horrible sound comming from rears on a 5.1 system

[dante gambino]

Ok i was wondering if u guys could help me, as im sure im going crazy for a simple mistake.....

I have a 5.1 logitech system, i forget what model, but i have a 10' sub.

Anyways, i hook up the sub, center, front left and rights as soon as i got it. Everything sounds amazing. Then i decided about 2 months later, to hook up the left and right rears.
I run wire through the attic, make some splices, drill holes in walls ect....

After all this hard work, i hook them up and the rears sound horrible. They sound very "tin can like" and cut in and out. I tried reversing wires thinking i had just hooked something up backwards, but to luck. I tried fiddling with the computer settings...looks like a realtek driver? not sure but thats what pops up when i go to configure the speakers and test each one. What the heck am i doing wrong here? Or maybe its just that i can't listen to music with surround sound on? do i have to keep it in stereo?

any help would be great

[f0rge]

well my first thoughts are problems with the wires somewhere along the line.

try hooking up the front speakers to the rear output and see if you get the same problem. if not then it's the wires. if yes then it's either the source or the amp.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Ok i was wondering if u guys could help me, as im sure im going crazy for a simple mistake.....

I have a 5.1 logitech system, i forget what model, but i have a 10' sub.

Anyways, i hook up the sub, center, front left and rights as soon as i got it. Everything sounds amazing. Then i decided about 2 months later, to hook up the left and right rears.
I run wire through the attic, make some splices, drill holes in walls ect....

After all this hard work, i hook them up and the rears sound horrible. They sound very "tin can like" and cut in and out. I tried reversing wires thinking i had just hooked something up backwards, but to luck. I tried fiddling with the computer settings...looks like a realtek driver? not sure but thats what pops up when i go to configure the speakers and test each one. What the heck am i doing wrong here? Or maybe its just that i can't listen to music with surround sound on? do i have to keep it in stereo?

any help would be great

Hi dante, welcome. (Your name makes me a little nervous so I'll be as helpful as I can )

Now, you say you have a Logitech 5.1 speaker set. I have the Logitech Z5500 speakers connected to a Soundblaster Audigy sound card in my computer. When you say the realtek driver I assume you're using the integrated audio in your PC. My first suggestion would be to upgrade to a new sound card. If your computer's motherboard has PCI slots, go that route. Creative makes excellent soundcards and are always a good value for the money. Next I would suggest that you realize computer speakers with their existing wire, which is not a very heavy gauge, could very well be the reason they're not sounding good. Have you moved all 6 speakers into the other room? How long is the speaker wire run?

[pixelthis]

Hi dante, welcome. (Your name makes me a little nervous so I'll be as helpful as I can )

Now, you say you have a Logitech 5.1 speaker set. I have the Logitech Z5500 speakers connected to a Soundblaster Audigy sound card in my computer. When you say the realtek driver I assume you're using the integrated audio in your PC. My first suggestion would be to upgrade to a new sound card. If your computer's motherboard has PCI slots, go that route. Creative makes excellent soundcards and are always a good value for the money. Next I would suggest that you realize computer speakers with their existing wire, which is not a very heavy gauge, could very well be the reason they're not sounding good. Have you moved all 6 speakers into the other room? How long is the speaker wire run?

Rich is right except you need an external sound card, either that or a USB dac.
I have an external usb creative, only cost 39 bucks, and is quite nice.
Theres a lot of electronic "hash" in a computer, need your card outta there

[markw]

There may be nothing wrong at all! What you describes sounds to me like the normal operation of a surround speaker. And, remember, two channel music has NO intentional surround content. If anything they should be silent with a two channel source unless you use one of the fudged DSP processors.

If your source allows. can you send a stereo signal to ALL channels? Receivers call this 5 or 6 channel stereo or something like that and it will send a fairly constant, level signal to all speakers. Dunno about how you access this on a 'puter. If this doesn't show them working, then i'm outta ideas.

Before you get all hot and bothered and start tearing out wires and buying new hardware, see how the system sounds with playing a DVD with heavy surround material. A few good explosions or gunfights should wake those buggers up.

