Pondered this ages. Finally might do it. 8.2 Surround SOUND!

Judas · Jan 5, 2005, 01:41 AM

All hercules 7.1 sound cards have 4 stereo audio out jacks. Configureable as well. Now this has always been a thought when i first got the sound card and further interest when i had hooked up 4 stereo amplifiers to each out jack (although i did something to the orginally set, center/bass output)

Anyways, to shorten up the story and theory a little. I've 2 5.1 speaker sets, EXACTLY the same on hand. these speakers being Altec Lancing 5.1 251's. Although they are extremely cheap, and don't pound out a sound quite as good as my poor old creative 5300's, they do a damn good job provided that you place them as perfectly as you can in a room.

Anyways, these speakers have the ability to be set as 2 channel/4 channel/6 channel (the last being 5.1 surround sound mode)

When set to 2 or 4 channel, the amp in the subwoofer will pull the nessary samples from the audio in to put out the low end automatically making this ideal (although i must stress, by default in 5.1, using a dedicated BASS connect, i've ecountered that the bass on the sub needs to be turned way down or else you will received distortion, however, uplugging it and using the crossover built into the sub woofer results in excellent low end results when you turn it back up.

My goal is to hook up both 5.1 altecs in 2x 4.1 mode. Set the control panel to 7.1 audio and fidle with the dedicated center/sub out and see if i can get it to spit out center/center, and if i must, it'll be mono, but i may get stereo working if i can get it figured out.

Placement of the subwoofers as i've come to understand and have looked into is a very large concern, specially with more then 1 sub woofer in a relatively small room. Most of the pro's will recommend that each subwoofer be places in the following fashions in the best to the worst (well not really the worst, as you could place them who knows were):

1: front left corner, back right corner
2: Center front, center back
3: any corner

IF i decied to go ahead with it, i'll be sure to report back.

Zelig · Jan 5, 2005, 02:26 AM

It's actually pretty easy to figure out where to place the subs.

Put the first sub in your listening position, and then crawl around the room, especially to the corners, and figure out where it sounds best. Then put the sub in that position.

Repeat for the second sub, while the first sub is operational.

Robert McClelland · Jan 5, 2005, 02:28 AM

Do you ever clean up your room? Judas

hehehe

Judas · Jan 5, 2005, 02:37 AM

actually, i've been known never to have a dirty room.... however, i do on occasion get it dirty while working on it. It may stay like that until i have finished.

Judas · Jan 5, 2005, 03:17 AM

ok.. finished setting up and i'm playing through of my favorite tracks.... ATM, they are just stereo tracks feeding 4x Stereo. So far, i do feel thoroughly surrounded... wow.... WOW.....

gonna pop a few games that support surround sound.. see what this Digifire 7.1 sound card can deliver in 8.2

Jan 5, 2005, 02:28 AM	#3
Robert McClelland PAX Tweaker, PAX Expert. Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Somewhere in Wood County Ohio Same Town :) Posts: 10,617 Rep Power: 196 System Specs	Do you ever clean up your room? Judas hehehe __________________ "XTREME AUDIO IS CRAP!" "There no support for it. It's crapist card on face of the earth it should be throw into the sun" http://www.speedtest.net/result/1949536385.png

Jan 5, 2005, 02:26 AM	#2
Zelig HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 3,187 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	It's actually pretty easy to figure out where to place the subs. Put the first sub in your listening position, and then crawl around the room, especially to the corners, and figure out where it sounds best. Then put the sub in that position. Repeat for the second sub, while the first sub is operational.