What computer speakers you ppl use?

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I use an older pair of AR's that were designed for multimedia use. I think the same design is used by Advent now. If you want a cheap way to outperform most commercial offerings, just build some smaller monitors and a subwoofer, and connect them to an inexpensive surround sound processor or receiver. Some sound cards now have output for surround sound, but most can use the auxilary inputs on these stereo/surround receivers.
 
I use Altec Lansing ACS33s, but I hope to get some of the new JBL Sonnet speakers. The harman/kardon Odyssey microdrivers are just plain cool. When I'm doing something that demands real audio muscle, I hook up my big Sherwood RVD6090R reciever, Pioneer/Fried hybrid speakers and 150-watt subwoofer amplifier from Parts Express. Soon I'll be building a subwoofer with a 10" Blueprint Drivers 1001 woofer.
 
In terms of bang for buck I haven't seen anything quite like the Altec Lansing AVS300. I've heard basically every system from MidiLand, Cambridge SoundWorks (Creative) and Altec Lansing, as I've built computer systems for people for several years now. For the price there's nothing that comes close. They sound as good as some of the most expensive Altec Lansing systems save the better bass performance they offer. And they certainly sound better than anything available for less than $150 CDN. The satellites in this system offer better midrange/mid bass than older models. I picked them up for $60 CDN, and I highly recommend them.
 
R U sure thats rite?
AVS300 seems pretty underpowered to me...
10W sub and 7W sats... Still if it's good I'll go listen for myself I'm rather inclined towards the ACS45.1 and the ACS48(still more than I like to spend)
I'm currently using Mini compo speakers
quite good, measured them down to 80 or so hz
but they don't do 150hz and below clearly enough for my liking... so looking toards 2.1 systems with accurate low bass. Volume's not a factor. : ^) Price is. A cheap hifi sub would be overkill I think.
 
power ratings

These kits always have low low power ratings. All I can say is I imagine they have high efficiency ratings. Usually they're loud enough. 1-5W per channel is not uncommon in computer speakers. I've even seen some that operate on the line level output of your soundcard with no amplification. Granted, they're rather quiet. But they still do the job.

I'm no expert in the mass production of audio equipment, but it seems to me a set of high efficiency drivers with extremely trivial amplification is more cost-effective than perhaps cheaper or easier to produce lower efficiency drivers with more signifigant amplification.

On the other hand, you're not going to get room-shaking SPL from this set. I suggest you try this set or similar products out at a computer store to see how they perform.
 
Computer Speakers

I have found that the most cost effective and top notch way to set up one's computer system is to get some vintage stereo equipment. Much of this you may already have laying around. Here is what I have. I have a NIKKO 7075 receiver, which allows me to listen to AM, FM, and any other means of input to the computer. If you are using a CD burner and want to record from records or tapes, then a receiver is almost essential. Next, I am presently using a pair of older bookshelf speakers made by Harman/Kardon(HK-20). These vintage speakers work fine and cost me $9.99 plus S/H from E-Bay. To get the low frequencies, I am using a Radio Shack SW-12 subwoofer positioned under the counter. I have had this around for some time, and just went to the storage bedroom and pulled it out, dusted it off and hooked it up. Now, the sound is not audiophile quality, but it certainly beats anything you can get at the computer store. Also, another great thing about the receiver, is the headphone jack. If the Better Half gets on to you about the sound level, plug in your best headphones, I use Sony MDR-V6's, and can puree my brains out is I want to. Now if you don't have what you need, try the local garage sales, classifies adds in the newspaper, or better yet, go to E-Bay and ty a rope around yourself, so someone can pull you away from the screen before you starve to death. That's what I'd do if I were in your shoes. John
 
Just a thought, but if you built a subwoofer using one of the relatively inexpensive plate amplifiers, you could just use the high pass outputs that come standard on most of them for a small pair of two way monitors. You could probably do the entire project for under $250 bucks, and wouldn't have to worry about buying any other amps/preamps/stereo equipment.
 
These aren't mine, but...

I really like the Harmon-Kardon SoundSticks, the new Altec 2100s, and the spherical Apple Pro Speakers from Harman Kardon with their 2" odyssey drivers. I've never heard bass like that from anything under 3" before. Especially when driven with only 10w/channel. For a single-driver stereo pair, they simply rock. But they are driven by an amplifier built into the Mac itself. If you own one of the Compaqs with the JBL Pro speakers and the amplifier on the sound card and want to upgrade from those, get a pair of the Apple Pro Speakers. And yes, they go loud (with bass) without distorting too terribly. I could sit for minutes extolling the virtues of the Odyssey microdrivers. Kind of like the way I'm obsessed with the way a 50-watt Philips wOOx-equipped sub would seem to crank up louder and more clearly than the Pioneer 100-watt sub next to it at Best Buy. I wish I didn't have to decide between the Philips wOOx-equipped computer speakers and the JBL Sonnets.
 
I use sony MDR-7506 headphones 100% of the time. For games, you can't match the effectiveness of good headphones at any price. For music, it becomes very difficult and expensive. Movies are a different story.

The 90 bucks i paid for my cans was by far the best piece of investment i've made for any of my computers.

ESP has a quasi "hifi" computer speaker project you might look into. I would swap out his 60W amp in favor of a couple more 3786 IC's bridged on the woofer in a ported enclosure just in the interest of cost and simplicity. You could easily put something together that would outperform any commercial computer speakers for a couple hundred bucks.

jt
 
>BAM

You can't use a subwoofer plate amplifier for powered speakers, not without an extra stereo amplifier for the satellites. The high level, high pass output on most(all?) subwoofer amplifiers are simply connected via a capacitor to the high level inputs.

/Tobbe
 
Computer Speakers

For heaven's sake, am I just an old fart to be thinking about practicality. Forget about plate amps, Infinity or JBL computer speakers. You can have more than a couple of hundred dollars tied down here and still not be all that versatile. All of us into the audio scene collect the things that we like most. Go dust off the extra receiver and speakers that are in the basement, or go to the nearest garage sales and look for some good vintage equipment! These things can be had for a song, and give good quality. And you can have them today, not some time "tomorrow" when you finally get around to it. Look up my earlier entry and see what I use. I have much less than $100 in my set up and I can rock the house. At least until the Missus comes home. She,s such a sweet thing. Now quit arguing about how many angles can dance on the head of a pin, and do something nice for yourself! John L
 
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