audio queries of a noob..help me !

[gurujee]

hello
I want to make my listening better now. I am completely unaware of these soundcard speaker things. I am using 2 tiny desktop speakers that came with my HCL pc 5years ago. So i want to make an upgrade for my ears.The thing is that i am not BCA(Baap ke Cash me Aish)..I want to make this upgradation with my own hardearned parttimes, projects money... The budget is 5K. but lower is better ..

I have choosen ALTEC and Creative..but have few doubts...

1. Do these speakers sound as similar as to the sony hi-fi music systems. mean the bass level is that high ? I have seen Sony mini hi-fi systems paste a sticker on its speakes written 240RMS...But i saw in AL or Creative RMS is only 46 or in some highends 72, 110rms...so it is a doubt for me whether these speakers are capable of delivering sounds that is being produced by sony hi-fi ..

2. I am a hardcore music lover..I like all types of music from indian classical to hiphop jazz etc...So i want to have dolby 5.1 multi channel effects in my MP3s and audio cds...Can Creative Soundblaster able to deliver this sounds..I can afford Soundblaster live 5.1 or 24bit..I saw in creative's site that this 24bit can upmix stereo to upto 7.1..Is this true ? Has anyone experienced it ?

3. The most imp. doubt for me is to go for which speaker sets and which model. I had prepared my mind for Creative 4.1..But by reading many replies here, i felt altec is personal choices of most people. But in digit september 2002 issue, creative4.1 was given some good points and also value for money..I am a BASS lover. and i want to get heartthurbing, booming bass at a lower volume, unlike some intex, frontech where one have 2 raise volumes to feel the bass...so friends pls help me in solving these doubts... should i go for altec Lansing atp3 , so that i dont have to buy the soundcard...Or go for creative 5.1 5200 or 4.1 4400... I just saw there is new 4.1 model in creative site...
4. My onboard sound is C media..When i am using 98, there was an application 4 channel audio demo. So i think the chip is a 4 channel sound card, isnt it ? I am using XP now, and failed to have proper XP driver for the onboard sound card. So when i am installing the new xp driver, that 4 channel application isnt installing... SO if i buy a creative 4.1 speaker, can i able to listen 4channel sound using my onboard soundcard.that too in music ???

my queries seem to have becoming an Esseay..so i should stop here...PLEASE HELP ME..

 

[Shasanka_Gogoi]

Altech better for 2.1 speakers Creative does well for 5.1 sets

Altech Lansing MX5021, the best 2.1 set available.

If u don't have MP3 files encoded in 5.1, than don't go for 5.1 sets, they are just wastage. Forget about 4.1, they suck for sure.

Take a look at the Philips 5.1 speaker sets, they are good performers (if u want 5.1).

But for music and at ur budget , I would have gone for the Altech Lansing MX5021.

Thanks......................................I'll keep posting

 

[dissel]

AFAIK,
The 5.1 sound is useless for regular mp3 which is coded in Joint stereo or normal stereo mode.You get real juice when you played 5.1 formatted DVD movie or DVD-Audio disc and games.

According to digit May 2006,Altec Lansing MX-5021 is best buy Gold winer in 2.1 speaker segment,as suggested by @Shasanka_Gogoi.

Do these speakers sound as similar as to the sony hi-fi music systems. mean the bass level is that high ? I have seen Sony mini hi-fi systems paste a sticker on its speakes written 240RMS...But i saw in AL or Creative RMS is only 46 or in some highends 72, 110rms...so it is a doubt for me whether these speakers are capable of delivering sounds that is being produced by sony hi-fi ..

Of course the higher RMS value produce better sound in high volume,

 

[Lucky_star]

Go for ATP3. It sounds good even at high volumes and the bass is punching.
Creative 5.1 is good but the sound seems to be crappy at high volumes, not good for music, but for playing games...its better. Secondly, you should see if your motherboard supports 5.1(6 channel) audio..or else you have to invest in an audio card.

