Klipsch Promedia 2.1 |or| Swan M50W...is the extra money worth it? *+ Additional Questions as of 8/25/13*
Aug 24, 2013 at 12:35 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 13

Proto12

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As stated above, i'm trying to make a decision between these two speakers.
 
Here's some general info about my intended use, source, and location/scenarios...
 
Intended use:
*Using my computer as the source*
 
1) For video use (Youtube, Netflix, etc)
2) Gaming (MMOBA and MMORPG, not base-heavy, volume-basting FPS stuff -.-)
3) Music
 
Source:
 
Alienware M17x with a Sound Blaster 3Di internal soundcard (three 3.5mm ports - 2 out and 1 in - and a single S/PDIF out)
 
Location/Scenarios:
 
1) Personal use in my dorm room - measures roughly 9 ft x 10 ft x 8.5 ft (near field use)
2) For small parties in the apartment - measures roughly 20 ft x 16 ft
 
   Originally i was thinking about buying a really nice set of bookshelf speakers (Swan M200MkIII's or Airmotiv 5's), but after giving it some honest thought i really can't afford anything over $300. BUT, i really hate the idea of buying an entry-level speaker system since i would prefer to buy higher quality items that will last me awhile, and that i can potentially resell for a decent amount of money...plus i just want really really nice sounding speakers 
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So with all of that in mind i would love some input in regards to which speaker system you all would suggest, and if you have any other recommendations i would love to read them 
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Aug 24, 2013 at 3:39 PM Post #2 of 13
Quote:
As stated above, i'm trying to make a decision between these two speakers.
 
Here's some general info about my intended use, source, and location/scenarios...
 
Intended use:
*Using my computer as the source*
 
1) For video use (Youtube, Netflix, etc)
2) Gaming (MMOBA and MMORPG, not base-heavy, volume-basting FPS stuff -.-)
3) Music
 
Source:
 
Alienware M17x with a Sound Blaster 3Di internal soundcard (three 3.5mm ports - 2 out and 1 in - and a single S/PDIF out)
 
Location/Scenarios:
 
1) Personal use in my dorm room - measures roughly 9 ft x 10 ft x 8.5 ft (near field use)
2) For small parties in the apartment - measures roughly 20 ft x 16 ft
 
   Originally i was thinking about buying a really nice set of bookshelf speakers (Swan M200MkIII's or Airmotiv 5's), but after giving it some honest thought i really can't afford anything over $300. BUT, i really hate the idea of buying an entry-level speaker system since i would prefer to buy higher quality items that will last me awhile, and that i can potentially resell for a decent amount of money...plus i just want really really nice sounding speakers 
font]
.

 
So with all of that in mind i would love some input in regards to which speaker system you all would suggest, and if you have any other recommendations i would love to read them 
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.

 
Have you considered the M200MKII's or the D1080-IV? In a Malaysian forums(l**yat), loads of people say there were hardly any difference between MKII and MKIII, except for being able to go up higher volume for the MKIII. In fact, they advise against the MKIII for near-field use and recommended the MKII instead.
 
Personally I went down to audition the D1080-IV, M50W and MKII. D1080-IV had some mid coloration, some people may like it some may not, but it is pretty nice(gave me alot of headaches infact, deciding between D1080IV and MKII). M50W was more for... bassheads. The satellites on D1080-IV and MKII were better than the M50W, but of course they were missing the subwoofer that the M50W included, hence lacking the 'room shaking' bass that the M50W would give.
 
M50W is great great great value for bass lovers, and the LED Volume control looks pretty awesome. Some prefer the D1080-IV over the MKII's because of the coloration. Personally I love both the D1080IV and MKII, but went with the MKII since I could get it for a pretty low price and it looks great. The MKII's produced a more 'clean/genuine' tone, to some maybe 'bland'(these people would love the D1080-IV).
 
Best you test them out yourself to see what you prefer.
 
Oh and the D1080-IV's bass packs a punch. Of all satellite speakers I've heard they are the tightest and one of the most powerful.
That's not to say the MKII doesn't have great tight bass, they do, but somewhat lacking when compared to the M50W.
 
In any case, you could add a sub any time later if you went with a 2.0 setup first.
 
I've ordered the MKII yesterday and it will be delivered to me on tuesday.
 
Take my words with a truckload of salt, I'm only a beginner in audio stuff and am in no way qualified to give you any advice. The above is just my opinion and they may not make any sense!!
 
If it is allowed, I can give you links to the malaysian forum swans speaker discussion, loads of info and comparisons there just gotta dig em out!!
 
 
Edit: I wouldn't go with the Klipsch Promedia 2.1, unless the Swans cost a major bomb in your area.
 
Aug 24, 2013 at 4:03 PM Post #3 of 13
If Swan costs any more than $100, I'd probably choose Klipsch. I don't know if Swan M50W sub needs to be on the same level as your satellites but that would be another reason as well.
 
