Computer speaker options - 5.0 or quadrophonic

[#1]

This may seem an odd question but having been using reasonable quality stereo headphones temporarily while mucking about with the PC the audio quality is significantly better than my cheap 5.1 surround system

So, without spending any money other than for connecting cables, I can use my existing unused surround sound amplifier and stereo full range speakers with the existing rear cheap speakers to give the surround effect

This would create a quadrophonic setup

Alternatively I could retain the front centre speaker and connect it as well giving an effective  5.0 setup with the full range speaker replacing the subwoofer

So which would be better

[#2]

@Oldjim  a lot would depend on your sound card , if you are on a basic onboard the then i would say Quad  But if you you have a decent Pcie card i would go for you 5.0 option

Reason for my answer , i have a expensive set of 5.1 edifier speakers on the Pcie card sound is great , but the onboard HD audio they are Meh

[#3]

on board audio as the Sound Blaster Audigy developed a fault

this is the audio

Realtek ® ALC887 codec
High Definition Audio
 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel

and this is the spec

>

Model	Channels	Input Resolution	Output Resolution	Input Max. Sampling Rate	Output Max. Sampling Rate	Input SNR	Output SNR
ALC887	7.1	24-bit	24-bit	192 KHz	192 KHz	90 dB	97 dB

[#4]

Surely what you intend to listen to has to be taken into consideration as well. As I am aware the only source of 5.1+ is film and (some) games, so if you don’t use it for this purpose then it would be wasted.

Surround sound is fantastic when it’s setup correctly, and I know from my sons that you get a much better gaming experience if you have and play a 5.1+ system.

I have a set of (now very old) Creative Labs I-Trigue 2.1 system on my Mac and for general day to day music and videos there’re really good which is why I have kept them for so long, not to mention the thumping bass produced by the sub woofer.

[#5]

5.1 is for 1st person shooter games and the front pair is for music

The question is whether 4.0 or 5.0 is better for games but given that the only extra cost is a 3.5mm female socket to twin phono adapter (I will cut off the phono plugs to attach the wires to the amplifier) and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm connector to join the computer to the amplifier assuming I haven't got one lying about