[BDub]

Wife's birthday party coming up and I want to set up the laptop to play music in the dinging room (a makeshift discotheque). Been thinking about a surround computer speaker setup (4 speakers in each corner and a sub). Also thinking about an amp and real speakers for better quality. I will only be playing mp3 however so I'm not sure the amp/speaker setup will be that much better.
Suggestions for a powered pc speaker set?

 

[warrior05]

If your room is not huge, you might take a look at M-Audio's LX4. I don't have personal experience with them but have read nothing but good things about them and looking to use them for computer speakers. Plus, if they sound anything like my BX8s - I'll love them!

 

[oicdn]

Do yourself a favor and get a better audio card, such as an Indigo DJ. It will even be handy AFTER that event.

I plugged my laptop into the home system out of the headphone jack and it sounded like crap. Reeeeeeaaaaaalllllllly bad sounding. It was a NIGHTA AND DAY difference after I used the Indigo DJ line out. Not a head-fi night and day difference, but a non-audio-enthusiast night and day difference. it was that much better.

 

[BDub]

Whoa. just checked those two options out.
I forgot to mention, I am on a very limited budget.

Any suggestions for poor people?

 

[warrior05]

If you want to use powered speakers that will fill a room you're going to have to give up some coin. How about this - do you have a stereo and speakers you can use? If so, you can use something like the Edirol UA-1EX and feed your stereo from them. A USB based soundcard works best for this kind of solution IMO because you'll get decent SQ and it is a piece of cake to set up.

 

[BDub]

Getting warmer.

The room I need to fill is only about 9x12. Does that help lessen the coin I need to drop?

 

[warrior05]

I really don't have any other recommendations in regards to computer speakers. I just don't know about them and don't even use any at the moment. Since you're on a tight budget, take a look at what some of the PC mags are recommending and do some follow up research.

 

[oicdn]

Get a Turtle Beach audio sound card. They're like $30 from Office Depot. They'll likely sound loads better than the stocker sound card. Then, use whatever speakers you want, but the weak link for the most part is the laptop card...

The reason I stress the card, is because I brought my laptop outside without the Indigo DJ in my putor (to save battery life) to wash the cars/bike. After I plugged in my computer speakers and turned up the volume...it was pretty gross sounding and I had to plug in the Indigo. My friends even noticed when I switched and asked what I did to make it sound so much better. If the "normal persons" ear notices, it's pretty dramatic.

 

[BDub]

Thanks. Been looking at that.
Should be enough for my purposes.