The way my room is set up i can't really put any speakers behind me i only have the three layers of my desk to stack speakers on. Is it worth it to get a 5.1 stereo system (mainly for music) like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121006. Is 5.1 audio worth it if you cant get the speakers all around you? I don't really have a set to actually play around with. Also since its mainly for music i want quality and a decently high volume would i get better quality out of $50-70 2.1 speakers that it would be worth buying those over the 5.1 since i'm assuming the quality of the speakers themselves on the 2.1 would be better then the 5.1. Sorry if this is confusing i wasn't sure exactly how to word it. Basically is 2.1 better then 5.1 in quality if i cant get the speakers all around me.  Also i have an evga 750i that supports 5.1 audio i dont want to buy a sound card unless i really have to. 

Personally the 2.1 will work fine in you situation.  Unless you can properly place a 5.1 sound package, you are not going to benefit much.  Besides that, not everything on the computer will be in 5.1 anyway.  Most stuff will still only play in 2.1 or prologic mode (depending on settings) unless you are playing a game or software that actually supports 5.1, movie playback, etc.

I actually do use a Digital receiver for my setup, but I had the room for it.  To buy the system I run including the speakers is probably near a grand.  (when I bought it).  Anyways. Just get a nice 2.1, you won't be disappointed, especially if you get a decent set.  I have a couple of decent logitech packages setup for family members and they sound perfect!

alright cool thanks thats what i was looking for i guess a 50-70 2.1 set will work fine 

No problem, and yes they should.  I don't think the ones I bought were that high.. lol  Maybe 30 bucks.  But then most of my family are not audiophile crazy people like me.  My own system is a completely different story.  lol

haha yeah nice, like i said i just want some good quality cause right now i have a headset and its uncomfortable wearing it and i want a big upgrade in quality, thanks for the help and enjoy your system 

Ok after some research i found http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836113021 and http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836116024 I'm not really sure which one to get (or another set around this price for good quality) the reviews are pretty similar. I'm not an expert on speaker specs does either one have anything thats distinctively better, I cant decide.

Get the Aspire.  They may sound the same more or less but that one looks better.  The smaller speakers actually look like they have a bit larger cabinet then the Altec ones.

Concur

Both Altec Lansing and Creative  make very good speakers.  More or less the same quality and yup with the same prices.

hmmm ill read a little bit more on the reviews i hate having to decide on stuff this way

another 2:1 is Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX 3-pc. PC Speaker System,i know they are pricy,but i got mine on sale for 129.00.awesome sound.if you ever heard them,you would be amazed.

Well i have a 5.1 speaker set up, music wise it only uses the front two anyway (maybe i just have it set up wrong) or i can have it so all speakers put out music but its the same sound from all speakers so just makes it louder, Otherwise the only true 5.1 that works souround sound wise is Games that support it.

 

So if its mostly for music i'd just get a 2.1 set up since most music doenst utilize all the speakers anyway 

High $ sound cards will span the music across all the speakers, but speakers themselves will only produce what work is given to them

Music is only in stereo, not 5:1, so it will not be using all the speakers.

Music can be put to a dolby pro logic mode or a 4 channel music mode if your audio card software supports environments for this.  Meaning you can most certainly use more than a left/right setup. Admittedly I am using a digital link and my receiver supports extra modes, so the type of sound card I have doesn't really matter since I am using SPDIF for my link.  The quality is still going to be the same in my case.