Havent heard about the reliabillity of Cambridge though.

[sushi128]

yes.....but cambridge is creative, and you just CAN'T trust those guys :)

[Freakonaleash89]

Why not?

[sushi128]

oh, no big deal, just if you read around the techie boards (hardforum, FM, anand, ars, etc...) you'll find a general dislike for creative stemming from the SB live series and the price of their products.

[fatBastard();]

As far as I've been able to figure out, the Inspire series is based on Creative's meddling whereas the Megaworks series is purely Cambridge with or without Creative as the owners.

Here in Denmark the Megaworks 550 costs approximately $320 USD, the Logitech $370 USD and the Klipsch almost $700 USD. On top of that I haven't found the Klipsch decoder for sale anywhere but even if I did, I can easily imagine that with the difference between american prizes ($150 USD is the prize I've seen mentioned on the Klipsch forum) and danish prizes, it could easily cost me another $250-$300 USD. That makes the total cost of a set of Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 speakers somewhere around $1000 USD and that is simply too much :(.

Even if the prizes here in Denmark were on the same level as in the US I must admit that the number of complaints I've seen so far in different fora about broken Klipsch speakers is staggering and it doesn't really matter whether or not they are the best speakers ever created if they keep breaking :(

I HAD considered going for 6.1 sound, but that means a new sound card (like Audigy2 or Hercules Game Theater) and 6.1 speakers but not only is number of available 6.1 speakers at present rather limited, there are also zero games with 6.1 sound and very few DVD as well, so it isn't really worth it right now.

There ARE, however, more and more games with 5.1 sound support and given the history of games based on Id Software engines AND the fact that John Carmack and the other guy working on Doom3 have said that Doom3 will use "true" 5.1 sound (whatever that means:confused: ), I think we're going to see a lot more games with 5.1 sound very soon.

Well, it appears that the only way I'm going to know for sure which speaker set to buy is to arrange a "hearing" of some kind :D

[WhoGivesARatsAss]

for 1000 bucks whichever currency u are talking about u can really pick up a decent 5.1 surround speaker system by other companies such as sony, toshiba, aiwa, and panasonic.. and sony makes the best surround sound ever.. and even their lightest speakers (by lightest i mean w/ less watt pmpo etc) can surpass speaker systems from logitech, creative, cambridge or kilpsch.. so i recommend u going for a moderate sony system that will sure boast more output then what these other suckers have to offer..

[fatBastard();]

for 1000 bucks whichever currency u are talking about u can really pick up a decent 5.1 surround speaker system by other companies such as sony, toshiba, aiwa, and panasonic...
Yes I can, but I don't WANT nor NEED a setup of this kind. It would be great to have one of those INSTEAD of my present stereo system or hooked up to a nice wide screen TV along with the VCR and DVD player, but I don't have a TV and I don't need a replacement for my stereo ... I need a replacement for my current computer speakers. Nothing more, nothing less.

I deliberately exchanged the local prizes to US dollars to have a reference currency, but I forgot that the US is not the only country to use the currency symbol: $. I've added "USD" after every prize listed in my previous comment but thanks for the reminder WGARA :)

At any rate, $700-$1000 USD for a set of computer speakers is simply too expensive. I don't mind spending a little extra in order to get something great, but I also need a new monitor and before long: a new graphics card, CPU and motherboard ... so there are limits to what I'm willing to pay for each particular item or I'm going to be flat broke before I know it :eek:

[sushi128]

hmmmm......true 5.1 support probably means it'll actually have somethin to send to all 6 channels, rather than useless stereo sound :D

[Freakonaleash89]

hmmmm......true 5.1 support probably means it'll actually have somethin to send to all 6 channels, rather than useless stereo sound

ROTFL No shit Sherlock!

[ReDeeMeR]

Guys even half-life had EAX and IT WAS true 5.1, meaning if some1s shooting in the back only your back speakers play it, not stereo emulation from all channels.

And I think sony sucks, their desktop speakers are cheaper then that what I was lookin right now and I believe their crap as are alot of home systems.

I think you got me sold with these:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm?countryid=19&languageid=1&page=products/usertype/gamingtopics&CRID=445&parentCRID=269&contentID=6348

500+watt :D DTS decoding plus coaxial and digital output, woo!

