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best 2.1 setup

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prankstar008

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2003
Location
San Diego, CA
Swans M2000
M-Audio Studio Pro 4
Klipsch ProMedia 2.1
Altec Lansing FX6021

WHAT I DO KNOW

I know the first 2 are only 2.0
I know enough about sound to know that BOSE stands for "BuyOtherSoundEquipment"
I know I want these more for music than games

I'm also open to other suggestions. My budget is about $300 which eliminates buying a receiver and some good bookshelfs. I also am currently using soundstorm sound, but I have an x-fi in the mail.
 
For that money, why not go with the Logitech Z5500's and not use the rear speakers? Use the Soundstorm as well, since it does Dolby Digital Live, something the X-Fi doesn't.
 
While I do like the fact that the Z5500 can use optical input and the fact that they are so powerful they could "blow women's clothes off". Given all the other knick nacks they come with, i think they would make supurb speakers for watching dvd's or playing games or listining to rap (all things i have a tendency to do), they just do not have the audiophile quaity that the swans have. None the less, I will consider them as they are impressive.
 
prankstar008 said:
I'm also open to other suggestions. My budget is about $300 which eliminates buying a receiver and some good bookshelfs. I also am currently using soundstorm sound, but I have an x-fi in the mail.

Depends on where you shop.

I would get a refurbed Onkyo receiver (www.shoponkyo.com) ~$100, then get 2x floorstanding JBL or Polk Audio speakers. You can get deals on floorstanding speakers for about $70 each before shipping sometimes, check on www.outpost.com, they have insane Polk Audio prices every few weeks.

If not, I would go with the Klipsch for all around listening - if you have small get-togethers since it has the sub, for quality I would go for the Swans M200 as these two are tried and true. I don't think the Logitech Z5500s or any Logitechs come anywhere close to the quality of these sets. I've also heard good things about the Klipsch 2.0 set.
 
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you think the bottom of the line onkyo receiver and some middle of the road polks will beat the swans in terms of quality? I know onkyo wouldnt put there name on something that didnt preform andif i went that route it would be easy to upgrade later
 
i honestly don't know, you can also get Athena ASB1 bookshelfs which are supposed to be the cheapest audiophile quality speakers out there but that would put you in the same boat as the Swans (5.25" bass), but you would have spent an extra $100 for the receiver and would have a receiver :D and would be able to upgrade later, you can just get a sub when you want to invest money into it to complete the 2.1 set
 
kiplisch is top notch.

Im actuall going with a 5.1 Home theater suround sound setup as my next PC speakers
 
Korndog said:
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-642
possibly the best you can get without building your own from scratch and without investing lots of time. you'll have to put it together, but its pretty easy. it would OWN any kind of mainstream stuff within the pricerange, and possibly double the price range.

then just get any stereo reciever you can find for 50-100 bucks.


this is a pretty cheap soltuion as well:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11112950&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=

im buying that tomorrow for myself.
 
NODES said:
this is a pretty cheap soltuion as well:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11112950&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=

im buying that tomorrow for myself.

music doesn't come in 5channels, most comes in stereo, thats why its better to have it only on two speakers. besides that, systems like those have a serious problem, the range of the small speakers. The subwoofer has to play higher to make up which thoughs off the imaging. You might not be able to make out if a bass guitar, percussion, or other sounds in the midbass section are playing on the left or the right. Studio monitors are really the best solution for music.
 
Korndog said:
music doesn't come in 5channels, most comes in stereo, thats why its better to have it only on two speakers. besides that, systems like those have a serious problem, the range of the small speakers. The subwoofer has to play higher to make up which thoughs off the imaging. You might not be able to make out if a bass guitar, percussion, or other sounds in the midbass section are playing on the left or the right. Studio monitors are really the best solution for music.


for 150 u cant really complain. well atleast from a Canada based look. things arent cheap here.

u can always upgrade those tiny speakers to a better 2.1 speaker setup
 
well, when i first started i got the Polk R15, about 40bucks for the pair from frys, you could probably find somehting similar in canada. i had it hooked up to a 80dollar reciever and it sounded outstanding compared to any computer sound system i had heard. I'm not saying that 5.1 JVC setup is a bad deal. for watching surround sound movies and games, its pretty good for 150, but for music its not the best thing.

btw prankstar, those m-audio monitors are great also. i'm not sure about those, but some others that i've seen in that price range have a 4th order crossover (well actually 2 2orders in series) and they're acousticly very correct, but like some of the comments on the newegg site, the bass is lacking, but if you can get a decent sub for 100 bucks so it wouldn't add up more then 300 and it would make an amazing setup.
 
Korndog said:
well, when i first started i got the Polk R15, about 40bucks for the pair from frys, you could probably find somehting similar in canada. i had it hooked up to a 80dollar reciever and it sounded outstanding compared to any computer sound system i had heard. I'm not saying that 5.1 JVC setup is a bad deal. for watching surround sound movies and games, its pretty good for 150, but for music its not the best thing.

btw prankstar, those m-audio monitors are great also. i'm not sure about those, but some others that i've seen in that price range have a 4th order crossover (well actually 2 2orders in series) and they're acousticly very correct, but like some of the comments on the newegg site, the bass is lacking, but if you can get a decent sub for 100 bucks so it wouldn't add up more then 300 and it would make an amazing setup.


yeah music u want some serious sound, but im limted part due to the APT. im in...
for comparision that same JVC rec. is 199+15% tax and no speakers or subs up here in canada. :temper:

i really like the athens speaker setup, but a tad to expensive to use for Computer useage.
 
I think bleagh pretty much hit in on the head. If you are looking for audiophile on a budget and dont need to blow the neighbors away with volume please dont get JBL or the logitechs
 
Redstone said:
I think bleagh pretty much hit in on the head. If you are looking for audiophile on a budget and dont need to blow the neighbors away with volume please dont get JBL or the logitechs


Infinity = JBL = Harman Kardon.

I have the E30's, and they are by far much better then most bookshelfs, such as Polk many others.
 
after reading everything im either thinking of going with an onkyo receiver and the dayton speakers OR the swans. I have infinity speakers and amps and subs in my car and JBL's in a room in my house, and although they sound nice, I want something even nicer for my computer as I listen to a lot of music on it. THanks for all the input
 
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