[BTX1]

Hi guys, I need some help choosing between these speaker sets;
 
Audioengine A2 (189 CDN) vs Creative T40 (169 CDN) vs Bose Companion 20 (249 CDN) vs M-Audio BX5a D2 (299 CDN)
 
I just want to buy a set of speakers for listening to music, and I want to keep my budget around $250 CDN, and considering stretch up to 300.
I listen to pop, rock, jazz, classical, trance, and metal. But I'm not a basshead, even while listening to trance.
 
The A2 is about 20 bucks from expensive than the T40, but the size is so much smaller, would I get a better sound than the T40 from the A2? How much is the A2 better than the T40?
 
Should I even consider Bose? They seemed to be really overpriced.
 
I also heard the BX5a D2 can be better than the Audioengine A5, my local music store is selling a set for just $299, that seems like a really good deal?
 
In my mind, BX5a D2 > A2 > T40 in terms of sound quality, am I right? I really don't know about Bose, I'm using my friend's Bose Companion 2 II for now, and they sound bad.
 
Which one would be the best for my use?
 
I'm buying from Vancouver, so lots of US sites don't work for me, and I don't want to deal with duty and tax.
 
I would really appreciate feedback on these speaker sets. Thank you.

 

[trog]

Consider amp + passive bookshelf?
Klipsch B-20 @ $150
 http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/klipsch-klipsch-bookshelf-speaker-b-20-pair-b-20/10155549.aspx?path=952151f56eff3e8010b73933af9cbffeen02
Not too sure about the used audio hardware scene where u at but if you land a cheap NAD amp you are set for some warm sounding music fun 

 

[BTX1]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I honestly can't stretch my budget to buy an amp. And I have no space for an amp on my desktop. Putting a pair of A5 size speakers on my desk will be my limit.
 
Plus, I still got to have some budget for a DAC.

 

[hakuyou]

i am on the same train of thought for my PC setup in my office.
 
I nearly went for the Bose C20 before i started with research on the speakers. Now i am down to
1) Bose c20 vs
2) AudioEngine A2 vs
3) M-audio Bx5a
and 4) Creative Ziisound D5x
 
... why you like the T40 Creative? 
 
 
i still couldnt get my heads around the sexy Bose and Ziisound D5x 

 

[JRG1990]

Quote:

Thanks for the suggestion, but I honestly can't stretch my budget to buy an amp. And I have no space for an amp on my desktop. Putting a pair of A5 size speakers on my desk will be my limit.
 
Plus, I still got to have some budget for a DAC.

Not even a little t-amp, there very small compared to other amps and it's easy to find bookshelfs smaller or the same size as the a5's but sound alot better as the audio engine stuff is over priced and the a2's just sound muddy.
 
If you do still want actives look at the edifier studio range , the r1900 and r2000  are there best 1's.
 

 

[BTX1]

Quote:

i am on the same train of thought for my PC setup in my office.
 
I nearly went for the Bose C20 before i started with research on the speakers. Now i am down to
1) Bose c20 vs
2) AudioEngine A2 vs
3) M-audio Bx5a
and 4) Creative Ziisound D5x
 
... why you like the T40 Creative? 
 
 
i still couldnt get my heads around the sexy Bose and Ziisound D5x 

 
I saw someone said T40 are actually not too bad for its price.
 
And I also heard BX5A is comparable to the Audioengine A5.
 
How do you like the Bose Companion 20?

 

[BTX1]

Quote:

Not even a little t-amp, there very small compared to other amps and it's easy to find bookshelfs smaller or the same size as the a5's but sound alot better as the audio engine stuff is over priced and the a2's just sound muddy.
 
If you do still want actives look at the edifier studio range , the r1900 and r2000  are there best 1's.
 

 
Thanks, but I don't know where to find cheap amps in Vancouver. Checked Amazon, eBay, and CL, nothing would fit my budget if anything came up. Do you know where I can get them in Canada?
 
And I don't buy Chinese brands no matter how good and cheap they are.
 
At this point I might be choosing between the A2 and BX5A D2.

 

[Grev]

Quote:

 
Thanks, but I don't know where to find cheap amps in Vancouver. Checked Amazon, eBay, and CL, nothing would fit my budget if anything came up. Do you know where I can get them in Canada?
 
And I don't buy Chinese brands no matter how good and cheap they are.
 
At this point I might be choosing between the A2 and BX5A D2.

 
You do know many of the non-Chinese brands are mad in china, right?

 

[miow]

wrong

 

[CantScareMe]

bose suck.
 
1000% overpriced. Literally.
 
If something of bose costs £200, it really should be for £20. Full stop.

 

[CantScareMe]

I base my opinion on 5 years of audio experience.
 
Testing nearly all of bose's products, extensively. Creative t10's (£25) sound better in every way than the bose companion 20's.
 
Knowing about the market for each of their products extensively. 
 
 
And putting my money where my mouth is. £10k I reckon.
 
I'm a mathematician. I test everything with rigour. Everything.
 
 
 
Tell me about yourself. Where do you put you money + time?
Where your mouth is. Or where your 'ego hole' is.
 
 
I've never come across worse fanboys than those for 'bose.' Seriously, i'm not sure why this is, but even beats by dre, or apple lovers fanboys are way less, well rigid. Must be some kind of curse. 

 

[CantScareMe]

Overpriced. Value. Undervalue.
 
These are all basic economic terms that have a fundamental reliance on COMPETITION. In a 'free' market like were all in today, suppliers in a particular market make many different products to feed the demand that consumers have for that market. 
 
Say the market is pc desktop speakers. To understand the value of a particular speaker system, you have to look at what else is out there- the competition as it were. And only then can you judge on value. 
 
I only entered this thread as i've had three of the four speakers mentioned in the title (not the m-audio).
 
creative t40>audioengine a2>>>bose companion 20

 

[CantScareMe]

How much you like a piece of entertainment equipment is more important than technically how good it is. This is my genuine view.
 
So you liking the bose represents nothing wrong on you, on me or on anyone.  

 

[troykm]

I have the Companion 20 speakers too, and i can assure you Bose have hit the nail on the head this time! The Companion 20s are so good they even make Bose's more expensive speakers sound bad! They are so detailed its not funny and i think bose could easily get away with charging more for these compared to their other speakers prices. 
 
just for fun , go listen to them, you will like them, even if you can't bring yourself to buy them
 
 
 

 

[MatsudaMan]

In the order that you put them...decent,crap, crap, decent.