i got a new computer and i really need speakers for it

:-( What exactly did he do to break it?

And another :-( for not buying an Apple. ;-)

rufus just kept turning it on and off every day for months over and over again until it finally popped!

(Sorry to semi-hijack the thread...)

everything. you know, music on the web, and CDs, and DVDs. i wanna be able to walk away from my desk and still hear stuff. i do need good headphones too though.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/journeytoworkpluskids023.jpg

dude, i have these, and i like 'em alot!

thanks, everyone!

They're not a amplifier/speaker combo replacement by any means but they are surprisingly sweet & realistic for the buck. No standalone sub but they have some kind of sub-channel on each. I tried some other dedicated, allegedly good-for-audio replacements I was offered cut-price from a friend and they were GARBAGE by comparison.

these are from cambridge so they are more expensive ;) still i recommend them highly.

Long story short I need new speakers. Basically I want something that's good to use mainly on my computer, and as well to hook up to to my turntables.

Now I can get these M-Audio speakers which are spoken very highly of by, errr, M-Audio and are only like $167.

Or, I can get a home audio system like this and these are sony and are only $150 (and they're like $350 regular retail price)but does this make sense?

Similarly I could get Logitech surround sound speakers from reseller and get similar prices/savings but I keep thinking of logitech as being too generic and thereby not that good.

Any suggestions?

You're better off with two decent (?) M-Audio speakers than the surround system, which is like crap times 5.1. If you expect to hear what you're doing when you mix records, you'll really appreciate having just two speakers that tell you what's really happening in each channel.

Not sure I'd steer you towards M-Audio stuff vs. other cheapo brands like Behringer.

Logitech = mouse company profiting from speakers.

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=50C9879F&fnode=home/shop_mac/mac_accessories/audio_speakers&nplm=TC539

I just installed three pairs of these with Mac Pro digital video editing stations. I'd use a pair with a computer, definitely.

Emma stole my speakers upthread so I did this...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/IMG_7910.jpg

I think I might just get the M-Audio ones. I can hook them up to a computer and turntables which is good, because I need to get rid of that more or less busted receiver I have hooked up now. I'm also in the process of making demo's so, this only makes sense.

x-post

intersting use of "rip it up" ...

rufus just kept turning it on and off every day for months over and over again until it finally popped!

? Can't imacs cope with being turned on and off? I turn mine off every day.

It's not so much the "off" as the "on". Each time you turn any computer on -- Mac or no -- you send a jolt of juice through it that's stronger than the normal operating current. Think of it this way: What's more likely to drive a nail into a board: Repeatedly striking it with a 5lb weight or striking it once and leaving the weight on it?

Now, granted, Macs have one part which is especially vulnerable to powercycling: The PRAM battery. These are about $7 + shipping, and most folks have no idea that they can resuscitate a "dead" Mac with a simple procedure. But other shit can break due to powercycling. For instance, today I killed a disk by powercycling its computer about 30 times.

The moral of the story is that you should leave yr computer on 24/7 and tune the energy saver settings so that it chews up minimal juice when idle.

i just blamed rufus because he was two and couldn't defend himself. he did turn it on and off A LOT. mostly off. then one day it did actually make a popping noise and i couldn't turn it on after that. i think it exploded. i was a little sad. that was the first computer i ever had. i bought it so that i could singlehandedly save the world of popular music criticism. mission accomplished. you did a heck of a job, greenie.

Microsoft should sign you up for a reverse Ellen Feiss.

I will never understand electronics. Most guidance for electrical items, including Macs, say that you should leave them on unless you're away for a few days or more.

Could they be more specific about the reasons? What are they telling me here? Is it because I wont be around to spot a fire beginning? That in fact their product needs careful watching in case it starts to go up in smoke?

I leave my computer on all the time, even if I go away for a few weeks. I suppose that if you live in an area that has thunderstorms, you might not want to take needless chances with yr computer when going away for an extended period of time. In that case, though, you'd want to unplug all the cables, not just the power cable. There's also a minimal energy savings, I suppose. Once, I came home from vacation to find my computer off and my UPS beeping like mad, which probably annoyed the cats all to hell.

anyone used creative gigaworks t20s? or any other creative speakers, for that matter? ta.

ay dudes

as you might have read on the "how awesome is opeth" thread, opeth blew out my came-with-the-box speakers. i'm treating this an as opportunity to buy some new ones. I don't need studio monitors or anything that serious, just looking for the best lay listener quality at the best price. I use Polks on my main setup, something along those lines would rock my socks.

<$75 is ideal, aesthetics a minor consideration. What do you guys have/love/loathe/suggest?

bueller

if $75 is your top range and you don't care about looks then why are you asking for advice?

"I need some paint for my house, moderately priced; off-white would be cool"

There's a lot of variety in the low range. I'm just asking if anybody has anything they'd recommend.

I usually hear good things about klipsch and altec lansing

Spherex satelites ala Mirage Omnipolar -- discontinued, yes, but available at Parts Express for $40/pair. Mate these with a sub and you'll be solid!