I was in your situation couple years back in college. I had the good old logitech Z-2300. I sold them for the SWAN M10. I really liked its warm sound but I just didn't want to have my sub on my desk. So I sold it and got Aego M. I've had it for ~2 years now and I really like it. The satellites have such small footprints on my desk that I have plenty of space for my 30 inch monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Oh and the subwoofer is designed to be on the floor.
 
But after all that, I think that having a good 2.0 is the way to go for the convenience. I kinda want to sell my Aego M for Audio Engine 2's. They're relatively small, no subs but probably won't need one.
 
Good luck with your decision.
 
Aug 24, 2013 at 4:06 PM Post #4 of 13
Dayton Audio B652 speakers seem to be well liked (for the price).
 
Aug 24, 2013 at 4:10 PM Post #5 of 13
Subs on M50W go on the floor, unlike the M10 whereby they were more of a mid-woofer and better placed on the desk.
M50W is on a whole different league of Swans compared to the M10, or klipsch promedia 2.1, the M50W costs ~$300 and are well worth the cost. My friend has an Aego M, they are very good but the M50W just blows it away, even being at similar price range. The bass is just soo well controlled and tight on the M50W.
 
But like I said, it IS for bassheads/movies/fps boom booms. Get satellites(D1080IV/MKII) if you want great music, and decent bass.
 
M10 is superb value, but should not be compared to the M50W.
 
Aug 24, 2013 at 8:37 PM Post #6 of 13
Ty so much for the replies guys :) All of that info definitely helps.
 
As far as the D1080's go, they're not really an option for me atm since the only place i know of to buy them is from Audio Insider, and they're currently out of stock :/. 
 
And what you guys are saying about going with a 2.0 system makes sense, and that's why i had originally wanted to invest in the M200MkIII's, Airmotiv 5's, or something along those lines, so that i could then use those speakers in an upgraded, 2.1 setup. So for me the dilemma is...
   1) are "lesser" satellites worth buying, or should I...
   2) save up for a nicer 2.0 set, or
   3) just buy a decent 2.1 system to last me the next 3 years of college.
In that regard i'm very curious as to what your guys' opinions would be since i'm pretty much the worst at making close decisions like this 
tongue.gif
 (at least not when i'm unable to test each product in person).
 
More specifically though, what sort of differences are there between the MkIII's and the MkII's - i thought it was more than just volume and size, but also components, technology, quality, etc -, and would the M50W's be wasted if i never used them above a 15 or 30% volume?
 
On a separate note, is my soundcard in the same league as these speakers (M50W's and MkII's)? If not, i would definitely want to consider investing in a DAC, which would definitely change my budget, or at the very least, make me consider just starting on a system like the M10's...
 
Aug 25, 2013 at 5:10 AM Post #7 of 13
Quote:
Ty so much for the replies guys :) All of that info definitely helps.
 
As far as the D1080's go, they're not really an option for me atm since the only place i know of to buy them is from Audio Insider, and they're currently out of stock :/. 
 
And what you guys are saying about going with a 2.0 system makes sense, and that's why i had originally wanted to invest in the M200MkIII's, Airmotiv 5's, or something along those lines, so that i could then use those speakers in an upgraded, 2.1 setup. So for me the dilemma is...
   1) are "lesser" satellites worth buying, or should I...
   2) save up for a nicer 2.0 set, or
   3) just buy a decent 2.1 system to last me the next 3 years of college.
In that regard i'm very curious as to what your guys' opinions would be since i'm pretty much the worst at making close decisions like this 
tongue.gif
 (at least not when i'm unable to test each product in person).
 
More specifically though, what sort of differences are there between the MkIII's and the MkII's - i thought it was more than just volume and size, but also components, technology, quality, etc -, and would the M50W's be wasted if i never used them above a 15 or 30% volume?
 
On a separate note, is my soundcard in the same league as these speakers (M50W's and MkII's)? If not, i would definitely want to consider investing in a DAC, which would definitely change my budget, or at the very least, make me consider just starting on a system like the M10's...

 
I can give you the link of the forum thread where most of them recommended the MKII for nearfield use and advised against the MKII. IMO the 'better components, technology, quality' etc is just a marketing gimmick. If it sounds as good as the MKIII's, and has the same warranty period, it makes no difference to me and I wouldn't buy into a set of speakers that's being advertised to be better build quality, yet sounding the same as it's cheaper counterpart.
 
Like I said, the M50W's satellite aren't as great as the D1080-IV and MKII. If you could get the D1080-IV I would say you might even find it too bassy for your liking, as I deduct from your original post that you would only want sufficient bass to feel depth in gaming/movies/music. The MKII's have great bass too.
 
