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Audiophile quality PC speakers
- Thread starter nitewulf
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Looking for floorstanders? Anything in mind?
No need for floorstanders at the moment since my room size doesn't accomodate them and I also have a sub. i was considering the Evolution Acoustics Mmmicroone or LSA Statement 1s:
Mmmicroone
LSA Statement
Considering they plan on raising the price of the Mmmicroone's the next shipment by $1,500, it looks like those are out of my range. How they can increase the price of a speaker from $2,500 to $4,000 on the second shipment of the speaker and the speaker has only been out for a few weeks is beyond me.
How about some other classy options since you are going sub sat that are not almost ripoffs? $4k for a compact, jeez. Oh, the answer for the price increase is popularity, don't ever think speakers are value priced, at least not most of them. Huge margins all around, that's why there are so many manufacturers and dealers.
How about going for something like the Swans M1 to go with your sub. I heard them at a HiFi fair and they were exeptionally snappy and transparent all through. No bass output worth mentioning but hey, bookshelf. Oh yeah, the box is actually solid cherry with extra MDF reinforcement inside, which is ridiculous but nice
And a pair is just $999.
Actually, the M1B (successor) is currently at sale for just $849 which is pretty much a steal:
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/prod...d=147&osCsid=cfcd1bfff5222b9e0438af7be297d702
How about going for something like the Swans M1 to go with your sub. I heard them at a HiFi fair and they were exeptionally snappy and transparent all through. No bass output worth mentioning but hey, bookshelf. Oh yeah, the box is actually solid cherry with extra MDF reinforcement inside, which is ridiculous but nice
And a pair is just $999.
Actually, the M1B (successor) is currently at sale for just $849 which is pretty much a steal:
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/prod...d=147&osCsid=cfcd1bfff5222b9e0438af7be297d702
How about some other classy options since you are going sub sat that are not almost ripoffs? $4k for a compact, jeez. Oh, the answer for the price increase is popularity, don't ever think speakers are value priced, at least not most of them. Huge margins all around, that's why there are so many manufacturers and dealers.
How about going for something like the Swans M1 to go with your sub. I heard them at a HiFi fair and they were exeptionally snappy and transparent all through. No bass output worth mentioning but hey, bookshelf. Oh yeah, the box is actually solid cherry with extra MDF reinforcement inside, which is ridiculous but nice
And a pair is just $999.
Actually, the M1B (successor) is currently at sale for just $849 which is pretty much a steal:
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/prod...d=147&osCsid=cfcd1bfff5222b9e0438af7be297d702
I would have bought the MMMicroones at $2,500 since they also came with stands, but not at $4,000. My plan right now is to hit the used market for an upgrade since you get so much more for your money. Possibly the LSA Statements or Salks.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RNOHDU/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Just bought these beauties to replace Audioengine 2.
Reason? Because I can adjust the bass and treble without the need of a heavy ass sub. Call me crazy for doing so but I HATED how the A2 bass made everything boomy. And I don't or let's just say I am noobish to mess with software EQ.
Yeah, I am no audiophile, just someone who wanted something small yet powerful and the Creative T20 hit it right at home.
I am using these now, Gemme Audio Tanto's:
They have been incredible for my tastes...I am done upgrading speakers/equipment for a long time. Even the HRT II+ has been so great that I am holding off on upgrading the DAC. In fact I am only spending money on buying records these days.
Great to see that you got out of the audio merry-go round. The only way I'd upgrade my DAC is for a Kora Hermes II, which hardly ever comes on market. I'm perfectly satisfied with my sub. I'm going passive, so no active preamp. I might look into an active preamp, but I'm not really pressed to at all. I'm satisfied with my sub as well.
I see a pair of tantos for sale right here:
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/fu...odel-speakers-10-10-2012-09-15-speakers-85395
Next thing I'm looking for is just the 'end-game' speaker.
What is the sound balance of the Tantos and how do they improve over the dynaudios you had?
I see a pair of tantos for sale right here:
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/fu...odel-speakers-10-10-2012-09-15-speakers-85395
Next thing I'm looking for is just the 'end-game' speaker.
What is the sound balance of the Tantos and how do they improve over the dynaudios you had?
Yep, that's the pair I have.
