Surround Sound Monitors

[Low Country]

Hello,

I recently saw an ad for Alesis 5.1 THX Active Monitors... has anyone used these or anything like them? In your opinion, are they any good?

Also, in terms of hooking up stuff to other stuff... could I hook these up to my home theater system for movie surround sound?

I just figured I might kill two birds with one stone... I need monitors and I also need 5.1 speakers for movies.

Thanks,
Low Country

[LocusLarsen]

They are active monitors so that means they have a power amp in them. Your home system is a receiver with a power amp in it. You will blow the Alesis if you send a signal to it via home stereo.

[Jeyan]

I think your Alesis 5.1 has digital i/o, so you can use the digital out (spdif) of your home theater (if available) and digital in (spdif) of the Alesis 5.1 to get the connection you dream about. You may also use the analog audio out from yoru home theater, dont even try to use the speaker out.
LocusLarsen, is that right? Correct me if I am wrong before he blows his speaker

[LocusLarsen]

I haven't seen any receivers with a digital out.....I know that most DVD players have them. If you went from the DVD directly to to the Alesis, that might work. But I don't know for sure. There shouldn't be any major problems trying that. But if you use a powered sourse such as the receiver speaker outs then your Alesis will be toast.

[Jeyan]

Good point, I must check my home theater for a digital output, I remember having one, anyway good that you explained it clearly.

[LocusLarsen]

Most DVD players no longer have analog 5.1 outs. Mine does, but I got it as they were phasing them out a couple years ago.

[Low Country]

Thank you for you help.

I went to Harmony-Central.com and this is what they had to say...

"Alesis announced a new THX-certified 5.1 speaker system at Winter NAMM, the Alesis ProActive 5.1. The ProActive 5.1 is equipped with Dolby Digital and DTS hardware decoding for true 5.1 digital sound. This is the first system to deliver THX-certified surround sound to the Pro Audio and Music Industry market at an estimated street price of $399.00. The ProActive 5.1 is the ideal solution for the home recording studio, with simultaneous use with multiple audio sources including PCs, home audio and recording equipment, and other sources such as DVD players and portable audio players.

The ProActive 5.1 is a THX-certified, 5.1-surround sound system with 450 watts of RMS power. Its high-end features include: Eight-inch, long throw subwoofer driver with a flared bass port for powerful, distortion-free bass. Dolby Pro Logic II for creating realistic 5.1 surround sound from stereo music, movies and games. Digital optical and coaxial inputs, as well as six channel analog inputs, for simple connection to nearly any audio device. The system is controlled by a digital console with a wireless remote, for easy adjustment of the speaker controls from anywhere in the room. "

I think this could possibly be The Solution.

I wonder if they actually sound anywhere near as good as a $400 pair of powered monitors.....

_Low Country

[Low Country]

Heh... I wonder if there is any multitrack recording software that has the capability to "pan" forward and backward or around in a circle...

_Low Country

[LocusLarsen]

ProTools with the 5.1 feature is out there. Along with some others.

[Chrisjob]

Cubase SX, Nuendo, and the new Cakewalk Project 5 all have 5.1 mixing as well as Pro-Tools.

But, if this is your first set of monitors, you need to be worrying about getting your mixes to sound right on two speakers before you worry about six...plus it'll cost you 3 or 4 times as much to make the purchase- if you have 3 or 4,000 dollars to spend on speakers...then good luck.


Home Recording Magazine did a cover story on this in the February 2003 issue- check it out

Peace
Chris

[TexRoadkill]

Now all you need is a no latency real time surround encoder.

[Jeyan]

Originally posted by Chrisjob
Cubase SX, Nuendo, and the new Cakewalk Project 5 all have 5.1 mixing as well as Pro-Tools.
Peace
Chris

Chris, Are you sure Cakewalk Project 5 has surround mixing tools? Is there a way in Sonar to do surround mixing?

[Michael Jones]

Originally posted by Low Country
Heh... I wonder if there is any multitrack recording software that has the capability to "pan" forward and backward or around in a circle...

_Low Country

Nuendo.