Audio / Speaker Question

[michaelsaxon]

I've searched the forums and elsewhere but haven't really found this answer so please indulge me...

My Mac Pro has just arrived and, so far, I'm very happy with it. I'm amazed with how easy it was to set up and to add my three additional hard drives. I was dumbfounded, however, to find that my Klipsch 4.1 speakers apparently won't work with it (well, at least the rear ones)-- the Klipsch has two speaker plugs: one for the front and one for the rear.

Is there a cost-effective way to get my 4.1s into action that will also let them work with Windows gaming? I saw that Griffin solution, but I don't think it will work for Windows also.

Is my best bet to simply buy a new set of speakers that use the optical outputs? I'd hate to spend the money, especially considering I'm otherwise happy with these Klipsch.

Thanks for your input.

 

[theblotted]

not sure how the 2 speaker plugs work.. are they both receiving same audio from 2 different ports/outputs?

if so, why not get a splitter? if not, apologies..

 

[michaelsaxon]

Every PC sound card that I've owned has had two output plugs for the speakers-- one for the front and one for the rear. Since there is only one output on the Mac, I can only plug in one of the plugs.

If I used a splitter, wouldn't it just send the same audio signal to all four speakers, which wouldn't really be surround sound (well, I guess I'd be surrounded, but there would be no differentiation between front and rear channels)?

 

[Sesshi]

Is my best bet to simply buy a new set of speakers that use the optical outputs?

Yes.

 

[michaelsaxon]

Given that response, are the Logitech 5500s the best ones and will they also run in surround in Windows mode in Boot Camp?

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[tyr2]

Another option is to consider picking up a cheap 5.1 usb soundcard, you can get one for 20 pounds or so, not sure what the quality would be like, you get what you pay for I guess. You don't need a Mac compatible one if you're only going to be using it in Bootcamp.

 

[michaelsaxon]

I'd like true surround for gaming in Windows and then movie surround for movies in Mac. I guess a USB card might work. Thanks.

 

[Sesshi]

There is no surround gaming card which works on the Mac Pro in Windows. Your only option is the soundcard built into the Mac Pro itself. I haven't bothered putting Boot Camp on the Mac Pro - I decided to buy a proper PC so that I don't need to put up with a half-assed 'power user' Windows environment on the Pro - but the Realtek built-in sound should in theory be capable of outputting in EAX (albeit the basic-basic 2.0, which is all the Realtek card supports) through the optical out.