# Best PC speakers!!What do you guys think?



## AudioX

Wow, I can't believe it when I saw the price for these speakers. They are the Videologic Digitheatre DTS 5.1 Speakers. I have read many excellent reviews on these speakers and were told that they cost about $600 in the U.S. I did a search on yahoo and found that www.buypcdirect.com was selling these for only $309!!! That's an insane price for these speakers. Just look at all the reviews out there for them in yahoo.com search review . These are premium speakers for pc and home entertainment. I just ordered from them today, and they said that it has been shipped already from there warehouse, but I got to wait for the brackets for a few days because they're coming from the U.K. They have a great customer service, I emailed them about the speakers and they told me that they had in stock right now- if you have any questions talk to CSR- James- he handle all my question promply. I should be getting these speakers by the end of this week- i'll follow up on them. What do you think about them? Do you guys consider this the best pc speakers(non hi-fi bigspeakers of course sub $350) out there? If not, what do you guys think are the best sub$350 speakers?
 Thanks


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## antness

I believe I have the best 2.1 setup of speakers that are meant for computers. They are made by Diamond Audio, and no longer sold. Called the S2-4100 I believe. They sound way better than the muddy Klipsch systems I have heard, which are more expensive. They sold for $400 and I bought a pair of the leftover stock for an incredible $169. They are now sold out, but you might be able to find them for sale on eBay. They are extremely clear, but like most computer speakers, are lacking a bit in the midrange. I have Diamond Audio components in my car, and the sound is similar. The satellites have 4.5" woofers and I believe 3/4" tweeters. The sub, is 8" maybe DVC. Most computer speaker woofers are smaller than 4.5", so these are a bit better in the midrange than most. I would definitely look into them if you can find a set.


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## pigmode

Good deal! I have the Crossfire and for what I use it for (games, mp3s) it is great.


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## Calanctus

The Crossfires have a great rep; some consider them the best available stereo PC speakers. For surround movies from a DVD drive, the Digitheatre is excellent, but not for gaming as they lack 5.1 analog inputs, so the rears would not be useful for surround from UT/Quake and other games. For a full 5.1 system that does support gaming and movies, with good (for a PC speaker) sound quality, consider the Cambridge 510D.


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## sacd lover

DIVA by SWANS M-200 computer speakers are very nice.

 look them up at AV123.COM


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## Nick Dangerous

I haven't heard them all, but of the ones I have I liked the Klipsch 2.1 and Monsoon MM-1000 (both are 2-channel). Each can be had for around $150 if you shop around...


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## dhwilkin

Also agreed w/ the Crossfire.


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## Zin_Ramu

Here is a good link for information on computer speakers:

http://www.3dsoundsurge.com/

 Zin


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## AudioX

exact link to dts


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## ServinginEcuador

I own a pair of Klipsch 4.1s and they are absolutely incredible!! The subwoofer, rated at about 160 watts, gets deep and stays fast. Bass never gets boomy or out of control. The typical Klipsch tweeters are dynamite also. After being a loyal Altec Lansing fan for many years these beat them hands down.

 OBTW, I have never heard of the speakers you are getting, but, like most, would love to hear your thoughts on them once you get them in!!!


 Lord Bless & Enjoy the Music,
 doug p.


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## puppyslugg

I second the Monsoon 1000. May not be the best for gaming, but if l music is the priority, worth a listen.


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## Vertigo-1

I'll agree with antness that the Midiland S2-4100s were probably one of the best PC stereo speakers for music playback ever. Not only did it sound good, but it was one imposing piece of hardware as well, especially with that dual port subwoofer that was the size of a full sized computer tower. For gaming, you could probably get your kicks elsewhere. 

 Nonetheless, a typical audiophile bookshelf speaker <$500 could probably kick the booty out of any PC speaker system ever made...my current Tituses are a LOT better than the Midilands. Of course you also need like an additional $600 worth of partnering gear too like amps, speaker cables, interconnects...


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## poorimpulsectrl

another nod to klipsch's offerings. still get that "wow, I love these things" feeling from my 2-400's after all these years.


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## Irons82

For pure musical purity and fidelity, Monsoon simply owns. For everything else, Logitech Z680 own j00!


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## pigmode

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Vertigo-1 _
*I'll agree with antness that the Midiland S2-4100s were probably one of the best PC stereo speakers for music playback ever. Not only did it sound good, but it was one imposing piece of hardware as well, especially with that dual port subwoofer that was the size of a full sized computer tower. For gaming, you could probably get your kicks elsewhere. 

