[b-sides]

alright here's the deal... i've been surfing headfi for about 2 years now and you guys have been awesome and super helpful! i am now a happy owner of several fine pair of headphones. unfortunately... after a 6 month hiatus, i come back wanting a little more. =(

i'm looking to build a cheap speaker setup for my room... my interest was piqued by these. apparently people on this forum and audioasylum have been raving about the quality and price. unfortunately, i don't know anything about speakers. most of my music is digital, either on my computer or ipod. how would i connect it? do i need a receiver? i was looking at the sony SCD-CE595, which i'm assuming does not need a receiver.

alright, i admit it. i'm in bad shape. i don't know where to start, and i don't understand technical terms. also, i'm a super poor college student, so i'd like to spend as little money as possible. any help would be appreciated.

 

[DaNuS]

How much are you looking to spend?
What type of music do you listen to?

I did it the reverse way: Speakers this summer/Headphones this fall

Since you are on a budget you might want to look into a variety of options:

@ $400 I might try this from scratch:

X-LS (www.av123) have gotten some solid reviews
BPA1 (www.emotiva.com) also some good feedback
Add your source

It looks like you already have a receiver so you could just get some speaker wire and speakers also.

Another option would be some of these:

http://www.zzounds.com/prodsearch?q=...er&form=search @ 129

http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHMS20 @99

These would be great for hooking up to any source since they are not only powered but also have a built in DAC. These would be great for putting on your desk as they are near-field monitors (designed to be used at close range).

If you have a PC sound card/DVD/CD-player with an optical connection just plug it in and you are good.

Since I am new to both stereo and heaphone setups my key was to start small, figure out how much I like them and go from there. You don't want to spend too much then end up having the stuff collect dust because you've moved on to another interest.

 

[b-sides]

i'm prob willing to spend 300 max on the whole system, but again, as little money as possible. i don't need anything thats ridiculous audiophile quality, just something that sounds good.

i listen to mostly indie rock/pop and electronica. thanks for the help!

 

[003]

You want to hook these up to your computer? You will need a sound card with an unamped line out (I suggest an ESI Juli@ or an E-MU 1212m), an integrated amp (an amp and preamp all in one, not a receiver) and interconnects.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Looks like we have some similar gear! Pioneer source and receiver, Sennheiser HD-497s... Nice.

That Pioneer DV-333 could probably use an upgrade, for example the SCD-CE595 you mentioned, or a decent DAC to pair with the Pioneer, assuming it has digital output (ex. Entech Number Cruncher 203.2). Either one will cost between $50-$60.

If you're really on a budget, continue using the DV-333 as your source and the VSX-604S as your receiver and just buy the Insignia speakers. You're only out $50, and if you don't like them, sell them. It will at least give you a taste for speakers and help you to determine what you want when you upgrade.

Don't forget to add some decent speaker wire. Try Blue Jeans Cable. Only $0.40 to $1.05 per foot, plus a flat shipping fee (~$5).

Also, as you've probably ascertained, the SCD-CE595 is just a CD player and requires external amplification.

 

[b-sides]

thanks for the help guys. i just want to clarify some more things. the pioneer DVD player and receiver are actually my dad's, and i do not have either of them at my dorm. essentially, i have to start from scratch. unfortunately, most of my music is currently on a laptop ripped with LAME or my ipod. are there any good PCMCIA based soundcards that i could use to connect my laptop to something? as for the ipod, all i need would be a line out to connect it to a receiver, right?

as for the sony, i was under the assumption that it was a midfi type player that integrated a CD player with amplification. i guess i was wrong?

 

[infinitesymphony]

If you're more interested in audio from your laptop than playing back actual CDs, consider buying an external USB sound card or DAC (which functions as a sound card, same difference), for example, the E-MU 0404 USB or one of the Total BitHead series from Headroom. Both cost around $199.

It might be cheaper to use your iPod as a source or transport and buy a dock that has digital output or analog line output capabilities.

I can't think of any CD players that offer a built-in speaker amplification section, besides the cheap players used in some home-theater-in-a-box packages. Some CD players do offer a small headphone amplification section, though, but the SCD-CE595 is not one of those players. Built-in amps usually can't compare to dedicated ones anyway.

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you're more interested in audio from your laptop than playing back actual CDs, consider buying an external USB sound card or DAC (which functions as a sound card, same difference), for example, the E-MU 0404 USB or one of the Total BitHead series from Headroom. Both cost around $199. It might be cheaper to use your iPod as a source or transport and buy a dock that has digital output or analog line output capabilities. I can't think of any CD players that offer a built-in speaker amplification section, besides the cheap players used in some home-theater-in-a-box packages. Some CD players do offer a small headphone amplification section, though, but the SCD-CE595 is not one of those players. Built-in amps usually can't compare to dedicated ones anyway.

I think NAD has one of those integrated with DVD player. could be wrong

 

[infinitesymphony]

Right you are... NAD makes a few home theater source/amp solutions--the L53 and L73, $599 and $999 MSRP respectively.

 

[b-sides]

ok so it looks like i'm leaning towards using my ipod as a source... which means i will need a dock with a line out (maybe a pocketdock?), cables, speakers, and a receiver? i guess that wouldn't be too expensive...

i still dont really get the dif between an integrated amp, a receiver, and a DAC

 

[infinitesymphony]

An integrated amplifier is two-channel (stereo) only and contains both preamplifier and power amplifier sections. A receiver adds a radio tuner and surround channel functionality.

DAC stands for Digital-to-Analog Converter. Digital signals must be converted to analog before they are amplified and sent out for listening. CD players and iPods have built-in DACs. Many receivers also have built-in DACs, but they are optional; you'll only want to use them if the source's built-in DACs are inferior. External stand-alone DACs are also available.

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-sides /img/forum/go_quote.gif ok so it looks like i'm leaning towards using my ipod as a source... which means i will need a dock with a line out (maybe a pocketdock?), cables, speakers, and a receiver? i guess that wouldn't be too expensive... i still dont really get the dif between an integrated amp, a receiver, and a DAC

Ipod is Class D citizen, actually any used NAD CDP will beat the pants off it