XPS15 L502X 5.1 Audio?

Is that just the capability with external speakers,

Yes. You have 2 ways to connect 5.1:

> You can configure the 3 jack sockets on the side of the computer to all be output jacks. You would connect to them the plugs from a set of 5.1 speakers that are powered but do not have the surround decoders built into them. The computer does the decoding. The speakers wires are color coded. You plug the rear speakers' black cable into the mic jack first. Then the green (center) goes into the left headphone jack and the yellow (front)  into the right jack.

> If you have a surround amp or powered speakers that have a decoder, you use the headphone jack labeled S/pdif to make the connection. That passes the digital stereo channels with the other channels encoded to the device where the surround channels are decoded .

To see more information about using the 5.1 feature see the Dell Technology Guide. Look under Multimedia>5.1 Audio. The Guide is getting a bit old and looks like it has not been updated since Dell started using Realtek audio in some of the laptops. I don't know where you can find specific Realtek info.

Your model is supposed to have a sub woofer.

Thanks.  I know how to connect 5.1 external, but have read that there are 5.1 speakers.

You asked if it has 5.1 built in or "Is that just the capability with external speakers" and I replied yes, meaning "just the capability with external speakers".  The speaker specifications of the XPS L502x are 2 speakers plus a sub.

You may have misunderstood. I was curious as to the speakers, which you have now answered. The only think is, I seem to get no sound from the sub when I do an audio test

I'm getting old so I might have misunderstood  your question about the speakers. You offered 2 possible options, whether you had the 5.1 speakers built-in or if  you just have that capability with external speakers. You don't have 6 speakers in the case so I confirmed your "just external speakers" option, thinking that was the answer. I know you did not ask how to connect them -- I just threw that in for further clarification.

I didn't try to answer your other question because I don't know the answer. If no one answers that in this thread  join one of the active XPS L502x threads on the Laptop Audio discussion board and ask them if they hear the sub during the tests. The people participating will get e-mail notices of your question, whereas they might not be watching any other threads on the discussion board.

Hope you have a happy holiday.

Im having problems connecting 5.1 speakers to my laptop too ( i have an xps 15 L502x). I attatched the cables in the order you said (black first at the back for my rear speakers cable, then yellow for center/sub (i had to use the middle on not the closest (front-most) jack for center because whenever i put anything into the closest jack i only get the option to select front speaker or headphone) and then green for front speaker at the close jack). However, when i do this audio only comes through my front speakers. Also, realtek hd stops letting me change any settings in it because it only supports stereo. Should i uninstal realtek and see if that fixes it?

Do you have the Realtek Audio Manager where you can assign the jack outputs?

i ALSO HAVE SAME ISSUE (XPS 15 L 5O2 X) WHILE CONNECTING TO 5.1EXTERNAL SPEAKERS ,    ONLY SUPPORTS STEREO, SO DOES THIS SOUND CARD REALLY SUPPORT TO CONNECT 5.1 EXTERNALLY THROUGH THE AUDIO JACK.

I ALSO HAVE SAME ISSUE (XPS 15 L 5O2 X) WHILE CONNECTING TO 5.1EXTERNAL SPEAKERS ,    ONLY SUPPORTS STEREO, SO DOES THIS SOUND CARD REALLY SUPPORT TO CONNECT 5.1 EXTERNALLY THROUGH THE AUDIO JACK.