I blew my Klipsch's very quickly

thx dudes

What I'm using these days;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/Headphones%20and%20hi-fi/IMG_9749.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/Headphones%20and%20hi-fi/IMG_9747.jpg

"altec lansing" sounds like something out of a william gibson novel

So does Tracer Hand

I'm not sure what El Tomboto sounds like.

Scik Mouth your speakers appear to be getting higher and higher off the ground! Are they at ear height yet?

after reading your stuff on mastering and compression i kinda pictured you like this:

http://martion.de/english/orgonpics/org07.jpg

That's only the little hi-fi in the backroom. These are my headphones;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/Headphones%20and%20hi-fi/IMG_6580.jpg

This is the main stereo;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/njsouthall/Headphones%20and%20hi-fi/IMG_6245.jpg

Although it's in a different house now.

Is that oxygen free cable?

Wait till February and get these - http://www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk/display.aspx?langid=2&infid=4503

Those aren't going to be cheap, are they? Hmm.

I'm in the same kind of boat here: I need something good that's not bank-breaking. Any advice gratefully received.

you need a good external USB dac because computers come with the absolute shittiest 5 cent onboard sound chips which operate in an extremely noisy (electronically) environment

No, I don't imagine they'll be cheap.

I've used these at work, they're alright - http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/edirol-ma-15d-digital-stereo-micro-active-monitors--27074

At home I run an optical out into an offboard DAC, and run that into a NAD amp and a pair of Q Acoustics speakers.

DACS are the dark side (^_^) I'd recommend investing in a good external audio interface over a DAC.

whatever you do move the signal outside of the noisy polluted inside of the computer. then you can run the signal to your regular setup

Agreed!

What exactly would constitute an "external audio interface"?

Hurting, do you ever read the Jazz D-bag thread anymore?

What do you guys make of this:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/mp3/review/2009/11/18/Sounds-Good-To-Me/p1

Best part was this:

The only person to get all four tracks right is someone who listens to their headphones at pitifully low volumes and hasn't attended any rock concerts. We can think of two explanations. One, the subject has particularly sensitive ears, so doesn't need to turn the volume up high. Two, the subject hasn't wrecked their hearing through years of listening to a walkman/MP3 player at high volumes and/or seeing Motorhead at the Hammersmith Odeon. Arguably, both apply.

So is it possible to just use a cheap USB sound adapter to eliminate the noise problem?

link?

What about this thing? http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/technology/personaltech/19pogue.html

So I finally got some KRK Rokit 5s off craigslist - they sound great and will be more than adequate as monitors for whatever doodling around I do. Right now I have them going out of the headphone out through mini-to-RCA cables, and even that way they sound pretty decent although I notice some noise and hum. Eventually I think I'm just going to get some kind of small firepod-type interface since I need one of those.

took delivery on an "iBasso D4 Mamba" today - pretty great imo. usb powered, has two DACs in it (one for each channel!), encodes from usb to i2s for jitter-reduction (lol audiophilese). has a good sounding amp built into it too - you can either use it as a pre-amp or just use the straight DAC signal to feed into your system. little expensive though

http://www.ibasso.com/en/products/show.asp?ID=44

http://home.cogeco.ca/~philodox/moddedk340smiley.gif

I bought this same Altec Lansing system at an estate sale today for $10

http://img.mercadolibre.com.pe/jm/img?s=MPE&f=9401086_9177.jpg&v=E

It came w/ no guarantee of functionality & a thick coating of yellow cigarette smoke residue which I scrubbed off w/ bleach, but everything works just fine & sounds fantastic!

really need some new computer speakers, L@@King at these ones: CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS MICROWORKS II

any other comparable ones in a similar price range?

I got these last year and have been extremely pleased:

Harmon Kardon Soundsticks

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0042F3K9W/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1307319983&sr=8-1

If I were buying a pair now, I'd probably get these.

http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-5

The amp in my Cambridge Microworks (original, not II) died 6 months ago after 9 years of regular use, but for years I'd subbed in a spare pair of Cambridge dual driver sats (roughly equivalent to the current Newton MC105s). Without the tweeter, the stock single driver sats in the Microworks (also the Microworks II) lacked a lot of brilliance esp on percussion.

I've since bought the Altec-Lansing Z623s, and they're pretty good for $140: soundwise, a notch below the Newton setup, but better than stock Microworks.

The Audioengine 5 doesn't look bad, but don't see any for under $325.

These will blow away yer Soundsticks, Microworks and yer ltec-Lansing Smurfwicks for close to the same price:

M-Audio Studiophile CX5, 90 watts, $469 MSRP ($151)
M-Audio Studiophile CX8, 120 watts, $579 MSRP ($199)

See more - Ditch the Fisher Price Speakers and Do Your Music Some Justice

Now you tell me! Well, next time I'll be prepared...

Having said that, given my merely sporadic computer listening, the Soundsticks are fine.

My Soundsticks have been blown out. I've had them for 9 or 10 years now so I felt justified in ordering the 120 watt M-Audio CX8s listed above. They seem like great speakers and i'm in need. The Soundsticks were $100 I think but I never really loved the sound. I'll be glad to free up a USB port too. How much of a difference does it make to use an external soundcard rather than the built-in card on my relatively new iMac?