[Freakonaleash89]

http://www.klipsch.com/products/productdetail.asp?id=398

I'm sold with these! The best sound that you can buy!! Wooo!!!!!!!!

[ReDeeMeR]

Well I hear they are expensive, plus I couldnt find any at my favorite retailers and I've been reading the reviews, many sites claim that Logitech 680's are arguably teh best :D

Plus all the other advantages like digital output and the remote control hehe :D

*Starts counting pennies and saving* :D

[sushi128]

Originally posted by Freakonaleash89
ROTFL No shit Sherlock!

hope that was as sarcastic as my post was intended to be. have i insulted you?

and klipsch breaks a lot because of the very fagile amp inside the sub. you can't prevent it, it just happens. the mid range, while superb, seems to effectively drown out the other sounds (good for ones who have only 70% hearing in one ear). now, as you said, hopefully they've fixed it. awesome setup, but like the other candidates, this isn't a perfect system.

logitechs have long been off my list because it focuses too much on bass. that'd be fine and danding if the mid range was of good quality, but it's not up to the klipsch 5.1 level of quality. i base this off the 560's, so you should try the 680's out for yourself at a store or somethin....

pennies won't be gettin you anywhere as far as the cost of these speakers go :)

[ReDeeMeR]

Hehe, I know :) 425.87USD for teh 680's

I have just about enough for those babies and to pay for next month's internet and maybe even order a radio internet instead of this POS 56k... :(

But was thinkin a PC upgrade instead... ahh the pain... :p

[ReDeeMeR]

Originally posted by WhoGivesARatsAss
Holy Son of Gun.. Fat how the fuck can u write such long posts.. get the z-680s they will certainly play quite nice on "moderate sound levels" and have fun with them..

and from what i know.. DTS is actually digital encoding of Dolby Digital.. as DD was introduced for analog purposes.. so if u are getting digital speakers u are all set to enjoy anything..

and i also recommend a hearing aid and not using telephone, and/or headphones for prolonged periods of time.. (no pun intended)..

have fun


Ripped from TH:

DTS, for Digital Theater System, was introduced by Steven Spielberg with the release of "Jurassic Park" in 1993. So far, this standard applies more to the big screen than private homes. It, too, is 5.1, so the sound is coded over six channels as in Dolby Digital. There are now many DTS-compatible systems available. So surround systems, like sound cards, can decode the standard via software. However, while the excellent quality of DTS is undeniable, and even a bit higher than Dolby, remember that there are no movies available in DTS alone, and that Dolby is considered to be the digital sound standard and DTS is not.



The main feature of DTS is that its coding system favors sound quality over disk space. So a DTS sound band codes in 24 bits instead of the 18 bits with Dolby. Compression uses a dynamic process where the compression rate varies with the amount of sound to encode. This rate ranges from 1:1 to 1:40 and generally results in better sound quality than Dolby Digital with an average rate of 1.5 Mb/s. The main drawback is obviously that the sound band takes up much more space (about three times as much) than Dolby. So DVDs coded in DTS can only have one language and a limited number of bonuses. Because it is optional as a sound standard, there are not many DVDs with DTS on the market, though the number is growing.


DTS = GOOOOD :D

[sushi128]

Originally posted by ReDeeMeR
DTS = GOOOOD :D
good quality, takes an enormous amount of space compared to Dolby Digital. and the improvement of DTS is slight, maybe 2% (by my ear) over Dolby. with that maginal difference, you're getting much less from a DVD disc with DTS than you are going to get with DD. however, IIRC, DTS can support up to 8 channels (without any major redesign) and Dolby peaked out at 6. they added some stuff to make Dolby EX for 7 channels, but DTS has reached it easily with ES. just food for thought....

funny thing though, it seems Dolby and Lucasfilm have something on DTS, cause DTS has to pay royalties to both.

and one more thing, that article you have there noted one important thing; Dolby is a standard like THX; DTS is NOT.

[ReDeeMeR]

Yup and it's basicaly a digital sound encoding with less compression, that's why analog speakers cant decode it.