They are seamless, they image very well. Very open, fast sound, basically effortless. The bass is impressive, very nice. They are a lot more natural and effortless than the Dyanudios, and the bass hits your body depending on the music. The Dynaudios didnt have the bass impact (small monitors), and they were "laid back", they sounded great for acoustic music and vocals...and they required a lot of power to sound nice. The Tantos sound great with everything from mellow jazz to swing to House/Electronic to classic rock. I think the Dyns were a tinge warmer, possibly more romantic sounding. I don't miss it though, they were pretty sluggish at times, very closed in at low levels. The best thing about the Tantos is that they play very nice at very low volumes, so you can listen anytime. I couldn't do that with the Dyns.
I compared them with a pair of Devore Fidelity speakers my friend has:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/devore5/hero_ils.jpg
The Nines, and while incredible, they don't have the body of the Tantos, even with an extra side firing driver. The Tantos are a hidden gem.
Haven't really look at anything in over a year, however I was thinking about the Rega DAC purely based on the number of inputs it has.
I can't stand overly laid-back sound equipment. It actually caused me to listen to my Zune earbuds more than the Sennheiser HD600s I had. Overly polite and distant vocals are some of the worst traits to me in sound equipment. With the HD600s, I would always sit there 'wanting more', as if something was missing from the music. Heavy, 'closed-in' sound gives me a headache. I like speakers that are airy, but not so airy that they become light and ethereal, but rather I need a solid amount of body to the sound without the speaker sounding like it's shut in. I also prefer my vocals forward and need a speaker that has enough speed to move with fast music, aka PRAT. I'm very picky in my desired sound characteristics, but thank God for the used market in that I can try a different speaker without much of a loss.
I've heard that about the Dynaudios being power hungry and not really coming into their own until you turn up the volume. I was considering a pair when first buying a 'higher up' speaker, but Dynaudios really don't get as much of a discount on the used market as some of the lesser known brands. Harbeth is the same way in that you rarely see them with a significant discount. I imagine that pairing them with a Plinius, which has a rep of being a 'tube-like' solid state amp and only 100 wpc that the sound would have been too slow for my taste.
I actually ended up selling the Dalis... I had a very nice run with them of nearly 3 years... getting them in December 2009. Now I'm just waiting for confirmation that they arrived at their destination safely before I take a swing at these LSAs and see how they stack up.
New apartment, new room, new speakers. Don't mind the bags behind the speakers, I have not fully settled in yet, stuff is still everywhere.
No comments for the moment, just pictures
Nice, what speakers are those?
good luck on your search, basically you wanna make sure the speakers are as much as or more efficient than the Dalis. because otherwise they will sound closed in, Class A's plus 100wpc may not open up speakers that like a lot of current. i think you may love Focals, and they come up often on the used market, see if you could audition a pair somewhere.
Triangle Antal Ex.
Cost me 840 used.
Weak: some minor coloration, not the most brutal bass. High volumes cause the cabinet to not stay out completely. Well, typical of 40lbs cabinets I'd say.
Strenghts: Very good timing. They already nail dynamics very well. Sound is very open and transparent. Airy treble. Good soundstaging.
Those are very fun to listen to and god, I love their sense of timing and rhytm. Even as good as the Quadral Rondo were, they were not that quick. The Dynaudio Focus 140 and the NuVero 4 were even worse in that regard.
Those are finally speakers I can live with... phew
kurtrussell
Banned
Quick question here:
I have a fairly decent sound card (Asus Xonar Essence).
My brother, who knows a crapload about this stuff, is offering to rip and clean up my beloved vinyl collection into 96khz/24 bit FLACS.
I'd like to listen to this primarily on my home cinema system through a Boxee Box which I don't envisage being a big problem, but I'd also like to listen to it on my PC. I understand that a lot of PC speakers are basically designed to just play back Windows system sounds, and sound quality no better than a CD, but more likely "good enough" for a 320kbs MP3 file.
What's a decent set of inexpensive speakers (2:1 preferred but not essential) that is capable of playing back the extended range of those FLAC rips?
I have a fairly decent sound card (Asus Xonar Essence).
My brother, who knows a crapload about this stuff, is offering to rip and clean up my beloved vinyl collection into 96khz/24 bit FLACS.
