[cb24]

I own this system and it can only be defined as anything but a computer speaker system... it offers so much more. This set has 290 watts RMS and well over 500watts continuous. It has a bash amplifier that sends 150W RMS to the sub and 70W RMS to each of the satellites which way 6lbs a piece. This set comes with a newly designed speaker drivers that uses new materials and new crossovers that give this set a unique and superb sound- I happen to own Polk TSI100 bookshelf speakers and a klipsch 2.1 set. These cambridge soundworks speakers are much clearer and incredibly powerful. They have Injection Molded CoPolymer Cone Woofers and aluminum tweeters. They are not harsh at all because of the superior crossover topology. These are the most powerful speakers I have ever seen offered in a computer 2.1 setup. Also for music listening these are a dream to listen to(If you buy these please replace the speaker cables with http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-29176-Velocity-Speaker/dp/B0002J2C4G/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325168209&sr=1-1    .
I also recommend this...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LLPSFM/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details
 

This is easily a $500-$600 sound system if you pieced it together separately. This system is very accurate and uncolored. The soundstage is mindblowing. Also, until you hear the satellite speakers you will not fully appreciate them. Cambridge soundworks is known for making speakers with small drivers that produce sound that usually only comes from much larger systems while being more accurate with less distortion.
 
I previously owned a set of creative 5700 computer speakers as well and these don't even compare. For music listening a 2.1 setup is so much better.
 
If you buy these speakers you must buy a good soundcard for your computer or an external DAC to get everything out of them. I have my cambridge soundworks speakers hooked up to an asus stx soundcard which is specifically designed with a burr brown digital analog converter made for stereo analog setups like this one. There is ZERO background noise and I can assure you of that. These speakers are a must have, they will knock down walls and are incredible at low volumes as well.

 

[Kandiru]

Cambridge Dacmagic Plus here.
 
I can feel you, a decent system deserves a good DAC.
 
Let me tell you that FOOBAR2000 with ASIO plugin is
becoming my player of choice, high speed USB2 from a
2007 Dell 370 straight into this marvel and it beats anything
else. Technology is funny, USB2 was available since 2006
but it took Win7 and USB2 DACs to realize the potential.
 
USB2 and ASIO are my 2 best new friends, will soon be
deleting Winmamp and WMP, their ASIO implementations
consist of 3rd party plugins that suck.
 
Foobar as ugly as it looks is very simple to learn and it now
handles all my favorite station links.

 

[cb24]

Just a side note... By replacing the power cable with a 14 gauge or larger you will get the full 15 amps of current from the wall socket.  You are provided an 18 gauge standard power cable which has a smaller copper conducter and acts as a bottleneck in your system. A 14 gauge or better yet a 12 gauge wire will not only keep the cable from getting warm(producing heat) but they are generally shielded for audio use and won't let electromagnetic interferance into the system as easily. It sounds crazy, but most of the interfearance occurs between the outlet to the device/speaker system, this is because emi does not travel very far in a powerline and "washes out". Here are some links... first one is a 14awg powercord and the second is a 9awg(technically 7awg because of its thickness). Compared to the 18awg standard cable, these will improve mostly the subwoofer performance, while the shielding will improve the clarity and background noise. The thicker cable is built specifically for high output audio devices. Also the 14awg powercord makes a great desktop computer cord replacement which your soundcard runs off of.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Audio-AC-14-Powercord-Meter/dp/B0030ERR9A/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325676917&sr=1-4
 
http://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Audio-AC-9-Powercord-Meter/dp/B0030EW8T4/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1325676917&sr=1-5
 
Long story short, my dad used to design electric wheelchairs before they started using shielded cables for the power wheelchairs. When people in wheelchairs got too close to electronics(cars in particular) their wheelchair would accelerate uncontrollably. So to answer a question... yes a shielded powercord makes a difference. Also, a rubber outside isulation does not protect a cable from interferance, however copper or foil shielding does. Silver coated copper shielding is the best though.

 

[Degwees]

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