Surrounds, when working properly with most movies, are not a constant source of sound. You can't think of these channels as if they are another pair of stereo (or front) speakers which produce a fairly steady level of sound on a regular basis. They only supply occasional ambiance noises or some background music most of the time. Rarely do they contribute much to the overall sound aside from sound effects.

Then again, you could always rule out the wiring by connecting them directly to the amp via shorter wires not run in the walls to isolate the problem.

[basite]

Rich is right except you need an external sound card, either that or a USB dac.
I have an external usb creative, only cost 39 bucks, and is quite nice.
Theres a lot of electronic "hash" in a computer, need your card outta there

agreed, although with my Creative Audigy 2 I haven't really had problems with RFI from the pc...

my nephew, with his standard onboard soundcard on the other hand

keep them spinning,
Bert.

[audio amateur]

The analog jack on my laptop sounds horrible. There's a huge amount of noise.
Markw is quite right about the surrounds.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Well, you don't "need" an external soundcard, it's nice to have although I don't know that I'd spend $39 bucks for a QUALITY external card, but IMO the OP should start with the simple fixes first.

Truthfully though, I don't think I'd use computer speakers in my main listening area in the first place, but that's just me.

[pixelthis]

Well, you don't "need" an external soundcard, it's nice to have although I don't know that I'd spend $39 bucks for a QUALITY external card, but IMO the OP should start with the simple fixes first.

Truthfully though, I don't think I'd use computer speakers in my main listening area in the first place, but that's just me.

Ever since I HAVE GOTTEN INTO COMPUTERS I have been trying to pump the sound into my main system in order to get away from "computer speakers".
A CHEAP RECEIVER AND set of cheap speakers will blow away the best computer speakers.
Now if you're married to the idea, BOSE (darth vader theme song in the background)
has an exelent line of such called media mate
I had a pair, hooked up to the computer, and they sounded great on an mp3 player also.
Now they have some with a sub and surrounds.
I hate Bose ( who that has ears doesnt?) but they do some things right.
Like 500 dollar clock radios, and computer speakers.
AND these guys

http://www.audio-magus.com/


Also have great solutions, but almost anything will blow logitec outta the water

[audio amateur]

The logitech Z5500 system is pretty good for the price in my opinion.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Also have great solutions, but almost anything will blow logitec outta the water

I think a whole helluva lot more info from the OP is needed before anyone can seriously help out.

[markw]

I think a whole helluva lot more info from the OP is needed before anyone can seriously help out.

doncha just love those drive-by posters who throw a piece of meat into the water just to watch the gators fight over it?

my philosophy: State your opinion once and let others have their say but don't bother arguing with each other. If the OP comes back with more info, then re-evaluate the situation.

[Rich-n-Texas]

doncha just love those drive-by posters who throw a piece of meat into the water just to watch the gators fight over it?

Yeah, just lovely.

my philosophy: State your opinion once and let others have their say but don't bother arguing with each other. If the OP comes back with more info, then re-evaluate the situation.

Agreed. But you know pix.

[pixelthis]

Yeah, just lovely.


Agreed. But you know pix.

wHAT "MORE INFO" do you need?
THE GUYS GOT A SET OF CRAP COMPUTER SPEAKERS, and is wondering why they stink on ice.
Surround speakers for computers are local area speakers, you put two behind you and two in front, etc, they wont provide you with room filling sound anymore than a
FORD FOCUS will break the sound barrier.
Simple as that really.
YOU want to fill a room with surround sound you need the gear, or at least a HTIB,
although HTIB's that I have heard will barely provide enough gas to fill a bathroom with sound.
The truth hurts, but you cant cross the country on a hang glider, computer speakers are fine for what they are, BUT THEY AINT MUCH

[Rich-n-Texas]

The point is pix, this is a dead thread. It's like Mark said, so there's no need to waste energy and emotion on it.

[markw]

As with many one-post-wonders. he probably got what he wanted and moved on with nary a thank you for all who tried to help him.

[pixelthis]

As with many one-post-wonders. he probably got what he wanted and moved on with nary a thank you for all who tried to help him.

But others can learn from this thread.
how many clueless people come onto this forum to ask about friggin computer speakers?
They need to be told that they are wasting their time and others.