[KevC]

Hey,

I'm looking for small stylish speakers that sound decent. Not really big budget. No more than $200, I know it's not a lot to work with.

Amp/bookshelf route is nice but they are big and clunky. This is for a tiny dorm room so small is nice.

Budget is an absolute, no changing that. Small too. Style and sound quality come last I suppose.

Are there SMALL unpowered speakers I can hook up to a t-amp?

Cheers
-k

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevC /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey, I'm looking for small stylish speakers that sound decent. Not really big budget. No more than $200, I know it's not a lot to work with. Amp/bookshelf route is nice but they are big and clunky. This is for a tiny dorm room so small is nice. Budget is an absolute, no changing that. Small too. Style and sound quality come last I suppose. Are there SMALL unpowered speakers I can hook up to a t-amp? Cheers -k

bookshelf speakers.
i dunno if you can get anything decent for 100 bucks each though.

 

[FooTemps]

Just go buy some klipsch promedia computer speakers or something.

 

[sonick]

http://www.edifier.ca/products/s2141/s21d.html

Sounds spectacular for it's price ($76CDN from DirectCanada.com) Built in amp, so no need to spend more on an external amp.

Review: http://gear.ign.com/articles/524/524085p1.html

 

[Czilla9000]

I would highly suggest the M-Audio StudioPro 3. You can get them for $99.

 

[recca]

Aperion Audio 422's in gloss black. Smaller than you think and run fine on my Trends TA 10.1. Not much bass though, you'll definitely need a sub.

 

[esuko]

http://www.behringer.com/B2030P/index.cfm?lang=eng

My suggestion and would be definetly my choice in that prize range.

 

[Chrispy]

Harmon Kardon Soundsticks. http://www.amazon.com/Soundsticks-II.../dp/B0001DBEM4

$110 on amazon

There are some QC issues with them, though.

 

[cfcubed]

All opinion & they may not be stylish, but I'm really liking the Polk RT25s gotten off ebay for like $75 pair delivered. They're a bit bass heavy & I'd go for RT25i now for maybe $100/pair delivered. You can read about em here and elsewhere.

Not sure a t-amp would drive em tho.

 

[tourmaline]

Op is looking for unpowered speakers, thus passive speakers. In this case you need to look at their sensativity, wich needs to be over 90db m3.

For a small amp, you need as much sensasivity as possible, or efficiency as it is also called to make the amp comfortably driving the speakers.

For amps with low wattage, you need speakers that can easally be driven.

 

[cfcubed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif Op is looking for unpowered speakers, thus passive speakers. In this case you need to look at their sensivaty, wich needs to be over 90db m3. For a small amp, you need as much sensivaty as possible, or efficiency as it is also called to make the amp comfortably driving the speakers. For amps with low wattage, you need seakers that can easally be driven.

Yes, very good info there... So I guess someone needs to chime in w/1st-hand experience w/given speakers... A search for t-amp speakers, etc might help.

I'm driving the RT25s w/a 20-watt NAD 310 & that's probably min for them esp in a dorm.

Good luck.

 

[mercbuggy]

I would commend any of the 'budget' speakers from Monitor Audio, Tannoy & Mission, Kef, Q Acoustics, Wharfedale, some of these would be on the edge of your budget:

I would love to recommend something like the:
Q ACOUSTICS 1010's but would definitely be worried by the T-amps lack of power at 86db sensitivity, even the 1020's at 88db. A lot of the current crop of small bookshelf speakers are in the 86 - 88db range, certainly in the UK market.

If the bookshelf/amp option is too bulky (I guess one of the attractions of a T-amp), why not go powered? Different options become available if powered, especially considering your space considerations:

e.g. ACOUSTIC ENERGY AEGO M SUBWOOFER/SATELLITE SPEAKER

My brother in law has the Aego's hooked up to his computer and for the price they are very pleasant.

 

[jbloudg20]

see if you can land a used pair of kef iQ1, or preferable iQ3.

 

[episiarch]

My office speakers are the small and stylish Sony SRS-Z1's. The SQ definitely suffers in comparison to the Swans M200s I use at home -- but it's loads better than the vast majority of small computer speakers I've auditioned at the consumer electronics stores. They definitely don't sound like real bookshelves, but they sound a lot bigger than their size.

I don't know whether they're made any more, but they're readily available for $100 or so from the usual sources for used goods.

The top of the little amp module in the middle (included with the speakers) is just about the same size as a CD jewel case, and the speakers themselves are maybe 7" tall and a couple inches wide.

Edit: good for soft or near-field listening only. If you want lots of volume, these are the wrong speakers for you.