5.1 & headphones audio help

[daphatgrant]

Hey LTT, I need some audio help. I’ve currently got a SoundBlaster Z that I am using with a set of Logitech Z5500’s and some AD900 headphones. The sound card is starting to give me issues, I’ll have to restart the pc to get it to work or uninstall and reinstall it on occasion. I’d like to move in another direction and am thinking about going the dac and amp route if I can? I don’t really see any options for 5.1 DAC’s though? Should I just get the SoundBlasterX AE-5?

 

I’d really like to keep my Z5500’s in use but be able to use the headphones when I need it to be quieter. I’m pretty clueless when it comes to PC audio (or audio in general) so I’ll take whatever help I can get, I appreciate the

support.

 

I’d like to spend $300 or less if possible to get a working setup.

[EsaT]

In case of Wintoys10 might have been also some update of it messing things.

Microsoft nowadays uses customers as alpha testers.

 

Though what are other parts of the PC?

Trying it in other PCI-e slot (or at least remounting it) would be one thing to try.

(in case of bad contact/motherboard's slot developing problem)

 

For gaming with headphones DACs don't have anything to go over sound cards, and they don't do 5.1.

ATH-AD900 should be very nice headphone for gaming with binaural sound.

[JZStudios]

the only 5.1 ampd/dac is just your average avr. Unless you're using a single 60hz monitor... I wouldn't recommend it. It also wouldn't work with the Logitechs anyways unless you cut the cables and made them just straight passive.

I'd suggest either going for another sound card (I'm assuming your Mobo doesn't have surround outputs) or getting a new mobo with surround outputs.

[PebblesInAus]

I have a E10k DAC and have my Logitech Z680s hooked up via coax SPDIF. I use the headphone jack for gaming, and the SPDIF for passthrough. Im not sure though wether the 5500's have an external reciever?

[daphatgrant]

Thanks for all the comments!

 

@EsaT, I have tried different pci slots and had the same issues unfortunately. I think that you are onto something in regards to Win 10 being the problem. It's an older system, 2600K.

 

@JZStudios, I think that that's probably what I'm going to do, the AE-5 isn't super expensive.

 

@PebblesInAus, the Z5500's does have an external receiver, pretty much exactly like the Z680's. 

[daphatgrant]

I definitely want to keep my Z5500's in the loop so I ended picking up the SBX AE-5. I've been using SoundBlaster stuff for a long time, since the ISA days and while the hardware has typically been great the software is crap, it's been crap for a long time. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that's been building PC's for a while, bloated garbage. Fortunately for them (SB) they still make sound cards good enough to overcome their crap software. I'm kind of surprised that there aren't more external dac/amp combos for 5.1 and stereo. I might be over simplifying what it takes to make that happen. I just want hardware that works, not useless and at times disruptive bloat. 

 

I did install the included light strip, apparently white light isn't an option unfortunately, more of a very light blue.

[tikker]

1 hour ago, daphatgrant said:

I'm kind of surprised that there aren't more external dac/amp combos for 5.1 and stereo.

This:

On 8/16/2018 at 9:44 AM, JZStudios said:

the only 5.1 ampd/dac is just your average avr.

The only place you really see surround sound is in movies, so you're getting in home theater territory. Stereo amplifiers are also out there, you'll just need to look in the general HiFi equipment instead of PC oriented stuff. Also 5.1 receivers are massive, it literally takes up a quarter of my desk ._. so yeah, space issues.

[JZStudios]

5 hours ago, tikker said:

This:

The only place you really see surround sound is in movies, so you're getting in home theater territory. Stereo amplifiers are also out there, you'll just need to look in the general HiFi equipment instead of PC oriented stuff. Also 5.1 receivers are massive, it literally takes up a quarter of my desk ._. so yeah, space issues.

Well I think games are WAY better for surround sound and receivers are more multimedia things. I don't know why there isn't just an external 5.1 for PC only. Just like a 1 input no output thing.

Most receivers have multiple inputs of HDMI, optical, RCA, the expensive ones apparently have 3.5 (Which is irritatingly what I basically want,) bluetooth, wifi, radio, etc...

I can't believe there couldn't be a small form factor 5.1. I'm assuming that USB could carry 5.1, the little box would only just need some decoders. Even if you took stereo headphone amps and multiplied by 3 it just shouldn't have to be the massive AVR box. Most of which is empty space...

[daphatgrant]

47 minutes ago, JZStudios said:

Well I think games are WAY better for surround sound and receivers are more multimedia things. I don't know why there isn't just an external 5.1 for PC only. Just like a 1 input no output thing.

Most receivers have multiple inputs of HDMI, optical, RCA, the expensive ones apparently have 3.5 (Which is irritatingly what I basically want,) bluetooth, wifi, radio, etc...

