Help me understand quality speakers better!

[Kailu]

Hello everyone!

My name is Martin. I'm having a few problems understanding some aspects related to audio equipment and setups.

I recently bought an HDTV, and I was thinking about upgrading my sound gear as well; as opposed to settling with the TV's built-in speakers which I did for seven years with my previous display. Nothing wrong with them, as I have good listening habits and rarely crank up the volume to watch a movie. But when I realized how good the picture looked on my new TV, I couldn't stop thinking what I could do to improve the audio department as well.

I began doing some research on computer speakers a few days ago (about 7-8 hours invested thus far) trying to determine whether a 2.1 setup would be adequate for my bedroom. Since all my videos and DVDs are handled by my desktop computer and outputted to the HDTV, I had concluded I needed to get a PC sound system.

I learned about the highly rated Z-2300 from Logitech and the Promedia 2.1 from Klipsch, and I was about to purchase the Logitech set yesterday if it hadn't been for some posts I read on these forums. Upon reading a few suggestions on getting "studio monitors" rather than computer speakers, I realized that I didn't need a subwoofer to begin with. It can get really noisy plus damaging my ears in the long run is of great concern.

What I need are quality speakers that deliver crisp, clear sound with rich tones. I would like to know if, given my listening preferences, the Behringer MS20/MS40 would be good choices. Peter seems to favor them a lot. I gave their website a quick visit and they do seem to pack a punch besides being quite big.

I really liked the flexibility they offer in connections, and that's where I have yet another question. I understand a SPDIF input is digital and will deliver better quality than the classical analog (red/white) rca cable, but what is the difference between optical and coaxial? I have never used a a sound link other than the traditional stereo RCA jacks, so I get lost easily. I know my PS2 has an optical out, and I have seen it in some DVD players as well.

I also checked out M-Audio's offering for studio monitors. I don't want to spend over $200 if possible, so I was wondering how well do the Studiohile AV 40's and the DX4's fare.

Since I would them with my computer, hereere are some tidbits from my motherboard's manual, in order to find out my best hookup solution:

"8 channels of DAC support PCM format for 7.1 audio solution." I checked the back of my CPU and it has 6 inputs for sound. I assume this is for PC surround systems like the Gigaworks and Z-5500 ?

"SPDIF out header." I got excited when I read this, but when I checked the back again I noticed that the slot marked SPDIF is empty inside. What does this mean?

I'm gonna stop here for now. I think I have asked a lot for a single post.


Thanks for the help !

~Kailu

 

[Peter]

If you want 'crisp and clear', the Behringers are for you - they're monitors, and that's what they're supposed to be like. 'Phat' they are not.

You'll probably need a slot bracket for your 'internal' SPDIF-out, and that'll typically offer both optical and 'normal' (75 Ohm cinch) jacks.

To give an example, here's what I purchased for my Gigabyte board, which has 'internal' connectors for rear and center/LFE jacks and SPDIF-out:

http://www.jzelectronic.de/jz2/Images/Zub_spdif_sur.jpg

... and you'll need to figure out what your particular mainboard requires.

The choice of cable makes no difference to the audio quality - as long as it gets the signal to the speakers at all. I'm running them on cinch cable (75 Ohm happens to be the standard type for composite video, yellow plugs, so it's easy to get in the shops), haven't tried optical at all.

 

[Harvey]

Don't buy Behringer products for any reason. I know Uli Behringer, personally. Uli Behringer is a ripoff scum snake thief who steals designs from other companies, fabs his cheap knock off copies in China. He's been sued by Mackie, Aphex and other well known audio companies, and he's owed me over $10,000 for years for components I sold him.

One of his first "products" was a direct ripoff of the Aphex Aural Exciter Type B, which I designed when I was Chief Engineer of the company. I always sign my circuit board designs with a "heart" insignia. Behringer simply photo copied my circuit board, and strangely enough, his product also had MY logo on it. :shocked:

He copied another Aphex product designed by my friend, Gary. Gary's design had a minor error in a detector circuit. It didn't affect the performance of the product, but strangely enough, his product also had Gary's error in the exact same detector circuit.

I don't care how good his product clones are. Don't support or encourage those who steal other people's hard work and money. :thumbsdown: :| :thumbsdown:

 

[Kailu]

Originally posted by: Peter
If you want 'crisp and clear', the Behringers are for you - they're monitors, and that's what they're supposed to be like. 'Phat' they are not.
tried optical at all.

Hi, Peter. I have been looking for online retailers that carry these monitors and reading a handful of reviews at the same, and now I don't really know whether I should get these.

First of all I put together a definition of "studio monitors" from all the reviews I have read. Monitors are a special type of speaker that will output a very clear signal, used by people who work with music and sound as a tool to easily identify flaws in a given recording.

Also, monitors have a short reach meaning you need to sit close to them to get all the sound detail, unlike regular speakers which sound the same regardless of the point one is standing from in a (small) room. Therefore, studio monitors should not be used in a home entertainment setup to enjoy movies, games and music.

The other side of the coin is a good number of people in these forums recommend studio monitors to those who are looking for better sound quality than Logitech and Klipsch's stuff, so I'm stuck.

All I want are good quality speakers (or monitors if the case applies) that I can use to upgrade from my TV's built-in sound and that I can connect with ease to the PC and game consoles.


~ Kailu

 

[Kailu]

Originally posted by: Harvey
I don't care how good his product clones are. Don't support or encourage those who steal other people's hard work and money. :thumbsdown: :| :thumbsdown:

If Behringer are imitations then what are some options you would recommend for my needs? Please read my other post quoting Peter, as I don't even know if I should get studio monitors now.

I had no idea this could get as complicated as buying the right HDTV. :laugh:

 

[Peter]

Well if you're putting the speakers left and right of your computer screens, then you're in the correct range for monitor speakers - that's the basic idea. I find that mine (Behringer MS40), with two 20" CRTs between the pair, are perfectly fine to at least two meters away from the desk - I can't move further away without tearing a wall down

And if you're not buying Behringer for whatever reason, try the Edirol MA-15D. Same price range, same feature set, etc. blah blah. See the "bose or something" thread.

 

[Kailu]

Originally posted by: Peter
Well if you're putting the speakers left and right of your computer screens, then you're in the correct range for monitor speakers - that's the basic idea. I find that mine (Behringer MS40), with two 20" CRTs between the pair, are perfectly fine to at least two meters away from the desk - I can't move further away without tearing a wall down

Thanks for the clarification. In that case the Behringer would not be for me as I am looking for a speaker set that would go to the left and right of my TV, which I watch from an 8 feet distance. The PC aspect came into play because it's the source for my DVDs and music.

Should I look into Mini Hi-Fi stereo systems?

 

[Peter]

Eight feet is only two and a half meters, still well in range for this bigger kind of monitor speakers.

I have yet to see a "mini" stereo set that isn't shit, ridiculously expensive, or both.

 

[imported_elfy6x]

This may be a little past your budget of $200, but it was something I purchased about 2 years ago and have been really happy with ever since. I got the Logitech Z-5500's which I know are about $270 to $400 online depending on where you go. It may be a little much for a bedroom setup, but they are incredibly nice speakers. The decoding box has a bunch of inputs and the best thing of all is that it has a remote, so you can adjust volume and switch inputs from 8 feet away. They work really well for movies, if you have a digital connection, it will do all the DTS and Dolby Digital decoding for you, and the subwoofer actually does a decent job on the lower frequencies. I think these are some of the most respectable speakers for their price on a computer system. I have these hooked up to my TV and I think they're great.

Anything beyond this, and then you'll probably spend some serious money on a decent sound setup. Hope this helps somewhat.