[fatBastard();]

Regarding DTS:
good quality, takes an enormous amount of space compared to Dolby Digital. and the improvement of DTS is slight, maybe 2% (by my ear) over Dolby (Digital).
This may very well be the case (I can't really comment on this since I haven't as of yet been able to experience DTS with my current setup), but isn't it approximately the same kind of margin that differentiate the 3 speaker sets we're discussing here?

I mean, we all have our own personal preferences about everything, from colour, taste, sound to the size and shape of women's tits and bums and often these preferences bias our judgement of quality, either positively or negatively, to a degree beyond actual facts.

One of the main arguments I've heard so far against the Logitech speakers is that the bass is Boomy. How is this evident in facts and numbers? It isn't. It's based on the preference of the person voicing his oppinion.

On the other hand, two of the main arguments against the Klipsch is the prize (an actual indisputable number) and the high number of replacement shippings due to broken equipment (more specifically: problems with the amplifier electronics, not the actual speakers themselves). This is again based on numbers and statistics rather than preferences and oppinions.

(I'm not trying to diss one set of speakers in order to promote another set. These are just examples)

What I'm trying to say is that because Dolby Digital is such an excellent sound quality, the improvements DTS offer may not appear to be more than 2% to someone satisfied with the what Dolby Digital offers whereas it could be percieved as much greater improvements to someone looking for that extra "bang for your buck" (remember: this is pure speculation on my part since I haven't made a comparison for myself) If this IS indeed the case, then couldn't the same be said for the differences between the Logitech speakers and the Klipsch speakers or the Megaworks speakers and the Klipsch speakers, i.e. that to someone satisfied with the quality either the Logitech or the Megaworks speakers deliver the Klipsch's improvements is nothing more than 2%? (be it 10% and that still wouldn't justify the almost 100% increase in prize)

[Freakonaleash89]

Originally posted by sushi128
hope that was as sarcastic as my post was intended to be. have i insulted you?

and klipsch breaks a lot because of the very fagile amp inside the sub. you can't prevent it, it just happens. the mid range, while superb, seems to effectively drown out the other sounds (good for ones who have only 70% hearing in one ear). now, as you said, hopefully they've fixed it. awesome setup, but like the other candidates, this isn't a perfect system.

logitechs have long been off my list because it focuses too much on bass. that'd be fine and danding if the mid range was of good quality, but it's not up to the klipsch 5.1 level of quality. i base this off the 560's, so you should try the 680's out for yourself at a store or somethin....

pennies won't be gettin you anywhere as far as the cost of these speakers go :)

Yeah I was being sarcastic. And no you didn't insult me or anything. I agree the midrange can be a little overpowering and that the amp might be a little bit fragile but I think its the best for sheer sound quallity.

The fact that they are fragile worries me though...

[sushi128]

hey, no doubt about that. it costs a bundle; i don't think you'd expect any less from sound quality. and the failure rate is like cpu's; someone's promedias are gonna break, just not yours. what i'm saying is, since you can't protect the damn thing, then don't waste time EXPECTING it to break. they're good speakers, and if they stop working, imagine the sound quality u would have gotten from lesser speakers if you hadn't bought the klipsch :)

logitechs are boomy. it's a......subjective fact, heh. go to any review, any person that have any logitechs (even the lowly ones) and they'll say the bass is big. maybe not tight, but big. and if you're still wonderin the chioce of speakers, i think i can reccommend the 550's now. i just hopped out and had a taste, and they seem to be exactly what you're lookin for.
and since the speakers EXCEL in different areas, you have to figure out what u find most important. so no, it's not a case of a 2% difference, it's a case where each have strength and weaknesses.

[ReDeeMeR]

Well 550's are cheaper then 680's here, but they dont have remote, plus I like how there's 500 watt in 680's and probably wouldnt notice the difference in quality :D

[fatBastard();]

ReDeeMeR: The Megaworks 550 actually does have a remote ... well, I say "remote" but since it has got a wire connection it stretches the term "remote" to the limits ;)

