good speakers?

[jtgameover]

i would like some good speakers... From everywhere I've read, it seems that the klipsch 2.1's and 5.1's are the best computer speakers. are these worth it? or should i pay a little extra and buy a "home theater system"? is it easy to hook up such a system to my computer? (what do i need?) I have a Creative X-fi sound card. thanks.

 

[InlineFour]

the klipsch 2.1 is the best 2.1 speaker package for the money.

expect to pay a premium if you want home theater speakers because you'll also need to invest on a receiver, as well as a subwoofer.

 

[iRONic]

Do you have a budget?

My home stereo speakers are Klipsch Heresy II's puchased in 1987. They are still excellent. I put Klipsch 2.1's on my wife's computer. She loves them. My computer has Klipsch 5.1's and my HT syrtem also runs Klipsch 5.1's.

I can say they all sound excellent.

 

[jtgameover]

i can afford the 5.1's. but i am wondering if i should spend extra money and get a home theater system, because i'd eventually get one in a few years anyway... but if it's difficult to hook up a home theater system to my computer, then i'll just stick with PC speakers.

 

[InlineFour]

how big is your room? is this going to be in a dedicated home theater room with a big TV or just for your computer? the klipsch 5.1 are computer speakers and should not be confused with home theater speakers.

 

[sandeep108]

It is not that difficult to connect a HT system to the x-fi. I have an audigy2zs and have connected it to an HT system. My A/V receiver has both digital and 6ch direct. I tried both, but finally went with 6ch direct via analog outputs since: I wanted surround in games and music with cmss sounds great in stereo surround mode. Through speaker settings I can control the sub-woofer also.

Edit: IMHO Computer speakers will give booming bass and would be better for gaming environment while HT/audiophile speakers are great for music/movies. It all depends on how much of an audiophile you are. A true audiophile would never use a sub, only floor standers and that too stereo only.

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: sandeep108
It is not that difficult to connect a HT system to the x-fi. I have an audigy2zs and have connected it to an HT system. My A/V receiver has both digital and 6ch direct. I tried both, but finally went with 6ch direct via analog outputs since: I wanted surround in games and music with cmss sounds great in stereo surround mode. Through speaker settings I can control the sub-woofer also.

Edit: IMHO Computer speakers will give booming bass and would be better for gaming environment while HT/audiophile speakers are great for music/movies. It all depends on how much of an audiophile you are. A true audiophile would never use a sub, only floor standers and that too stereo only.

I disagree but thats a different topic all together

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: sandeep108
A true audiophile would never use a sub, only floor standers and that too stereo only.

I disagree. True bass cannot be replicated without compromise in a full-range loudspeaker.

EDIT: By true bass I mean low- and sub/infra-bass.

 

[jtgameover]

Originally posted by: sandeep108
It is not that difficult to connect a HT system to the x-fi. I have an audigy2zs and have connected it to an HT system. My A/V receiver has both digital and 6ch direct. I tried both, but finally went with 6ch direct via analog outputs since: I wanted surround in games and music with cmss sounds great in stereo surround mode. Through speaker settings I can control the sub-woofer also.

what extra parts/wires do you need to connect a home theater system to your computer? how much work is it? thanks.

 

[Bluestealth]

Originally posted by: jtgameover

Originally posted by: sandeep108
It is not that difficult to connect a HT system to the x-fi. I have an audigy2zs and have connected it to an HT system. My A/V receiver has both digital and 6ch direct. I tried both, but finally went with 6ch direct via analog outputs since: I wanted surround in games and music with cmss sounds great in stereo surround mode. Through speaker settings I can control the sub-woofer also.

what extra parts/wires do you need to connect a home theater system to your computer? how much work is it? thanks.

2 x camcorder a/v cable(3conductor 3.5mm mini-din to 3 rca component), 1 x 3.5mm mini-din to 2 rca component.

Camcorder A/V Cable
X-Fi Outputs

Not that much extra work and if you 5.1 you don't need the 3 conductor cables, just 3 of the standard 3.5mm to rca.

 

[jondl]

It's very simple actually. It just depends on how much you want to spend.. so what is your budget?

 

[InlineFour]

Originally posted by: sandeep108
A true audiophile would never use a sub, only floor standers and that too stereo only.

there's no replacement for displacement.

 

[NanoStuff]

The Klipsch are nothing close to the best 'computer' speakers. Wherever you've been reading this, I suggest you stop going there. Best speakers for the money? That's arguable, but not the best. If you have a thousand dollars and up to spend, I could show you a few systems that would be more worthy of the title, but without knowing your budget one can't really begin to suggest anything appropriate

 

[InlineFour]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff
The Klipsch are nothing close to the best 'computer' speakers. Wherever you've been reading this, I suggest you stop going there. Best speakers for the money? That's arguable, but not the best. If you have a thousand dollars and up to spend, I could show you a few systems that would be more worthy of the title, but without knowing your budget one can't really begin to suggest anything appropriate

please. how often do you see a guy asking for suggestions for a thousand dollars speakers? i wouldn't even consider thousand dollars speakers to be "computer speakers".

