Home Theatre PCs and Audio

[Enoch]

So, I'm looking at building a relatively simply PC to set beside the TV in the living room.  Streaming video and blu-ray capability are part of the point, but those aren't terribly complicated things to accomplish. 

 

The other main point, to me, is as a music-delivery system.  That is, to play the music I have stored on a HD on my office PC (n.b., this will utilize hard-wired network connections) in the living room, on speakers appropriate for that kind of use.  I have never focused a whole lot on audio in past PC-building efforts.  (I've bought speakers that are rated okay in the price range I'm looking at, plugged them into the integrated-sound jack on the motherboard, and called it done.) 

 

As I see it, I have two puzzles before me.  First, I don't feel like I know enough about the current state of PC soundcards and the mobo-integrated alternatives.  Are sound cards extraneous?  Essential?  Somewhere in-between?  Are there major differences between the various mobo manufacturers regarding their integrated audio?

 

Second, how do I get that audio from the back of the computer into the room?  I assume that there are 2 main options in this regard: either buy speakers designed for use with a computer, or get a separate Amp to take the signal from the PC as an aux input and send it to speakers with old-fashioned speaker wire.  Skipping the separate amp would be preferable in terms of both cost and space.  But I don't have a strong grasp on what I'm giving up if I limit myself to speaker setups designed to jack into a computer.  Are there "computer speakers" that can fill a room the way a traditional stereo system can?

 

All the guidance I'm seeing online for this sort of thing seems focused on the crazy-audiophile market, which isn't me by any stretch of the imagination.  But that doesn't mean that I'd be okay with just moving the little desktop speakers I have next to my gaming PC out into the living room, or with just using the crummy speaker built into my TV. 

 

 

(Sidenote:  I've always regarded "surround sound" as a mostly-pointless gimmick, and separate subwoofers are ugly and difficult to fit in most 'entertainment center' furniture.  Ideally, I'd like to have 2 speakers of reasonable quality.) 

[kgambit]

 Are there "computer speakers" that can fill a room the way a traditional stereo system can?

 

All the guidance I'm seeing online for this sort of thing seems focused on the crazy-audiophile market, which isn't me by any stretch of the imagination.  But that doesn't mean that I'd be okay with just moving the little desktop speakers I have next to my gaming PC out into the living room, or with just using the crummy speaker built into my TV. 

 

 

(Sidenote:  I've always regarded "surround sound" as a mostly-pointless gimmick, and separate subwoofers are ugly and difficult to fit in most 'entertainment center' furniture.  Ideally, I'd like to have 2 speakers of reasonable quality.) 

 

No.  Computer speakers (at least if we are talking about the little pair sets) probably won't cut it for stereo sound delivery.  Given that you don't want to go with a 5.1+ surround system, I would recommend a separate amp and a  2.0 or 2.1 system and use a pair of floor standing speakers instead of the little computer pairs. 

 

Without knowing your budget, I would set the KEF Q500s (yes they are obscenely priced) as my high end and work my way down:

 

http://www.accessories4less.com/index.php?page=item&id=KEFQ500BLK&gclid=CL_f2qW1nroCFYuk4AodOXAA1Q

 

KEF and Tannoy are the top of the line and you'll pay thru the nose unless you find a clearance sale. 

Then Polk and Infinity,   The Polk Audio TSi300s run about 350$ a pair. What's your budget like?

 

I'm in the midst of doing a home theater upgrade and just started looking at speakers.  

Let me know what you find. 

 

Anybody that has any other speaker recommendations please chime in.  My needs are bit different than Enoch's.

I'm looking to go with at least a 5.1 surround and possibly a 7.2.  I've got the  TV and Blu-ray all picked out, several options for the AVR; just trying to decide on the speakers.

Edited October 17, 2013 by kgambit

[Enoch]

No.  Computer speakers (at least if we are talking about the little pair sets) probably won't cut it for stereo sound delivery.  Given that you don't want to go with a 5.1+ surround system, I would recommend a separate amp and a  2.0 or 2.1 system and use a pair of floor standing speakers instead of the little computer pairs.

 

 

Thanks for the input.  I haven't looked into amps much yet, so I may have further questions as I get deeper into that.

 

By "computer speakers" in that context, I was referring to anything that I can plug into a computer.  I honestly don't know whether I can buy "living room speakers" of any respectable quality that can interface in that manner. 

