Logitech X-530 5.1 Speakers

Does anyone have this speakers? How is it? It is quite an old set of speakers though

Or, can anyone recommend some nice 5.1 speakers around the price of the Logitech?

I've heard that some sound cards don't have 5.1 support? Is my card ok?

 

I have the Logitech X-540 5.1 speaker set and they are great. they are basically the same exact thing except the 540 version comes with a master volume/bass controller and a matrix mode button. the button allows the speaker system to emulate 5.1 sound from a 2 speaker output. I use my set on my laptop that has a two speaker output but my sound card is 5.1 ready. I have mine set up in my small apartment room and the sound fills it nicely. Transformers sounds great with all the bass the robots make. I got my set at best buy on sale for $80. they are $77 on newegg with free shipping. best bang for your buck really.

As far as the 5.1 support or not, i think the matrix mode button overrides it because it can emulate 5.1.

 

make sure you have a headphone jack (green), mic in jack (orange), and speaker out jack (mine's black, could be any color as long as there is a third jack).

 

Umm I only have a green headphone out and an orange mic in. I think my speaker out is directly ported to the laptop speakers?

 

it won't be a problem, im looking at the instructions booklet and it says:

2-channel sound card: Connect green plug from the audio input cable to the "line out" jack (headphone). Do not use the black or orange plugs. With a 2-channel sound card you will not hear sound from the rear speakers unless you activate Matrix mode.

So basically you should be good if you decided to get this system. The matrix mode on this model makes it possible for a 2-channel sound card to create a 5.1 sound.

 

So it's not a "true" 5.1 sound but an emulated one?

 

correct, not a "true" 5.1 (then again, would you expect a true 5.1 from plugging just 1 of the 3 jacks?) but you will still get voice/background from the two front speakers, background from the rear speakers, dedicated voice from the center speaker, and bass from the sub. Laptops from almost all manufacturers always skimp on the sound card.. even high gaming notebooks. This is basically the best you are gonna get for a 2-channel sound card. Otherwise stick to a 2 speakers setup with "true" 2.0 sound.

 

I have the X-530's, I got them in a deal from Buy.com for $40 with free shipping (one heck of a good deal).

For what I paid, they're a really nice set of 5.1 surrounds. They aren't top-end gear, but they're a really decent budget value, constructed well, with decent sound for games, and a headphone jack for the times when you just want music. I have them plugged into the X-Fi XtremeGamer on my desktop system.

 

The T61p can only output 2 channel sound from the headphone jack, some systems will play those 2 channels through all the speakers at once so they all add sound, but it will be a 2.1 system where the center and rears just mimic the fronts.

If you buy one of the docks then there is an SPDIF out which should support 5.1 sound, but no one has ever confirmed that it really works.

 

That's interesting. My new HD tv has an SPDIF socket

 

Hi. I am trying to connect the X-540 to my Mac Mini, and I hope someone can help me. I tried putting each of the three cables from Logitech into my Mac Mini speaker input (green, orange, black) but nothing routes the sound to the Logitech speakers. Any thoughts on what I need to do?

 

bring up the audio (configuration) manager so you can set the speaker configuration to Stereo first (you can change this to 5.1 when you get sound). make sure the matrix button is on. are the input jack on your mac color coded? try switching the orange and black jacks. also if you are using software like powerdvd, make sure the audio is on 2-speaker output.

 

if that doesn't work, you're just gonna have to plug in the green (headphone) jack on only with the matrix mode button on. the speakers should create a 5.1 sound from the speakers (obviously not a "true" 5.1).

 

I went ahead and order a set of X540s. given with my budget I won't get anything *that* spectacular, I think the X540s are a pretty good start.

 

I absolutely love my X-530 speakers! Been using them for quite a few years now and they've definitely performed well. No complaints other than it would've been nice to have digital surround by S/PDIF or TOSLINK.

Doesn't matter too much anyways, as my laptop supports analog 5.1 surround as well.

 

Does the X530/X540 have a SPDIF cable with it?

 

no they don't.

 

But do they support it? If so I'll have to buy an extension

 

I'm pretty sure they don't. there are no extra available jacks behind the sub, they are all taken up by the speakers.

 

They do however come with an adapter in case you want to hook it up to a PS3 or something similar. (Still analog)