Sushi128: I have to admit that, right now, my internal scales are tipped in favor of the Megaworks 550. I've been under the impression from the start that the sound quality of the Megaworks are indeed better than the Logitech (though not as good as the Klipsch of course) and the fact that Creative owns Cambridge Soundworks should help ensure the best possible compatibility with Create soundcards ... however, I'm a bit concerned about the analog aspect of the Megaworks. Right now I can watch DVDs on my rig without any problems but I'm also currently leaving the Dolby Digital decoding to the DDT 2500. With the Megaworks 550 speakers I will have to let my software player or my Audigy card handle the Dolby Digital decoding and I really don't have any idea of what kind of processing power is needed to handle this decoding (i.e. will I still be able to watch DVDs like before or will it become a slideshow travesty instead :confused: )

Do any of you guys know this? And while we're at it, if the software player can handle the Dolby Digital decoding on analog speakers as well as an external decoder and digital speakers, shouldn't it also be possible to let the software player handle DTS decoding as well? (thus making the DTS decoding aspect of the Logitech speakers less of a swaying argument in their favor)

[WhoGivesARatsAss]

shit now i have to read so many posts.. damn.. why cant u ppl write shorter posts.. like the one redeemer posted.. DTS = Good now that told me a hell lot..

[ReDeeMeR]

Hehe 8)

[sushi128]

i don't think u should really worry about the audigy. the EMU10K2 (i believe) has more than enough processing power to take the load. it's a rather powerful card.

and just use dolby; it's every bit (not exactly) as good as DTS. you won't notice. like listening to a high quality CBR MP3 versus a high quality VBR MP3.

remember, the processing is done on the audigy, not on your CPU.

[fatBastard();]

Well, I made a little arrangement with a retailer here in Denmark.

Today I'll recieve the Logitech speakers in the mail and try them out. If they suit my needs I'll keep them, otherwise I'm switching them to the Megaworks 550.

I simply couldn't find a retailer with a pair of either speakers on display for testing purposes, so this little arrangement is the best I could do. We'll see how it works out :)

[ReDeeMeR]

I ordered ligtech's yesterday, gonna get them in roughly 2 weeks along with audigy2, probably gonna pick up an nforce2 board and better ram along the way, this VIA shit is pissing me off while watchin DVD's

[ReDeeMeR]

I wonder if they(680's) come with digital cables???

[Freakonaleash89]

Considering that it has a digital system it damn well better have digital cabling!

[fatBastard();]

There are digital cables in the box, but unfortunately not the ones needed to connect the speakers to SoundBlaster cards (be it Live! or Audigy or Audigy2) :(

As you might have guessed, I just recieved my speakers today and I've just got them hooked up (6 channel analog only because the digital cable won't arrive until tomorrow).

I just got sound through them less than half an hour ago, so what I'm about to say is based pre-initial impressions ;)

The satellites and the center speakers sound really really good but to call the bass Boomy is the understatement of the century. It should have been called:

BOOM BOOM FRIGGIN BOOMY!!!

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating just a little bit and please remember that I've just switched them on so there could be a lot of adjustment involved before the perfect volume combination between the various speakers is reached ... but damn, right now it's more a matter of sensing the bass through air pressure than actually hearing the sound waves. This would be acceptable if I was blasting away at ear shattering sound levels but this is at levels only slightly above speaking levels (it's close to midnight here and I do have neighbours)

As I'm writting this I'm listening to different kinds of music and I'll continue to do so tomorrow as well as twiddling with the speaker settings and when the digital cables arrive tomorrow I'll test the Dolby Digital and DTS aspects ... but unless I'm able to find some way to tweak these puppies they are going right back.

I'll be back with some more impressions as soon as I've had some shut-eye and have done some more testing ;)

[ReDeeMeR]

Hmm that's odd considering it's a desktop device... are those cables for hi/fi system? If so it's a bit fucked up, these should be for gaming in the first place, I cant wait for that "boomy" feel, mmmm Battlefield 1942 should be awesome :D

[sushi128]

Originally posted by fatBastard();
The satellites and the center speakers sound really really good but to call the bass Boomy is the understatement of the century. It should have been called:

BOOM BOOM FRIGGIN BOOMY!!!



told ya....

and i'm assuming they come with a coaxial connection? and you need optical?

[fatBastard();]

i'm assuming they come with a coaxial connection? and you need optical?
They actually come with both coaxial and optical cabling but you can't plug them into your SB card.