 

Budget is going to depend on what I can pitch to the wife, and how I can balance where additional investment would be most fruitful (PC components, speakers, amp, etc.)  $350 just on speakers is probably optimistic at this point, but we'll see. 

[samm]

If you intend to go the Bluray / HD streaming route, please consider using a receiver. You plug in the graphics card via HDMI, no need for any kind of sound card or onboard audio. With added benefit for music as well regarding quality and price.

 

Reasons:

 

1. timing. Bluray (or other HD content) often uses 23.somethingsomething fps, and when separating audio content from video content (i.e., plug the graphics card into the monitor, plug in speakers to separate audio output) there will be perdiodical re-sync issues where the image/audio will stutter until it's in sync again. This won't happen if you use HDMI, because audio and video signal will be in sync automatically.

 

2. sound quality. Digital transmission to the receiver whose amp will deliver better audio quality (SNR, Crosstalk etc.) than any onboard solution and most sound cards. Passive "monitor" speakers are a safe bet for quality for the money - you can spend 1000$ on a "home theatre setup" from Samsung or whatever with tiny loudspeakers and rumbling bass or have a better experience with components you select by your own taste and budget.

 

3. flexibility. You automatically have a "relay" station between PC and screen - two shorter HDMI cables are less expensive than one long one*. You can add more speakers effortlessly should money permit it in the future. You can buy any length or quality of speaker cable**

 

-----

*  don't let audio-/videophiles talk you into buying super-special-silvercoated-quadruple-isolated-gold-contact-$100/m cables

 

** don't let audiophiles talk you into buying too fat ones: expensive but crappy handling and no immediate gain unless you transmit absurd amounts of power, which amps in a home receiver don't deliver anyway

Edited October 17, 2013 by samm

[Enoch]

So the receiver goes "in between" the PC and the TV for both audio and video?  Or would I need a video card with 2 HDMI-out slots, one to 'feed' the receiver and one to 'feed' the TV? 

[samm]

Receiver between PC and TV for both audio and video, yes

PC 'feeds' the receiver via HDMI, receiver 'feeds' the TV via HDMI and the speakers via speaker cables (just plain naked copper cables).

Edited October 17, 2013 by samm

[Humanoid]

Been a couple years since I went through a similar thing, and the Blu-ray playback was by far the most complicated thing to get right. Audio is pretty simple, two options - that is, two options worth their salt.

 

PC -> AVR -> Passive speakers

Traditionally yes, you would get an AV Receiver, then bitstream the audio signal via HDMI from the PC (and any other devices you have) to it, leaving it to do all the audio processing, so no need for a sound card in this scenario. The budget here should mostly be spent on the speakers - spend the bare minimum on the AVR and the most you can afford on speakers. A basic Yamaha, Pioneer, Denon, Onkyo, whatever, the difference is tiny compared to what difference the speakers make.

 

For the entry level, say a budget of $500, my personal pick is the Monitor Audio BX2 - or at least, that's what I ended up with. I thought that the Paradigm Atoms sounded lovely but would probably need a sub since sizewise they're a class below the BX2. I've also bought a pair of Usher S520 bookshelves for my parents which I'm pretty impressed with (though I admit that the motivation chiefly was that the local was clearing them out cheap). But really, there are dozens of options out there which I doubt will disappoint, the limiting factor being local availability and how much time you're willing to spend listening to them (and I mean properly listening to them, bring in your own music to the specialist stores and spend a good amount of time with them).

 

PC -> Sound Card -> Active speakers

Simpler but obviously far less expandable is the traditional "computer speaker" setup. Sound card is technically optional, but recommended under this scenario. Choice of speakers is not nearly so large as the selection of passive speakers, but there are a few good options. Aktimate Mini, Audioengine A5, Paradigm Shift A2.

 

Bear in mind that one of the appeals of passive speakers is that it's easy to repurpose them later on - i.e. buy bookshelves as front speakers initially, then later upgrade to floorstanders and use the old speakers for the rear channels. The idea of floorstanders, if you have room for them, is pretty appealing in that it makes it easier to get away without a sub. Of course, if you can stretch a bit, go for floorstanders right off the bat, there are a number of good options at a bit under the $1k mark.

