5.0 Speaker setup (no subwoofer)

[bthurber]

I started out my stereo system with full-size front left/right mains with 10" woofers. I then added medium-size center channel and left-right surrounds - so I have basically a 5.0 setup (no subwoofer).

I'm not sure I'm interested in doing the subwoofer thing because I would think my front left/right speakers could easily handle the lows thrown at them. The problem is that I need to somehow direct all of the lows to them (bass management I guess is the proper term). My amp has this capability to a very limited extent but I would like to be able to do this in the PC, and I can't seem to track down the right hardware/software combination to do it.

Here's what I think I want to have happen for each Sage scenario
* Any 5.1 audio track (AAC, AC3, DTS, whatever) - send the .1 to the front left/right speakers. Send the rest to the designated speakers. I realize this is going to require some mixing of the sub track with the left front track and the right front track.
* Any stereo track - send everything to the left/right channels (no surround)

My amp can handle SPDIF in DTS, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic. It can also alternatively handle discrete 6-channel analog inputs for front left/front right/center/sub/surround left/surround right. I would think the best way to send everything to the amp would be DTS or discrete 6-channel analog and forget about Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic.

I messed around with AC-3 Filter- thinking that I could do this sort of thing in software, but I either cannot figure it out, or it isn't there.

I came across the Auzentech's HDA X-Plosion 7.1 DTS-Connect card that someone else was talking about in another thread, and it looks like it might be the answer, but I've messed around with a DiamondMM c-media card in the past, and wasn't impressed but I know this may be an apples/oranges comparison.

Does anyone have experience with the Auzentech card or is anyone doing something similar to this using other technology? Has anyone figured out how to do this with AC3-filter or other software? Does anyone think I should just bite the bullet and get a subwoofer because it is just how things should be done for the best sound? Of course, the solution has to work with Sage - that is about all this PC runs.

Thank you for your replies/comments

Brad

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by bthurber

I messed around with AC-3 Filter- thinking that I could do this sort of thing in software, but I either cannot figure it out, or it isn't there.

If you turn off the "Auto matrix" checkbox on the Mixer tab, you should be able to edit the matrix manually to send any combination of channels to any speaker. Finding the right matrix settings to do what you want is left as an exercise for the reader.

That said, it seems to me it would be a whole lot simpler to just add a real subwoofer to your system rather than messing around trying to create a virtual one. But hey, if you're having fun, don't let me stop you.

[Polypro]

What OS are you using? LFE or Low Frequency Effects is what it's called...sends bass to full range front left & right speakers. I know Power DVD (decoder) has an option for LFE, can't recall if nVIDIA can, but I think it does. The "In Box" Vista driver can also do it.

P

[bthurber]

Originally Posted by Polypro

What OS are you using?

Plain Windows XP Pro

Originally Posted by Polypro

I know Power DVD (decoder) has an option for LFE, can't recall if nVIDIA can, but I think it does. The "In Box" Vista driver can also do it.

I think I'm using WinDVD. I'll have to take a look at PowerDVD and NVidia - thanks for the tip. I'm guessing that I'll have to run 5 analog audio cables rather than something like DTS with either of these.

Brad

[autoboy]

Best way is to run a digital output to the amp. Set front speakers to large, then set your center and surrounds to small and cross them over at 80hz. Turn off sub output on amp. This will send all LFE to the fronts, and all 80hz and below to the fronts from center and surrounds. I think this should work just as well using the analog output from the soundcard into the amp 5.1 inputs, but I am not positive about this. This way you avoid the software hassles.

[camus]

I would agree with autoboy on how to approach this and depending on your equipment you will probably get better results.

[bthurber]

Originally Posted by camus

I would agree with autoboy on how to approach this and depending on your equipment you will probably get better results.

Probably more info than you want to know, but unfortunately, I've never been happy with my equipment in this regard. I can select small/large speakers and I can tell it to send the sub to the front mains, but I can't control the crossover frequency. Truth be told, I've never been able to get earth-shattering bass out of this speaker/amp combination (karman kardon AVR210, JBL S310's). I'm not sure if it is the amp limiting what it sends, or the crossover in the speakers themselves that prevent frequencies below a certain level to even reach the woofers. If it is the amp bass management that is deficient, I was hoping to overcome that through software.

[Khristopher]

No matter how you slice it, no system WITHOUT a subwoofer is going to be able to compete with a system that has one unless your front speakers have 10" woofers and are separately amped. (I have yet to hear one, but I'm also not afraid to admit I'm wrong.)

A decent subwoofer is going to be between the $300-$400 range but it is well worth the investment, even for something as simple as watching TV.

You can find a cheaper subwoofer for around the $200 mark, but speaking from my own experience, spend the extra money and get something that sounds "Awesome" as compared to something that just sounds "Really Good".

My original sub was a 10" Quest which I picked up from Future Shop for $199+tax. It sounded good at the time. About a year ago I replaced it with a 10" Athena for $399. The difference is like night and day.

It's kind of cliche, but you really get what you pay for and sometimes $100 is the difference between "Good", and "Amazing".