For anyone who knows about speakers, especially the Logitech Z-680, is it the best decision for a 5.1 system with optical/coax/3-1/8inch connectors for 6 channel audio? I wish the Klipsch 5.1 Ultra's did digital connections.

Is there a product I overlooked? I can still get a refund on my set that I got off newegg.

I dont believe that outside of the Midiland 8200's (v2 is out, should be less buggy) and the Logitech's you mentioned, that there are any multimedia speakers that come packaged with a hardware dolby digital decoder.
Klipsch sells a hardware decoder, take a look at their site if you're interested. IIRC, it's in the $150 range just by itself, but undoubtedly it's a decent product.

IMO, the Z-680's are decent, but still too expensive, and the 'sub'woofer is too boomy (lots of output at around 40Hz). The Midilands are quite decent as well, but the Logitech's will have them beat in raw SPLs, and are of comparable quality.

Frankly, I'd recommend going with straight analog 6-channel and picking up a set of Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 non-ultras, Megaworks 550's, or Gigaworks S700's if you insist on a preassembled multimedia speaker setup.
Of course if you have an NForce2 soundstorm solution, then a digital connection is a big advantage.

I'm looking for a boxed set because my budget basically is 250. And it's hard to build a good package for just 250 unless you throw in a cheap part here or there.

Also, the digital connections are a must. Ohterwise I would of went Klipsch Non-ultra non-gmx a while back. (GMX just sucks, it's not an option. I checked it out at best buy, the logitech's blew it away).

The logitech's I have now are a bit boomy, but it's all personal on whether you like the bass or not. I do

On the logitech sattelites, they use paper drivers and cones instead of domes for the center. Is that good or bad? I know ports on each sattelite reduce quality a bit compared to sealed boxes, but power is nice..

It just seems there's still not a lot of great options out there that dont have problems.
Only drawback i've seen from the logi's is the bass and no tweeter in the sattelites like klipsch's (but they do sound great).

How does the Soundstorm sound w/o a Digital connection? I've heard some ppl say it's comparable to an SB Live, and others say it just sounds like any other onboard soundcard

Actually, if you ask me (which maybe you didnt ), the ports on the logitech Z-560/680 satellites are probably their best feature.
One of the main problems with sub-sat type multimedia speaker setups is that the satellites often do not go low enough so that the 'sub'woofer blends in seemlessly (i.e. produces only frequencies that are low enough to be effectively non-localizable).

The porting scheme of the high-end logitech speakers solves this, and allows more mid-bass extension in the sat's than would be otherwise possible.

The material of the driver isn't actually that important, so long as it's relatively stiff and light. Paper works quite well and is cheap, which is why it's so popular.

Unfortunately, the reliability record of the "high powered" Logitech speakers has been rather poor, and in order to exchange them after failure you must send in the control panel. Do NOT break the control panel, just in case.

I just discovered after cranking up my Logitech z-680's half way and listening to LOTR: Two Towers that it's defective. If the bass is cranked up half-way(or more) on the control panel and the volume up half way(or more), the bass vibrates something inside the amp and it makes a rattle sound. So I have the opportunity to exchange these speakers and get $280 bucks of newegg credit of just pay the $17USD and get a new set. Should I invest in other speakers? I need those digital connections cause my A7N8X Nforce2 board uses the SPDIF Coax and my XBOX uses the optical for 5.1 games/cd music (cd's sound the best on digital . Analog is not used.

I've heard of people having problems with high powered logi's as well. I did crank up my sub pretty hard when I first got it, should I break in my speakers? how do I do that? My mids-highs DO sound better/if not the same when compared to my friends Klipsch Promedia 4.1's which do have a tweeter and are sealed boxes.

I thought Ports only move the air that the speaker pushes twoards the back of the speaker-box out the front, in other words, recycle wasted sound which has been bouncing around the box losing quality. Forgive me if I have this wrong.. How does the sound that comes out of the port really different? logic tells me that you wont get the high's that come directly off the paper driver.

Also the Sub on the Z-680 goes down to 35hz and the klipsch sub's hit 20hz, is there a big difference? I know the z-680 is pretty boomy when it gets low. Mine distorts but people out there say it doesnt, so mine might not just be defective with a lose part in the amp, but a bad sub driver as well..

http://uk.europe.creative.com/products/pro...ct.asp?prod=375
would that be a very bad choice?

smok3 i've heard that system before at a local store. For the price I guess it's okay. The bass distorts easily when you push it and the mids/highs really are lacking, I would look for a little less quality in a _much_less expensive package.

If your gonna buy speakers that weak, i'd go for cheaper honestly. Something like the Interact DSS-900. Here's two on ebay if your interested, just $30USD.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3064582315
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=3064812116

Hope that helps

what i would need is some cheap way to build a simple 5.1 system around my laptop, since iam unable to activate the spdif output (there is a complete lack of documentation on how one would do that for that particular model...) i would have to get something like extigy and inspire combination for example, any suggestions on what would be a good combo? (iam kinda afraid to get anything 'creative' really)

(p.s. iam not that interested in 5.1 basicly, but i need to do a short film (around 3") for my school project, and i would like to mix the sound to some simple 5.1, like record the atmosferes with 4 mics, plan is to find two stereo mics and use that in a dogme style - just mounted to some dvcam capable of recording 4 channels...)