[Gorth]

*Sigh*

 

I really need to do something about the audio side of things on my pc. Ever since my THX certified 7.1 system burnt out on me, I've had a pair of usb desk speakers. Awful... just awful.

 

Still got the 7 satellite speakers. Might have to look into the traditional hi-fi market to find an amplifier/receiver and a new subwoofer.

 

The brilliant guys at Creative Labs designed the system with a glue inside the subwoofer that becomes electrically conductive over time. A built in self destruct mechanism if ever there was any (the glue is there to keep the components of the amplifier in place on the boards, as they take quite a pounding inside the subwoofer box when in use).

[Humanoid]

The satellites will probably have such low impedence they'd blow up any amp you attached them to. Throw them in the bin.

[Humanoid]

Hmm, I stand corrected, they're 8ohm satellites, assuming you're talking about the Gigaworks S750. Unusual for all-in-one systems, but does mean you can probably drive them safely with an off-the-shelf amp. I think the speaker cable terminates in a 1/8" stereo jack? You'd just snip them off I guess, and hopefully there's an easy indication of which wire is which....

[Gorth]

Probably better to check, yes. It would be a shame though as they are (were) good speakers. I thought most equipment these days, pc or otherwise would be using either 4 or 8 Ohm.

[Humanoid]

I think most hi-fi speakers at 6ohm actually, and most mainstream AVRs are not rated to go lower - as in they'll probably work but are not warranted for it. Many HTIB type packages like you see in the box movers like HN go even lower, a Sony system I know of is 3ohm for example.

[Enoch]

Most of that last exchange flew over my head, but I appreciate the responses.

 

Are there options regarding receiver form factor?  I'm old and can't help picturing a whole-shelf-in-a-stereo-cabinet kind of unit, which would be difficult to fit in the setup I am envisioning.

[ManifestedISO]

I agree with samm on the audio/video receiver. They're so versatile, you'll wonder how you managed without, and for not much money.

 

Every device can be plugged in to the receiver: speakers, TV, gaming PC, Xbox, blu-ray player ... even my headphones jack right in the front. I just switch inputs on the remote when I want to change activities. It's capable of Bluetooth, but I don't utilize that part. Just about every port is available: USB, digital optical, HDMI, audio wire, RGB, analog, AM/FM antenna, etc. I like to hear Pandora through 5.1 when I vacuum. And, other stuff.

 

If you're interested in a stereo speaker setup, a soundbar might be suitable. You could plug it in to the TV and then choose "external speakers" on the TV menu, if you elect to forego a receiver. That way, you could also send the audio/video signal from your HTPC to the TV with HDMI. I heartily recommend a receiver, though. Mine is a Yamaha, less than three bills, on sale. Newegg has great deals usually.      

[Humanoid]

Most of that last exchange flew over my head, but I appreciate the responses.

 

Are there options regarding receiver form factor?  I'm old and can't help picturing a whole-shelf-in-a-stereo-cabinet kind of unit, which would be difficult to fit in the setup I am envisioning.

Marantz make slimline receivers if what you're asking for is something less bulky than the usual. They're pretty much fully featured, though obviously you pay a little premium for the privilege. This is their basic unit, which is more than good enough for your needs. Bear in mind that all hi-fi electronics tend to get almost-annual refreshes in the product line, so if you find a dealer selling last year's model for cheap, jump on it.

 

Onkyo receivers run particularly hot and so require more ventilation than normal, so given the same circumstances I'd give them a miss. I like Onkyo and run a unit myself, but I admit it's pretty ugly having a big gap above it in my entertainment unit.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Humanoid

[Kroney]

I went through a similar process a little while ago. I got some hifi speakers off eBay, an Onkyo AV receiver off eBay and plugged a PC into the receiver via HDMI video and optical audio (no HDMI audio on my amp).

 

My digital TV box plays through it, as does my games console. It's easy as pie. The hardest part was finding the menu setting to turn off the rubbish downward-firing TV speakers so my flatmate couldn't keep turning those up instead of the 5.1 hifi speakers and sub.

 

Edit: I've just realised how old this thread is. Soz.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Kroney

[Gorgon]

Used speakers and amplifier will probably get you the best bang for your buck when it comes to your output. Consideriations about Hi Fi and Quality sound hasn't changed much in 20 years.