PC Speaker recommendation?

[JaguarSavage]

I'm looking to replace my junky 3 year-old PC speakers. The main use of the speakers will be for listening to music (wide variety). I don't really have an interest in gaming or setting up a home theater system. Also, I've not overly concerned with surround sound, I would get a 2.1 system if the quality is good.
I was very close to buying the Logitech Z-5300 set, but then I read that they were primarily designed for gaming and not music listening
I've allotted $100-200 for buying a new set.

So, any suggestions, helpful people?

 

[SigmaChi1489]

I've had my Logitech Z-560's for over a year, and I'm still in love with them. They can be found for just a little over $100 right now, I think. If you get them, just be sure to have your system volume at about 75%, and use the control knob for volume, or you might blow the sub/speakers pretty easily.

 

[Nebor]

There are 2 sets to look at in the high end 2.1 game.

The Klipsch Promedia 2.1s and the Creative Megaworks 250D. Both great sets of speakers. I think the klipsch have a more attractive look, but sound quality should be in the same ballpark. Please don't buy a sub $100 surround set of speakers, poor sound quality makes baby Jesus cry.

 

[Pariah]

Something like these would probably be perfect for you:

Swans T-120

 

[JaguarSavage]

0_0
I've never heard of the Swans T-120.
Got any more info on those guys?
Like, how do they compare to the Klipsch Promedia 2.1s or the Creative 250Ds mentioned above?

 

[Pariah]

Swans aren't well known in the PC community, but they pretty well known in the HT market. Their higher end M200 multimedia speakers have received rave reviews. I haven't seen any reviews of the T-120, but simply based on the company's reputation you can expect a better refined product that is more musical than anything you will get from the other major multimedia speaker vendors in the same price range.

You can look at some of their other speakers here:

Swans Speaker Systems

 

[sandorski]

I have heard many a rave about the Swans, but have never heard them myself.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Pariah
Swans aren't well known in the PC community, but they pretty well known in the HT market. Their higher end M200 multimedia speakers have received rave reviews. I haven't seen any reviews of the T-120, but simply based on the company's reputation you can expect a better refined product that is more musical than anything you will get from the other major multimedia speaker vendors in the same price range.

You can look at some of their other speakers here:

Swans Speaker Systems

Because Klipsch mainly makes cars, and Cambridge Soundworks makes paper clips. Speakers are just a sidejob for them.

 

[JaguarSavage]

hmmm... info on the Swans T-120s seems to be rather scarce.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: JaguarSavage
hmmm... info on the Swans T-120s seems to be rather scarce.

Yup. They sure do look funky too. I don't think I'd risk buying those, especially without hearing them. It would probably be a bitch to RMA them if anything was wrong...

 

[Pariah]

Promedia's and Megaworks, though good products, have no relation to the other lines the companies make. Typical multimedia speakers are not built primarily to tackle music or accurately reproduce it. The Swans aren't really computer designed speakers, they are built like their HT speakers but in a smaller more manageable package with the same attention to detail which makes them better suited for music than the competing products. Cambridge does sell some nice 2.1 multimedia speakers, but they're actually just they're regular bookshelf speakers that have been adapted for PC use, and they aren't in the sub $200 range.

 

[MegaWorks]

buy the Cambridge SoundWorks MegaWorks THX 550 5.1 speakers system, excellent quality!

------------------------------------------------------
AMD Athlon XP T-Bred B DLT3C 1700+ @ 2.3GHZ (1.775v) 400FSB = 3200+
Abit NF7-S V.2 (nForce2-U400)
Corsair TwinX XMS 3200LL 512MB @ 2-3-2-6 (2.6v)
Sapphire Radeon 9500 Pro 128MB
Antec TrueBlue 480W
Thermalright SLK-947U with 92mm Vantec Tornado @2800RPM
Antec PlusView 1000AMG
Cambridge SoundWorks MegaWorks THX 550 5.1

 

[Nebor]

Promedia's and Megaworks, though good products, have no relation to the other lines the companies make.