I'm not sure what the correct word is for the 2 ends of the cable (connections points?, plugs?), you know the part you actually plug into the amplifier/sound card, so please bear with me here if I use incorrect words :o

The is one optical cable with two "phono jacks" and one coaxial cable with 2 weird looking ends and then there is a 6 channel direct cable with 3 mini jacks in either end. The problem is that what you need in order to connect your SB card to the amplifier (it is actually the control unit of the Z-680 but that's beside the point) is a mini jack to the SB card and a optical/coaxial to the Z-680, so the cable you need is a "mixed" cable.

Anyway, I got my "mixed" cable today and I have tried it out and this is when I finally began to see how it all fits together.

I have long been wondering about the split cable that came with both my former SB Live! card and my current SB Audigy card (though obviously not very much or I would have found this out a long time ago :o ). It has a single mini jack to go into the digital plug on the sound card and then splits into a phono jack and something that looks like a PS2 connection (not PlayStation 2). I think it is called "DIN" or something like that. At any rate, both the phono and PS2 look-alike ends was plugged into my DDT2500 ... Now I know why.

The digital output (yellow) on the sound card is not only the digital output but also the analog output for the center/subwoofer so the split cable was in fact split in order to cover both analog AND digital output. Unless you are able to purchase/build an equivalent split cable with the correct "jacks" (damn, I wish I could remember the correct word), you have to choose between digital and analog sound because you can't have both. In other words: Either you can go for the digital signal and can use the external decoders for Dolby Digital and DTS in the Z-680 control unit at the cost of "only" getting stereo sound in anything but DVD viewing. Or you can go for the analog signal which means full 5.1 support in games, music listening, etc. at the cost of having a useless external decoder since only digital signals can be decoded.

The reason for why I wanted to upgrade my DDT2500 speakers was that it was 4.1 speakers in anything but Dolby Digital and the lack of the center speaker was starting to annoy me. It is therefore not hard for me to choose between full 5.1 sound with sound card decoding of the Dolby Digital signal when watching DVDs (and this works without me being able to detect even the slightest sign of taxation of my rig) or locking myself to 2.1 sound in everything but DVD viewing where the external decoding gives the same result as the internal decoding does.

Back to the Booooooooooooooooooooom ... ups sorry, I meant back to the bass issue. I've tested many different kinds of music so far along with games like Splinter Cell and RtCW and the LoTR DVD and the result is the same as yesterday. The high and middle ranges are really good on the Z-680 speakers but the bass is simply ridiculous. I must have misunderstood what the word "boomy" means. I thought that it was merely a question of how the bass was represented with regards to emphasis in volume and ... er, how shall I put it, "umpf"? (I hope you know what I mean ;) ). The real deal, however, is completely different from what I expected. If I was to replace the word "Boomy" with a synonym it would have to be "muddled".

Let me give you a couple of examples.

Music:
The part of a classical orchestra consisting of "string" instuments (i.e. violins, violas, cellos and contrabasses) is, I believe, in english called "The Strings" but in my country the name roughly translates to "The Strokers" (from the way the strings are being stroked with the bows). String instruments can also be played by "plucking" the strings with your fingers. This technique is called pizzicato and the result is a very different kind of sound than is produced with by stroking the strings with the bow. By plucking the strings you get a very short and acute sound where the beginning of the sound is the most important part. If the strings are stroked instead, a continuous sound with no clear beginning or end is produced instead. Both techniques are equally important and valid but they are also very different and the use of one over the other is often almost as important to the understanding of the piece of music as the actual notes being played. Now, the violins and violas can only go as low as the middle ranges on the Z-680 speakers, so they are in the clear but both cellos and contrabasses can dip down into the lower ranges and that is where the problems start. It is almost impossible for me to hear whether the strings are being plucked or being stroked becuase the muddled bass the Z-680 subwoofer delivers makes it extremely difficult to hear when a note starts and ends.

Movies:
I've been watching several scenes from "The Fellowship of The Ring" with different sound settings. In the scene with the Balrog, from the first signs of the beast, through the collapsing staircases and right until the fatal whiplash, there is practically one long continous "rumble" emanating from the subwoofer, almost drowning out everything else. The same is the case when the remnants of the fellowship reaches the waterfall after leaving Lothlorien. It's cool that the subwoofer can issue very deep sounds but it's definitely NOT cool that those sounds completely dwarf any other sounds.

