Best 5.1 speakers for $200

[kepplah]

I've been doing some research on 5.1 speakers recently. I am looking to spend around $200 and am having a really hard time zeroing in on one. I would prefer it has good looks, a headphone jack, and digital-in. But I can handle it if some of that is missing.

Basically I just want to get the most bang for my buck per se. I have read the info here and they seem to really like the monsoon 505's. But I think they look ugly- and they are analog only i believe. All the other reviews I've read are very positive.. but they are allways fro $350 cambridge or klipch's.

So if anyone has any suggestions for approximatly $200 5.1's that'd be very nice, as well as any other resources or reviews.

thanks

 

[CtK]

kinda old review

 

[kepplah]

Yea i found that last night. Still full of good info. I kinda wish the Altec 641's were 5.1.. Btw, I had some 2100's before, and was plenty happy with them, but i want 5.1 now.. And a lot fo people seem to think the 5100's are not worth it...

 

[step-dawg]

the Creative Labs Cambridge Megaworks 510D are only $250 at newegg. it's a bit more than your $200 but it's prolly the best sounding you'll get at that price. It has digital but no headphone jack. If you want to pay a little more, the Megaworks 550's are $280. They have a headphone jack and a better control pod as well as THX certification. Both are power ratings are 500 watts.

 

[sniperruff]

wait for a sale for the o-so-expensive z680's
which would take a year i hope?

 

[Xentropy]

Just ordered the Z680's myself, $315 w/ shipping from www.provantage.com. Hoping they live up to all the rave reviews Figure they'll live up a lot better to my new Audigy 2 than my old DTT2500's (which were great in their time, but that time has long past )

 

[step-dawg]

would wait on any deals with the 680's. From waht I hear, there are some issues rising up with the speakers (hissing/popping noises). If you really do want them though, there was a deal for them in Hot Deals forum. I think Alienware was selling them from their site for $265.

 

[Xentropy]

ProVantage was the cheapest in-stock online retailer I could find. All the deals <$300 were out of stock and didn't expect stock until mid-to-late January. I'm impatient

I went to Best Buy and listened for the hissing/popping that Lore and others have complained about, and it was barely noticable unless you put your ear right up to the grill. Since these are *speakers*, not *headphones*, this isn't going to bother me. Thanks for the warning, though.