Which speakers are better for music?
Creative inspire P5800 5.1
Or
Creative Z323 2.1
I Don't have a sound card, but i have a decent intergrated sound that beats most of low end and some mid end sound cards.
Which one would have better/clearer/louder sound?
Which set up has higher wattage? You will see better results w/ more watts...
Wattage is only a small part of the equasion. For starters one is a 5.1 system and the other is 2.1. If there is room for proper placement of the speakers, a 5.1 system will sound much better, assuming the source is capable of 5.1 and the speakers are of equal quality. The only way to be sure is to try them both out and see which sounds better. Generally (very generally), a 2.1 system is adequate for most music, such as from radio or CDs.
For an accurate reproduction of music, you should always stick towards a 2.1 setup. Very few audio CD's are geared for multi channels (SACD) I would like to see more on the market, but with people still supporting low quality MP3's, it's really no surprise.
I have the Creative Z323 speakers, and whilst they sound OK, they don't have a lot of grunt. Once you start to push the volume a bit, they will distort. I use them in my bedroom for sleepy time tunes.
I also own these, and have them set up in my lounge room, and if you have a few extra bucks, I would definitely recommend these. You can push these speakers to the brink, and they hold up quite well.
Review: Logitech Z623 2.1 Speakers | TechCrunch
I have Logitech z506, they are a fantastic all around set-up, assuming you are referring to PC speakers.
Logitech Z506: 5.1 audio for $99 | TechCrunch
These: Klipsch Promedia 2.1's
When I bought my Logitech 5.1 system, I went into the store planning on buying a Bose 2.0 system but changed my mind after listening tovarious systems and comparing them. The system I bought sound far better than the Bose and cost a bit less.
The moral of this story is, if at possible, go somewhere you can actually listen to various speaker systems and compare them to each other. Sound quality is a matter of personal taste and only your ears will be able to determine what will sound best to you. Keep in mind, music from radio, downloads, and CDs usually is only stereo and not all games and movies will have surround sound. You also need to have room for proper speaker placement.
Lady Fitz your opinion of Bose was like mine. The Bose set I used to have artificially boosted the base which made it sound boomy and obnoxious. Totally unrealistic. I didn't have an opportunity to listen to them ahead of time.
I heard some Klipsch PC speakers at Best Buy a while back and that was the end of Bose.
I agree completely that "only your ears will be able to determine what will sound best to you".
Also you're absolutely correct in another post when you stated "Wattage is only a small part of the equasion". I was into quality audio equipment back before we relocated to Texas several years ago and now live in an apartment. Apartments and high end stereo don't get along well. LOL
Quality audio comes from quality components, not raw power. You can't get good quality audio from low quality components by increasing the wattage; all that does is play poor audio louder.
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