[roll-man]

btw, NEC bought Packard Bell lock, stock & barrell (talk about junk...). Anyhow, I can endorse the Cambridge Soundworks Microworks. Very decent sound available new for $149 (includes subwoofer). Plenty 'o power and they take up very little room.

 

[lini]

Got the JBL Control One Media in the office - it sounds quite nice and there's a sub output on the unit, too, but I don't have one connected. Nevertheless, I guess, a pair of Control 1Gs and a small integrated amp (hk, Marantz, Nad, Rotel...) would be cheaper and even better.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Xevion]

Quote:

Heheh... My computer speakers (Altec ACS-48) are okay (though I did turn its "subwoofer" just barely above "minimum" for a reasonably balanced sound), but my sound card (SB Live! Value with no digital outputs) is a piece of crap.

Yep, the proper volume level for the ACS48 sub is about 1/10-1/8 max, just barely turned above the minimum.

I use some Celestion F1 speakers with a Polk PSW-350 on my computer. They sound overly warm, a touch lifeless, but have an extremely nice treble to me - smoooooooooooooooth, although lacking in detail, they have a bit of depth to em but are quite boxy sounding, I have plugged the ports with socks to alleviate that. For $100 I am not complaining.

I personally hate the Klipsch computer speakers. They are simply way too forward and bright for my ears, I owned the V2.400s for about a year and a half and was happy to sell them somewhat recently. Also, sub/sat integration is quite poor.
The newer ones sound a bit better, but I think you can get computer speakers around $100 or so with better tonal balance (Altec Lansing ACS-48s to name some). The thing is you can get the Klipsch speakers and replace the sats with something a good bit better sounding.


As far as an amplifier, the Radio Shack 20wpc stereo PA amplifier is very small and around $80, I don't know how it will perform compared to computer speaker amps though. When I say small, I mean the size of a larger hardcover book. A pair of RCA LX55 speakers would work well with them, but might be on the large side.

I would still go the component speaker route even if I didn't have enough desk space, I would make the room.

 

[meithkiller]

I've been very happy with my computer speaker system that I've used for a couple years now. I use NHT SuperZeroes placed on 6" stands beside my monitor with a 12" Radioshack passive subwoofer I got on sale for $100 under the desk. This all is powered by a Yamaha RX-950 stereo receiver I got used for $220 a few years ago. The receiver puts out well over 100 watts of very clean power which is overkill for what I need, but it had tons of inputs and outputs which my computer system required. Cost $550-600 for the whole system and sounds just incredible. I was lucky that the sub blends with the Superzeroes as well as it does.

-Keith

 

[SumB]

Klipsch 4.1. I wasn't too impressed with the Monsoon stuff either, they sound so thin and reticent.

 

[mcbiff]

I have the Videologic Siroccos (2.1) and IMO they're pretty damn good for computer speakers. Unfortunately they're pretty expensive, but hey, you get what you pay for.

 

[johnmark]

I've heard good things about the Logitech Z560s. Mainly their price

 

[JML]

With computer desktop speakers, you have to try them by themselves, in a location like the one you plan to put them in, if you can't bring them home to try. Moreso than normal speakers, they're subject to strange home placement with varying height, things behind them, things between them, etc. And when you add a subwoofer (a quaint term for the 4 or 5 inch cone used), the variations get larger.

For example, my Monsoons are bipolar radiators. Sensitive to what's behind them, the horizontal angle they're set to, and the toe-in.

Sometimes I read posts and wonder if we're talking about the same things, given the wide variation in setups and ears, the kinds of musical references we call on to make our judgments, and the diversity of associated equipment (which is wider given the relatively small amounts of money invested in portable units, headphones, and the like).

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

I got the B&W Leisure monitors for a killer price. I also caught a friend on the upgrade path, and got a great deal on the Harman Kardon HK 3450. This thing seems to have a lot of balls for a 100 watt by 100 watt receiver. Now if I could just find out why my computer won't boot. Damn!

 

[pigmode]

I heard Klipsch is overpriced in the UK just as VideoLogic is ovepriced in the US. I sprung for the Sirocco Crossfire. VideoLogic is head and shoulders over everything else out there, and after a while you forget how much you paid and just enjoy the sounds. I would have gone with the Sirocco (2.1) but its not available in the US. If you have the quid, its a no-brainer.

 

[kelly]

...and now for something completely different.

I picked up a $150 (<$300 retail) Fostex speaker system (two shielded satellites and a bass module) at Mars music. They're really for people to use with keyboards and the like but them being powered and shielded for the price was exactly what I was looking for.

The imaging isn't great but it gets the job done for most PC and video game needs and survives the rf jungle that is my PC and assortment of game consoles.

Kelly

 

[tktran]

I finally got around to auditioning the Klipsch PC speakers this week.

4.1's were available on display. With all the reviews and hype I was expecting an earth shattering revelation in PC audio.



Big bass, ok treble... and a big suckout in the mids. Great for games and ok movies.

But not so enjoyable for music or vocals.

The Videologic Digitheatre DTS was much better in comparison, but they go for US$600 around here... ouch!

 

[Facure]

I picked these up for $250.00 at av123.com

 

[bearwise]

I've heard the Klipsch and many of the CSW models and never really liked any of them. I have several sets of Monsoons, and love them but they fairly sensitive to the quality of the source. I have 500's at work and they are at best ok, but we are music limited here so that doesn't matter, and I like how they look. I have 1000's on my home PC and they are great with my sound card. But I have a second pair of 1000's at the bedside attached to a Sangean clock radio, with an alternate input of a Sony PCDP fed to and old Audio Alchemy Ultradac and they are amazing, easily competing with the old Boston Acoustics floor-standers I use in my bedroom system (these puppies are 20+ years old tho, hardly state of the art). The monsoons really only shine for near-field use tho.

 

[JML]

I have to echo those remarks about the Monsoons. I have the 502 at work and the 700 at home. For about $100-125 street price they're great, and the better the source, the better they sound. I would love to hear what that those planar drivers are capable of with a better amp and cabling. The 700 has the Maggie sound (and look) on your desktop.