Gaming:
I've played through the training mission of Splinter Cell a couple of times and it is actually quite an amazing improvement real 5.1 surround has over 2x stereo ... but the bass is just too much. I also tried a bit of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, not that it supports 5.1 sound, but I've played this game quite a lot so I know what to expect and again too much bass. Everything from firing a weapon to the sound of your own footsteps is being overly bass emphasized.

The bottom line is that I'm very surprised how these speakers could harvest so great reviews all around the internet. Am I missing something? Are all powerful 5.1 speakers supposed to muddle the sound as much as these Z-680 speakers do? If the answer is yes then I suppose the Z-680 speakers are superb but if the answer is no, then I can't for the life of me understand how anybody can listen to these speakers and then say that they sound great.

Now that I've decided to return the Logitech Z-680, the only question left is which speakers I should get intead. I mean the choice should be easy and thus I should go for the Cambridge Soundworks Megaworks 550 without hesitation but even in spite of the problems I've already mention extensively ;), I've not been able to hear any clear sound quality advancement from my DDT2500 speakers. Granted, the subwoofer in the DDT2500 distorts sounds when the volume is turned up but other than that, I can't really hear any difference in the sound quality of the satellite speakers. Maybe the Inspire 5700 speakers could just as easily replace the Z-680 as the Megaworks could? I don't really know if the Megaworks is even worth the cost anymore unless they are way better than the Z-680.

Man, this is turning out to be quite a hassle to get new speakers :(

[sushi128]

uh, somehow i feel i should be writing a lot.........but i need some skittles....

i never call the "plugs/jacks/connections" anything. i just refer to them by the type of cable they are. never thought to refer to the little plug as a seperate entity :)

"muddled" is exactly the word i would use in reference to the logitech's bass (z560's, z680's, z340's, it doesn't matter).

and.....i'll do more some other time....

[Freakonaleash89]

Yeah if I were you I would go with the MegaWorks 6.1 because the sub as I have heard has very detailed bass. Even rivaling Klipsch supposedly. You can get the 6.1's for 300 if you buy them with an Audigy 2. But I would go with Klipsch...

[fatBastard();]

Originally posted by fatBastard();
... I can't really hear any difference in the sound quality of the satellite speakers.
Okay, I take that back. After several days of listening I must admit that I CAN indeed hear a difference between my old DTT2500 and the Z-680 speakers. The overall quality of the Z-680 speakers ARE better than the DTT2500 ... even though the Z-680 subwoofer is terrible.

I found out I only have two DVDs with DTS sound: "Gladiator" and Luc Besson's "Atlantis" and since the audio in the latter is purely music with no speech or effects of any noteworthy kind, it wasn't a very suitable test subject.

I found a really good scene in Gladiator where Maximus is to fight for the first time chained to his black friend Juba. While the virgin gladiators are waiting in a dark passage to enter the ring, a veteran is standing out the gate swinging a flail around his head again and again. As the tension builds the swishing sound of the flail gets louder and louder a the sound of each swing travels around you in the speakers following the path of the spiked ball at the end of the chain. At last the doors bursts open and a frenzy of both visual and auditive chaos begins.

I kept watching the same scene over and over again while switching between Dolby Digital and DTS. At first I was sure I heard a distinct difference in favor of DTS, but then I found out that the DTS signal was louder than the Dolby Digital signal, so I compensated by turning the volume up when viewing in Dolby Digital and ... well ... I honestly can't really tell the difference between Dolby Digital and DTS, at least not here sitting at my desk.

Just thought I would share my experience with the non-existent difference between Dolby Digital and DTS :rolleyes:

[sushi128]

uh......yep

[ReDeeMeR]

ahh I'll have to check them out myself(eventualy I will anyway :D), your review just doesnt seem right fatbastard, it's either something wrong with you or I dunno, I've been reading only good comments about 680's so far, of course most of them were gamers, but man THERE IS difference between DTS and DD :p

[ReDeeMeR]

http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/index.php?function=view_thread&threadid=157300

I hope I'm not going to get the damn hissing though. Or it better be not to loud :D

[fatBastard();]

Originally posted by ReDeeMeR
your review just doesnt seem right fatbastard, it's either something wrong with you or I dunno ...
My oppinion is of course biased by my taste in music and sound preference but also because of hearing problems. The Z-680 satellite speakers ARE really good and neither those nor the subwoofer shows even the slightest sign of distortion in the volume intervals I could stand to listen to, so they are indeed good speakers ... technically.

