[Mdclol]

Hey guys, I'm in the market for a new 2.1 system and I have a few options in mind, but would love some input or new choices.
My budget is around $700, and I'm currently using the $130 Harman Kardon SoundSticks III.
 
Focal XS - http://store.apple.com/us/product/TV282LL/A?fnode=MTY1NDA0MA&mco=MTA4MTUyNjg
BlueSky eXo2 - http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/eXo2
 
Have any of you heard both or can compare them to the Harman Kardon SSIII? I live in the LA area and none of  the Apple Store's around me have the Focal's on demo, so I can't audition. 
 
I appreciate the input!

 

[JRG1990]

You could make your own 2.1 system separtly rather than buying one all together.

 

[Sotiris]

i aggree.
 
Additionally when u spend $700 on speakers u dont need sub , especially when the speakers have 8mm woofer....They deliver subsounds like my Genelev 8030.U dont need sub with them.

 

[Mdclol]

I listened to some bookshelf monitors at a Guitar Center and was unimpressed by the woofer unless they turned their 10inch standalone sub on =\ (Adams a3x/a5x, yamahas, krk rp5s etc and the sub was another $350 on top. Plus it's too big)
 
I need a nice 2.1 system that I can easily take to Vegas and set-up in a suite for some pre-EDC partying with friends who are the typical audio consumer and only appreciate nice bass.
 
I felt the Focal XS/eXo2s easily fit into that criteria (and into my gt-r's trunk?)

 

[WrxSTI]

Whoever says that two 8" woofers cannot deliver enough bass, I would be willing to bet my arm you have an untreated room (as do I). It is very common for there to be a very large cancellation of bass at the listening position in a room where there is no bass traps / treatment at all, which makes a lot of people think you need a sub, but that just has problems of its own.
 
You need to treat your room with bass traps if you want to have a flat and accurate low-end, remember, the sound you hear is 30% speakers, 70% room.

 

[Mdclol]

Indeed my room's untreated, but my 6" HK sub sounded better than Adams woofers O_O. What do you think of your Pro Ribbon 8's?

 

[WrxSTI]

I think that in my very uninspiring room (which could make even several thousand $$$$ Adam's sound bad), they sound very nice.
If I could treat the room somewhat (good luck making something acoustically useful out of a bedroom - think playing tetris with furniture and bass traps etc.) I bet they would sound fabolous!
 
They pack very nice amounts of deep bass, no need for a subwoofer at all... if I stand on the other end of the room in the corner.
 
Where I sit, the bass is ... well, not enough, at all. Which is something I'm hoping to sort out by DIYing some bass traps.
 
I've managed to improve the stereo imaging by throwing blankets at the first reflection points (very ghetto, but whatever) so now the music has that third dimension - depth...very cool, something I never got from headphones. And the stereo imaging and highs are probably these speakers best points, if you set them up perfectly and put them in an equilateral triangle with your head, then the speakers are lost and you are left with this field of music where in well mixed music you can actually be tricked there are things coming from behind you, above you, bottom left etc., there is so much depth and dimension.
 
And this is on a Realtek 889 in an untreated room. I don't know what they could do with a proper source and a good room, but I bet it would be mind-blowing.
 
P.S. The ALC889 codec is really cr*p. I can hear my hard drive, mouse movements, graphics card, scrolling, etc. through the speakers. So much internal noise.