Resolved Logitech Z5500 and true surround 5.1

[nkarafo]

Hello !

I have logitech Z5500 speakers and I'm trying to have REAL 5.1 surround (no prologic II) - DTS and Dolby Digital through my external creative sound blaster live 24bit sound card to my iMac 27".

I have tested and tested for hours and hours with many different combinations in audio midi setup but the only thing that I have accomplished is to have only dolby pro logic II and despite the fact that I can select 5.1 as an option, only the front left and front right speaker have been listened. The other speakers are like muted. No sound at all.

I have used these methods:
1) coaxial cable in sound card -> to z5500
2) optical toslink in sound card -> to z5500
3) adapter of 3.5mm to toslink (headphones) -> to z5500
4) three different cables for front, rear, center (green, black, orange) in sound card -> to z5500
Conclusion: only dolby pro logic II

What I want to do is to play movies with AC3, DD, etc and have true 5.1 surround and have it mentioned also on Z5500 as "DTS" or "Dolby Digital" so that it's confirmed. I have selected spdif from various players like for example VLC, Movist, Aurora Blu-ray player, etc but no luck again..

Can you please help me? Can you please suggest to me an external usb sound card that actually work? Maybe my sound card cannot perform well under Mac OS X El Capitan. On Windows is was just fine and had true surround 5.1... :-(

Thank you very much !!!

 

[Alrescha]

I apologize for knowing nothing about your sound card, but I thought I would mention that your iMac likely does optical digital audio right out of its headphone jack. With the appropriate TOSlink cable (which you appear to have) you can connect your iMac directly to the Z-5500. You would then select "Built-in Digital Output (Encoded Output)" in VLC.

A.

 

[nkarafo]

I have done it like you said but I didn't see any difference. However I will check in VLC what you wrote and I will see. Maybe I have already done it but I don't remember and now I am at work and cannot check it.
The distance by the way from imac to speakers is ~ 3 meters away. Is there any chance the signal cannnot be strong enough so that the full 5.1 cannot be achieved?

 

[Alrescha]

OK. I have the Z-5500 and this has worked with my Macs that have the combination headphone/optical out and also works with my Apple TV, so don't give up

A.

 

[nkarafo]

OK. I have the Z-5500 and this has worked with my Macs that have the combination headphone/optical out and also works with my Apple TV, so don't give up

A.

And do you have also in Z5500 the mention of "DTS" or "Dolby Digital" ?

I'm asking because some people are confused because they believe that Dolby Prologic II is the real 5.1 but it is NOT the real surround.

 

[Alrescha]

And do you have also in Z5500 the mention of "DTS" or "Dolby Digital" ?

Yes, I understand your goal. I see either "dts" or "DD Digital" as appropriate.

A.

 

[nkarafo]

Yes, I understand your goal. I see either "dts" or "DD Digital" as appropriate.

A.

Ok thanks, so definitely there is hope for me as well to achieve it !!

 

[nkarafo]

Unfortunately nothing happened again..
I have spent so many hours and nothing.
Also no "Built-in Digital Output (Encoded Output)" in VLC, only S/PDIF and force detection of Dolby Surround where I selected auto and on. No change either..


I had made some screenshots for you to see if anyone can help. I don't know what is wrong.. I don't think that the cable is faulty because I have tested the same experiment with another toslink optical and the same result. Also this cable is working properly from windows and have true 5.1. Maybe the adapter mini toslink is faulty but I cannot be sure.

Any help would be much much appreciated !!!!

Thanks.

 

[Alrescha]

OS X itself is not going to do anything with Dolby Digital. Audio MIDI Setup will not be interesting. Set your default audio output in System Preferences to something *other* than the optical port (at least while you are experimenting).

In VLC, from the menu, choose Audio/Audio Device/Built-in Digital Output (Encoded Output).

A.

 

[nkarafo]

OS X itself is not going to do anything with Dolby Digital. Audio MIDI Setup will not be interesting. Set your default audio output in System Preferences to something *other* than the optical port (at least while you are experimenting).

In VLC, from the menu, choose Audio/Audio Device/Built-in Digital Output (Encoded Output).

A.

It worked !!!!!! Everything that you wrote was correct !!!
Thank you very much my friend !!!
You are my savior

 

[Alrescha]

You are very welcome. I'm glad I could help.

A.