Kimnkk
1/8/05 09:51:03 PM
Champion
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Howdy,
I got the Logitech Z-5500's not long ago and just set it up as bog standard.
Why don't we make this a collection of little tricks and queries about the Logitech Z-680's and Z-5500's?
The 4 i posted below will definitely work for the Z-5500's but i don't think they will work on the Z-680's.
Just yesterday i found out about the neat little "2nd skin" trick with the Z-5500 Control Center. What you do is make sure the Control Center is in standby mode (i.e the red light is on) and then hold down the input, effect, settings and mute buttons (i.e all except for level ) on the control panel for 6 seconds .
1) This will enable the 'second skin' feature. Instead of the red standby LED, you will have a purple one :-D And the volume bar will also look different but it will take most 'bars' to reach the same volume as the traditional skin.
2) There's also the "Volume Boost" feature. It's not really a trick as it's stated in the manual but some people don't read the manual. When listening to any input, if you keep upping the volume up past the maximum, after a while, it will enter "boost mode" and you can get up to an extra 11dB of volume.
These two are ripped/stolen from somewhere :-P But i'm sure it will help us all!
3) "Volume Offsets". When listening to any of the "Analog Inputs" (Direct,Direct1,Direct2,Direct3), * you can set a "volume offset" by pressing mute while you turn the volume knob. It will always remember to kick your volume up by this many dB when you switch to this input. Why would you want this? Most audio systems have different output levels. Ever notice how you need to adjust the volume when you switch from one input to another? With this, you can "preset" these inputs a little hotter, so when you're flipping back and forth, the volumes match.
4) "Diagnostic Mode". When the unit is off, if you press and hold the Input and Effect buttons simultaneously for six seconds, you will put the unit in "Diagnostic Mode". In this mode, whenever a digital stream is detected, it will display information about that stream for five seconds, just like a receiver does. Might as well always leave it in this mode. It doesn't hurt anything, and the information is fun to have.
Why don't you add a tip or trick with the Z-680 or the Z-5500? Any tips such as which effect to use when listening to what would help greatly :-D.
Also, i've seen some people get 'night mode' when in the 'pro logic II' effect but i can't seem to find 'night mode' on my Z-5500! I'm running it off the standard analog connection.
Cheers!
Kim.
Edited by Kimnkk: 1/8/2005 9:53:27 PM -----
All that glitters is not gold.
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Dasa
2/8/05 01:09:06 AM
Guru
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i have read you can inprove the sq of the z-680 splits a fair bit by replaceing the crumy wires that run to the speakers there is some guides out there for doing this with cat 5 cable -----
watercooled cpu/gpu P4C800-E FSB250 730 1.6@2.5ghz x800xtpe 2x512 BH-5 250mhz/2226 2xRaptor74GB R0
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v1rus9
2/8/05 11:25:30 AM
Master
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I will try some of these on the z680's and get back to you on it. -----
P4 3.4Ghz
ASUS P5AD2-E
ASUS 6600GT
Corsair 1024 5400
SB Audigy 2 Platinum
Logitech MX510
Logitech Z680's
Pioneer DVR-A09 1.55 Firmware
2 * Western Digital WD1200
1 * Western Digital WD2000
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Chrono_Gear
2/8/05 10:26:31 PM
Overlord
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thx guys im gonna b buying a set of z5500's shortly
and i like the idea of a purple led much better
i do have a question for someone who uses the 5500's and optical input,
i know i have read that sum soundcards only have 2 channel optical output,
is this the standard for optical or can u get 5.1 output from optical?
(i have a MSI neo3FS motherboard which has TOS-link optical output, and i cant find any relevant information on any documentation that states the channel capability of the optical port)
i havent bought the z5500's yet so i cant test it out,
and if it only does support 2channel optical, il just buy a soundblaster audigy2 or sumthing to save cpu power (i only want the onboard audio for the optical port)
-----
Look upwards and see the wonders of creation
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spyx
3/8/05 09:41:56 AM
Hero
Immortal
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Dasa are you serious? Why cat 5? -----
Me: I'm going to top the state in my favourite subject for the HSC!
Parents: Wow, that's great! Which one?
Me: 2 Unit Procrastination!
Parents: *shake heads and walk off*
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gLeAmNiTe
3/8/05 10:36:01 AM
Champion
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Because spyx, every geek has spare copper lying around just most of it comes in the form of Cat5! -----
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Dasa
3/8/05 11:11:39 AM
Guru
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well a while back i read about someone who had tried this on there z-680 and said they had a fiar improvement to go to all that truble may be a bit overkill for speakers that are only worth a few $ each :) but i thought i would make mention of it
im guesing that just replaceing the standard wire with something a little easyer to do ie. not braided cat-5 may still make a fair improvement over the curnt wireing that they come with
http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/interconnects/DIYSpeakerCablesp1.html
http://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html
-----
watercooled cpu/gpu P4C800-E FSB250 730 1.6@2.5ghz x800xtpe 2x512 BH-5 250mhz/2226 2xRaptor74GB R0
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Kimnkk
4/8/05 12:11:47 AM
Champion
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Dasa: Would that be for the speaker cables or the cable from the control centre to your soundcard? Sorry, i'm anything but an audiophile!
Has anyone had experience with speaker wires other than the ones supplied with the Z-680's and the later model Z-5500 (the first Z-5500's used RCA). Would i hear a big difference between say... monster cables and the stock ones? Keep in mind that i only have an Audigy 2 Value and not an audiophile with a power cable that costs $500 :-P -----
All that glitters is not gold.