Does the word "quintet" mean anything to you?

I'd choose a company that makes the best MM speakers over a company I've never heard of that makes one set of MM speakers.

 

[JaguarSavage]

hmmm....
/me thinks MegaWorks might be a tad biased torwards the Cambridge SoundWorks MegaWorks THX 550 5.1 speakers system

 

[Mik3y]

for under $200, i would go for the klipsch 2.1. I've personally listened to them, and they sound GREAT! many people are saying how they sound much better then several 5.1 systems.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Mik3y
for under $200, i would go for the klipsch 2.1. I've personally listened to them, and they sound GREAT! many people are saying how they sound much better then several 5.1 systems.

Er... it's really not fair to compare stereo systems to surround systems. Mainly because for the same budget, you can get 2 really nice speakers or 5 so so speakers and a so so subwoofer.

But yeah, the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 are pretty awsome, but don't rule out the Megaworks 250D, both are great speakers.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Promedia's and Megaworks, though good products, have no relation to the other lines the companies make.

Does the word "quintet" mean anything to you?

I'd choose a company that makes the best MM speakers over a company I've never heard of that makes one set of MM speakers.

Why are you ripping a company you clearly know nothing about? Just because you are not familiar with them, does that automatically mean that no one else can be either?

 

[crisscross]

Thanks for the advice Pariah, I am in the market for good speakers for music.. think I will go with the Swan

 

[Zepper]

The swan t-120s have no tweeters, and the 200s are ridiculously expensive to use w/ a computer... They have to sound, at least to some degree, like all your vibes were pumped thru BS's nose.
. Check out the Guillemot Maxi Boosters on compgeeks. They at least have the potential to sound decent, but their tweeters are still larger than they should be to totally eliminate nasality. Add a separate subwoofer if you need it. I also like the Altec ATP3s for their natural sound. The other Altec set at the Geeks has good potential as well.
.
.bh.

 

[Nebor]

From what I've read of the Swans on a speaker forum, they lack bass, and are never considered as competition for the Klipsch or Creative.

 

[Pariah]

The M200's which are the Swans product most people are familiar with, lack a subwoofer which will obviously hurt bass reproduction. For gaming and movies where audio impact is important and accuracy is not, that's a pretty big negative. For music, it's not nearly as important. The T-120's have a subwoofer and are accordingly spec'd with lower bass reproduction (45Hz vs 55Hz) than the M200's, so it's pretty much a non-issue especially where music is concerned.

 

[AIWGuru]

I have two sets (one hooked up to a TV) of Altec Lansing speakers.
I guess they're discontinued now but there's the white ones that were popular a couple of years back. They also had a black 4.1 set.
Anyway, the sound quality is pretty good for the price and I highly recommend this brand (granted I haven't heard the newer ones)

 

[AIWGuru]

Originally posted by: Pariah
The M200's which are the Swans product most people are familiar with, lack a subwoofer which will obviously hurt bass reproduction. For gaming and movies where audio impact is important and accuracy is not, that's a pretty big negative. For music, it's not nearly as important. The T-120's have a subwoofer and are accordingly spec'd with lower bass reproduction (45Hz vs 55Hz) than the M200's, so it's pretty much a non-issue especially where music is concerned.

I'm not familiar with these speakers but there's a reason studio speakers don't have a "sub" as it's called in PC circles even though it's not a Sub.
Studio monitors are in box because by nature satellites and subs leave big holes in the accurate production of the entire spectrum. That's what my audio-engineer buddy tells me anyway
I'm not saying that applies to these speakers, it's more of an anecdotal note.

 

[snidy1]

I bought the Logitech 5300's and music sounds great on them

 

[robisc]

For the money, (for that matter money no object) the Telex EV SonicXS 2.1 will blow everything out of the water, IMO.