i want better pc audio please advise

i have logitech z906 speakers  however i want to step up pc audio in the following department. i also haveYamaha NS-SP1800BL 5.1-Channel Home Theater Speaker Systemthat I have not used yet.  I am also covered in the headphone department as i have sennheiser hd598, klipsch x10i, beyerdynamic dt 880, and a few other high end headphones.

1) i have 5.1 yamaha speakers that i want to use with a receiver with a pc. can anyone recommend a good 7.1 receiver? if the receiver has dolby headphone mode that would be good as well. i would like to spend under $300.  i have amazon prime and live in FL  (free shipping no tax hopefully i can stay under $300 or $350 at the most).  

1.5) I might buy 2 speakers for 7.1 sound, which speaskers would be good with the yamahas and do most pc games support 7.1 sound or hopw do you know if the game does.

2) from what i have been told is that hdmi will carry over your 1080p and full surround sound in one cable (gives better sound than optical or coaxial cables). here is my problem (a good problem) i use  dvi-d cable out of my gtx 680 for 2560 x 1600 gaming, with that set up what should i be connecting the pc to a receiver with for the the best sound?   should i go with optical, coaxial, can hdmi only do audio if you want, something else........?  sorry extremely confused.

3) would a sound card benefit me in my situation of wanting to use a receiver or is it useless?  what is a good sound card if i should get one (i used to use a claro plus card but it does not fit in my new motherboard. )

4) if i want excellent headphone sound for gaming and possibly videos, should i plug into the reciever, the pc, or buy a separate amp that plugs into the pc, or use a separate amp that plugs into the receiver?


thanks for your help

The most important question is, how much money are you willing to spend on everything? Reciever, headphones, etc.

The most important question is, how much money are you willing to spend on everything? Reciever, headphones, etc.

NVIDIATI

All I can tell you about this is if you wanna use surround sound, you'll need a sound card.RevanBITW

Receiver options:

$229 - Onkyo TX-NR515 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver

$299 - Onkyo TX-NR616 7.2-Channel THX Certified Network A/V Receiver

What is the exact model of the Yamaha speakers?

Receiver options:

$229 - Onkyo TX-NR515 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver

$299 - Onkyo TX-NR616 7.2-Channel THX Certified Network A/V Receiver

What is the exact model of the Yamaha speakers?

 

NVIDIATI

[QUOTE="NVIDIATI"]

Receiver options:

$229 - Onkyo TX-NR515 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver

$299 - Onkyo TX-NR616 7.2-Channel THX Certified Network A/V Receiver

What is the exact model of the Yamaha speakers?

 

merigoldsass

You will need to upgrade the speakers and sub if you want truly better sound quality.  Since your budget is so low do it piece by piece I would start with the center and fronts as this is what will affect sound quality the most especially movies where only the front 2 channels and sub matter and for gaming and movies these 3 speakers will be the front of your soundstage so you need to have all good speakers to get a convincing soundstage it would sound wierd getting some nice fronts and still using the small center channel from your current yamaha 5.1 set If you can't afford it then wait till you have enough money to do so.

I would reccomend these Pioneer BS22 Speakers for fronts and the matching center go with the cheaper reciever NVIDIATI linked and use the rest towards these speakers then you can get a sub later down the line I would reccomend Dayton SUB1200 then you can upgrade the rear speakers if you want to or maybe you can get some some new front and center and use the Pioneer BS22 as surrounds and possibly use the old pioneer center channel for a 6.1 setup its up to you how far you take this audio setup just giving my suggestions.

You do not need a sound card. Run two HDMI cables from the 680, one from the HDMI port and another from the DVI-D port with an HDMI adapter. Send one to the monitor and the other to the AVR for sound. In Nvidia Control Panel, set up multiple displays with the monitor as focus and primary, and put the AVR off to one corner. The only problem is that the mouse will slip off onto the AVR sometimes, and you have to fiddle it back onto the screen. Pain in the A, but you get full HD sound in PCM for everything from games to Blu-ray. Sell that Logitech crap. Plug the headphones into the AVR for the best sound, but if you have a sound card with Dolby Headphone, you might want to use that, instead.