 

[Shasanka_Gogoi]

As far as RMS is concerned, the creative 7.1 can produce 700 watts of RMS.
It really depends on u if u can afford or if u want it.

 

[assasin]

Yeah it all depends on ur budget.

 

[Ch@0s]

Most of the wattage figures given by consumer brands like sony are pure bull. A real 300W amp will weigh a hundred kilos and require huge amounts of cooling. Not to mention they'll cost a few lacs. Even the figures mentioned on computer speakers are kind of lame. No computer speaker can produce 50 real watts forget 700 . At your budget, as suggested by many, get the altec MX5021. You won't be disappointed. Make sure u pair it with atleast an sb live 24bit. Motherboard audio is pure rubbish.

 

[gurujee]

Most of the wattage figures given by consumer brands like sony are pure bull. A real 300W amp will weigh a hundred kilos and require huge amounts of cooling. Not to mention they'll cost a few lacs. Even the figures mentioned on computer speakers are kind of lame. No computer speaker can produce 50 real watts forget 700 . At your budget, as suggested by many, get the altec MX5021. You won't be disappointed. Make sure u pair it with atleast an sb live 24bit. Motherboard audio is pure rubbish.

my mother board supports 4.1. attaching another multichannel will create some problem ??
__________

Go for ATP3. It sounds good even at high volumes and the bass is punching.
Creative 5.1 is good but the sound seems to be crappy at high volumes, not good for music, but for playing games...its better. Secondly, you should see if your motherboard supports 5.1(6 channel) audio..or else you have to invest in an audio card.

i think ATP is the fav. of all here
__________

AFAIK,
The 5.1 sound is useless for regular mp3 which is coded in Joint stereo or normal stereo mode.You get real juice when you played 5.1 formatted DVD movie or DVD-Audio disc and games.

According to digit May 2006,Altec Lansing MX-5021 is best buy Gold winer in 2.1 speaker segment,as suggested by @Shasanka_Gogoi.



Of course the higher RMS value produce better sound in high volume,

can i have to purchase a higher sound card for dvd audio ? because i saw in comparision that creative SB live24bit is unable to play dvd audio...!
__________
whats the price of Altec Lansing MX-5021 ??
__________

Altech better for 2.1 speakers Creative does well for 5.1 sets

Altech Lansing MX5021, the best 2.1 set available.

If u don't have MP3 files encoded in 5.1, than don't go for 5.1 sets, they are just wastage. Forget about 4.1, they suck for sure.

Take a look at the Philips 5.1 speaker sets, they are good performers (if u want 5.1).

But for music and at ur budget , I would have gone for the Altech Lansing MX5021.

Thanks......................................I'll keep posting

how can i encode my mp3s to 5.1.? is there any softwares

 

[samrulez]

^^
The question is not whether ur mobo has 4.1/2.1 or 7.1 ...The sound card is the preamplifier and it plays an important role in the sound quality...

 

[gurujee]

^^
The question is not whether ur mobo has 4.1/2.1 or 7.1 ...The sound card is the preamplifier and it plays an important role in the sound quality...

do i need a SOund blaster for AL atp3 ???and is there any chance of duplicate in altec product ..there is duplicates of creative everywhere

 

[samrulez]

Its always recommended to hv a good sound card.
The chances of you getting a fake pair of ATP3 is very less....

 

[Shasanka_Gogoi]

You can't encode ur mp3 files to 5.1 channel urself. Even if u do, U wont find that sourround quality. U can buy original DVD MP3's which support 5.1 channel audio.

 

[gurujee]

You can't encode ur mp3 files to 5.1 channel urself. Even if u do, U wont find that sourround quality. U can buy original DVD MP3's which support 5.1 channel audio.

where can i find dvd mp3s ???

 

[Shasanka_Gogoi]

Well u can visit a music store for that. I have a couple of Hindi DVD mp3's that are 5.1 and support Dolby Digital Audio.

 

[gurujee]

Well u can visit a music store for that. I have a couple of Hindi DVD mp3's that are 5.1 and support Dolby Digital Audio.

thanks