I'd like to listen to this primarily on my home cinema system through a Boxee Box which I don't envisage being a big problem, but I'd also like to listen to it on my PC. I understand that a lot of PC speakers are basically designed to just play back Windows system sounds, and sound quality no better than a CD, but more likely "good enough" for a 320kbs MP3 file.
What's a decent set of inexpensive speakers (2:1 preferred but not essential) that is capable of playing back the extended range of those FLAC rips?
wow dali helicon 300s for $800. Unfortunately it has a crack in the veneer. Don't know if I could live with that.
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/mo...ood-2012-09-23-speakers-95682-cameron-park-ca
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/mo...ood-2012-09-23-speakers-95682-cameron-park-ca
I'm learning just how important it is to have quality electronics ahead of the speaker. I'm using these cheap Sony speakers and they sound great. I'm currently using these to tide me over until the new speakers arrive. Crazily enough, I could actually see myself using these for a month or so if need be.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OG88KY/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Do they do the things my much more expensive speakers did? Nope, but they have fantastic tone and get you right to the music.
If you are looking for a cheap pair of speakers, I'd definitely recommend those.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OG88KY/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Do they do the things my much more expensive speakers did? Nope, but they have fantastic tone and get you right to the music.
If you are looking for a cheap pair of speakers, I'd definitely recommend those.
I just wanted to chime in and say that I picked up the NuForce uDAC-2 a couple weeks ago, and that I absolutely love it. My setup is iMac -> uDAC -> Swans D1080 MKII 08's and it's phenomenal. Anything 320kbps or better sounds absolutely amazing now. But of course, I realize just how much of my library is really bad old cd rips that I need to re-do.
Love it.
Love it.
Terrible picture due to the flash lighting everything up. Thank God the sound quality is the direct opposite of that. What I enjoy most? Cohesiveness of sound. Instead of searching for details and separating things, I just listen to the music. This is a speaker I can definitely build around for a long time.
Great thing about buying on the used market is that if you are careful with your purchases, you can pretty much upgrade at a minimal amount. The more I listen to these new speakers, the more I find to like about them. I think these are speakers I can live with for a very long time.
In comparison to the Dali's, the Dali's were faster and more airy and overall had a 'lighter,' more treble oriented presentation, which would be expected given they had dual tweeters.
The LSA speakers have more body to them, which was something I desired. The bass impact is also more. The LSAs also restrain the highs more, which I also like. The LSA excels at vocals as well. They also do a great job at disappearing, as in the music doesn't seem to be coming from the speaker
The only change I feel as if I need to make to my system right now is change out the tubes which are causing a sort of treble peak. I also need a better power cord for the subwoofer. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with where my system is and don't really feel any need to upgrade.
In comparison to the Dali's, the Dali's were faster and more airy and overall had a 'lighter,' more treble oriented presentation, which would be expected given they had dual tweeters.
The LSA speakers have more body to them, which was something I desired. The bass impact is also more. The LSAs also restrain the highs more, which I also like. The LSA excels at vocals as well. They also do a great job at disappearing, as in the music doesn't seem to be coming from the speaker
The only change I feel as if I need to make to my system right now is change out the tubes which are causing a sort of treble peak. I also need a better power cord for the subwoofer. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with where my system is and don't really feel any need to upgrade.
I know this thread is for like 1000 dollar speakers or whatever but...I'm looking for either 2.0 or 2.1 speakers for under $150. The catch is i am using amazon credit so they have to be available on amazon. Really wanted the swans M10 but alas they are not on Amazon.
They are going to be hooked up straight to my PC/phone and I listen to mostly hip hop. would you guys recommend the promedias? 'soundsticks III? AV40's?
They are going to be hooked up straight to my PC/phone and I listen to mostly hip hop. would you guys recommend the promedias? 'soundsticks III? AV40's?
So i recently got a pair of KRK RP5's on the cheap and i was wondering if i could connect them to my old pc speaker sub?
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/altec-lansing-mx,review-242-2.html
This is my old Speakers.
The KRK supports RCA, 1,4" plug and XLR connectors.
I'm assuming it's not gonna work?
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/altec-lansing-mx,review-242-2.html
This is my old Speakers.
The KRK supports RCA, 1,4" plug and XLR connectors.
I'm assuming it's not gonna work?
