Someone please help me! I am planning on buying the Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers and I presently have a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 (not ZS) and an Asus P4P800-E motherboard. I want to know wich is the best way to connect them. I heard that in games it is better to have the analog 6 channel direct option by connecting the 3 stereo-mini connectors to the back of my sound card (for positional sound). But what about movies? If I also connect the speakers to my mobo via the optical cable jack will it be true 5.1 surround sound ?? will I be able to hear the small noises and subtle effects in movies? and will I be better off with the coxial out (my mobo supports both otpitcal and coxial out). And what about music. Since music is still recorded in stereo should I use the digital out (3.5MM mini-connector) jack on my sound card the 6 channel direct or the optical out to get the cleanest sound. I what if I want simulated 5.1 wich should I use??? Thank-you very much. ANY HELP AT ALL is very appreciated. Thanks for your time.
The 6 channel direct option is good and so is digital. You have to listen and hear for yourself which one is best. If you really want clean sound, you don't want to go this route, specially with any compressed digital format audio.
Good sound is whatever you think sounds good to YOU...no one else.
As far "true 5.1 surround"...that really depends on the encoding of the media you are using. If the media source is recorded in 5.1 surround then you will get true surround. If it is only in stereo or mono, then what you get is stereo that has been matrixed to go out to all the speakers. The noises and subtle effects can be heard, by how much and how clearly, really depends on your equipment. You shouldn't have any trouble hearing them with those.