Is the z5500 still the best 5.1 system you can get for PC?

Edifier s550
http://www.edifier.ca/english/speakers/s550/s550.htm
Simple as the z5500, buy em plug em in and done.. sure there's probably better for the price if you get speakers, sub and amp all separate but this is something anyone could get with very little research required, just doesn't have the marketing hype of the z5500.


will be expecting footage soon.

 

well, there's your answer OP.

suppose i should go find my lighter fluid.

 

Had the Z-5500 with an X-fi. Sold it and got a Xonar Essence ST + Ultrasone PRO 2900 headphones. I thought the Z-5500 was good for the time, but I could never go back. I'd definitely want to build my own speaker setup in the future.

 

what's the sound stage like? does it produce convincing 3d?
seriously. thinking of upgrading to a titanium hd and stereo setup.
i've heard precise 3d from analog stereo, but want to know if digital stereo's capable of the same thing.

 

Headphones and 3D routines are very convincing IMO. CMSS-3D which is what you would be using was designed for gaming. This type of system allows you to hear audio cues from any direction around you on normal stereo headphones.

 

hmmm....this is good info. I was thinking bout grabbing some z-5500's in the future,reading these posts just changed my mind.

 

I think most around here would suggest you look elswhere. There are many ways to go with audio systems these days. Any audio product you can use in your living room can be used with a PC. You can find good deals on amps,receivers and speakers at many sites that will give you much better sound quality then cheaper "PC" type speakers.

 

What Robscix said.

I've always seen the Z5500Ds as being the "be all and end all" of PC audioware. But to be honest I don't know why PC reviewers give them so much praise.

I own a set but will be looking elsewhere when the time comes for a new set.

 

+1

Is not like i was about to buy them today, but its been like i really want the z5500 maybe one day i can buy them, now ill give go for something else...

actually my current receiver has multi-channel outputs available that i might be able to use hhmm ill look at the manual now

 

Agree'd, get a home cinema set like me, it's around same price as Z-5500's.
And have much higher quality sounds.

 

I've never really understood why people would pay out so much for the Z5500. Yes they have their place (plug and play), but with that sought of money it just seems to make sense to buy a receiver and start their. If you want 5.1 then reciever>5.1 speaker set is they way forward. For me I love my music and I love my set up, I wouldnt trade it any day of the week for a pair of Z5500's.

 

I don't own a set of the z-5500's but I do own the z-5300e. Those are great for gaming but they are just horrible for music and movies. I hooked up my PC to my home theater system and its like night and day. I use an Onkyo TX-SR674B that I've had for maybe 4 years now. Its one great receiver.

 

Two of my friends have a Z-5500 (both of them do) and I know there are alot of reviews claiming they are good but having heard them I decided long ago I'm going to stick to my onboard Realtek and my 5.1 speakers with their built-in analog amp (75 € is what I paid for them, almost ten years ago). Why? Because the Z-5500 package is simply not worth getting. Instead, I'm going to keep the money so I can save up faster for some decent speakers (Canton Vento 890 DC). Trouble is I also need an amp as well as a DAC, otherwise they would already be standing in my room right now.

 

Frankly, the Z-5500 still remains the king for an all in one THX certified gaming speaker system.

I bought my set several years ago (2006) when the price was $110.00 less and noticed the increase in price over the last several years. $349.00 from newegg? My gosh...Logitech new they had the pc gamer market to their own for a bit and in this case it seems they still do.

Before this setup, I had the previous best gaming setup, the Klipsch Pro Media

I run a Pro Tools HD/Icon/Venue music/pp studio outside of Chicago here and, while they can't compete to professional monitors, etc.), they are the best solution for a die hard gamer that doesn't want to engage in the 'combined components' shopping issue.

 

I heard the Ediger S550's are better than the Z-5500's though.

 

They are far from being the king of PC speakers...There are many PC speakers that are better then the Z-5500's.
There are better sets from Edifier,Sven, MicroLab..etc.

The trouble is those one way plastic drivers that only handle the high range forcing the subwoofer to produce frequencies that are too high. Given the system that bloated, woofy bass sound.

They are much better offering proper two way wooden satelites that can handle high and mid range frequencies which allows the sub to operate in the range it should.

 

I've a set of z-5500's on my tv... they work great on that for movies and stuff via optical out and on my htpc via direct.

I don't like them for listening to music tho... so I suppose it depends on what use you want to put them to. For games and movies they are great and that sub can really crank it out!

 

the king of what? id say they are the king of muddy bass...crappy and broken high ends..I mean seriously..HOW can you possibly get decent sound out of PLASTIC SPEAKERS???

the best 'PC' speakers to date would be the Klipsch but there IS a new set now but they are only 2.0's and those are the B&W's. From what I have been told..they are PHENOMENAL but, thats 3rd party opinion too. the Logitech speakers are entry level at BEST. They, to an audiophile, would be below acceptable to most, due to their design, regardless of whatever 'certification' or otherwise. Once you start getting into audio at a serious level, you start to learn that really, 'THX' is not much more than marketing and thats about it. I would really recommend you visit a stereo shop in your city and bring some CD's with you and spend a few hours listening to REAL speakers as if you think the Logitech ANYTHING are of any sort of quality, you REALLY have a lot to learn the world of audio.

 

lol, the B&W speakers you're talking about are plastic too.. and last time i checked, they cost $500. you could do much better with that kind of money..

 

The trouble with the Z-5500's Satelites is not so much the plastic, but the fact they are only one way speakers. They have one tiny driver in there... not good at all.