Originally posted by ReDeeMeR
I've been reading only good comments about 680's so far, of course most of them were gamers ...
I have also seen a great many euphoric reviews of these speakers but I certainly didn't find the Z-680 to be even slightly intoxicating. The high and middle ranges are good and to a certain degree, so is the bass ... but the low range is way too massive compared to the other 2 ranges. When all 3 ranges are played simultaneously, it's hard to hear anything but the bass. The volume level makes no difference since even at levels below a whisper the bass is still overly dominant. I tried to turn down the subwoofer volume setting but even at the very lowest setting (the one just short of completely silencing the bass range), it's too dominant.

If the power of the bass wasn't enough, then the muddling of the sound certainly provides further incentive. I can easily imagine certain kinds of music where this muddling of the sound is inconsequential, but if you like to listen to classical music, opera, jazz, instrumental music of various genres, and so on, then a muddling to such a degree that I can't hear when a note starts or ends (only that it is there), is simply unacceptable.

The last drop is the fact that I have to choose between:
A digital connection:
Pros

Dolby Digital/DTS external decoding (i.e. DVD)

Cons

Forced 2.1 if no Dolby Digital/DTS signal is present (i.e. everything else)

An analog connection:
Pros

5.1 sound with everything
Dolby Digital with SB/software decoding

Cons

Completely useless external decoder for Dolby Digital/DTS
Digital speakers that act as analog speakers


Originally posted by ReDeeMeR
... but man THERE IS difference between DTS and DD :p
I do not doubt this. All I'm saying is that with my setup, in my room, with my ears and with the DVDs that I tested the difference with, I couldn't detect any noteworthy difference. It might very well be that you can hear a significant improvement in DTS, but I can't where most of my DVD viewing takes place.

Originally posted by ReDeeMeR
I hope I'm not going to get the damn hissing though. Or it better be not to loud
The hissing thing was a simple mistake. I'm not going to start pointing fingers at Logitech for making a mistake like this. Sooner or later something like this happens to everybody. The important thing is whether or not a solution is available and it is.

The first thing you should do ReDeeMeR when you get the Z-680 is to hook up the control unit to the subwoofer and power up the subwoofer. Put the system in standby mode and then press the upper left button (input) and the upper right button (settings) simultaneously and hold them pressed for about 3 seconds. The version number of the control unit should then be shown in the display. Mine said: v1.1.2 and I could only detect any kind of hiss if I pressed my good ear against a speaker but my computer and even my monitor make more noise than the speakers so the problem has been solved.

You should only start to worry if the display says: v1.0.3. The hissing problem HAS been a problem in the past but unlike Klipsch and their component stability problem, Logitech has risen to the occasion and fixed the problem :)

I hope you'll enjoy your, soon to be, new speakers and that they'll be just what you're looking for ... they couldn't provide what I'm looking for but that doesn't mean that they can't be the answer to your prayers. It's all about preferences.

[WhoGivesARatsAss]

Holy Son of Gun Fat u got those damn z-680s.. see i told ya.. anyways this is a stupid remark but how are they working.. i am too tired to read the whole thread.. just tell me in 5 words how are they cooking..

[ReDeeMeR]

Originally posted by fatBastard();

The first thing you should do ReDeeMeR when you get the Z-680 is to hook up the control unit to the subwoofer and power up the subwoofer. Put the system in standby mode and then press the upper left button (input) and the upper right button (settings) simultaneously and hold them pressed for about 3 seconds. The version number of the control unit should then be shown in the display. Mine said: v1.1.2 and I could only detect any kind of hiss if I pressed my good ear against a speaker but my computer and even my monitor make more noise than the speakers so the problem has been solved.


Hey thanks, will do :)

[IkYiolul]

Im gettin into this thread a bit late..but I'll post anyway
I wasnt even sure if my receiver had dts..but it does now that I look on the front lol.
In gta3 I notice the surround the most..EAX of course.. very nice, never true surround sound tho I think.

