Should a stereo system be able to replace computer speakers?

[andylawcc]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat03053&type=category
Those compact/bookshelf stereo system cost like 150-200 bucks, they may not sound as good as Cambridge or Logitech or Altec Lansing or Klipsch's top-of-the-line offering, but they has so much more feature that computer/multimedia speakers lack. They can play CD cassette radio MD or even MP3. (not to mention a remote which most PC speakers system don't provide)
Here's an example.

so why still bother with a PC Speaker "system"?

 

[Amorphus]

Because you pay lots of money for excess, and the speakers themselves are second-rate/midrange at best, and because you can play CDs on your computer, and you should have your MP3s and MD files on your computer anyways.

Yuo suck at teh obviou5.

*edit*
by excess, I mean all that redundant stuff (relative to a computer) that sits between the speakers.


AND also because it's annoying to hook up a computer to a stereo. In fact, the more I think about it, the stupider the idea is.

 

[ElFenix]

i wouldn't use a bookshelf system, but you usually can

 

[Shawn]

I have my computer hooked up to my Denon reciever. It sounds awesome with my JBLs. My computer is also next to my entertainment center in my bedroom so all I had to do was run an extra wire.

Edit: I also have a Santa Cruz sound card though. I'm sure it wouldn't sound half as good if I was using my onboard sound.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Amorphus
AND also because it's annoying to hook up a computer to a stereo. In fact, the more I think about it, the stupider the idea is.

Care to explain?

 

[Amorphus]

Oh, by the way:
Altec Lansing 251s for $68
Logitech Z640s for $54
Logitech Z5300s for $133

 

[Squisher]

You would also lose 4/5 speaker functionality unless you get into Home Theater systems.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Amorphus
Because you pay lots of money for excess, and the speakers themselves are second-rate/midrange at best, and because you can play CDs on your computer, and you should have your MP3s and MD files on your computer anyways.

Yuo suck at teh obviou5.

*edit*
by excess, I mean all that redundant stuff (relative to a computer) that sits between the speakers.


AND also because it's annoying to hook up a computer to a stereo. In fact, the more I think about it, the stupider the idea is.

humm... I must be missing teh obvious... because I find it a good alternative.

well, about the 'redundant feature part', often times I want to play CDs without turning on the computer and waiting for it to boot up, nor I want to pop the CD tray out whenever I want to change CDs.


and isn't hooking up is as easy (or difficult) as with a PC speaker?
PC Front and Rear out to Stereo Front and Rear In. and then Stereo to Left and Right speaker. that's it right?


My ears are not that demanding so the subpar quality of a stereo system won't be a concern.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Amorphus
AND also because it's annoying to hook up a computer to a stereo. In fact, the more I think about it, the stupider the idea is.

Care to explain?

He wants to hook his computer up to a boombox (that's his "example")

You would have to go off and buy a 3.5"->RCA adapter, hook it up, find some way to place the two speakers as well as the center module conveniently. And then you would have to flip a switch or press a button or something every time you wanted to use some other function of the stereo.

The whole purpose of the stereo is so that you can have something which functions independently of any other sound-reproduction/production device, and by hooking it up to a computer, you completely negate any benefit, as well as rendering the stereo's CD/MP3/Whatever capabilities useless.

 

[Amorphus]

often times I want to play CDs without turning on the computer and waiting for it to boot up, nor I want to pop the CD tray out whenever I want to change CDs

Well, that's valid.

As for the second part, though: MP3

*edit* although you could just buy one of the speaker systems I cited above, buy a Y-adapter for the front input, a male-male 3.5mm cord, and a cheap cd player to hook up to it

all for cheaper (plus you get a CD player you can use out of the deal)

 

[TitanDiddly]

No.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
No.

Surely you must be mistaken.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Amorphus
Oh, by the way:
Altec Lansing 251s for $68
Logitech Z640s for $54
Logitech Z5300s for $133

yes, I would agree these system's cost are going down thereby making them a sensible choice (whereas back then 2 years ago, a 4.1 cambridge or ADA880 or Klipsch v2.400 was over 175 dollars.

my suggestion is that, if a person want an independent media player, they can settle with a stereo system. better yet, if they have a home threater, that will take care of everything multimedia wise.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Amorphus

You would have to go off and buy a 3.5"->RCA adapter, hook it up, find some way to place the two speakers as well as the center module conveniently. And then you would have to flip a switch or press a button or something every time you wanted to use some other function of the stereo.

The whole purpose of the stereo is so that you can have something which functions independently of any other sound-reproduction/production device, and by hooking it up to a computer, you completely negate any benefit, as well as rendering the stereo's CD/MP3/Whatever capabilities useless.

okay, I got it now. My grief was that PC system cost too much a few years ago. (I bought my Boston Acoustic BA4800 for $189, and look at now, that Panasonic boombox cost less and pack more feature....)

 

[UncleWai]

I bought an integrated receiver (Pioneer Elite A-35R), a pair of bookshelf (psb image 2b).
then use girder to setup the IR remote on my PC.
Everything works like a champ and the sound quality is superb.

boombox only can sound loud, there's no quality about them.

