[nitewulf]

1.4's? really? apparently they are very difficult to setup.

my 140s are very tight. but they are pretty far from the walls, about 3.5 feet and are driven by an excellent amp. i found the bass bloated when they are closer to the walls, and with my previous integrated amp which barely drove them @ 50 watts.

but the focus series is supposedly their most warm sounding speakers...which is what i kinda preffer. so contours and others might as well be a lot more detailed.

[nitewulf]

also, definitely listen to the B&W's at that range, since B&W's are so popular, the company is able to trickle down the tech, so in effect you get very high quality stuff at whatever level you're aiming at. ie, other companies have to price similar quality speakers at a higher level, because they cant sell their speakers cheaper.

[nitewulf]

Eh, I find the bass in the 140s far too bloated and overall prefer the 110s instead. For overall "wow" factor the Contour 1.4s kick the crap out of the 140s.

say, how familiar are you with the Confidence C2s? those will probably be my next speakers when I want to upgrade, in a few years.

[derder]

Okay. I read the entire thread. Now I feel even less confident in choosing a set.

Is there an unanimous choice for a stereo PC set at $200? I live in the US, btw.

[nitewulf]

yeah for sure, i think the Swan Mk2's.

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/produ...products_id=80

[Witchfinder General]

say, how familiar are you with the Confidence C2s? those will probably be my next speakers when I want to upgrade, in a few years.

My Dynaudio knowledge stops at the 1.4s but I've heard everything else below them.

[nib95]

So....are you guys gonna name speakers that you can actually get in the UK? lol. I can't seem to find these Swans any where online. :(

[Witchfinder General]

So....are you guys gonna name speakers that you can actually get in the UK? lol. I can't seem to find these Swans any where online. :(

Here, I'll list a whole bunch of UK speaker brands that I know and have listened to:

Ruark
B&W
PMC
ATC
Meridian
Rega
Monitor Audio
Quad (now completely Chinese owned)
Mission (now completely Chinese owned)
Wharfdale (now completely Chinese owned)
Tannoy
KEF


Plus a million more.

[thefit]

I have these and they are 100% English and sound fucking amazing, you pair them up with a older receiver or best yet a tube amp and yo got yourself some nice sound all around.

Wharfedale E fifty

[kevm3]

Wow. I ordered the Harman Kardon 3490 receiver yesterday for $350 and today they are $450? A hundred dollar price increase in a day?

[Death Dealer]

As far as I've heard, burr brown isn't super highly looked upon,

The name and company doesn't have the same allure after it was bought by TI.

[cory]

What's a good, cheap, not too big 2.0 pc speaker set?

[Winged Creature]

What's a good, cheap, not too big 2.0 pc speaker set?

vintage receiver, paradigm atom monitors

[cory]

vintage receiver, paradigm atom monitors

I don't really know what I'm talking about. I guess I want "desktop" speakers that are an upgrade from the ones that came with my pc. And a lot cheaper than those. Thanks anyway.

[giga]

I don't really know what I'm talking about. I guess I want "desktop" speakers that are an upgrade from the ones that came with my pc. And a lot cheaper than those. Thanks anyway.

yeah for sure, i think the Swan Mk2's. http://www.theaudioinsider.com/produ...products_id=80

.

[Winged Creature]

http://www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk/disp...fid=1156&sc=hf

these seem very nice....

[Raistlin]

I have these and they are 100% English and sound fucking amazing, you pair them up with a older receiver or best yet a tube amp and yo got yourself some nice sound all around. Wharfedale E fifty

vintage receiver, paradigm atom monitors

No new receivers are good? :p

The name and company doesn't have the same allure after it was bought by TI.

That's only because of the cries from elitists. TI (ie Burr Brown) make tons of different DACs. The higher end ones are just as good (actually better) than they've ever been.

[nitewulf]

http://www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk/disp...fid=1156&sc=hf these seem very nice....

well, that is their flagship series...