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Dasa
4/8/05 12:57:00 AM
Guru
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lol im no audiophile ither im still useing all stock cords i have just looked into other things from what i have read useing expensive cables between the soundcard and the control makes little difference some say it sounds better some say it sounds worse
what i posted there was for replaceing the cables between amp and speakers and seems to be that replaceing them with a lower gauge wire is what will make the bigest difference and you dont have to use something expencive to do it
since my rear speaker cables have been getting damaged by my chair i may need to replace them before long :\ -----
watercooled cpu/gpu P4C800-E FSB250 730 1.6@2.5ghz x800xtpe 2x512 BH-5 250mhz/2226 2xRaptor74GB R0
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Unit01
7/8/05 07:23:29 PM
Disciple
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Quote by Chrono_Gear
i know i have read that sum soundcards only have 2 channel optical output,
is this the standard for optical or can u get 5.1 output from optical?
Yes, optical suports 5.1 sound. If it doesn't then there must be a massive conspiracy behind the dolby surround format that optical can't do more then 2 channels. Even M$ is involved with their xbox/games *(which wouldn't surprise me)*. -----
The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?
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Cannon_Fodder
9/8/05 05:21:11 PM
Serf
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I hope this is the right section for this post.
I have a set of Z-5500's and an Audigy 2zs and i cant' seem to get the any optical out put with my 3.5mm to toslink cable.
Am i using the wrong cable? -----
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Kimnkk
9/8/05 07:48:44 PM
Champion
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Quote by Cannon_Fodder
I hope this is the right section for this post.
I have a set of Z-5500's and an Audigy 2zs and i cant' seem to get the any optical out put with my 3.5mm to toslink cable.
Am i using the wrong cable?
I don't think any of the Audigy 2's have optical out? -----
All that glitters is not gold.
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atOmic_bOmb
10/8/05 02:41:18 PM
Guru
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I wanna get some Z-5300 or Z-5500's they look really nice :) -----
Can i have a large box of trisdy lard and a diet coke..... Deep Fried - Homer Simpson
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50.29586% - Super Geek || 84 - High Nerd.
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Kimnkk
12/8/05 04:35:04 PM
Champion
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Quote by atOmic_bOmb
I wanna get some Z-5300 or Z-5500's they look really nice :)
Z-5500 :-D
I was considering the X-530's and the Z-5300 also. But speakers don't really get outdated like graphics card, so why go for something cheaper if you're going to use it for years?
Well, that's my logic anyways. -----
All that glitters is not gold.
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Kimnkk
14/8/05 10:43:03 PM
Champion
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So anyone know about this mysterious 'night mode' setting? I've tried all the effects and switched through all the settings for each and i cannot find the 'night mode' option. Is there a way to enable it, or have i done something wrong?
Thanks :-)
Kim. -----
All that glitters is not gold.
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ryoohki
16/8/05 12:31:41 AM
Serf
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If a card has this on Abit IC7:
- 6-Channel AC 97 CODEC on board
- Professional digital audio interface supports S/P DIF optical In/Out
Would i still need to get Audigy 2 or ZS or value and which one? -----
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Kimnkk
16/8/05 03:45:01 PM
Champion
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You would not need to get an Audigy 2 as that onboard supports it, but i would recommend it, especially if you're getting a setup like the Z-5500's.
I went with the Audigy 2 Value because it was significantly cheaper than the Audigy 2 ZS and with only 2 worse SNR. -----
All that glitters is not gold.
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Chrono_Gear
16/8/05 07:56:46 PM
Overlord
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thx unit01,
il eventually buy the danm speakers (so expensive, and me splurging all the time....)
hmm, i want to use the optical out on the mobo, but its prob got crap sound output from it, whereas a sound card wouldnt, but soundcards dont have optical out...
least no decent ones anyway -----
Look upwards and see the wonders of creation
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Kimnkk
16/8/05 08:18:56 PM
Champion
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Hi Chrono Gear,
Do you plan to play a lot of games? If you do, then the Audigy 2 seems like the best to go for but if you mainly listen to music then the HDA Digital X-Mystique is best by far.
The HDA Digital X-Mystique has optical out and people say that music sounds better on it, but everyone knows it is not a gaming card since it does not do EAX 3 or EAX 4 (you'll have to double check as my knowledge on this card is quite sketchy at best).
There's an impressively big thread on the HDA X-Mystique over at Overclockers Australia forum; http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=349211
You'll need to make an account to view it, but trust me, it's well worth your minute or so to make one :-)
Cheers!!
Kim. -----
All that glitters is not gold.
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Lamminated Buddha
17/8/05 08:48:21 AM
Overlord
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kim: enable night mode by toggling through the settings or level button untill you come across it (not sure which and I think it is only active when the source audio is DD5.1 or dts). Setting it to max lowers the higher frequency ranges or something along those lines and helps a little to stop waking your neighbours at night. I have it running at all times possible as I find the ranges between talking and explosions are way toomuch -----
3.0GHZ pIV in Asus P4P800-E Albatron 6600GT AGP Antec True control 550W Leadtek TV Expert 2000 512 generic ddr 400mhz Damn Straight ^^^Is down and out P4 1.6ghz in ecsP4S5A 256 133 sdram,64 100 sdram geforce 2mx Is how im posting in these forum
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