I just want a decent system

[OldStyler]

Hey, I'm a newbie to all of this, and I admit I have no Idea what alot of the stuff on this forum means. I don't know much about good speakers and the setups and all of that, but I need to buy some speakers and a receiver to hook up to my computer to run pretty loud music from during parties. The room is not very big (it's in a frat-house), so I won't need anything huge. I don't want to spend an absurd amount of money, maybe like 500-600 bucks, (Is that reasonable?) for a setup that can push decently loud and will last. Thanks for all your help, and I'm sorry if this is not the section for this post to go in, again, I have no idea what a lot of this stuff means.

[velmeran42]

You probably won't get any real responses to your posting. Your post lacks any real specifics and isn't really at all applicable to these forums. This forum is all about Do It Youself (DIY) audio, and your question is about off the shelf gear. For the level of quality you're probably looking for (given it's being driven off a PC for party use), go check out local stores and just give the gear a listen. I'm sure you can find something suitable for <$500. Don't forget about pawn shops and thrift stores, sometimes you can luck out there.

[morbo]

I'll try... how about this project:

http://www.wadsnet.com/~dtenney/dayton_8MTM.htm

paired with a stereo amp, for example an old pioneer, yamaha, or marantz receiver (70s vintage) from a pawn/thrift shop or ebay, or maybe a Panasonic XR series digital reciever (unless the speakers are a 4ohm load, which Idon't know, if they are switch to a SA series reciever)

should give you a crazy loud system (for music) that will also be a good introduction to 'higher end' sound.

[RJ]

It sounds like you don't want to build a pair of speakers, but buy some real cheap. I don't think that's going to happen. You might be able to buy some JBL's or Cerwin Vegas on eBay that might fit your wallet.
In one way I think you should build a pair like Dave Tenney's Dayton 8 MTM, they are good. I had a pair for awhile then I wanted more. Then I built my line arrays. These puppies will physically knock you back with as little as 75 watts. That's what my old Pioneer reciever is rated at. I had these on 300 watts and WoWee Wow Wow woW!!!
Then again I don't want to blamed for you turning into a DIY'er junkie.

[derf]

I'd say a set of Pi speakers would do you fine, with the Two Pi Bass Reflex being the ones I'd reccomend.

Pi Speakers

As for an amplifier, anything with around 50+ watts should be fine with speakers of this sensitivity.

[Duck-Twacy]

If you don't want to build, eg a Klipsch Synergy III can go quite loud and costs<$500

[audiobomber]

Originally posted by OldStyler
I need to buy some speakers and a receiver to hook up to my computer to run pretty loud music from during parties...
I don't want to spend an absurd amount of money, maybe like 500-600 bucks, (Is that reasonable?) for a setup that can push decently loud and will last.

Originally posted by Duck-Twacy
If you don't want to build, eg a Klipsch Synergy III can go quite loud and costs<$500

He wants a receiver and speakers for $500-$600.

[2litre]

I recommend that while you're learning about building speakers, like I am too, that you visit you local St. Vincent DePaul or Good Will about once or twice a week as well as the Satuday morning papers for local estate or yard sales.

For $19.00 I picked up fully functional old Pioneer 4050 reciever. It has only minor cosmetic issues is 15wpc. Just a week later I saw some flawless 10" 3 ways for a total of $54.00. 5W nominal input, not name brand but were not home made either. Didn't get those, at about 18x18x24 they were just too big for my room.

Now the reciever might not have driven those 3 ways to full potential but for about $75.00 you'd have a system. Most sellers want your money and if you're polite they will bend over backwards to prove these items work. And, more often than not, they know someone else who is selling something too.

R/

Jim

[rnrss]

Another old standby if you can find them is the altec lansing voice of the theater... then get winamp and the decisoft 32 band software equalizer for free on the winamp site and you have no problems bringing the cops to your door...

i just picked up a set for my brother a couple months ago for 500 bucks for the pair...