 Nonetheless, a typical audiophile bookshelf speaker <$500 could probably kick the booty out of any PC speaker system ever made...my current Tituses are a LOT better than the Midilands. Of course you also need like an additional $600 worth of partnering gear too like amps, speaker cables, interconnects...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


* 
 

You haven't heard my Videologics yet. I wouldn't try to compare it with your triangles, but the Crossfire is a simple all in one system with stock cables no less.


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## Vertigo-1

Yeah, I actually did want to check out those Videologics, if anything, just to see how that company does their thing. Forgot to ask you to fire them up the last time I was there...


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## pigmode

I'm not very demanding of it, just the ususal mp3s and UT, Q3. It has paper drivers and a tight sounding little sub. I never regreted the cost.


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## TimSchirmer

Quote:


 _Originally posted by sacd lover _
*DIVA by SWANS M-200 computer speakers are very nice.

 look them up at AV123.COM * 
 

amen to that!!!!


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## blip

I'd put another vote in for the Klipsch 2.1s... They're not perfect but for the price, they're great.


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## SumB

I default to Klipsch with Videologic, Midiland, and Diamond Audio dropping out of the game.

 Monsoon.... Yuck.


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## bootman

I want to hear these for 2.1 sound.


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## bootman

This one has digital inputs. (and much cheaper)


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## D-Audi

If your main thing is gaming you can't go wrong w/ the loud and boomy klipsch (yes I've heard them and owned them for over a year). I can say they aren't the best for critical music listening though. I always thought they were OK in that department but have been listening to alot of high end home systems lately and after listening to my grado's, then plugging the klipsch back in, they don't even compare. But if you don't know better and haven't heard alot of high end stuff and have had your ears accustomed to it, then the klipsch may be for you. I've heard those monsoon's everyone keeps raving about and didn't even find them good. A friend and I were at a CC or BB or something and saw them and decided to check them out. We both looked at eachother funny when we heard the sound coming out of them. My friend was like "I thought these were supposed to be good??" I felt the same way. Maybe they were broken, I don't know, but I do know I was NOT impressed to say the least. For a cheaper alternative to the klipsch (again, if gaming is your main concern) I'd go with the logitech z's. They get loud and have plenty of game loving bass. good luck


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## Jodiuh

Major flaw in the Logitech Z560's!! 
 Just skip to the bottom if you want the short and sweet 

 I purchased my Logitech Z560's 2 months ago and already the amp blew. I do listen loud, but there is a defect that Logitech knows about. It was like pulling teeth, but I finally got to talk to a Logitech manager and he admitted the flaw, but told me they've fixed the flaw in a new version. They would replace the whole system for me and let me keep the sattellites as a gift 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The downside was the $ for shipping the MASSIVE sub back. He also told me how to tell which version is old and new. 

 There's a white sticker on the bottom of the sat's and the sub... 

 old=up to 0213A (mine were the 0209) 

 new=starts at 0213X and higher (0214, etc.) 

 Please! Spread the word about this so no one else has to suffer! (They went cuput on me 5 minutes after I got the UT 2003 demo!!) 

 So I decided to just go to Best Buy and replace them. Guess what? They had the old version. They had just gotten them in too! (This was 2 weeks ago) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




!!

 (this is getting long, sorry ) 

 A little history. 

 I had the Klipsch 4.1's before, but exchanged them for the Cambridge Soundworks DTT3500, a 5.1 system with a hardware dolby digital decoder. I had become convinced I needed to have 5.1 and hardware sound. They did sound nice, digital speakers are quiet. And the dd decoder worked FLAWLESSLY, BUT they sounded TINNY and were not very powerful at all. I kept them because I really liked the decoder and after time I forgot about the Klipsch's. 

 ...and back to the store 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I found the Klipsch 4.1 (new version with the tweaked crossover and headphone jack) for $250 on clearance. The salesman said he'd take off another $30 because of their clearance status! So now I've got my speaks back and couldn't be happier. 








 short and sweet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cambridge Soundworks DTT3500 

 Pros: 5.1, Dolby decoder, tripods 

 Cons: VERY low volume, you're not going to get a BOOM for games 

 Logitech Z560's 

 Pros: CHEAP (150 online, 180 retail), KRAZY BASS (more than Klipsch) 

 Cons: sattellites get overpowered by the bass, bass CANNOT be turned neutral (this means you'll be tinkering with the control panel for windows bass for EVERY individual app), flaw in the old versions (see above) 