 

[PurdueRy]

Originally posted by: InlineFour

Originally posted by: NanoStuff
The Klipsch are nothing close to the best 'computer' speakers. Wherever you've been reading this, I suggest you stop going there. Best speakers for the money? That's arguable, but not the best. If you have a thousand dollars and up to spend, I could show you a few systems that would be more worthy of the title, but without knowing your budget one can't really begin to suggest anything appropriate

please. how often do you see a guy asking for suggestions for a thousand dollars speakers? i wouldn't even consider thousand dollars speakers to be "computer speakers".

I guess the best "computer" speakers I have seen are the swans...

 

[stardrek]

Originally posted by: InlineFour

there's no replacement for displacement.

AHAHAHAHAHA...that is a great saying. That's goin' in da file...under "D", for displacement.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: InlineFour

Originally posted by: sandeep108
A true audiophile would never use a sub, only floor standers and that too stereo only.

there's no replacement for displacement.

Very true when it comes to bass.

 

[Arcanedeath]

or car engines

 

[InlineFour]

Originally posted by: Arcanedeath
or car engines

i disagree. i'd rather have a light car with a smell engine than a heavy car with a beg engine.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: InlineFour

Originally posted by: Arcanedeath
or car engines

i disagree. i'd rather have a light car with a smell engine than a heavy car with a beg engine.

I'd rather have the faster car.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: InlineFour

Originally posted by: NanoStuff
The Klipsch are nothing close to the best 'computer' speakers. Wherever you've been reading this, I suggest you stop going there. Best speakers for the money? That's arguable, but not the best. If you have a thousand dollars and up to spend, I could show you a few systems that would be more worthy of the title, but without knowing your budget one can't really begin to suggest anything appropriate

please. how often do you see a guy asking for suggestions for a thousand dollars speakers?

Not very often. Unlike seeing a guy asking for the best computer speakers and not willing to pay the asking price, I see that all the time.

How would you define a computer speaker? There are speakers roughly the same size as your everyday multimedia speaker that can be hooked up directly to a computer yet they're very expensive. Sounds like a 'computer' speaker to me.

 

[sandeep108]

I disagree. True bass cannot be replicated without compromise in a full-range loudspeaker.

EDIT: By true bass I mean low- and sub/infra-bass.

Tend to agree, but mostly this exists more in movies than in music. I have a setup with a 10" sub, but sometimes I tend to hear a 'bigger' drum with it on. I do not have a choice since due to lack of space (and money) I have to use bookshelfs (hopefully in the future I will switch the front to floorstanders and use 1 pair for rear and the other for another room). The sub fills out the sound very nicely and the whole setup sounds great on DVDs, but music... to me this setup with the sub is a compromise. Anyway this belongs in another topic...

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: sandeep108

I disagree. True bass cannot be replicated without compromise in a full-range loudspeaker.

EDIT: By true bass I mean low- and sub/infra-bass.

to me this setup with the sub is a compromise. Anyway this belongs in another topic...

And you're a true audiophile?

What about organ music?

 

[sandeep108]

And you're a true audiophile?

Are you? I am not really - space, money and time do not allow me to be one that I would wish. I posted based on my experience. When deciding on my speakers, I heard many speakers / systems over several days and different types of music and bought what I felt was a decent compromise. I suggest the OP do the same.

I do know that my current set-up is far better than my earlier Altec Lansing 4.1 computer speakers (which many and I thought were very good) and quite poor as compared to what else may be out there.

The OP said he felt it difficult to connect HT-PC and whether he should opt for that instead of 'computer' speakers. I have no idea as to what sort of an audiophile he is.

 

[jtgameover]

yea... i am not an audiophile at all, but i do have a sense of quality. i bought a pair of sennheiser HD-212 headphones to replace my iPod headphones, and wow was that a change. likewise, my current speakers are the crap coming out of my laptop, and watching movies/playing games is half the fun it should be.

my main question is this -- between a logitech z-5500, klispch 5.1's, or a < $500 home-theater system, what would be the best value? after reading around, my gut is leaning towards the logitech's... i am sure the klipsch and HT's kick its ass in sound quality in alot of places, but i doubt i am one guy who will really notice it. i also read a surprising number of horror stories where klipsch amps just die after two years. and it seems that the logitech speakers can be substituted as a home theater system, though not a great one....