[Winged Creature]

Hey he wanted cheap, good vintage receivers are cheaper then new ones.

[Raistlin]

^^^

Ah, understood. Yes, the used market is really a good place to go for certain A/V needs. Stereo receivers, stereo pre/pros, and amps (stereo and multichannel) in particular.



I recommend taking a look at audiogon.com every once in a while to see what's available.

[LegendOfGood]

Okay. I read the entire thread. Now I feel even less confident in choosing a set. Is there an unanimous choice for a stereo PC set at $200? I live in the US, btw.

Yes. I bought the Audioengine A2 set for 200. They are great desktop speakers. Amazing sound for the size.

Read some reviews; most agree they are great!!

[Winged Creature]

well, that is their flagship series...

originally was looking at the 700 series but they seem to be gone, the CM series has seemed to replace them. Anyone know anything about them or how they compare to the 700 series

[nitewulf]

someone in the forum owns those CMs, he has a great stereo setup. IIRC, he posted pictures of some vinyls he bought in the vinyl thread...

[kevm3]

Just got my system in. Sounds great... One of the things I learned is that you should make sure to use a bigger gauge of speaker wire if possible. Going from 18 to 16 yielded a solid improvement. I still thought that the system sounded a bit 'recessed'... Today I stopped by Lowes and got 30 feet of 12 gauge wire for 20 bucks. I exchanged the 16 with the 12. The improvement is very noticable. Bass is much more prominent and more sound just seems to come through. It sounds more dynamic. Very nice improvement for 20 dollars.

[cryptic]

Are these speakers decent?

http://www.alesis.com/monitoronemkii

[kevm3]

Are these speakers decent? http://www.alesis.com/monitoronemkii

If possible, I'd suggest you just save an extra $100 and get a pair of RC-10s or Hsu Laboratory HB-1 MK2s. For $300, these speakers really seem to stand out. I know firsthand with the RC-10s because I'm listening to them now. They sound amazing. I've not heard the HB-1's, but they've gotten a ton of rave reviews. Either one of these speakers should do you good in avoiding upgradeophobia for a good while.

[cryptic]

If possible, I'd suggest you just save an extra $100 and get a pair of RC-10s or Hsu Laboratory HB-1 MK2s. For $300, these speakers really seem to stand out. I know firsthand with the RC-10s because I'm listening to them now. They sound amazing. I've not heard the HB-1's, but they've gotten a ton of rave reviews. Either one of these speakers should do you good in avoiding upgradeophobia for a good while.

The hsu look nice although they are a bit steep, do you think they'd be good for editing bass heavy music and being able to pick out every little sound? Also, would I need a receiver too?
Thanks.

The RC-10 look nice too;I think I need a second job.

[kevm3]

If you do end up with the RC10's make sure you get them here:
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-RC-10-2...3371697&sr=8-2

Otherwise, you might be seeing a $600 price tag. Certain finishes are on sale for $300... That's the one I have. The Hsu, I've heard that it's only flaw for its price point is that it doesn't really have super good bass. It is meant to be used with one of Hsu's subwoofers. So if you need bass, you may want to steer away from that. The RC10 has very good bass for its size.

Ultimately, I think it all depends on what you will be using speakers for. If you're only going to use it for computers, then those two might not be what you're looking for because they require the typical stereo plugs. I'll look for some other models if you use it solely for computers.

If you want to use it for general purposes, like computer, television, etc, a receiver would definitely be preferable, but you can get away without it if you have a stereo at the house. Just look in the back and see if your speakers have auxiliary in. If so, disconnect the stock speakers and just take the console and wire the new speakers to it. Then connect your source to the consoles auxiliary in using RCA stereo plugs. You will need a DAC if you want to use it with your computer audio unless your computer has an optical out on it.