I can't believe there couldn't be a small form factor 5.1. I'm assuming that USB could carry 5.1, the little box would only just need some decoders. Even if you took stereo headphone amps and multiplied by 3 it just shouldn't have to be the massive AVR box. Most of which is empty space...

I hear you, I'd love to have (and willing to pay for) a 5.1/stereo amp/dac like the schiit stack. Unfortunately for right now I've got to stick with the SBX-AE-5 as my only reasonable option.

[tikker]

1 hour ago, JZStudios said:

Well I think games are WAY better for surround sound and receivers are more multimedia things. I don't know why there isn't just an external 5.1 for PC only. Just like a 1 input no output thing.

Most receivers have multiple inputs of HDMI, optical, RCA, the expensive ones apparently have 3.5 (Which is irritatingly what I basically want,) bluetooth, wifi, radio, etc...

I can't believe there couldn't be a small form factor 5.1. I'm assuming that USB could carry 5.1, the little box would only just need some decoders. Even if you took stereo headphone amps and multiplied by 3 it just shouldn't have to be the massive AVR box. Most of which is empty space...

3.5? That would be 3 speakers and 5 subwoofers  I'm also not sure what you mean with no output. You need to pass something to your speakers, that's the whole point of buying an amp?

My 7.2 receiver is pretty well packed, can't fit much else in there. All the digital stuff takes up little space. Amplifiers are big, and you need one for each channel you are driving. So for a 5.1 setup that's 5 amplifiers already (assuming the sub is active). Take a look at a Schiit Magni 3, it's ~13 cm wide. Assuming worst case that's due to the two amplifiers, adding three more will result in ~32 cm wide, only a bit less than my receiver.

They're also bulky to provide breathing room. These things can get hot. Stuff them in a perfectly fitting cabinet and it'll overheat if everything is a super tight fit.There are things like the Marantz NR1506 which are slim, but that's about the thinnest I've seen.

So yeah, it could be possible to make it a bit more compact, I mean there are these 5.1 sets for PC and Home Theater-in-a-box systems, but you're not going to drive an high(er) end speaker with those. 

[JZStudios]

3 hours ago, tikker said:

3.5? That would be 3 speakers and 5 subwoofers  I'm also not sure what you mean with no output. You need to pass something to your speakers, that's the whole point of buying an amp?

My 7.2 receiver is pretty well packed, can't fit much else in there. All the digital stuff takes up little space. Amplifiers are big, and you need one for each channel you are driving. So for a 5.1 setup that's 5 amplifiers already (assuming the sub is active). Take a look at a Schiit Magni 3, it's ~13 cm wide. Assuming worst case that's due to the two amplifiers, adding three more will result in ~32 cm wide, only a bit less than my receiver.

They're also bulky to provide breathing room. These things can get hot. Stuff them in a perfectly fitting cabinet and it'll overheat if everything is a super tight fit.There are things like the Marantz NR1506 which are slim, but that's about the thinnest I've seen.

So yeah, it could be possible to make it a bit more compact, I mean there are these 5.1 sets for PC and Home Theater-in-a-box systems, but you're not going to drive an high(er) end speaker with those. 

3.5 jacks, not speaker setup. AVRs have a video output which isn't really needed for PC audio.

I mean... if you want to drive big Klipsch floorstanding speakers and stuff, sure you need a bigger amp, but low wattage stereo AVRs typically have the same size and form factor as 7.1 or even some 9.2 receivers.

I also think most people could probably do with smaller bookshelf speakers. I got a teeny little Yamaha set that I love because the speakers are all actually pretty small, not a whole lot larger than Logitech PC speakers. Just seems like there should be availability for it, even if it is low power.

 

Although I'm more butt hurt that there isn't any newer standard for just audio signal than S/PDIF. I have a high Hz monitor, so I run a HDMI to my AVR which makes my PC think I have another monitor. I only want audio that isn't compressed... 

[tikker]

11 hours ago, JZStudios said:

3.5 jacks, not speaker setup. AVRs have a video output which isn't really needed for PC audio.

I mean... if you want to drive big Klipsch floorstanding speakers and stuff, sure you need a bigger amp, but low wattage stereo AVRs typically have the same size and form factor as 7.1 or even some 9.2 receivers.

I also think most people could probably do with smaller bookshelf speakers. I got a teeny little Yamaha set that I love because the speakers are all actually pretty small, not a whole lot larger than Logitech PC speakers. Just seems like there should be availability for it, even if it is low power.

 

Although I'm more butt hurt that there isn't any newer standard for just audio signal than S/PDIF. I have a high Hz monitor, so I run a HDMI to my AVR which makes my PC think I have another monitor. I only want audio that isn't compressed... 

I guess you're right about that. AVRs will need to accommodate a range of driving power, so indeed a dedicated 35W amp max. may be possible to build smaller. Yeah it's a shame SPDIF can't carry the full signal.