Best 2.1 PC Speakers?

[MAME]

Looking to spend under $100. Reviews online are hard to come by...

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: MAME
Looking to spend under $100. Reviews online are hard to come by...

Do you mean two loudspeakers and a woofer? Or an actual subwoofer? Do you mean with an integrated or otherwise proprietary amplifier pod?

How aboot a discreet amp and two loudspeakers with full-range drivers? Then other elements can be added later if desired and certainly they retain their value versus a kit which can essentially become junk when one part breaks.

 

[MAME]

Originally posted by: Auric

Originally posted by: MAME
Looking to spend under $100. Reviews online are hard to come by...

Do you mean two loudspeakers and a woofer? Or an actual subwoofer? Do you mean with an integrated or otherwise proprietary amplifier pod?

How aboot a discreet amp and two loudspeakers with full-range drivers? Then other elements can be added later if desired and certainly they retain their value versus a kit which can essentially become junk when one part breaks.

whatever sounds best for under $100

 

[Tiamat]

klipsch promedia 2.1 when they go on sale.

 

[MAME]

sale?

 

[Kaido]

I'd have to go with Klipsch Promedia 2.1's as well. They have $99 sales once in awhile iirc, and you can get them used for around that price too. Just got a set used here for my wife and they are awesome. Second best, I would say Logitech Z-2200. I've heard the Z-2300s but I think the Z-2200s are slightly better.

 

[Auric]

Would you consider used? That kind of bread could snag a real sweet (and real) system from a thrift store, man. No joke. Heck, cut out the middle man and try craigslist.

 

[MAME]

Originally posted by: Auric
Would you consider used? That kind of bread could snag a real sweet (and real) system from a thrift store, man. No joke. Heck, cut out the middle man and try craigslist.

In two posts you've successfully managed to not recommend a particular system.

 

[Auric]

Indeeed. I suppose I didn't take the topic literally. So you actually want "PC speakers" as opposed to speakers for a PC? Well, as you may have deduced, I frown upon such kits and was simply suggesting 'nutha option with better bang for the rupee, quality, and flexibility.

 

[herm0016]

sonic T amp: http://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Im...r=1FTMFJJ4CSAKJHQPECYN
2 speakers like the little pioneer bookshelves from circuit city ( normally 10 bucks each on BF) or polk bookshelves from frys
and a small powered sub, such as the dayton sub
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe...fm?&Partnumber=300-631
this will be a bit more than your budget, but will sound better than anything else you can get as a set, and is upgradeable.

 

[iRONic]

http://search.ebay.com/klipsch...schQ20promediaQ202Q2e1

 

[MAME]

Originally posted by: Auric
Indeeed. I suppose I didn't take the topic literally. So you actually want "PC speakers" as opposed to speakers for a PC? Well, as you may have deduced, I frown upon such kits and was simply suggesting 'nutha option with better bang for the rupee, quality, and flexibility.

please don't post in this thread again until you can actually give me a specific speaker set to look at. Thanks

 

[Auric]

How the hell do I know what's available in your local thrift store that will kick the shit out of a hissy overpriced PC kit for a fraction of the cost? :roll:

You haven't been specific what you want but partsexpress is indeed a good place to start looking if you want new.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: MAME

Originally posted by: Auric
Indeeed. I suppose I didn't take the topic literally. So you actually want "PC speakers" as opposed to speakers for a PC? Well, as you may have deduced, I frown upon such kits and was simply suggesting 'nutha option with better bang for the rupee, quality, and flexibility.

please don't post in this thread again until you can actually give me a specific speaker set to look at. Thanks

Well I think you have most of the specific options given to you already...

For right about $100
You could get one of the better "PC speaker" sets (Klipsch Promedia / Logitech z-2200/2300)
You could try to find a set of used speakers (we don't know what's available for you locally through craigslist / other sources) and combine that with an affordable amp of some kind (sonic T-amp is what I'm using with my office system, but a used stereo receiver would work fine as well)

For a bit more than $100
You'd have more options for better speakers to get if you went with a speaker + receiver / amp combo.
You could also get some decent studio monitors if that might be a way you wanted to go.


Some advantages to the "PC speaker" sets is they are compact, and are 2.1 from the start.

With the speaker / receiver combos, you'll be taking up more space, but you should be getting better build quality and sound quality. You'll also have an upgrade path if you start with just a pair of decent bookshelf speakers so you can add a sub later.



The specific recommendations you've gotten are for the usual popular PC speaker sets, which are certainly a good option for your pricerange.

There are other ways to go though, and due to the range of products out there, it's hard to make specific recommendations without knowing more about your requirements and what your priorities are.

 

[Captante]

I would say go with the Logitech z2300's because although the Klipsch 2:1's do sound a bit better, I've personally had two sets of the 4:1's & one set of 5:1's fry an amplifier after 1 to 2 years of use & I've heard many similar reports on AT & elsewhere as well.

 

[Fallen Kell]

man... if it wasn't for that "under $100" I would say the Vanquish VR-11's, but for that you would have had to say best speakers under $150,000.....

http://www.vonschweikert.com/zvr11.htm

 

[mamunur]

why would you get a amp. why would you not get a sound card

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: mamunur
why would you get a amp. why would you not get a sound card

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Y...wsDAjello/Welcome2.JPG

Hi mamunur. Who are you asking? MAME, our original poster hasn't been here since January 2008 according to his profile.

To get sound from a computer, you'll either need to use integrated sound or a soundcard. This can make a significant difference if the integrated sound is really bad or if there's a lot of static / interference with the integrated sound.

As for the amp, no matter what speakers you get, there will be some sort of amplification involved (unless they're in the style of those $5 speakers you could get in 1994 ).
Computer speakers have some kind of amp built into them (that's why you have to plug them in). Studio monitors usually have amplification built into them as well... (active monitors). Passive speakers need an external amplifier in order to give you audible output. A soundcard on its own would have enough power to drive headphones, but you need something between the soundcard output and passive speakers to amplify the signal.

 

[ivan2]

add me to the list for klipsch. had it for many years and they still sound great.

 

[Excelsior]

Monsoon Planar Media 9s and 14s. You can still find them used for under $100 easy. IMO, definitely the best 2.1 PC system one can get for $100...and I am very into audio (I have a relatively expensive DIY setup.)

One ebay link.

PM9s.