Anyone running 7.1 surround sound?

traveler · 11-03-2007, 11:46 PM

I just wondered if anyone at ABX was running a 7.1 surround sound system on their PC.

If so how do you like it v 5.1? What soundcard and speakers are you running?

FightingChance · 11-04-2007, 12:10 AM

From other testimonials, 6.1, 7.1 and above setups require a 'listening room' type of commitment to let the listener discern a difference.

Drufuss · 11-04-2007, 03:27 AM

Well, i had a 7.1 setup for some time (Creative System, amp. freaked out shortly after the warranty has ended), and there was some difference to my former 5.1 system.
Mostly because i had 7 small speaker that i arranged around me every time i wanted to play a game in 7.1 sound.
Best situation would be to have one room in your home set up for playing games (with all the speakers at their correct position), otherwise you won't really recognize any real difference to 5.1.

Soundcard was and still is an Audigy 2 card from Creative.

Greetings

Dru

bjbgraphics · 11-04-2007, 02:14 PM

I have a set of 'Creative Inspire P7800' 7.1 Speakers connected to my 'Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value'. I am running them at full 7.1 with the 5.1 upmix switched on at the subwoofer. I have the 'Creative Audio Console' software installed but the '4 / 5.1 Content Speaker Mapping Settings...' doesn't seem to work.

I have the center channel speaker on top of my monitor with the front left/right channels at the sides. The left/right side channels are on the far edge of the desk and the rear left/right channels stand behind me about 8 ft. away on 3ft. stands (I sometimes move the rear speakers closer to the back of my computer chair for surround-heavy DVDs or games). The subwoofer is behind the left side of my desk.

I find that how good my setup sounds depends on the implementation of the various channels in the game or DVD that I am playing. Most of the time I find too much emphasis put on the center and front channels. Most DVDs and some games use Dolby while the rest typically use Creative's own EAX decoder. The EAX decoding seems to put much less emphasis on the front channels of the system and brings a lot more of the sound out to the other speakers. The best implementation of surround audio I've played is the game DiRT of the Colin Mcrae rally racing series, an EAX-enhanced game.

BJB

bajo · 11-04-2007, 09:59 PM

7.1 works for me.. creative+audigy2zs... would be better with more space tho, but it's ok & works with both games & movies...!

traveler · 11-05-2007, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bajo

7.1 works for me.. creative+audigy2zs... would be better with more space tho, but it's ok & works with both games & movies...!

Which speakers are you running?

bajo · 11-05-2007, 08:51 AM

creative inspire t7700 125w

traveler · 03-15-2008, 02:06 AM

Update -

I bought a set of Creative GigaWorks S750 7.1 speaker system new from Creative in December. They were part of the very last and final lot to be sold from the Creative website. They are still in the box. I'll probably use them with the new X48 build. MaximumPC magazine had the S750 listed on the "best of the best" list until this month's issue removing them from the list with the reason that you can't buy them anymore.

I also found a set of the Inspire T7700 7.1 speaker system. Quite a difference in price compared to the S750 speakers!

bajo: Did you get the infra red remote for your T7700 speakers?

bajo · 03-15-2008, 08:06 AM

what.. it exists..? hm, I must check my ol' box

traveler · 03-15-2008, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bajo

what.. it exists..? hm, I must check my ol' box

It's an optional separate purchase and per the description only works with the Inspire T7700 system. Check the Creative website. I'm considering getting it. That's why I wanted a set of T7700 speakers and not the newer replacement ones.