I also have this problem, want to know if anyone else does. The volume significantly decreases when in prologic mode..why is this?
Also, the rear surrounds dont seem to be that high in volume, so I have them maxed on the receiver, and it helps but it still just doesnt seem like I'm truly bathed in sound. Although, when I play an mp3 track using playcenter, it is true surround sound, and it sounds the best, I just expect that in game also (but it never happens).
Is this just due to the games not being programmed to support 5.1 surround? or is it just the EAX emulation from creative's sound card that just produces great surround sound effect while playing music?

[fatBastard();]

Yeeeehaaaaaw :D

Now that's more like it! As you might have guessed I got my Megaworks 550 speakers last night and I've been testing them today.

The Megaworks 550 speakers are a lot less fancy looking than the Z-680 speakers. However, they sound a hell of a lot better. One of the pieces I used to test both set of speakers was Anastacia's "Who's gonna stop the Rain" and with the Megaworks 550 speaker I can now not only hear the beginning and end of each note struck by the bass guitar, but I can also suddenly hear that it is actually an acoustic doublebass rather than an electric bass.

The low range (bass range) is a lot more distinct and clear (I believe that the common term used here is somthing like "slappy" or "snappy" or some such) and the transitions from the middle range into the low range, or vice versa, is almost undetectable (well, it is to me and my ears at least) and that can NOT be said about the Z-680.

The features/settings on the Megaworks 550 is very limited compared to the Z-680 and except for muting the sound, turning the speakers on/off and adjusting the volume, everything has to be done via software. Well, to be perfectly honest, I didn't buy a new set of speakers in order to bypass the Creative "Surround Mixer" program, so to be able to tell the difference between an acoustic doublebass and an electric bass is more important to me than any number of preset features/settings.

Though the center speaker does indeed work when 5.1 sound is available (DVDs or games supporting 5.1 sound), it is not used if the signal is not 5.1 sound (the "6 channel direct" setting on the Z-680 uses all the satellites including the center speaker even though the signal was not 5.1 like music listening). This is also a minor detail to me. As long as the center speaker works when it is supposed to I'm satisfied.

In short: The "Cambridge Soundworks Megaworks 550" really REALLY WORKS!!! :D

[sushi128]

figures. you've got an audigy, don't u? ;)

[ReDeeMeR]

Dont listen to fat, he said his right or left(dun remember) ear is facked up :D

680's are great, I just talked to some guys and their audiophiles!

[sushi128]

well, like how the klipsch tend to drown the highs and lows, i think the 680's might be too bassy for most people. i don't imagine i'd like them. i'll reccommend a friend buy a set so i can go play with them.... :D

[ReDeeMeR]

Well if you gaem you should love bass....

[sushi128]

i game, and bass just gets in the way. ghost recon doesn't need bass, neither does UT2003, nor splinter cell, nor freelancer. i think my current 641's have too much bass for these games, so why would i enjoy more?

[ReDeeMeR]

Well I like bass, in BF1942 I'm missing it so much and UT2l3 DOES need bass aswell, I have my inspires at full bass and it's not really enough, every action game needs bass, I love playing with extreme loud sounds to :p

[ReDeeMeR]

Alot of bass is good for techno music and it's one of my favorites, Need for Speed games need bass.

[fatBastard();]

Originally posted by ReDeeMeR
Well I like bass, in BF1942 I'm missing it so much and UT2l3 DOES need bass aswell, I have my inspires at full bass and it's not really enough, every action game needs bass, I love playing with extreme loud sounds to :p
In that case, I think you're going to LOVE the Z-680. :D

Personally, I like the bass as much as I like the middle and high ranges but none of them more than the others. The Z-680 favors the bass with approximately 50% of the total amount and let the middle and high ranges share the remaining 50%. To me, that gives the bass too much emphasis with EVERY note falling in the bass range.

This is of course a matter of tastes and preferences, so I would very much like to hear your oppinions when they've arrived ReDeeMeR :)

[ReDeeMeR]

Well shelling out 430USD on those bitches I better like them or else I'm gonna kick myself in the face... it's big sum of money over here(to shell out on toys)...

Oh and I'll be sure to post my inpressions :D