What are you using for PC Speakers?

Zero · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 03:30 am »

OOheadsoo,

I have no experience with NHT pro-audio gear. I would imagine it still maintains their trademark sound. Do you ever plan on replacing the speakers you currently own anytime soon?

The Chaintech certainaly holds its value. I owned the Revolution briefly, and felt it was pretty good. It is difficult to go wrong with either card.

I just ordered myself an Emu card to try out. If it works out good - I may consider building a PC source for the main rig with this card.

btw: Is your sub ported or sealed?

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #21 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 05:10 am »

I also plan on picking up an emu card soon.

I don't plan on upgrading my speakers any time soon. If my financial matters don't progress well, I may stick with these speakers for a long time. Since I got them for a pretty decent price, I feel that I would need to spend quite a hefty amount of money on speakers to beat them. The A-20's are nearly half the price what they used to be (check nhtpro.com) but that's still almost 3x more than what I paid for my a-10's. Mine used to retail for close to what the A-20's are selling for today. My dream is to own a pair of Rick Craig's speakers, but all of his speakers are unshielded and I use my speakers by my computer, dangit!

As for other pro monitors, I'm thinking the only ones I would upgrade to are the A-20's. It retains the sonic signature I'm used to but adds quite a bit more detail. I also plan on upgrading my preamp this summer.

Now that you mention it, I just plugged up my sub's ports with two tshirts

I haven't definitively evaluated my sub's performance ported vs. vented since I found signal generator software to assist my sub matching by ear. From what I'm hearing now, I think I definitely like it with my tshirts hanging out! Thanks for reminding me! Now I just need some better low profile port plugs :p Btw, my favorite bass evaluation cd is Superbass 2 with Ray Brown, John Clayton, and Christian McBride. 3 bassists going at it is a pretty decent test.

Thump553 · « **Reply #22 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 01:04 pm »

My main computer speakers are not speakers at all-they are Senn HD 600 headphones. Excellent sound and very comfortable-I frequently use them for hours at a stretch.

When I have to use speakers, or at work, I use a pair of those disgusting $10 throw aways. I probably have a half dozen pairs of these that well meaning people have given to me over the years.

I've been looking for some decent 2 channel solution for work for quite a while. Size and appearance are important there.

Zero · « **Reply #23 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 02:55 pm »

Head,

As you well know, NHT can often times produce a very fine and solid product. I paid full retail for the SB-3's (first time I have ever paid full-retail for an item). Regardless, the value is still there in spades. I am considering trying out some Triangle Titus 202 bookshelf speakers. Rumor has it they respond very well to tubes, and mix well with NAD gear. As good as the SB-3's are, they want juice and a lot of it.

I am curious, do you set up this rig for professional mixing, recording, and playback, or is this a system catered more towards where you listen to most of your music?

I built myself a sealed sonotube for a sub. It can shake the house if it wants, but accuracy was the name of the game there. You can loose spl, but you certainly do gain control.

I have no real quality bass evaluation cd's. Just a song here or there. Most of the other "bass tests" is synthesized stuff or sine waves.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #24 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 05:38 pm »

Have you considered the Blaupunkt tripath car amps? $200 will get you the amp and power supply, 150w/channel. If you got two amps and two power supplies, you could bridge them for two 400w monoblocks. That's what I planned on using in the future to power whatever speakers I got. I wish I could hear this setup myself instead of speaking based on second hand information...

I'm currently using my setup as it is because it's where I listen to practically all of my music when I'm not in my car. I'm interested in learning more about mixing and recording though. My major (music history) is pretty much a dead end street so I'm trying to lean towards the more professional side of music.

Yeah, I'd build a sonotube sub myself but I didn't trust myself to cut perfect circle endcaps and didn't know any local sonotube suppliers, though I admit I didn't look very hard because I didn't trust myselt to cut perfect circle endcaps...or rout the driver holes for that matter :p No doubt your sub is pretty nice. The drivers on mine aren't that great. If I were to get another standalone sub instead of getting one integrated into the speakers, I would get a rythmikaudio servo sub.

