Bookshelf speakers for 2.0 computer set up(driven by an HK3490)?

[nitrousninja]

I'm looking for some near field bookshelf speakers for my computer. I'd like to toslink from the PC to the HK3490 and power a pair of speakers. I'm looking for some flat sounding speakers for gaming, movies, and ALAC Itunes music.

My budget is around $500 for the pair. I dont have much experience with bookshelf speakers. Any idea where to start looking?

I'm going to try to demo some Energy CB-20s and a couple others tomorrow at Best Buy.

 

[Anubis]

all i can tell you is that you are going to want something that can play lower than 60hz if you don't plan on using a sub

 

[chrisheinonen]

I'd search for a dealer and try to listen to the Definitive Technology SM 45s as well. $400 a pair, decent response down to 43 Hz, though it's not the most sensitive speaker out there. For a desktop situation, it'll play plenty loud. If your Best Buy has a Magnolia section, they'll probably carry some B&W 686's that won't have quite the bass, but you might like the sound more, depending on what you listen to.

 

[sdifox]

I'd search for a dealer and try to listen to the Definitive Technology SM 45s as well. $400 a pair, decent response down to 43 Hz, though it's not the most sensitive speaker out there. For a desktop situation, it'll play plenty loud. If your Best Buy has a Magnolia section, they'll probably carry some B&W 686's that won't have quite the bass, but you might like the sound more, depending on what you listen to.

I would never put any Def Techs on a table :biggrin:

op, what kind of placement flexibility do you have on the desk?

 

[Anubis]

I would never put any Def Techs on a table :biggrin:

op, what kind of placement flexibility do you have on the desk?

why would you not place them on a desk/table


to the OP, look at sealed or front ported speakers as they will be easier to place vs ones with a rear port

 

[s44]

Peachtree DS5.5, currently on substantial sale. Or get the lovely HT original...

 

[Vdubchaos]

$500 is not enough. Cables themselves will cost you $1200.

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[mshan]

Not sure how their speakers would work in a near field application, but Ascend Acoustics speakers are supposed to be quite a synergistic match for you Harman Kardon AVR:

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/spkrlist.html

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/elect/electintro.html

 

[gus6464]

I'd search for a dealer and try to listen to the Definitive Technology SM 45s as well. $400 a pair, decent response down to 43 Hz, though it's not the most sensitive speaker out there. For a desktop situation, it'll play plenty loud. If your Best Buy has a Magnolia section, they'll probably carry some B&W 686's that won't have quite the bass, but you might like the sound more, depending on what you listen to.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882325060

Cheaper than that.

 

[chrisheinonen]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882325060

Cheaper than that.

Those are 450s, not the recent Studio Monitor 45. For the SM 45, you could easily put something like a set of Aurelex Mopads under them to place them on a desktop and get a little angle to them if you needed.