Hardware dilemma (speakers vs EAX)

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peachsnowfalling

Geek Trainee
So, I finally ordered a 'new' video card from Ebay (ATi 9700, thankyouverymuch :D), and was also planning on getting an Audigy 2 and some speakers to enjoy surround sound as well as EAX.

The only problem is the speakers my friend suggested (Logitech Z640 5.1), which seem a very good deal, say nothing about EAX support. Am I true in assuming only Creative's speakers support it? Furthermore, these speakers seem to get very good gaming reviews (with slightly less shining points on music, but that's permissable). I looked on Ebay and found Creative's refurbished store.. There one can find their Inspire 4.1 speakers for $24.99 plus S+H.

My question is this: would there be a noticeable difference between these two speaker sets while EAX is turned on? Would it be better to change my mind and instead get Creative's refurbished speakers, sacrificing one satellite for EAX? As I have said before, I know so little about these things I feel the need to ask.

Cheers, :thumb:

~peachsnowfalling~.
 
All you need for EAX to work is a sound card and a game that support it. Speakers don't need any drivers of any kind to operate, you just plug them in and configure them with your sound card utilities.

I've read good things about the Logitech z640. for that price range, people seem very happy with them.
I was myself looking for some good speakers just a few days ago and everywhere I looked, people kept suggesting either Logitech or Klipsch (which costs way more), but very few mentionned creative speakers. Is it a price/quality ratio or simply poor quality from Creative ? I wouldn't know.
However, if you can, you should listen to various speakers before you buy them, because sound is a subjective thing. What may sound good to someone may sound bad to you and vice-versa.
Personnally, I went with the Z560 (4.1) because I don't watch movies with my computer so I don't need the center channel, so I decided to lower the price by maintaining quality by going to 4.1 sets.
They sound very good for games. The sub is impressive for the price I paid (imo) but music quality isn't that impressive. It's really not bad but there's a little too much bass to me. You can play with the equalizer though. I don't mind because I don't listen to music with my computer either. I use those speakers exclusively for gaming, and I have to say that I'm impressed and I do not regret buying them at all.
They're more expensive than the z640 though (twice as expensive approximately).

To sum up: if you don't watch movies, go with 4.1 sets as you will get more quality for the same price, compared to 5.1 sets, obviously. If you still want to stay with 5.1 sets, maybe you'll wanna' look at the Z5300 (a little cheaper than the Z560) which are between the Z640 and Z560 in terms of quality. The Z680 are very good but very expensive also.
To me: Z560 = best value.

Oh and guess what ? We did a review of those Inspire 4.1 speakers: http://www.zone365.com/content/17/7/1

EDIT: I'd liek to add that for $25, it's a steal. However, the shipping could cost a lot du to the weight.
 
For a low-cost 4.1 setup, Creative probably has it, but if you want something better, there are better companies to spend the money on. I still have that Inspire 4400 set and they are still working very well. I would definitely check on the shipping, and if it's much more than $10, you'd be better off seeing if the local Best Buy, or other chain has them or something similar.
 
Thanks for the info, guys. But now I'm wary about not buying Creative's speakers, as they support EAX. If, as you say (harrack52), EAX only needs to be available in the audio card, why would speakers (or specifically, Creative) have "EAX" listed at all as a feature, if it's unimportant for the speakers? Can one choose to get EAX in their audio card or speakers, so it would work either way? I just don't think I understand this, and I really don't want to get the 5.1 set if EAX won't work to it's best potential (I'm specifically looking to hear EAX in Thief, Thief 2, and Thief 3, along with URU). Is there a guide or article for dummies like me which addresses some of these issues? It isn't that I don't believe you guys, but it's hard to come to terms with the idea that the speakers don't need EAX at all and yet they still have it listed..

If anything, I'd think it meant the speakers were compatible with EAX, meaning the Logitech's aren't (as one can't find 'EAX' anywhere on the page of specifications), and that wouldn't be good at all. Grah, more choices to make. I guess I will just look around for some EAX information..

Cheers,

~peachsnowfalling~
 
If, as you say (harrack52), EAX only needs to be available in the audio card, why would speakers (or specifically, Creative) have "EAX" listed at all as a feature, if it's unimportant for the speakers?
Click to expand...
The answer, friend, is simple: GIMMICK. EAX is an environmental audio simulation language that is hardware accellerated by EAX compatible sound cards, such as Live! and Audigy2. This technology has nothing at all to do with speakers except for the obvious fact that you need speakers to hear any sound at all. To say that speakers are EAX compatible is like saying you monitor is Direct3D compatible. In fact, this statement is only really true if the video card is Direct3D compatible, and even then it has nothing to do with the monitor, does it? To put it another way, I had a friend who would only buy a certain type of (overpriced) CD-R discs because the label said "For Audio CD copies". It's not as if ANY CD-R media isn't able to contain redbook audio, it just doesn't say so on the lable. Some things are to be taken for granted... :p
 
It's the same thing as digital speakers.

There's no such thing as digital speakers. What keeps the sound from going analog is the way you manage it.

EAX is a registered trademark so that is why Logitech cannot put it in their features. However, if they had the permission, they certainly would...but it won't happen.
 
Thanks for confirming this (I also posted a similar thread in my local game forums at ttlg.com), Anti-Trend :cool: The only somewhat tentative idea another gave was that the EAX speakers could act as better transducers to effects in games. And even that probably won't hold if what I hear about Logitech's Z640 is true (namely that they're a lot better than the Inspire 4.1). Thanks for clearing this up.. I was really going into panic mode, not knowing whether or not to get the seemingly better Z640 or being forced to get the Inspire simply because they supported EAX. Too bad we didn't learn about this sort of thing in the sound engineering course I took :blah:. So I know how to use Logic, Pro Tools, and SoundTrack (ok, let's establish that is for newbs) but not what EAX is ^_^ Damn Creative for their marketing gimmicks!

~peachsnowfalling~
 
Thanks for confirming this
Click to expand...
You're welcome :)
The only somewhat tentative idea another gave was that the EAX speakers could act as better transducers to effects in games.
Click to expand...
A good, fair & logical theory. Unfortunately, I can say with much certainty that Creative speakers sound no better with EAX than any other speakers of relatively similar quality. Besides, Cambridge Soundworks makes Creative's speakers, not Creative. And Cambridge's own line of (nearly identical) speakers, which are actually slightly better quality than Creative's speakers, do not say "EAX Compatible" on their box either. :D
 
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