Hooking up different speaker sets to work together

[clownzee]

Hi guys, here's something that I've been lost at for a bit.. hope i can get some direction here.

Am currently using a pair of Logitech Z-4s for my PC. Am having a case of upgradititis and wanna get a pair of AE A2s. Is there anyway I can hook these 2 speaker sets up together to get a 5.1 system?

My mobo already supports up to a 7.1 system. I'm just lost as to how exactly I'm supposed to connect the speakers together OR whether they go straight to the mobo.

haaaaalppp... thanks in advance!

 

[Alai]

Go straight to mobo.

 

[clownzee]

both sets straight to mobo?

oh wait, some extra info..

i wanna use the AEs as the front speakers while using the Logitech satellites as the rear speakers. is that possible?

 

[obobskivich]

to expand a bit on alai's point, and provide some more information

you won't have 5.1, you'll have 4.0, lets explain:

the Z-4 is a stereo 2.1 system, meaning two sats and a subwoofer, the subwoofer is never viewed as a discrete channel by the computer, theres simply a passive crossover somewhere in the logi wiring that crosses low frequency tones down to the woofer, for example where a full range speaker will reproduce (lets just be vague and give a good example, shall we?) 20khz to 20hz, from one enclosure, the logitechs might only produce 20khz to 200hz from the sat speakers, and the subwoofer is producing 200hz to 20hz

the A2's lack a subwoofer by default, so they'll just roll off at whatever frequency (probably somewhere in the world of 120-80hz)

connecting this as a 4.0 system, you'll connect one set as front L/R, and one set as rear L/R, which will give you surround sound in games and whatnot (the PC will handle downmixing 5.1 to this, and it doesn't lose too much clarity (its still enjoyable for movies)) the issue is if the A2's don't have enough bass energy compared to the Logitech's, as the subwoofer won't be shared between all four sats, only for the Logitech sats

you might consider adding a sub with the A2's, or getting a separate subwoofer and connecting that to the PC (and just leave the sub with the Logitech's, you'll just have to turn down bass output so it doesn't stand out in the soundstage)

 

[clownzee]

I see.. so its not possible to hook up the A2 sats to the Logitech subwoofer then? while leaving the Logitech sats as standalones?

I'm not sure how silly that sounds, but was just a thought.. haha

Another questions would be whether leaving the subwoofer with the Z4sats will have any bass output at all?

 

[obobskivich]

it will have bass output, they'll be like "fullrange" speakers, in a sense

its just that it won't be the LFE effects channel or the composite of all four channels, just the two being fed into the Z-4 system

 

[clownzee]

ooh i see.. so even if the Z4s are plugged into the "back" channel, the bass will still be fed into the subwoofer. But in that sense, it'll sound pretty strange rite? Unless i can somehow leave the subwoofer below my computer table while dragging the 2 Z4 sats to the back of the room.

Hmmm..

oh yes, just to confirm. The A2s cant be hooked up with the Logitech subwoofer then?

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clownzee /img/forum/go_quote.gif ooh i see.. so even if the Z4s are plugged into the "back" channel, the bass will still be fed into the subwoofer. But in that sense, it'll sound pretty strange rite? Unless i can somehow leave the subwoofer below my computer table while dragging the 2 Z4 sats to the back of the room. Hmmm.. oh yes, just to confirm. The A2s cant be hooked up with the Logitech subwoofer then?

doesn't matter where you put that subwoofer, because only bass that plays on the "back" channel will be played on that subwoofer

and no you can't put it together with the A2's and Logi sub (not easily)

 

[clownzee]

oh ok.. i get what u mean now. in that sense, its only gonna play bass that comes out the rear channel. Will the mobo feed bass equally into front and rear channels then, when i'm playing, for example an mp3?

thx for replies so far! really appreciate them. helping me understand more.

 

[obobskivich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clownzee /img/forum/go_quote.gif oh ok.. i get what u mean now. in that sense, its only gonna play bass that comes out the rear channel. Will the mobo feed bass equally into front and rear channels then, when i'm playing, for example an mp3? thx for replies so far! really appreciate them. helping me understand more.

it really depends on how its configured in software

but you shouldn't be resampling stereo music to surround sound, it trashes sound quality and imaging

 

[clownzee]

oh ok.. will definitely heed that advice and not mess with the config. =)

thanks again! will now go audition the A2s to make sure i really want them.