[andlight91]

Hello all,
I currently have a set of EagleTek 2.1 speakers and I'm looking to upgrade to a better set of speakers.  I'm fully upgrading my office/man-cave.  I just build a PC and am working on my battlestation, so I figured it might be worth it to upgrade my speakers. 
My setup is currently PC->Audinst Hud-MX1.  This then has the internal switcher of RCA out and Headphone out.  My headphones are Beyerdynamic DT990 Premiums.  
So Yeah I wanna upgrade to either a steroe bookshelf set of speakers or another 2.1 setup.  Mostly I use them for gaming, anime, movies, and music.
I'd like stereo book shelf more then 2.1 just because my headphones are stereo and I'm preferring the stereo sound more than a subwoofer.
 
So If thats the case I'd need a Tri-Path amplifier.  I was looking at the Lepai LP2020, I was wondering how that would work with my Audinst.  And then what bookshelf speakers would you recommend.
 
My budget is around 150 dollars for everything.

 

[cel4145]

FYI: A well-integrated subwoofer does a good job of helping produce "stereo sound" because lower bass frequencies are non-localizable.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I'd like stereo book shelf more then 2.1 just because my headphones are stereo and I'm preferring the stereo sound more than a subwoofer.

 
The ".1" won't necessarily screw up stereo imaging unless you put the subwoofer in a location where it can be more easily localizable due to certain reflection patterns. If it can fit on your desk, unless it's way off to one side and nowhere between the two speakers for example, then the bass will be where it needs to be as subbass frequencies are omnidirectional (again, if you localize it, it's usually due to certain reflections, or it has too much upper-bass response and maybe also too loud vs the other speakers).
 
That said a pair of larger active monitors (5in and above, has 4channels of amplification) with less low bass response will typically sound better than tiny 2.1 speakers where the midwoofer/midrange and subwoofer aren't actually integrated well enough (one is too small to reach down low enough, the other in an enclosure meant the extend lower frequency response while still being made to play upper bass frequencies to compensate for the other).

 

[andlight91]

   
The ".1" won't necessarily screw up stereo imaging unless you put the subwoofer in a location where it can be more easily localizable due to certain reflection patterns. If it can fit on your desk, unless it's way off to one side and nowhere between the two speakers for example, then the bass will be where it needs to be as subbass frequencies are omnidirectional (again, if you localize it, it's usually due to certain reflections, or it has too much upper-bass response and maybe also too loud vs the other speakers).
 
That said a pair of larger active monitors (5in and above, has 4channels of amplification) with less low bass response will typically sound better than tiny 2.1 speakers where the midwoofer/midrange and subwoofer aren't actually integrated well enough (one is too small to reach down low enough, the other in an enclosure meant the extend lower frequency response while still being made to play upper bass frequencies to compensate for the other).

So would you suggest getting the Maudio AV40s over a set of Polk Passive Monitors and an Indeed TAmp?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  So would you suggest getting the Maudio AV40s over a set of Polk Passive Monitors and an Indeed TAmp?

 
Not necessarily - I don't even know how you'd think I would, as I only wrote on the comparison between a larger active monitor vs a multimedia 2.1, not the Lepai and maybe a sub, to illustrate how an even frequncy response that drops off too early will generally be better on most music than tiny speakers with problematic integration (again, if you're using a t-amp and a sub, chances are you won't be using 2.5in midwoofers with a 10in subwoofer). If the midwoofers on both are the same size, I'd normally pick the active monitors as they come with active crossovers and four channels of amplification. If you can get a larger midwoofer passive speaker for the same price, provided everything else is comparable and the amp you'll use can handle the speakers, then go for the larger passives.

 

[andlight91]

   
Not necessarily - I don't even know how you'd think I would, as I only wrote on the comparison between a larger active monitor vs a multimedia 2.1, not the Lepai and maybe a sub, to illustrate how an even frequncy response that drops off too early will generally be better on most music than tiny speakers with problematic integration (again, if you're using a t-amp and a sub, chances are you won't be using 2.5in midwoofers with a 10in subwoofer). If the midwoofers on both are the same size, I'd normally pick the active monitors as they come with active crossovers and four channels of amplification. If you can get a larger midwoofer passive speaker for the same price, provided everything else is comparable and the amp you'll use can handle the speakers, then go for the larger passives.
 

 
Am I going to notice a significant difference between the active and passive? Do you have any suggestions on what components I should get?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

   
Am I going to notice a significant difference between the active and passive? Do you have any suggestions on what components I should get?

 
Generally if you like to listen loud, an active monitor typically has four amp channels - one for each tweeter and woofer - and has a lot of headroom compared to a low power T-amp. That said, once you're comparing a 55w x 4 active monitor to a 100w x 2 T-amp on the merits of the amps alone, then that sort of T-amp is more comparable. The thing is, how loud can you even listen? Maybe you like listening loud, but you have a s****y apartment dry wall between your speakers and your neighbor's bed so you can't listen loud anyway.
 
In any case I'd be more partial to the active monitors if I have a headphone set-up, since the only other component it will need is a preamp on the DAC or headphone amp to put the volume knob within easy reach. The only real disadvantage these have is when something breaks: you'd have to ship the whole monitor if you don't have a local tech who fixes these things, whereas with a separate amp and passive speaker, if you can isolate the problem to be the amp, you can just get a new amp or ship it for repair (if it's a t-amp, it'll be small and light enough to keep shipping costs lower).

 

[andlight91]

   
Generally if you like to listen loud, an active monitor typically has four amp channels - one for each tweeter and woofer - and has a lot of headroom compared to a low power T-amp. That said, once you're comparing a 55w x 4 active monitor to a 100w x 2 T-amp on the merits of the amps alone, then that sort of T-amp is more comparable. The thing is, how loud can you even listen? Maybe you like listening loud, but you have a s****y apartment dry wall between your speakers and your neighbor's bed so you can't listen loud anyway.
 
In any case I'd be more partial to the active monitors if I have a headphone set-up, since the only other component it will need is a preamp on the DAC or headphone amp to put the volume knob within easy reach. The only real disadvantage these have is when something breaks: you'd have to ship the whole monitor if you don't have a local tech who fixes these things, whereas with a separate amp and passive speaker, if you can isolate the problem to be the amp, you can just get a new amp or ship it for repair (if it's a t-amp, it'll be small and light enough to keep shipping costs lower).

 
I don't like listening to music loud.  When I game I listen at a normal volume.  It's really dependent on when I'm listening/playing.  Late at night I use my headphones to be considerate of my roommates.  During the day I have my Amp/Dac between 9 and 12 o'Clock.

 

[cel4145]

I don't like listening to music loud.  When I game I listen at a normal volume.  It's really dependent on when I'm listening/playing.  Late at night I use my headphones to be considerate of my roommates.  During the day I have my Amp/Dac between 9 and 12 o'Clock.

In that case, a little t-amp will provide plenty of volume for desktop use if you would prefer to go with passive speakers.

 

[andlight91]

In that case, a little t-amp will provide plenty of volume for desktop use if you would prefer to go with passive speakers.

So If I got the Indeed t-amp what speakers would you recommend to go with it?  I would be using my Audinst Hud-MX1 as a preamp/dac

 

[cel4145]

The Pioneer BS22s are excellent speakers in your budget range.

 

[andlight91]

The Pioneer BS22s are excellent speakers in your budget range.

I have the BS21s in my living room being used as Home Theater speakers  I'll just go with the BS22s for my battlestation then and get the T-Amp.  Thanks for the help!

 

[cel4145]

Great! You already know how good they are