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Best 2.1 speaker system

F

finners

Member
Need a nice 2.1 system for listening to music and DVDs and some gaming for my new build.

I am willing to pay $150 - $250.

Whats the general consensus?
 
Well for 2.0/future 2.1, I would recommend the Swan m200's. I own them, they sound good for the price. Later, go to partsexpress and get a Dayton 10/12" sub.
 
the logitech z-2300 is really nice, 8" sub and gr8 satelites (although upward firing) and a $95 price tag probably make it the best bang for buck THX certified speakers. 200w total. Use the saved $$$ to buy an x-fi xtremusic..
 
Forget desktop speakers; spend $200 on a pair of Sennheiser HD595's. 🙂
 
Lot of people will say Klipsh Promedia's so I will too. I hear Altec MX5021s are good too. I have rge Logitech 2300s and they are great for the price, but mid range is lacking, bass is boomy. Just go for the cream Klipschs.
 
Willing to try headphones? You can get greater accuracy with $200 if you get headphones (and amp) than speakers.
 
Other than the headphone route, the best speaker options you can get in the 100-200 range are:
- Klipsch I-Fi refurbished, $200 (if they still have them)
- Swans M200, $180 (but only 2.0, no sub)
- Altec Lansing MX5021, $130 (I have them and love them)
- Klipsch Promedia 2.1, $150 (These are supposed to be really good too

Norm
 
That's a review on the 2.0s. Which appear to be the best $99 stereo solution for PCs as of right now. I had a couple pairs of the MX5020s which I gave away to friends (still keep a pair for laptop travel speakers). All of these 2.0 solutions tend to be bass heavy (although nowhere near as annoying or distorted as Logitech satellites). As far as how the 2.0 Ultras stack up to the MX5020s?--In my opinion they trounce them hands down, which is OK, because I only spent $30 a pair used for them, while my roommate spent the full monty for the 2.0s.

Neither set sounds particularly good at high volume, but well, few computer speakers do.

The 5021s are about $150, and would be much better off compared to the Klipsch iFis. Of which, although I've heard neither, physics seems to favor the iFi.
 
I got bored and I found this...

haha.

I'll second astralite and say go with the Ifis....

Thats what I plan on doing...

I own the 2.0 klipsch now..they do suck at high vols - which is why i'm upgrading to the IFi

 
i think my monsoon m700 is the best. these flat panel speakers are no longer found in stores. but u can find them occaissionally on ebay for around 140.00
 
Originally posted by: SteelGuy
I got bored and I found this...

haha.

I'll second astralite and say go with the Ifis....

Thats what I plan on doing...

I own the 2.0 klipsch now..they do suck at high vols - which is why i'm upgrading to the IFi
Click to expand...
What do you expect from such small speakers? Maybe they need to burn-in?

Is it even possible to connect the IFI to a PC.. .through the X-FI for example? And the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 can be had on ebay for around $100.
 
Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf
What do you expect from such small speakers? Maybe they need to burn-in?

Is it even possible to connect the IFI to a PC.. .through the X-FI for example? And the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 can be had on ebay for around $100.
Click to expand...

*Stereo mini auxiliary input
*Stereo mini line input

Looks like they can easily be connected to the PC.

Plus, these PC satellite-sub systems tend to have a bit a of upper bass hole around 120hz. The iFi's satellite manages to extend to 113hz, so this might be one of the few that can "sort of" cross over properly with the sub (although that's really not enough, I know).
 
Originally posted by: luv2liv
i think my monsoon m700 is the best. these flat panel speakers are no longer found in stores. but u can find them occaissionally on ebay for around 140.00
Click to expand...

Hell yeah. They were my first set of speakers. My dad is still using them.

I ended up snagging the updated PlanarMedia PM14s for $9 off of ebay. 😀
 
How do THESE sound? Got mine, not much in the looks department but boy, they are terrific, stack em up and you've got yourself an excellent 2.1 setup, no messy wires since you just detach the rear speakers and place on top of the front speakers, the top speakers in the tower config are side firing, comparable, maybe even better than the Klipsh Promedia's.
 
See if you can find a set of Altec Lansing ACS-45 or ACS-48's somewhere. I've had the 45's for nearly 8 years now, and they're still great.
 
Try to find some EV SonicXS sats on Ebay or Compusa- the sats ONLY!!
4 " driver, 1" horn tweeter, they beat most mm sats excepting the Swans.
As for the sub, well mine blew out and the output wasn't that great.

Hook those sats to a Logitech Z2300 sub. 8" of THX goodness.
Amazing!!!😀
The logitech sats blow- very tinny and weak midrange.:thumbsdown:

Get the Chaintech soundcard for great 2.1 output.

Let's see:
- sats can't be more than $20
- Z2300's alone are $60 after MIR.
For $80, it can't be beat. Not even the Klipsch 2.1 is as good.
 
I have two sets of Klipsch 2.1 ProMedia, one for each computer station. They are absolutely fantastic. In fact, I like the sound quality on them even more than our $5,000 Bose surround sound system in the family room...
 
Originally posted by: JosephBAdams
I have two sets of Klipsch 2.1 ProMedia, one for each computer station. They are absolutely fantastic. In fact, I like the sound quality on them even more than our $5,000 Bose surround sound system in the family room...
Click to expand...

Unfortunately with Bose, they are the exception, not the rule, when it comes to home theater speakers. Almost any other brand will trounce PC speakers.
 
Originally posted by: gamefreakgcb
How do THESE sound? Got mine, not much in the looks department but boy, they are terrific, stack em up and you've got yourself an excellent 2.1 setup, no messy wires since you just detach the rear speakers and place on top of the front speakers, the top speakers in the tower config are side firing, comparable, maybe even better than the Klipsh Promedia's.
Click to expand...

holy crap.. that's an amazing deal for those speakers. I have the ADA880, and I doubt there are any speakers that sound better for under $100.
The only downside is that the surrounds are junk, but they kick ass as 2.1 speakers. They also come with an 8" sub.
I upgraded the system to the Swan M200/Velodyne VX10 system though.
Satellite systems sound very good for the price, but you won't get the clean upper bass/lower midrange you get with monitor speakers.
 
Originally posted by: Astrallite
Originally posted by: Patrick Wolf
What do you expect from such small speakers? Maybe they need to burn-in?

Is it even possible to connect the IFI to a PC.. .through the X-FI for example? And the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 can be had on ebay for around $100.
Click to expand...

*Stereo mini auxiliary input
*Stereo mini line input

Looks like they can easily be connected to the PC.

Plus, these PC satellite-sub systems tend to have a bit a of upper bass hole around 120hz. The iFi's satellite manages to extend to 113hz, so this might be one of the few that can "sort of" cross over properly with the sub (although that's really not enough, I know).
Click to expand...

There isn't really a hole at 120Hz. However, what you do get is a very muddy and poor quality 120Hz, as the subwoofer generally covers all the way up to 150Hz.
A good 2.1 system, like my swans and velodyne sub, should ideally have the crossover at <80Hz. 150Hz is too high for music, but should be fine for movies/games.
 
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