You can get very good receivers if you look around. The receiver I have, the HK3490, has a standard retail price of $500 and typically sells online now for $450. I was lucky to get it for $350. However, you can go to ebay and bid on a refurbished unit significantly cheaper, and it's from Harman Kardon, so you get the warranty and all. You may be able to walk away with one for $150.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=hk+...3490&_osacat=0

Honestly, this audio game is all about upgrading in steps. If I were you, the first thing I'd do is snap up the RC10 because I believe they are being discontinued and they normally retail at $600. These are excellent sounding speakers and you won't have to upgrade for a very long time.

For now, I'd then use them out of a stereo console until you can grab a decent receiver for cheap, either the HK3490 or something like this off of audiogon:
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....natural-sound-
I'd keep a watch out for that 3490 on ebaybecause its a new model and actually has digital inputs. The sound is excellent.

Finally, I'd get an emu0404 off of ebay since it works very well as a DAC, which you can use to translate digital sources such as computer audio or PS3 optical out audio into a format speakers can read.

If your budget is $200 for a long time and you just need computer audio, I'll take a look at a few other options for you.

[giga]

Are these speakers decent? http://www.alesis.com/monitoronemkii

What setup do you have? Receiver/Amp/DAC? Take note that these are passive monitors.

[KHarvey16]

That's only because of the cries from elitists. TI (ie Burr Brown) make tons of different DACs. The higher end ones are just as good (actually better) than they've ever been.

Yeah. I don't even think TI changed any of Burr-Brown's older products either. I know their op-amp offerings were preserved so I'd imagine their DACs were too. But like you said the new stuff out there is better regardless.

[SaggyMonkey]

I've been happy with Axiom's Audiobytes for PC speakers:

http://axiomaudio.com/audiobytecomputerspeakers.html

[Winged Creature]

If possible, I'd suggest you just save an extra $100 and get a pair of RC-10s or Hsu Laboratory HB-1 MK2s. For $300, these speakers really seem to stand out. I know firsthand with the RC-10s because I'm listening to them now. They sound amazing. I've not heard the HB-1's, but they've gotten a ton of rave reviews. Either one of these speakers should do you good in avoiding upgradeophobia for a good while.

Im glad you like the RC-10 very fine speaker for the money. Other then slightly recessed bass response the upper mids are a little recessed and there isnt as much depth as I want, but u cant fault the speaker for this price. For the price i think its probably one of the best.

[nitewulf]

winger creature, did you give up on totems? the model 1 signatures are within that budget....give them a listen, i thought they were pretty amazing.

[Winged Creature]

totems are nice i just felt they lacked a bit of bass extension and depth

[kevm3]

RC 10s are definitely a good buy for the money. I'll stick with them a few years and will probably move on to the $2000 category just like you. My plan is to get a good quality amp and subwoofer in the next couple of years so all I'll have to do is upgrade the speakers.

I've been hearing a lot about Emotiva lately. I'm going to get one of their amps in the future (probably XPA -2) and the preamp as well. They also sell speakers... Haven't really read up too much about them yet. The amp has way more power than the RC 10s need, but I only want to buy one amp, which will also be used on my speaker upgrade.

I'll finish the setup with a Hsu Research Subwoofer.

[Winged Creature]

I upgraded to a Rotel power amp, Im gonna be using my cambridge audio integrated as a pre-amp, does having a dedicated pre-amp really make a difference??

[nitewulf]

I upgraded to a Rotel power amp, Im gonna be using my cambridge audio integrated as a pre-amp, does having a dedicated pre-amp really make a difference??

in what sense? how is the synergy now? newer rotels are class D, may be cooler in nature...so a warmer pre would balance the sound. if you have multiple sources, a pre-amp would be useful as well.

a good pre is important for the overall sonic quality, as the pre is sending the initial signal.

[Winged Creature]

Not all the new Rotel's are class D, mine is the high current AB

[pj]

Dedicated pre-amps are another thing I'm suspicious about. What exactly do they do to that's important for the overall sonic quality? Obviously if you're connecting to a power amp you need one to manage the volume and multiple inputs, but other than that they are at best neutral to the sound quality.