Thump553: I have the HD600's too. However, since getting these speakers, I almost never use them :p Ultimately, I can't stand thing sitting near my ear. It'll be akg k-1000's for me or nothing hehe. For cheap 2 channel, if you have a preamp, I would recommend the Event TR-5 powered monitors. The image very well and sound clean. I almost bought a pair before I landed my speakers on ebay. If you don't have a preamp, maybe the Swan M200? Newegg had a special sale on it and it went out of stock in a flash, but maybe they'll get some more: http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=36-136-102&depa=0

Zero · « **Reply #25 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 10:07 pm »

Head,

I considered those tripath amplifiers for the NHT's. The value in those amps are incredible, but alas, I could not find any at the time I was interested, and now I have my eyes set on other solutions. Like you, this is one of those set ups that you would need to hear for yourself, because odds are you could not recover your loss if you dont like what you hear.

There is so much to learn with professional recording. It is nothing I have gone into, though it certainly has numerous career options..

Cutting the circles for the sono was a pain and a half. Once the mastering the router was down, it was a piece of cake. But until then - well , I dont even wanna go into the details - it was a VERY painfull project.

I have a cheap Dayton 10'' woofer on my system, but it is plenty for all intensive purposes.

Certainly tons of options when it comes to PC-audio... Best of luck on your venture !

JoshK · « **Reply #26 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 11:07 pm »

Hate to pick on you but I thought you might want to know, the phrase is suppose to be "all intents and purposes."

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #27 on:** 21 Jun 2004, 11:13 pm »

Hey, what he said works too

ASi_TEK · « **Reply #28 on:** 9 Jul 2004, 06:26 pm »

I am using the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 system. I modified the amplifier inside the subwoofer with Harris diodes and Rubycon caps, and replace the signal wiring with silver wire and spray undercoat for the sub. Did the same for the satellites. Pretty nice little system to playback MP3's or WAV's and some CD's. Brought more emotion and resolution/dynamics.
Gets very loud as well.

I do not use a PC Audio Card, I use the Stereolink 1200 USB DAC which is more optimal than a sound card and modified it extensively and sounds very good.

mgalusha · « **Reply #29 on:** 9 Jul 2004, 07:20 pm »

Quote from: ASi_TEK

I do not use a PC Audio Card, I use the Stereolink 1200 USB DAC which is more optimal than a sound card and modified it extensively and sounds very good.

Doug,

Just curious what you did to the Stereolink. I use one at work to drive my headphone rig and have thought about modding it. I figured to start with the power supply first but I'm interested in knowing how you approached it if you're willing to tell.

Thanks - Mike G.

ASi_TEK · « **Reply #30 on:** 9 Jul 2004, 07:42 pm »

Hi Mike,

I figured I would just put some parts in from my stock to see what would happen, the results were differently better.

Typical mods such as replacing the PS diodes with SMD types, Replacing PS caps with Rubycon ZL series decoupling caps with the Ruby ZA series. Also put some C37 lacquer on the chips. Rewired and shortened all circuit traces with audio consutling silver wire/cotton and replace RCA's with Vampires and removed fuse.
The voltage regulators are typical 78XX series types and could benfit getting replaced with a Audicom Super Regulator or Q-power for lower noise and faster delivery, I didn't do this as just wanted to mod this thing on a rainy day to see what would happen.

I did not do anything to the Headphone section, but a couple caps can be changed there and the opamp could be changed to a AD8066 or AD8620 for better performance and some rewiring could makes things better. The circuit board traces are pretty weak in this unit. Also the volume control on the side is fair and could benefit getting replaced with maybe a Alps pot and mount it on the front or side for controls??? Sounds cool.

mgalusha · « **Reply #31 on:** 11 Jul 2004, 03:08 am »

Thanks for the info Doug. I'm not using the headphone section so I certainly won't be spending any time with that portion. I'll have to drag it down to my bench one of these days and see what I have on hand that will fit.

Thump553 · « **Reply #32 on:** 20 Aug 2004, 03:04 pm »

I'm bumping this thread for some more input. I bought a set of the RSL speakers off ebay that quanbb mentioned. Nice powered computer speakers-and incidentally the first speakers I've had where I could honestlysay I heard a real difference once the speakers broke in.

To make a long story short, my RSK speakers are going to be absconded by my daughter heading off to college, and I will be back to headphones and $10 throwaway speakers.

This time I'm thinking of some cheap stereo amp / 2 speaker setup. A couple hundred dollars is probably the maximum budget (two kids in college). Space or WAF are not a problems.