Creative Gigaworks S750 or Logitech Z-5500?

[Happy_Evil_Dude]

It's all in the title guys. Be it Blu-Ray, any other form of movie/TV watching, music listening, game playing, etc, it all pretty much goes through my PC and my current 2.0 speakers are definitely not enough. So between Creative's S750 7.1 offer and Logitech's 5.1 Z-5500s, which one would you say is the best?

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Happy_Evil_Dude

It's all in the title guys. Be it Blu-Ray, any other form of movie/TV watching, music listening, game playing, etc, it all pretty much goes through my PC and my current 2.0 speakers are definitely not enough. So between Creative's S750 7.1 offer and Logitech's 5.1 Z-5500s, which one would you say is the best?

Budget? There are many other powered speakers that are better than these and not very expensive (i.e. Swan, and Audioengine).

[Happy_Evil_Dude]

Let's say my budget is around 250 euros (= US$360/£220). I was pretty much set on getting the Z-5500 (which costs 250 euros here in France) when I saw I could get a "like new" S750 on the cheap through the net so I was hesitating.

I never heard of those brands you mentioned. I was under the impression those 2 sets were supposed to be the best ones for PCs.

[solarrdadd]

I won't speak to the creative but i will speak to the logitech. I currently own the logitech Z680 speaker system and I absolutely love these speakers. i have analog connected to one of my two computers, i have optical connected to my blu-ray player and i have another computer, HD-DVR cable box both connected via a switcher to the digital coax. I love the fact that this thing has 3 different types of inputs. (like most logitech systems) big sub, front firing and it's a sack rattler! I have had this thing for years and it takes care of my office setup gear and handles everything well. I have had no problems with the logitech system thus far. you can also ge HD audio from it via analog if your your blu-ray player does analog out and you use these cables (this will work for both the creative and the logitech) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0029ZA7T8
I have a set of them and they work great! so that's my two cents on the matter. i'm sure either will do you right but, since i have some experience with the logitech brand, i thought i would speak up for them. again, I have had this for years and watching HD cable in 5.1, football, movies on cable HD as well as my pc's for music and gaming and blu-ray movies the speaker system will decode DD or DTS out of the box and again will accept the cables i linked you to to get HD audio via analog.

best of luck to you and keep us posted!

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Happy_Evil_Dude

Let's say my budget is around 250 euros (= US$360/£220). I was pretty much set on getting the Z-5500 (which costs 250 euros here in France) when I saw I could get a "like new" S750 on the cheap through the net so I was hesitating.

I never heard of those brands you mentioned. I was under the impression those 2 sets were supposed to be the best ones for PCs.

My daughter has the Logitech THX speakers and they are good, but the Audioengine and Swan brands are highend stuff that you don't find in regular stores. I see that you are in France I will check some things out now that I have your budget.

[prerich]

http://www.swanspeaker.com/product/htm/view.asp?id=4 Here are the Swans! There are dealers in France so you can go to the swan-europe site and find you nearest dealer - I don't have a price however.

[Happy_Evil_Dude]

Thanks for the link prerich, but those Swans look too high-end for me at the moment. If I had a dedicated home theater room, I'm sure I'd consider it, but since they're going to end up in my living room they seem too big (and probably too costly).

To answer Solarrdadd, my blu-ray player is LG's GGW-H20L drive. Do you know if it is possible to get HD audio with those speakers using the method you showed?

I guess I might as well go with the Logitech since that way I'll at least have a guarantee which I won't have with buying the Creative on Internet.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Happy_Evil_Dude

Thanks for the link prerich, but those Swans look too high-end for me at the moment. If I had a dedicated home theater room, I'm sure I'd consider it, but since they're going to end up in my living room they seem too big (and probably too costly).

To answer Solarrdadd, my blu-ray player is LG's GGW-H20L drive. Do you know if it is possible to get HD audio with those speakers using the method you showed?

I guess I might as well go with the Logitech since that way I'll at least have a guarantee which I won't have with buying the Creative on Internet.

No they're not large at all - the sats are only 5inches high, a little less that 5 inches deep and 4.5 inches wide. Thats smaller that a piece of paper. I don't think they cost as much as you expect either. You've gotta be impressed by the craftsmanship though !!! I'm going to try and find a US price so you can get an ideal.

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by Happy_Evil_Dude

Thanks for the link prerich, but those Swans look too high-end for me at the moment. If I had a dedicated home theater room, I'm sure I'd consider it, but since they're going to end up in my living room they seem too big (and probably too costly).

To answer Solarrdadd, my blu-ray player is LG's GGW-H20L drive. Do you know if it is possible to get HD audio with those speakers using the method you showed?

I guess I might as well go with the Logitech since that way I'll at least have a guarantee which I won't have with buying the Creative on Internet.

the speakers don't give you HD audio, the player must be able to decode Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD-MA onboard as well as pass Uncompressed PCM via analog. as long as your player can do those things onboard and pass them via analog most if not all logitech speaker systems that have analog inputs ("headphone" sized connector inputs" for 5 - 7.1 inputs will be able to use the cable cable which goes from mini jacks (logitech side) to rca jacks (blu-ray player side).
you should be in great shape. set the logitech system to "direct" (which is analog) and your in business. like i said, this is for my basement office and these speakers really really rock. sometimes I get complaints from my family upstairs telling me to turn it down because the sub is rattling stuff upstairs as well as the volume level, damn action movies!

[saljr]

I heard that Altec Lansing are coming out with digital coaxial speaker for PC. In 1st quarter of 2010 but I think others will follow.