Off Topic - Surround sound for Doom3?

[administrator]

(Disclaimer - I'll move this topic to the "Other" forum soon.)

I've heard that Doom3 (http://www.doom3.com/) has the most advanced surround sound of any computer game to date. While I'm surrounded by AR 303a's in my living room, my computer has always been connected to a $45 set of two speakers and a subwoofer. I'm looking for a couple suggestions .. first, now that I have an excuse to upgrade the speakers, what do you all recommend? How about these Cambridge Soundworks?

http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com/store/c...g750&type=store

Also, if I go 7.1, how am I going to setup a computer and the speakers in an ideal environment? 7.1 sounds extremely complicated to me, almost like I would have to build a room just to make it work. Otherwise I'll have speakers hanging off the walls, maybe a couple on stands, etc.

And finally .. any recommendations on hifi audio cards? I have always used Crystal chipset based cards, but they've moved away from PC based audio I think.

Thanks for dealing with this off topic post ..

Mark

[Guest Nigel]

Hi Mark;

Classic AR speakers work well in the HT environment .

Our system uses AR9 & AR91.5 speakers.

[administrator]

Hi Nigel,

You have your computer hooked up to your home theatre? My home theatre is basically my living room, so there's no way I would be able to use my computer there .. or if I did, I could only use it effectively to play games.

I think another set of AR 303a's around my computer in a small room would be a bit overkill. Actually, eight more AR 303a's would land me in bankruptcy court! Seriously though, the logistics of setting up seven or eight bookshelf or larger speakers around a computer area I would think would be very difficult.

Maybe there is some kind of computer workstation furniture that would wrap around me and the computer a full 360 degrees? People might think I'm strange at that point, but I would feel very connected to Doom3!

Mark

[Guest Nigel]

Hi Mark;

Given the constraints of the small room - how about AR18 speakers for the surrounds and AR48 or AR58 for the mains.

Another approach is to have the game computer in the same room as the HT, with a wireless keyboard, mouse, etc, sending the audio and video to the HT system.....

[Guest Nigel]

>Maybe there is some kind of computer workstation furniture

>that would wrap around me and the computer a full 360 degrees?

Some of the games at arcades simulate cockpits....maybe you could find one surplus, or make your own - some 1" MDF, 2x4, padding, carpet and a good automobile seat.....

[kkantor]

Hi.

The CSW's are great gaming speakers. Logitech, Altec and Klipsch also make credible desktop units.

Depending on how serious (and flush...) you are, some gaming pros seems to like the NHT M00's.

I'm out of the country for another week, but would be happy to give you further input as sporadic email allows.

[Guest molecules]

How about PSB Alpha Mini's ? or (Paradigm atoms)I have the mini's on both computers, (admittedly stereo) but they sound better than any made-for-computer speakers I ever hear. They are fairly small, shielded. I use a cheap $29 Radio Shack integrated amp , about 2 watts, and they are loud as many powered speakers, and a good stereo system. They sound more accurate that CSW's. The other computer uses a Yamaha mini cd-receiver CRX-E150 and it sounds great, and it has a sub output, although the mini's have good base in this set-up. An old receiver is great for a computer because it has a very convenient volume control and a modest one has lots of power vis-a-vis powered computer hyper-bright, one-note-bass, metal and plastic sonic affronts to music. (I am surprised when I think of someone on these pages considering such unmusical speakers for their computer !)

How about using slightly larger front speakers, and a phantom center channel? It may give you a more accurate presentation overall. If so, there's lots to consider, smaller EPI's, baby advents, Cizek, KLH 38, or any classic bookshelf !

Dave