How to get 5.1 audio on pc

[PC___Guy]

Ok so basically I just got a 5.1 speaker set (Logitech z506) and am having trouble getting it to fully work. The motherboard I am using is the MSI H170A gaming pro and I believe I have plugged in the cables correctly. It's just that when tried with the black cable (rear speakers) was in the L-Out and the yellow cable (center and left and right speakers) were in the RS-Out I got this in windows sound test.
The top left speaker acted as the center, the center acted as the bottom left, the top right acted as the subwoofer, and the bottom two acted as if they were top left and top right speakers.

Meanwhile by swapping those cords I got the top left speaker to be center, the center speaker to be top left, the right top speaker to act as the subwoofer, and the bottom speakers to act as themselves

I have tried to download realtek HD audio manager but the thing is damn near impossible to install seeing as I did and it never showed up. Finnicky as it is I decided I was done trying to go that route and started trying to just make this work but it's just not working

 

[mtbiegel]

I see your motherboard has black and red colored ports, which make it difficult to figure out which port the center, front L&R, and rear L&R plug into? Do you know if you are plugging in the speakers into the correct ports? Or do you believe its a software issue?

 

[PC___Guy]

I really dont know. I looked at someone with the similar issue and they have a newer motherboard but the back also looks similar except for the SS-Out - like this https://imgur.com/JrLtypL leading me to believe it CAN run 5.1 but for some reason it's not calibrating correctly at all. I do believe they are in the correct ports, they all work as tested so that leads me to believe it's a software issue.

 

[mtbiegel]

Most motherboard speaker connections look like this: https://www.google.com/search?biw=1920&bih=943&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=mwNtW_elC_GI5wKy1YOgAg&q=motherboard+ports&oq=motherboard+ports&gs_l=img.3..0l8j0i30k1j0i5i30k1.2895.3628.0.3781.6.5.0.1.1.0.108.431.3j2.5.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.6.433...0i67k1.0.XiBrvGy0Ysg#imgrc=4Z-AaulnO5iyCM:

I have a gigabyte mobo with 7.1 audio and usually, audio port positioning are standard throughout the industry.

I.E.:
Top left port is center & LFE
Top right is LINE-IN
Middle Left is side speakers (used for 5.1)
Middle right is front speakers (the green plug)
Some have a 6th port on the bottom left for a rear set of speakers for 7.1
Bottom right is the microphone port.

You can try plugging in you cables like the picture above

 

[PC___Guy]

My dude that worked perfectly. I got confused because the port says CS-Out which many people said plug the subwoofer into but you just proved them wrong and in a audio test all speakers played in the correct place. Appreciate it a ton!

 

[mtbiegel]

Great! I looked closer and realized that the words said RS-out, cs-out, etc... and I thought I gave you the wrong answer. Glad it works! My friends always complain about hearing my surround sound over my mic, but IT'S REALLY WORTH IT.