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
I need a good sound setup for my PC small apartment. I don't really want to have to deal with a receiver since I don't really want to use up that much space with one. I already have a Pioneer Elite connected to my TV.
My current setup is a Z-5500. I finally realized that a 5.1 setup has never been a good idea for my setups. It will just never be setup right to fully utilize 5.1. I was either thinking of making the Z-5500 into a 2.1 setup (Would this give each speaker better wattage?) or get the Corsair Gaming Audio Series SP2500 High-power 2.1 PC Speaker System. If any one has any other suggestions let me know.
I still need to get a new sound card too. I've been using motherboard audio for the longest time because my Creative X-FI Xtreme Music was all glitchy.
My current setup is a Z-5500. I finally realized that a 5.1 setup has never been a good idea for my setups. It will just never be setup right to fully utilize 5.1. I was either thinking of making the Z-5500 into a 2.1 setup (Would this give each speaker better wattage?) or get the Corsair Gaming Audio Series SP2500 High-power 2.1 PC Speaker System. If any one has any other suggestions let me know.
I still need to get a new sound card too. I've been using motherboard audio for the longest time because my Creative X-FI Xtreme Music was all glitchy.
check out the Mobile Fidelity edition of INXS' Kick.
Damn, that's what I would have said. It's what I've had for a couple years now and love them. Let me know what you end up with.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
So I didn't know about the Audio Engine A5+'s until a friend mentioned them. They look pretty awesome. How much of an upgrade am I looking at from the Z-5500's I mentioned in my earlier post?
Any other recommendations? I'd say my budget is around $400 now because of the A5+'s.
Any other recommendations? I'd say my budget is around $400 now because of the A5+'s.
for that budget, these are probably the ones to look into:
http://www.theaudioinsider.com/prod...d=121&osCsid=dbc252eecfdac6ce3557bd242d28bb51
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
So how much better are the A5+'s compared to the Z-5500's and how much better are the Swan MkIII's compared to the A5+'s?
Yeah, no sub but you can hook one up.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
First off I should probably point out what I'd be using the speakers for.
45% Gaming 30% watching videos %25 Music
I mostly listen to rock.
Room is 500SQ Total
The speakers would just be on the computer desk.
are you using them as desktop speakers, as in by your PC monitor, in near field listening setup? or do you have a media console and you watch/play/listen from far back?
anyway, its very hard to tell you whats "better" without listening to these speakers. the 5.1 logitech speakers, by the size of their cabinets, and driver setup, will not really fill out a room, and they will lack mid range response. these systems usually have a boomy bass from the sub-woofer, which "sound" like "great bass", but in reality, isn't.
the stereo speakers like swan and audioengine will give you a better overall quality sound, but depending on your expectations, you may or may not like them. and they are geared more for music, than visceral thrills you get from game/movie soundtracks.
a great option for you might be these, they are well reviewed, and you can try them for 30 days, and return them if you do not like them.
http://emotivapro.com/products/powered_monitors/airmotiv5.php
the stereo speakers like swan and audioengine will give you a better overall quality sound, but depending on your expectations, you may or may not like them. and they are geared more for music, than visceral thrills you get from game/movie soundtracks.
a great option for you might be these, they are well reviewed, and you can try them for 30 days, and return them if you do not like them.
http://emotivapro.com/products/powered_monitors/airmotiv5.php
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
No, I already have a media center setup behind the PC.
A Pioneer Elite Receiver
2x Energy RC-50
1x Energy RC-LCR
2x Energy RC-10's
These speakers I want to buy will be right in front of me next to the monitor. so yeah I want them as desktop speakers.
you could just buy a USB DAC, and hook up the dac from your PC to your receiver and use your energy speakers for audio, that'll give you very good audio.
but if you are intent on having a separate setup for desktop, you cant go wrong with any of the three options: audioengine 5/5+, emotiva airmotiv 5, swan m200 mk3. all reviews point towards the audioengines to be better for rock. the emotiva's will have possibly the best treble response out of all three (different tech on the tweeter).
but if you are intent on having a separate setup for desktop, you cant go wrong with any of the three options: audioengine 5/5+, emotiva airmotiv 5, swan m200 mk3. all reviews point towards the audioengines to be better for rock. the emotiva's will have possibly the best treble response out of all three (different tech on the tweeter).
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