Audiophile 2.1 or 2.0

I had the old promedias for several years- they are awesome. I had to downgrade to a 2.0 setup, and now have the M-audio studiophile 4- they are very impressive. The M-audios, however, require proper positioning to sound their best.

That's because they're real speakers. This isn't the case with computer "multi-media" speakers such as those from Klipsch and Logitech because they suck horribly.

I also have the M-Audio DX-4's (I believe this is the model being referred to) and would agree they're terrific for a 2.0 setup. They especially sound great with classical music.

second/third vote for the M-Audio DX4...

Yeah... I have the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's. They're pretty good compared to regular cheap computer speakers, but on an absolute scale they indeed suck horribly. The subwoofer is useless for anything except adding a lot of loud booming during gaming, and I have the subwoofer control just a hair past the minimum! I bought them back before I knew any better.

Smaller... AND audiophile?! Yea good luck buddy. Non of your choices are audiophile, but that said among the models listed, I'd go M-Audio as well.

I have a pair of the Klipsch 2.1's at my desk but only because I needed something cheap to go next to my screen. They sounded better than the other crappy computer speakers around it, and I got an absolutely screaming $40 deal on them!

And ditto me on the sub. Mine lives at just a tick past the minimum on the pre-knob-box.

Acoustic Energies Aego M. Its small enough but you'll need to place them reasonably far apart to get them working at their best (4-5 feet).

Audiophile is very subjective term and doesn't really represent anything. If you mean that you want good sound out of very small speakers, that can't be done. Small speakers are incabable of moving air in such a way as larger speakers can, it's a scientific impossibility. What this generally means is that small speakers seriously lack low end extension, control, and a feeling of volume. You can try to add a subwoofer to the mix, but when we're talking less than $200 for the entire set, you'll most likely end up with a powered speaker that does a sloppy bit of low instead of a subwoofer. Ideally you shouldn't be able to hear where a subwoofer comes from. This is an effect that occurs when subwoofers just create tones of 80hz or below. Unfortunatly since the small speakers in a 2.1 set don't get nearly as low as that, the subwoofer has to make up for what they lack. In PC speakersets it's generally around 250-300hz where the subwoofer actually starts to take over from the smaller speakers. This creates the effect that the subwoofer will actually produce most of the low tones, and because the frequency is above roughly 80hz you can tell where the subwoofer is placed. Basically, all the explosions and gunfires in a movie or game will sound like they are coming from under your desk instead of from where they should be coming. This is annoying with games and movies because the idea of being there and good placement is all screwed up, but it becomes a real annoyment in music.

There really is no replacement for large woofers in a good speaker. Subwoofers can be seen as a replacement, but only if implemented really well and that's just not possible in the price range that you are looking at.

That said, most computer 2.1 sets sound decent. I'm happy with my Z-2300's for what they are -- a simple cheap pc speakerset. Don't expect serious quality sound out of these kind of speakers because you will be dissapointed. If you want something to shake the desk and create sound to game on, you'll be happy with a 2.1 pc speakerset. If you're even somewhat serious about music, go for the M-Audio's or even better a set of secondhand bookshelfs and a secondhand vintage reciever.