Not sure about the volume but for nearfield use in a medium sized room, you'd never want to go past 60% on the M50W. Doubt you'd lose anything at 30% though.
You should really consider the MKII's unless you really want the subwoofer the M50W provides. You could actually go with the MKII first and if you find the bass lacking, add a subwoofer later on, although that might be alot more costly in the end.
 
MKIII should be out of the question for you. It only sounds better than the MKII at least 6 ft away(at least, what I've read) and has twice as much volume than the MKII, which would be way overkill for desktop usage.
 
Goodluck with your decision!
 
Aug 25, 2013 at 12:48 PM Post #8 of 13
Ok, cool. You definitely convinced me Happy Hacking, so the MkII's it is 
biggrin.gif

 
That just leaves me with one other question...
 
   How does my sound card - a Sound Blaster Recon3Di - compare to a relatively cheap DAC (such as an Audioengine D1, Nuforce uDAC2, etc), and would it be worth investing in one?
 
PS, thanks for the detailed responses man, i really appreciate it :)
 
Aug 25, 2013 at 1:53 PM Post #10 of 13
Quote:
Ok, cool. You definitely convinced me Happy Hacking, so the MkII's it is 
biggrin.gif

 
That just leaves me with one other question...
 
   How does my sound card - a Sound Blaster Recon3Di - compare to a relatively cheap DAC (such as an Audioengine D1, Nuforce uDAC2, etc), and would it be worth investing in one?
 
PS, thanks for the detailed responses man, i really appreciate it :)

 
As I've mentioned before I'm no audiophile and very new to these higher-end stuff, so I have zero experience w/ soundcards and DAC.
In fact, I'm currently  confused whether I should get a DAC or a sound card for my MKII.
 
I've created a thread here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/678555/recommend-me-a-dac
Not much responses, unfortunately. I'm currently considering the Xonar U7 DAC (since it has many ports which I do need for speakers + headphones) and also considering the Creative Titanium HD.
Feedback of the U7: http://www.head-fi.org/t/669127/asus-xonar-u7-dac-amp-appreciation-impressions-thread/45#post_9741666
 
Just from what I've read, a DAC such as the D1 or uDAC2 should easily be in the range of a Xonar STX/Titanium HD, except without all the frills(dolby digital, sound technologies etc etc), and the Recon3D is a fairly old card should not be compared to them.
 
IMO if I already have a Recon3D, I would consider putting more money into my speakers instead, since unlike headphones, the best way to improve sound from your speakers are getting better speakers, instead of spending half your budget on a sound card. I'd say max 1/4 of your speaker budget to a sound card/DAC.
 
Again, just my 2c. Do search up if you have any doubts. The forums here are relatively quiet >.<, hardly get any detailed responses around.
 
Aug 25, 2013 at 2:05 PM Post #11 of 13
Awesome, ty for the links.
 
And yea, i've been searching through old threads and bumping a few of them. I guess i'm being a little impatient, but the threads do seam a lot quieter on the speaker side of things opposed to those interested in headphones and portable audio stuff...
 
I'll keep an eye out for other posts/reviews/threads regarding this topic, and since it seems like we're in the same boat, i'll see to messaging you the links if i find anything helpful 
smile.gif
 (or posting them here if i can).
 
And i like what you said about dedicating 1/4th of my budget to a DAC instead of 1/2...well, i like it and i don't like it; while it makes sense, it's given me more justification to spend a lot more money :p.
 
Aug 25, 2013 at 2:52 PM Post #12 of 13
Quote:
Awesome, ty for the links.
 
And yea, i've been searching through old threads and bumping a few of them. I guess i'm being a little impatient, but the threads do seam a lot quieter on the speaker side of things opposed to those interested in headphones and portable audio stuff...
 
I'll keep an eye out for other posts/reviews/threads regarding this topic, and since it seems like we're in the same boat, i'll see to messaging you the links if i find anything helpful 
smile.gif
 (or posting them here if i can).
 
And i like what you said about dedicating 1/4th of my budget to a DAC instead of 1/2...well, i like it and i don't like it; while it makes sense, it's given me more justification to spend a lot more money :p.

 
I kinda agree with your last sentence! Which is why I am budgeting $150~200 on a DAC/Soundcard when I'm only getting the MKII's :)
Yeah it's quiet when it comes to speakers.. Personally I just feel restrained and uncomfortable when using headphones. Especially during long periods.
And wires. Gahh I hate wires climbing all over me!!
 
Would appreciate if you dig up anything and hit me a PM :) I've been searching for days looking for comparisons(Specific DACs vs Soundcards), but there aren't any solid ones I could find.
 
Aug 26, 2013 at 9:56 AM Post #13 of 13
I remember the Klipsch 2.1 Promedia's having recessed mids but it's been a long time since I have listened to a pair.
 

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