You cannot get HD sound through optical or RCA, and you don't need 7.1. That's overkill, and not much uses it. Throw the money at speakers. Once you get HDMI audio from the 680 to the AVR, you're done except for upgrading the speakers. You would be amazed how much better expensive speakers sound. Save up, but you should be pretty happy with the Yamahas through an AVR.

You do not need a sound card. Run two HDMI cables from the 680, one from the HDMI port and another from the DVI-D port with an HDMI adapter. Send one to the monitor and the other to the AVR for sound. In Nvidia Control Panel, set up multiple displays with the monitor as focus and primary, and put the AVR off to one corner. The only problem is that the mouse will slip off onto the AVR sometimes, and you have to fiddle it back onto the screen. Pain in the A, but you get full HD sound in PCM for everything from games to Blu-ray. Sell that Logitech crap. Plug the headphones into the AVR for the best sound, but if you have a sound card with Dolby Headphone, you might want to use that, instead.

You cannot get HD sound through optical or RCA, and you don't need 7.1. That's overkill, and not much uses it. Throw the money at speakers. Once you get HDMI audio from the 680 to the AVR, you're done except for upgrading the speakers. You would be amazed how much better expensive speakers sound. Save up, but you should be pretty happy with the Yamahas through an AVR.

Blistrax

will doing what you said allow for 2560 X 1600 gaming?merigoldsass

Yes. I didn't notice before that your HDMI port is open. Use that for the AVR. You will have to make it the default audio device in Windows, too, of course.

[QUOTE="merigoldsass"]

will doing what you said allow for 2560 X 1600 gaming?Blistrax

Yes. I didn't notice before that your HDMI port is open. Use that for the AVR. You will have to make it the default audio device in Windows, too, of course.

i spoke to PNY support about my gtx 680 sli setup. they said I can not use DVI-D at 2560 X 1600 (requirement for me) for video along with the spare hdmi ports for only audio. looks like for gaming i will have to use optical to the receiver and for 1080p movie viewing i can use one hdmi cable for the video and the audio.

...()...get a sub later down the line I would reccomend Dayton SUB1200 ...()...

DJ_Headshot

Had contact with Parts Express over a Dayton 1200 and can recommend that shop if only for their helpfulness and friendliness.  Ordered a Dayton 1200 from a European Dayton distributor (Intertechnik in Kerpen, Germany) --to cut down on the shipping costs to Belgium-- and it's underway...

[QUOTE="Blistrax"]

[QUOTE="merigoldsass"]

will doing what you said allow for 2560 X 1600 gaming?merigoldsass

Yes. I didn't notice before that your HDMI port is open. Use that for the AVR. You will have to make it the default audio device in Windows, too, of course.

i spoke to PNY support about my gtx 680 sli setup. they said I can not use DVI-D at 2560 X 1600 (requirement for me) for video along with the spare hdmi ports for only audio. looks like for gaming i will have to use optical to the receiver and for 1080p movie viewing i can use one hdmi cable for the video and the audio.

Did you try it? I'm doing it right now as I type with a GTX 590. Are you going to believe me or a Pakistani high-school dropout with a 6-day training course and a flip book?

You won't get surround through optical unless you are using dolby digital live or DTS connect to compress the signal.

[QUOTE="RevanBITW"]All I can tell you about this is if you wanna use surround sound, you'll need a sound card.merigoldsass

[QUOTE="merigoldsass"]

[QUOTE="RevanBITW"]All I can tell you about this is if you wanna use surround sound, you'll need a sound card.ProjectPat187

[QUOTE="merigoldsass"]

[QUOTE="Blistrax"]

 

Yes. I didn't notice before that your HDMI port is open. Use that for the AVR. You will have to make it the default audio device in Windows, too, of course.

Blistrax

i spoke to PNY support about my gtx 680 sli setup. they said I can not use DVI-D at 2560 X 1600 (requirement for me) for video along with the spare hdmi ports for only audio. looks like for gaming i will have to use optical to the receiver and for 1080p movie viewing i can use one hdmi cable for the video and the audio.

Did you try it? I'm doing it right now as I type with a GTX 590. Are you going to believe me or a Pakistani high-school dropout with a 6-day training course and a flip book?

You won't get surround through optical unless you are using dolby digital live or DTS connect to compress the signal.

kraken2109

[QUOTE="kraken2109"]

You won't get surround through optical unless you are using dolby digital live or DTS connect to compress the signal.

merigoldsass