Also I don't like the over simplification of mixing "warm" and "cool" sound to get "balanced" sound. You're not mixing water, here

[nitewulf]

Not all the new Rotel's are class D, mine is the high current AB

did you get a chance to audition the dynaudios? if its bass extension you want, then these might be what you're looking for.

what are the specs on the rotel?

[Witchfinder General]

Dedicated pre-amps are another thing I'm suspicious about. What exactly do they do to that's important for the overall sonic quality? Obviously if you're connecting to a power amp you need one to manage the volume and multiple inputs, but other than that they are at best neutral to the sound quality. Also I don't like the over simplification of mixing "warm" and "cool" sound to get "balanced" sound. You're not mixing water, here

All amps have a pre amp in them. The reason you don't see all stereos separated into pre/power combos is price, but a separate pre/power is the definitive way to go in the long run. The advantages of a dedicated pre and power is that the very delicate pre section isn't crammed in with the noisy and deleterious power section. Separate pre/power combos also have the massive advantage of having their own, high quality custom power supplies.

I have a very, very good integrated amplifier that eats most pre/powers (including more expensive ones) for breakfast but I plan to move onto the pre/power route very soon to take my system to the next level.

[Winged Creature]

did you get a chance to audition the dynaudios? if its bass extension you want, then these might be what you're looking for. what are the specs on the rotel?

The Rotel is 120 wpc into 8ohms. Rotel is known for having very beefy power supplies. This amp is high current so its a real 120wpc compared to some other manufacturers.

[nitewulf]

120 WPC is plenty for most speakers. i ask because i did find the 50 watts pretty limiting, but now i realize that the dynaudios are quite power hungry. they sound very nice when played at a decent to high volume, not like painful loud but they just sound vey full, smooth and clean.

[Winged Creature]

Your dynaaudios are rated at 4ohm which can be difficult to drive with certain amps, which is probably why you had difficulty driving them with your decco. Thankfully the Rotel can handle low ohm loads very nicely, i believe the power output doubles to 240wpc when driving a 4ohm load.

[cryptic]

My mistake I should have clarified these will be used for beat making so I need good bass and good treble and they will be used on the computer for now until I get an mpc at which point I'd still like to be able to use them. What are the best for least, speakers, receivers, etc. I can get, although I'm willing to spend more money for better sound as long as it's not much more than a few hundreds plus. Thanks, I'm completely new to this.

[nitewulf]

My mistake I should have clarified these will be used for beat making so I need good bass and good treble and they will be used on the computer for now until I get an mpc at which point I'd still like to be able to use them. What are the best for least, speakers, receivers, etc. I can get, although I'm willing to spend more money for better sound as long as it's not much more than a few hundreds plus. Thanks, I'm completely new to this.

this isnt quite the thread for that, as it evolved into something different. as audiophile grade equipment costs a lot more than your budget. however the swan mk2s i linked to earlier are very well regarded at that price point, and they are self amplified so you won't need an amplifier/receiver.

for reference, this thread evolved into more of a hi fidelity stereo setup thread, rather than PC speaker systems.

[peppermints]

Okay, I realize that these are far from audiophile quality.

But is it possible to use these speakers without a PC and just use them with my TV/consoles? I was planning on using the aux for my TV and RCA inputs for consoles.

http://www.amazon.com/Altec-Lansing-...pr_product_top

Also, if you guys know of an even better alternative, preferably one with RCA inputs, that'd be great too.

[Winged Creature]

If you wanna use pc speakers why not just choose a pc speaker you like and use the mini jack to rca cable so u can hook up a rca based source to it.

So I finally received my Rotel power amp, and the difference is huge, i hear more detail much more dynamics, they music is just so much better. I dunno if the Rotel suits my speakers better, but it is a big improvement. Next on the list speakers and digital source :D

[derder]

Are these atleast half as good as the Swan m200mkii's?

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/produ...roducts_id=113

[Winged Creature]

Should be fine swans are good for the price