 

[0roo0roo]

less sound per dollar at that level. people tend to buy those things on looks, non techie equip. comp speakers have big time competition on real merits and have benifited a decent bit

 

[Gurck]

I had this kind of setup for years, and it sucked in comparison to my current setup. About the only conceivable benefits to what you suggest is cassette tapes and the radio. Personally I stopped listening to tapes over a decade ago, don't listen to fm radio at all (it's the same creed/nickleback/rhcp rotation day in & day out), and can hear the am broadcasts I listen to (baseball, coast to coast am) over the internet. On the downside, you get sound quality that is the sh!ts unless you buy an excellent & expensive system; keep in mind instead of just speakers, you're also buying a bunch of other electronic components, many of which are thoroughly unnecessary, that add to the cost. As far as actually setting it up, it's generally not difficult. You would need a system with an input, of course - not all have one. I have my old shelf system hooked up in my weight room now, and now that I've gotten used to the sweet sound of gigaworks on an audigy2 card, I'm frankly amazed at how bad my old setup sounds. It wasn't one of the supercheap systems either, about $250 on sale iirc.

 

[thomsbrain]

i have used a stereo system for "computer speakers" as long as i've had my own computers. if your stereo is decent, it's better than any computer setup. however, if i didn't already have my stereo in the same room, i'd probably use a computer speaker setup.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Amorphus

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Amorphus
AND also because it's annoying to hook up a computer to a stereo. In fact, the more I think about it, the stupider the idea is.

Care to explain?

He wants to hook his computer up to a boombox (that's his "example")

You would have to go off and buy a 3.5"->RCA adapter, hook it up, find some way to place the two speakers as well as the center module conveniently. And then you would have to flip a switch or press a button or something every time you wanted to use some other function of the stereo.

The whole purpose of the stereo is so that you can have something which functions independently of any other sound-reproduction/production device, and by hooking it up to a computer, you completely negate any benefit, as well as rendering the stereo's CD/MP3/Whatever capabilities useless.

If you say so. I've had my computer feeding into my reciever for as long as my computer has had a sound card.....

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: Amorphus
Because you pay lots of money for excess, and the speakers themselves are second-rate/midrange at best, and because you can play CDs on your computer, and you should have your MP3s and MD files on your computer anyways.

Yuo suck at teh obviou5.

*edit*
by excess, I mean all that redundant stuff (relative to a computer) that sits between the speakers.


AND also because it's annoying to hook up a computer to a stereo. In fact, the more I think about it, the stupider the idea is.

humm... I must be missing teh obvious... because I find it a good alternative.

well, about the 'redundant feature part', often times I want to play CDs without turning on the computer and waiting for it to boot up, nor I want to pop the CD tray out whenever I want to change CDs.


and isn't hooking up is as easy (or difficult) as with a PC speaker?
PC Front and Rear out to Stereo Front and Rear In. and then Stereo to Left and Right speaker. that's it right?


My ears are not that demanding so the subpar quality of a stereo system won't be a concern.

The ones you showed were just stereo bookshelf systems. I know there are 5.1 shelf systems, but I have no idea what kind of auxilary inputs they would have. And, they probably would cost a lot more than a 5.1 computer setup.

 

[LeadMagnet]

I already had a nice stereo - so I just added a cheap Nightengale sound card with SPDIF out to my PC and I have awesome suround sound now ,thru my home entertainment system, also my TV acts as a second monitor. Great for watching videos, playing MP3s, slideshowing pics, ect.. all for the cost of a $20 sound card and (2) cheap cables (toshlink & s-video)

 

[Kenazo]

I have an old JVC write-off from Sears that I scammed when I was there hooked up to my comptuer. The CD player doesn't work, but it sounds awesome!

 

[Acanthus]

A good stereo system will ALWAYS beat those POS speaker sets creative and logitech push. Anyone who says otherwise has no idea what they are talking about.

Altec Lansing, Creative (cambridge), Logitech, and even the Bose/Boston acoustics solutions are NOTHING compared to their actual stereo systems.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Amorphus

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Amorphus
AND also because it's annoying to hook up a computer to a stereo. In fact, the more I think about it, the stupider the idea is.

Care to explain?

He wants to hook his computer up to a boombox (that's his "example")

You would have to go off and buy a 3.5"->RCA adapter, hook it up, find some way to place the two speakers as well as the center module conveniently. And then you would have to flip a switch or press a button or something every time you wanted to use some other function of the stereo.

The whole purpose of the stereo is so that you can have something which functions independently of any other sound-reproduction/production device, and by hooking it up to a computer, you completely negate any benefit, as well as rendering the stereo's CD/MP3/Whatever capabilities useless.

If you say so. I've had my computer feeding into my reciever for as long as my computer has had a sound card.....

Lol the cable is $3 at radio shack, or if youre going for 5.1 surround, $10. Hell go optical? $15.

You dont disable any functions by hooking up a computer to a reciever... thats just wrong.

And with 5.1 computer speakers you dont have to find places to put them? i dont get that either.

 

[waggy]

I had my sb 16 going to a GE boombox it sounded way better then the computer speakers i had. Then i got a SB LIVE! and my dad gave me a set of harman/kardon speakers ans bass. man they sound great.


A friend of mine has it going to a techinics reciver with a 7.1 surrond sound system. It sounds great! While i can do the 5.1 i just do not have the room to set up the speakers. but once i get into the new house i will! heh