I'm not sure, Macs are supposed to have better DACs in their soundcards, but one friend of mine thought it was crap (older Mac) and ran an optical to his Outlaw pre/pro. I guess wait to hear how it sounds to you. Those CX8s are an awesome deal, let us know what you think. I've stalled at replacing my Soundsticks at work cuz they were a gift, but am tempted to get the M-Audio.

pretty sure all macs nowadays come with the same crappy onboard soundcards as PCs do, if my mbp is any indication

yes, plugging a m-audio breakout box to my mbp gets much better sound.

hmmm, that's not a bad idea when i get some spare $$$. for those on a budget i've had 2 v different altec lansing setups in the past, and both of them had an insane bang-to-buck ratio. i mean, they weren't $5000 b&w's but for 150 bucks they sounded way better than you'd expect, and were well beyond passable.

you'd want to try a few in the store before choosing i'd imagine, i'm sure you could find a crappy one somewhere in their huge lineup of models if you looked hard enough

...altec lansing setups in the past, and both of them had an insane bang-to-buck ratio...for 150 bucks they sounded way better than you'd expect...

At the moment you can get the M-Audio Studiophile CX5 for $129. No offense but compared to those, any Altec Lansings will indeed sound like...Smurfwicks.

http://www.fastnbulbous.com/smurfwicks.jpg

btw, that price on the m-audio is PER SPEAKER. i'm returning the one I ordered because 400 bucks for a pair of speakers for a computer is ridiculous.

That's too bad. Too good to be true price for a pair. But they are pro studio monitors after all, not mass market computer speakers. What's ridiculous depends on what you mean by "for a computer." If your entire collection of music is in lossless or high quality compressed files on your computer, and you want music to sound good in your room, it's for your enjoyment. No reason for it to sound worse than an inexpensive stereo system.

These are priced lower, and are per pair - M-Audio Studiophile AV 40, http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-130-watt-Bi-amplified-Reference/dp/B0014ID03Q/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_440. Over twice as much but still good value used are the BX8a Deluxe 130-watt Bi-amplified Studio Reference for $29393.

i already have studio monitors for my turntables/Traktor setup. I just want something to replace my Soundsticks that now rattle when i turn them up too loud. The room with the computer that needs the speakers is fairly small. I've got 4 JBLs in the living room where I run a 1/8" to RCA into a Yamaha receiver and use Airplay to stream my library from the main iTunes library upstairs. I should have looked at the item description a little closer. I was excpecting those monitors to be bookshelf sized but they're fairly large. I'm sure they sound amazing but it's overkill for my needs.

My links got mangled. $293 for that last one. The AV 40 are 20 watts each, and AV 30 are 15 each, at $98.

I updated my article to correct the M-Audio prices. You can get an idea of the sizes of their line here - http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.family&ID=studiomonitors. It goes all the way down to the AV 20.

Actually, at the moment you can get a used CX 5 for $86. Not bad for a $469 list price.

an ilxor tipped me off to these on facebook.

http://minirigs.co.uk/

really really loud computer speakers. perfect for sitting in starbucks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqhSA_FCTQM

TS: al-oo-MIN-ee-um vs al-OO-min-um

Think I'll stick to my $22.00 Koss portaPro headphones

but i like that its really loud and portable. take over the public parks with miami bass.

True!

help

so, my current listening set-up =

speakers plugged into stereo system plugged into laptop

the stereo is very old and today has started turning itself off when knocked against. maybe the beginning of the end. it was always quite a fiddly set-up anyway - would i be able to acquire decent speakers that could plug directly into the laptop and bypass the stereo? if so could anyone recommend me some please?

THANKS ILM

I have an older model of these for my work computer, v inexpensive, plug & play - good sound quality.

This model has a usb connection that goes straight into your laptop, so it might be a good option?
http://www.amazon.com/Altec-Lansing-USB-Powered-Netbooks-BXR1320/dp/B004TMTRT0/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1351704786&sr=8-15&keywords=altec+lansing+computer+speakers

ooh thanks for that

i think my budget might go further up though - this'll be my primary listening set-up, not just a "speakers for convenience" thing. not after (and can't afford) the high-end audiophile stuff but could aim for £50-£100 i guess?

ah well then that's as far as my expertise goes, lol :)

yeah, i want a good quality 2.1 system for the new system i'm building. willing to spend like $300. any suggestions?

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-93815-focal-xs-21-multimedia-system-demo.aspx

Unsolicited: If you need speakers and are anywhere near a Fry's Electronics, this is a great deal on some YU2s http://www.frys.com/product/8575109

I'm pretty happy with my Edifier Exclaim chumpies.

https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-Exclaim-Bi-Amped-Speaker-e10/dp/B009XGH2HG

On rare occasions the left one will get a buzz in it but gently banging it usually fixes that. Or unplugging it and plugging it back in.

Might be somewhat lighter on bass than many of you would prefer.

Unsolicited.