Really disappointed with the gigaworks T20

 

?

 

I have the Gigaworks T20 - and the last thing they are is bassy IMO.  And I'm not a basshead either - consider cans in my sig.  Are you sure there is nothing wrong with your pair of speakers?  Do you have an EQ preset in operation that you're not aware of?

 

The other thing I'd suggest is that:

 

this ^^ is pushing it a bit.  Mine are good for background music, or if the kids need sound for their games - but I still continue to do almost all of my listening through headphones.  They're reasonably good for the money - but as per my review (http://www.head-fi.org/products/creative-labs-gigaworks-t20-series-ii-2-0-multimedia-speaker-system-with-basxport-technology/reviews/5412) .... they're not giant killers.

 

I'm better your expectations don't meet your budget. Any pair of multimedia desktop speakers for under $100 will be a compromise in more than one way.  Most of them have cheap tiny drivers. 

 

If you have the room for the speakers, get a Lepai t-amp and a pair of these Pioneer speakers or Polk Monitor30s. Watch Newegg for specials and subscribe to their mailing list (those speakers have recently been on sale once or twice a month). Or the Dayton B652. 

 

If it's the size you're worried about, at the price you're willing to pay, the only way to get more even and closer to fullrange (20hz to 20khz) sound is through bigger - and maybe multiple - drivers, ergo bigger cabinets. At higher price points there are compact solutions but a college budget won't cut it. Even the Swan HiVi X4 might be too large and it's around $699+, I think.

If you can do with just smooth midrange and not much treble and nearly zero bass though there's the Swan HiVi S3W. There's already a MkII but on the website but not in retailers', so the price is still unknown. I was initially looking at the original version of this since I preferred midrange over just gobs of bass, but when I got to listen to them, they don't have enough "slam" on the bass drums when there are too many instruments playing.* Although the dealer's wasn't necessarily a Hi-Fi store with noise isolated listening rooms, but since we don't have the same kind of return policies as in the US, I decided since I was getting my new home office table customized next month I might as well get the larger D1080MkII 08, take these into account, and stave off upgraditis.

 

BTW don't get restricted to just Swan; there must be others out there, although for the most part they might be way beyond your budget (and mine), like the Focal XS Book.

 

 

 

*If its classic rock bass drums, the intro of Deftones' Digital Bath, or some blues tracks for example, the bass is there, just not knocking your chest; when it's the double pedals on Dream Theater or Nightwish, it's like my fingers following the beat by tapping on a styro cup.

Edited by ProtegeManiac - 10/17/12 at 11:47pm

One thing that definitely can be in effect here--you live in a small apartment. Are those bass ports near a wall or shelf or something solid? That could certainly give some boom to the bass you hear. Move those speakers away from anything solid and I bet the boom goes away. I've had this issue with ported speakers before because my desk is right in front of a wall.