What are you using for PC Speakers?

dave_c · « **on:** 18 Jun 2004, 02:18 pm »

Just built my PC and need some speakers. They must have an on/off switch cause my PC sends a lot of noise through the outputs

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BradJudy · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 02:44 pm »

At work I'm using Ascend Acoustics HTM-200s with a Sharp SD-SG11. Great setup, but a little pricey. At home, I'm going vintage with 25 year old Optimus speakers (away from the monitor naturally) and a Marantz 1530.

If you want something designed for computers and still good quality, Newegg just started selling the Swam M-200s for $170 IIRC. A nice 2-channel computer setup (integrated amplification and shielded drivers).

dave_c · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 03:29 pm »

Thanks Brad. I was looking at the swans, but I don't have the room on my desk. Maybe its time for a new desk?

westcoast · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 05:34 pm »

Stop by www.cambridgesoundworks.com/ They have a variety of solutions in different price ranges. If you have a good soundcard, they rock!

SWG255 · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 06:28 pm »

I use Alesis 0.75 nearfield monitors powered by an inexpensive KLH receiver I bought from Best Buy for the purpose. The front channel line outs from my Terratec 6Fire 24/96 sound card are connected to the "CD" input of the receiver. This gives excellent sound good enough for my amateur recording mixing and mastering work.

Quote from: westcoast

Stop by www.cambridgesoundworks.com/ They have a variety of solutions in different price ranges. If you have a good soundcard, they rock!

mgalusha · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 06:58 pm »

I have a pair of the Swans M-200 that I paid $200 for and for the money I find them pretty nice. In addition to sounding pretty good they are very nice looking. This is a must since I have to share our home office with my wife.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 07:38 pm »

I think the swans are running for $160 off of newegg right now though they quickly ran out of stock. Good deal that. My pc rig is my main rig so I won't bother to list it here.

Val · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 01:37 pm »

I will be buying a laptop, port replicator and LCD monitor in a month or so; the speakers I want are Eminent Technology http://www.eminent-tech.com/lft11prod.html">LFT-11s, $499. I would like to pair them with a NAD 320BEE and a REL Quake or MJ Pro 50 subwoofer, but that would be a lot of money for PC music.

Val

StevenACNJ · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 01:45 pm »

I have an EGO 24/96 WaveTerminal sound card. Am running with a pair of Tannoy Reveal Actives and Tannoy sub.

Very good sound quality

Zero · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 03:03 pm »

I must be out my damn mind

NAD 320 BEE integrated, NHT SB-3 Bookshelf speakers, and $200 thrown into my DIY sub.

dave_c · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 03:07 pm »

You guys have big desks.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 06:38 pm »

Quote from: A6M-ZERO

I must be out my damn mind

NAD 320 BEE integrated, NHT SB-3 Bookshelf speakers, and $200 thrown into my DIY sub.

Hey, your setup is similar to mine!

NHT Pro A-10 powered monitors, $230 or so into my subwoofer. Check sig for pic cuz my desk isn't THAT big

I have a NAD amp lying around not being used

Pheno · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 09:41 pm »

I have a two computer speaker set ups that I have really enjoyed. At home, I am using the Monsoon MM-1000 Flat panel system (by Level 9) with two flat panel speakers and an accompanying subwoofer. At my office I have the Monsoon MM-2000 Flat panel system with four flat panel speakers and a larger subwoofer. The speakers can be plugged directly into your computer audio out (and make a great complement to itunes on the Apple macintosh computers) as the speakers are self powered and thus need only an input. Both systems sound great, particularly for their price and have been reviewed extensively in the PC magazine reviews. In fact, several years ago, these speakers were the reference by which other made for computer speakers were compared. I don't know if I would go that far, but they have been a nice addition to both my home and work offices.

Zero · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Jun 2004, 03:58 am »

ooHeadsoo,

Awesome system you got there! haha. How long have you had your rig for?

dave_c · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Jun 2004, 04:23 am »

I'm actually using Monsoons right now. They sound okay, but the problem I have with them is that they don't have an on/off/volume control. They're plugged into the Stereo Minijack of my nForce2 mobo. The digital diarrhaea that spews out of them gives me the worst headache. Sane humans aren't meant to hear those noises. So I want to be able to turn the speakers off when I'm not listening.

I think I'm going to get a bigger desk so I can fit some decent speakers with an XR25 or something. Maybe more trouble than its worth, but sometimes I feel like I'm on the computer more than I'm listening to my system.

quanbb · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Jun 2004, 06:39 am »

I've been using a sub/sat powered speaker system manufactured by a new company called...RSL Speakers. It looks like any of a dozen sub/sat systems out there, but looks in this case can be deceiving. This system is very smooth, and absolutely non fatiguing for extended listening. It images like crazy with instruments and voices having alot of detail and clarity. Also, there's no one note bass boom coming from the bass module, it just blends seamlessly with the two satellites. My other, computer speaker system I've been using for the last 2 years has been the acoustic energy aego2 sub/sat speaker system. As much as I enjoy the aegos , I think for the music I primarily listen too...classical, country, oldies...I prefer using the ...RSL speakers much more, the aegos have a tendency to get alittle boomy on certain bass heavy recordings, and I think the RSL's have alittle more detail than the aego's. The price of the RSL...is around 60.00, and the company usually auctions one or two on ebay for even less. Their website, really goes into quite a detailed explaination about the parts they use, and how they designed their system to sound so musical....I've purchased alot of audio equipment over the last 15 years...and this has got to be one of the best audio finds I've ever come across. Bill

Lost81 · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Jun 2004, 07:25 am »

Video Logic Sirocco Pro.

I like it.

Speaker cables have been upgraded to Monster M1.4 bi-wire series
(a painstaking process as the connectors are 4 pin XLR connectors).

-Lost81

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Jun 2004, 09:12 am »

I got the latest piece of my system, the preamp/headamp about 2 months ago? Something like that. The speakers I got around 6 mo. ago, the sources about a year and a half ago or so. I'm looking to upgrade the preamp with some better caps, dc filament and tube rectification, etc, and soundcard to an emu 1212m in the coming 3-4 months, plus add some fiberglass panels to my walls.

Zero · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Jun 2004, 05:00 pm »

ooheadsoo,

I only wish I could keep any piece of equipment for 2 months. I havent been able to do that for the past few years now. damn this "hobby".

I am not familiar with the Emu card, got a link for details?

Im using a very cheap chaintech card, costs all of $26. Sound quality wise, it is easily on par with the more expensive audigy / santa cruz / revolution cards out there. A pretty good economy card.

Good system, how do you like your NHTS? I love the SB-3's, small, sealed, detailed, low extension, whats not to love? They are inefficient as hell, rated at 86 db efficient, benchmarked at 83db. An amp has to bust a nut to get them to sing, thankfully this system is for nearfield position.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 Jun 2004, 05:20 pm »

The a-10's are OK. They're part of NHT's pro lineup but were discontinued a while ago. Originally retailed for about $1200 I guess? I just heard the A-20's which are the big brother to my speakers yesterday, and they sounded even more detailed. Definitely same family, very nice. Sealed speakers are just that way, as far as efficiency goes. These monitors come with their own poweramp, so getting them to play loud isn't really a problem. Mine is supposedly rated for 150w/channel dual mono from the power supply onwards.

Yeah, the chaintech is the bane of all revo owners. For the most comprehensive impressions of the emu I've seen, check out Head-fi's computer source forum. I just went to a head-fi meet yesterday and heard the emu in stock and modded form. Both are definitely very smooth and detailed, nothing to complain about at all from what I heard.