Stylish speakers

[Koharski]

I'm looking for a pair of sleek looking speakers, sub 500. If I find a pair I like, I'll buy those and some generic sony headphones, otherwise i'll get cheap speakers and good headphones.

But this topic is mainly to look at designs some companies have some up with, so feel free to post speakers in any price range if you think they look sweet.

This company : http://www.bang-olufsen.com/web2/systems/overview.asp?section=systems&sub=ls

has some amazing speakers, but pretty pricey.

 

[Nohr]

JBL has some.. interesting looking PC speakers.

Orb Audio make some unusual looking home theater speakers.

Edit: These are not recommendations, just speakers with unusual designs.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Isn't sound quality more important?

 

[Odeen]

For PC gaming, it's hard not to go with a set of Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 Ultras. About $300, not ugly, and it's an all-in-one solution - just plug it in and off you go.

Creative Labs Megaworks S700 and S750 offer a remote control, while Logitech Z-5500's have digital inputs. However, most sound cards can't encode a digital 5.1 signal, so you end up either having to go analog, or game in stereo (or put up with a subpar sound card that CAN encode interactive content in 5.1, but doesn't render the audio as well as an X-Fi).

JBL's are interesting in their own way, but, for $83, you can do a lot better then the Creatures with their single dinky satellite driver.

Home theater speakers require an expensive receiver that'll look ugly on your desk. Plus, again, you have to run a set of 3 or 4 1/8"-2RCA cables from the soundcard (for 5.1 and 7.1, respectively) to get surround gaming.

The problem is that HT receivers do no processing on the analog multichannel inputs. This means low frequency sounds will be piped into your speakers instead of your sub. To counteract this, you then have to set up bass management on your sound card, and that's difficult to pull off with most sound card software. It requires an SPL meter to do properly as well.

By comparison, computer speakers do this kind of processing internally. Any sound below a given frequency (120hz for the Promedia 5.1 Ultras, higher for other computer speakers) gets cut off and sent to the subwoofer. The PC doesn't even send out an LFE signal (Low Frequency Effects) most of the time - it gets created by the speaker system in an optimal way.

 

[alcoholbob]

The best 2.1 set I can think of sub $500 is the X-LS and X-sub combo from AV123.com

The X-LS by itself is measured to 60-27KHz +/-1.75db via Audioholics site, and the F3 is (-3db) point is 40hz, and F10 (-10db) is 30hz.

The X-sub has no official measurements yet, but claims to be +/- 3db to 28hz. Considering it's a $200 sub, and is meant to be a upstart challenger to the $300 Hsu STF-1, and with how well the X-LS measures, I wouldn't be surprised if it was an accurate claim.

Properly integrated, this set's bandwidth would be around 28-30KHz +/-3db.

 

[sandeep108]

The problem is that HT receivers do no processing on the analog multichannel inputs. This means low frequency sounds will be piped into your speakers instead of your sub. To counteract this, you then have to set up bass management on your sound card, and that's difficult to pull off with most sound card software. It requires an SPL meter to do properly as well.

QFT.

But he is looking only for stereo. So then an HT + speaker system using the digital inputs may be better than computer speakers.

 

[alcoholbob]

You don't really need a receiver for 2.1, unless its for better connectivity. Most subwoofers, like the X-LS + X-sub combo I suggested, have built in high level output (meaning the signal is crossed over at a variable setting) and also amplified by the built-in amp on the subwoofer.

 

[TrevorRC]

Cheap speakers and awesome headphones [and a seperate amp!] FTW!

 

[Koharski]

I'm not to sure on the quality of my sound card. This is a laptop, and it will have an integrated audigy

 

[Adul]

I have a pair of these.

Swan M200

They sound superb. Can be had for 178 bucks at newegg.

 

[Meuge]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
You don't really need a receiver for 2.1, unless its for better connectivity. Most subwoofers, like the X-LS + X-sub combo I suggested, have built in high level output (meaning the signal is crossed over at a variable setting) and also amplified by the built-in amp on the subwoofer.

Using the subwoofer's crossover = uke;
Using the subwoofer's high-level output = :triple puke;
You don't need a receiver for good 2.1, but you surely need a preamp+amp or an integrated.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: Koharski
I'm looking for a pair of sleek looking speakers, sub 500. If I find a pair I like, I'll buy those and some generic sony headphones, otherwise i'll get cheap speakers and good headphones.

But this topic is mainly to look at designs some companies have some up with, so feel free to post speakers in any price range if you think they look sweet.

This company : http://www.bang-olufsen.com/web2/systems/overview.asp?section=systems&sub=ls

has some amazing speakers, but pretty pricey.

Man, those are awesome! I'm going to have to check out their wireless speakers!

 

[LiekOMG]

Originally posted by: Adul
I have a pair of these.

Swan M200

They sound superb. Can be had for 178 bucks at newegg.

I have a pair of M200's and recommend them highly too! If you want something a bit more stylish, try the newer released model, the Swan S200's. They are available only in very limited quantities through theaudioinsider.com and go for $350, however, they look like a million bucks (see at http://www.swanspeaker.com/index.asp). Keep in mind these are basically studio grade monitors except they don't need line level input. There is no sub, but their quality is exception and well beyond "multimedia" speakers.

 

[alcoholbob]

Originally posted by: Meuge

Originally posted by: Astrallite
You don't really need a receiver for 2.1, unless its for better connectivity. Most subwoofers, like the X-LS + X-sub combo I suggested, have built in high level output (meaning the signal is crossed over at a variable setting) and also amplified by the built-in amp on the subwoofer.

Using the subwoofer's crossover = uke;
Using the subwoofer's high-level output = :triple puke;
You don't need a receiver for good 2.1, but you surely need a preamp+amp or an integrated.

I think a customer should more accurate speakers before he starts complaining about crossover distortion from subwoofer crossovers. Saying you "need preamp + amp" while using relatively inaccurate speakers is like saying lets get 109 octane for the Honda Civic. It's the same line of thinking for all those PC guys who get $50 speakers and $400 sound cards.

Quadruple Puke.

 

[slpaulson]

I like the looks of the klipsch ifi, plus you can get them for fairly cheap.

 

[Goi]

B&O stuff are overpriced for their sound quality...you're really paying for the design and the brand, rather than the sound quality, but if those are your priorities, then knock yourself out.