11-03-2007, 11:46 PM	#1
traveler Where to next? Join Date: May 2001 Location: South Florida Posts: 18,177	Anyone running 7.1 surround sound? I just wondered if anyone at ABX was running a 7.1 surround sound system on their PC. If so how do you like it v 5.1? What soundcard and speakers are you running?
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11-04-2007, 12:10 AM	#2
FightingChance Yes, I am better than you Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 4,068	Re: Anyone running 7.1 surround sound? From other testimonials, 6.1, 7.1 and above setups require a 'listening room' type of commitment to let the listener discern a difference.
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11-04-2007, 03:27 AM	#3
Drufuss CUSL2-C -> P5Q ? Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Österreich Posts: 2,767	Re: Anyone running 7.1 surround sound? Well, i had a 7.1 setup for some time (Creative System, amp. freaked out shortly after the warranty has ended), and there was some difference to my former 5.1 system. Mostly because i had 7 small speaker that i arranged around me every time i wanted to play a game in 7.1 sound. Best situation would be to have one room in your home set up for playing games (with all the speakers at their correct position), otherwise you won't really recognize any real difference to 5.1. Soundcard was and still is an Audigy 2 card from Creative. Greetings Dru __________________ System specs: Asus P5Q Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83 GHz @ 3.42 GHz 4 x 2GB DDR2-Ram PC2-1066 Corsair Dominator @ 800MHz 3 x Seagate 7200.ESII 500GB SATA Sapphire HD4870X2 2048MB Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS, Hauppauge HVR4000 DVB-S/S2/T, Dlink DWL-G510, Logitech Z-5450 5.1 THX Wireless Enermax Modu82+ 625W Win XP MCE 2005, openSuse Linux 11 64bit, Vista Home Premium 64bit CUSL2-C ruled! ..äh... RulEd! Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.
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11-04-2007, 02:14 PM	#4
bjbgraphics "You're no beggar!" Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: United States Posts: 655	Re: Anyone running 7.1 surround sound? I have a set of 'Creative Inspire P7800' 7.1 Speakers connected to my 'Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value'. I am running them at full 7.1 with the 5.1 upmix switched on at the subwoofer. I have the 'Creative Audio Console' software installed but the '4 / 5.1 Content Speaker Mapping Settings...' doesn't seem to work. I have the center channel speaker on top of my monitor with the front left/right channels at the sides. The left/right side channels are on the far edge of the desk and the rear left/right channels stand behind me about 8 ft. away on 3ft. stands (I sometimes move the rear speakers closer to the back of my computer chair for surround-heavy DVDs or games). The subwoofer is behind the left side of my desk. I find that how good my setup sounds depends on the implementation of the various channels in the game or DVD that I am playing. Most of the time I find too much emphasis put on the center and front channels. Most DVDs and some games use Dolby while the rest typically use Creative's own EAX decoder. The EAX decoding seems to put much less emphasis on the front channels of the system and brings a lot more of the sound out to the other speakers. The best implementation of surround audio I've played is the game DiRT of the Colin Mcrae rally racing series, an EAX-enhanced game. BJB __________________ Cybertron: Antec SX600II - Antec TruePower True430 - 3x80mm Nexus Real Silent Fans - Intel D875PBZ P27 - P4 2.4c - 2x512MB DDR Corsair 3200C2 (2-3-3-6) - XFX GeForce 7950GT 512MB AGP - 36.7GB Western Digital Raptor - 40GB Western Digital Caviar Special Edition - JVC Lite-On HD166S DVD-Rom VectorSigma: Antec SLK1600 - Corsair VX450W - Vantec Stealth 1x92mm & 1x80mm Fans - Asus TUSL2 1012 - PIII-S 1.4 - 2x256MB PC133 Kingston Technology KVR133X64CS (CL2) - Apollo GeForce FX 5200 128MB AGP - 200GB Western Digital WD2000JB - 3ware 7006-2 RAID / RAID 1 / 2x300GB Maxtor MaXLine III - JVC Lite-On 851S DVD-RW Junkion: Dell Dimension 4100 - PC Power & Cooling Silencer 360 Dell - Vantec Stealth 1x92mm Fan - PIII 733 - 2x256MB PC133 Atlas Precision (CL3) - ATI Radeon 9800 - 20GB Quantum Fireball Teletran1: Dell Latitude C600 - 512MB Ram - 30GB Hard Drive
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11-04-2007, 09:59 PM	#5
bajo C1eaner Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: TX, USA Posts: 17,178	Re: Anyone running 7.1 surround sound? 7.1 works for me.. creative+audigy2zs... would be better with more space tho, but it's ok & works with both games & movies...! __________________ USA "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." Duke (The Shootist) Gigabyte_AGP_LGA775, PentiumD960_dual core 3.6GHz, SapphireHD3850_AGP512MB_DDR2, WD RaptorX 150GB SATA_clearTop_16MB + Seagate 1TB SATA_32MB, CorsairDominator 2GB 8500_1066MHz, Dell 24" 2408WFP *AGP +DVIx2 +HDMI +DisplayPort +USB2x4, XPproSP3 Inspiron9400 17"uxga CentrinoC2duoT7600_2.39GHz_685MHz 4GB Micron6400@800_675_400MHz GeForceGo7900GSMobileForce_M6Enhanced_256MB 2x200GbSATA_7200rpm_16MBcache Vista hp, VistaP6001SP1
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11-05-2007, 08:51 AM	#7
bajo C1eaner Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: TX, USA Posts: 17,178	Re: Anyone running 7.1 surround sound? creative inspire t7700 125w __________________ USA "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." Duke (The Shootist) Gigabyte_AGP_LGA775, PentiumD960_dual core 3.6GHz, SapphireHD3850_AGP512MB_DDR2, WD RaptorX 150GB SATA_clearTop_16MB + Seagate 1TB SATA_32MB, CorsairDominator 2GB 8500_1066MHz, Dell 24" 2408WFP *AGP +DVIx2 +HDMI +DisplayPort +USB2x4, XPproSP3 Inspiron9400 17"uxga CentrinoC2duoT7600_2.39GHz_685MHz 4GB Micron6400@800_675_400MHz GeForceGo7900GSMobileForce_M6Enhanced_256MB 2x200GbSATA_7200rpm_16MBcache Vista hp, VistaP6001SP1
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03-15-2008, 02:06 AM	#8
traveler Where to next? Join Date: May 2001 Location: South Florida Posts: 18,177	Update - I bought a set of Creative GigaWorks S750 7.1 speaker system new from Creative in December. They were part of the very last and final lot to be sold from the Creative website. They are still in the box. I'll probably use them with the new X48 build. MaximumPC magazine had the S750 listed on the "best of the best" list until this month's issue removing them from the list with the reason that you can't buy them anymore. I also found a set of the Inspire T7700 7.1 speaker system. Quite a difference in price compared to the S750 speakers! bajo: Did you get the infra red remote for your T7700 speakers?
(Offline)

03-15-2008, 08:06 AM	#9
bajo C1eaner Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: TX, USA Posts: 17,178	Re: Anyone running 7.1 surround sound? what.. it exists..? hm, I must check my ol' box __________________ USA "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." Duke (The Shootist) Gigabyte_AGP_LGA775, PentiumD960_dual core 3.6GHz, SapphireHD3850_AGP512MB_DDR2, WD RaptorX 150GB SATA_clearTop_16MB + Seagate 1TB SATA_32MB, CorsairDominator 2GB 8500_1066MHz, Dell 24" 2408WFP *AGP +DVIx2 +HDMI +DisplayPort +USB2x4, XPproSP3 Inspiron9400 17"uxga CentrinoC2duoT7600_2.39GHz_685MHz 4GB Micron6400@800_675_400MHz GeForceGo7900GSMobileForce_M6Enhanced_256MB 2x200GbSATA_7200rpm_16MBcache Vista hp, VistaP6001SP1
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