[Vka]

I need to get a rear 2.1 speaker system for my DVD and gaming desires. I use sirocco Pros for my front and I use to have crossfires for my rear which made it a 6.2 system. Anyhow, I gave the 333ES and crossfire speakers as a gift to my parents so I need another 2.1 rear system. I would like to keep this system as cheap as possible so I narrow my choice down to 2.
1.) Cambridge Microworks 2.1 system which has a 67 watt system featuring 6.5" sub woofer 42 watt and 2 3" satellites totalling 25 watts. I will most likely substitute the cambridge satellites with my extra crossfire sats.
Total costs: $99 on Ebay + $15 shipping
This system has nice tight bass and good mid and highs after the crossfire sats replacements.

2.) Midilan 4100 which has a
100 watt RMS Integrated Stereo Amplifier
- 8 inch Dual Voice Coil Subwoofer 50 watt
- Two-way Satellite Speakers in aluminum cabinets with 4.5" neodynium MidBass drivers and 13mm poly/aluminum dome tweeters 50 watts total
Kickass system which use to retail $499 in the old days. Problem is it has the famous hiss which I think could drive me crazy. I will most likely substitute the sats to keep the same sirocco type sound in my system.
Total costs $200 shipped. (twice the costs as microworks)

Now I am asking which is a better deal and which route would you guys take if you were me.
Thanks everyone for participating!

 

[MacDEF]

The MidiLand has gotten good reviews, but I'm a big fan of CSW speakers. I have the MicroWorks hooked up to my computer right now, and we also have a set of SoundWorks and PC Works in the house. We bought the MicroWorks when they were SRP $349, on sale for $249. They were worth it, so $100 is a phenomenal deal.

The MicroWorks would be great for your use.

 

[chych]

I'd have to say yes to CSW too... as I'm a fan of their products. I have their PC Works and MovieWorks 408 systems and they sound really good, especially for their low prices.

 

[dngl]

CSW speakers are great because they don't have a "gimmicky" overly sharp/punchy sound... they don't pretend to be anything they aren't and are surprisingly warm and musical.

Midiland isn't bad, but it sounds like a stereotypical computer speaker... I'm sure you know what I mean. If not, post and I'll elaborate.

 

[Vertigo-1]

I've own/owned both the Midiland S2-4100 and the Microworks before and the Microwork's sats just don't come close to the Midiland sats IMO. I thought the Microwork sats just sounded too warm and had a lack of highs compared to the Midis, and not surprisingly probably due to the lack of a tweeter. The Midilands just sound way better overall in the highs and has a very nice, warm midrange, just a pity that the amp has that nasty hiss. The Midilands also sound better than the Klipsch Promedia 4.1s, presenting a nice warm midrange without subtracting from the highs (although I do like the highs of the Klipsch's better, more detailed thanks to the horn loaded tweeters). All talking from a musical point of view of course, for anything else the Klipschs would plainly dominate because of their sheer power over any other PC speaker...especially their new 5.1 system. The Midilands have kept me happy the past 3 years nonetheless as my primary speakers, I haven't had much of a need to look at anything else.

Of course soon I hope to take my first step into the world of audiophile speakers where the cost of the amp + speakers could buy you all of the above speakers literally, so it should be interesting.

 

[Vka]

Looks like I am leaning towards the Microworks as its cheaper and it does not have the evident hissing problem. Plus, I bet replacing the Microworks sats with crossfire sats would improve trememdously whereas I would probably only downgrade by replacing 4100 sats with crossfire sats.
Thanks everyone!

 

[Xevion]

Well, I would reccomend the S2 4100s myself, but the Microworks sound much better then most PC sound junk (Klipsch to name a certain one) themselves. For $100+shipping they are a bargain.

 

[PC Corp]

How about the Yamaha speakers.
I HEARD they are quite good for the money.

 

[MacDEF]

From the Yamaha multimedia speakers I've seen/heard, they aren't in the same class as these.