 Klipsch 4.1's 

 Pros: your best buy might have them on clearance for 250 , sattellites have the best sound out of all these (you don't NEED 5.1, the virtual center they produce is GREAT!), bass can be set to neutral 

 Cons: PRICEY (especially if you have to spend 300, almost twice as much as the Logitech's) 

 My recommendation=go with the Klipsch, they cost more, but that's only because they are of better quality 

 Jod


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## Irons82

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Jodiuh _
*...I finally got to talk to a Logitech manager and he admitted the flaw, but told me they've fixed the flaw in a new version...* 
 

What flaw is that? I have the Z560 when it first came out. Never had a problem with it and trust me, I push this puppy hard, to the point that a girl three floors down came up and beg me to turn it down cause stuff in her room is rumbling. My number is 0142A. Let me know


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## antness

I tried my Diamond S2-4100 speakers going through a preamplifier as well. WOW. What a difference. With the preamp, they now sound better than my Diamond Audio 6.5" components in my car (which retail for about $350, mind you) with my Nakamichi receiver. They are in the same league as probably $500 bookshelf speakers with this setup.

 I've taken apart the subwoofer box, and i bet you could easily upgrade or replace the power amplifier inside it. It's a great DIY project. 

 I urge anyone looking for computer speakers to try to find a set. They are also sold under the brand name Midiland


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## Nick Dangerous

Monsoons don't suck unless they are set up incorrectly. This is frequently the case at your local electronics superstore. Monsoons are miniature planar speakers with all of the inherent "phaser-like" point imaging intact. Proper speaker placement is key. Even a couple of inches off-axis is enough to ruin the image.

 I elevated my satellites so that the vertical axis is parallel with my ear, rather than firing above them at an angle (which is the default). This makes a big difference.

 I think they compare favorably with my 

 <--- _other_ point source...


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## SumB

The Monsoon suck because of their high crossover and lack of instrumental timbre. 

 Sorry, but when I hear Brad Roberts' voice eminating from a box on the floor I'm gone. But there are other problems, such as woeful lack of dynamics, bass imaging, and a painfully sharp mid and high range.

 The Z560's are a good value, but the equal of the Promedia's they ain't.


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## Jodiuh

Quote:


 The Z560's are a good value, but the equal of the Promedia's they ain't. 
 

True, true SumB.

 I'm much happier with my Klipsch's for Gaming and DVD. My Senn 580's/Cha-47 take care of the music from my pc.

 Jod 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 P.S. Crappy soundcards don't sound so bad when that's all you know. LOL!


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## antness

BTW, about sound cards, I haven't found a good one yet. I'm using a Terratec EWX 24/96, which is a modest stereo sound card at $169, and it has a lot of noise. If i turn up the volume on my headphone amp, I can hear noises from my computer that get louder when my hard drive accesses data, when I have a lot of network activity, etc. It's pretty awful. This is with the analog output. I don't know if using an external DAC will be any superior. 

 Also, try using your headphone amp as a preamp for your computer speaker setup (or, a real preamp if you already have one). It made a huge difference for my sound quality from computer speakers.


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## blip

Quote:


 _Originally posted by Jodiuh _
*

 P.S. Crappy soundcards don't sound so bad when that's all you know. LOL! * 
 

True, true... Thought that my klipsch sounded pretty good when I ran them off of my soundcard... untill, of course, I ran them off of a CDP inputing to the line-in... There was a ton of difference. The soundstage was much cleaner and better defined.


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## TimSchirmer

You don't have to use crappy made-for-pc speakers.

 I use a JVC FS-D5 mini system connected to my sound card, and it sounds AWESOME for a computer setup.


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## Vertigo-1

Has anybody ever heard the Acoustic Energy Aego 2? Seems like something along the lines of what Midiland had going 3 years ago.


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## SumB

There was some discussion of this over on the 3dsoundsurge forums. Apparently the crossover is quite high, and thus the subwoofer is designed to be placed on the desktop (that's where the controls are located). 

 Sounds like it's behind the times.


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## pigmode

If I had to take a guess, these little subs are low-passed relatively high due to their limited ability to produce low frequencies.


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## Calanctus

I've got Monsoon 505s (the 5.1 surround model) and they are excellent. For a $149 speaker, they are an amazing value--clarity, accuracy, convincing imaging. My couple thousand $ speakers are better...but not dozens of times better.


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## MrSiki99

I currently own the _Midiland (Diamond Audio) S2-4100's_, and I have to say they are incredible for PC speakers. The bass quality is amazing, and the higher the volume the better they sound. Better than most of today's 5.1 systems. I am thinking about selling them though, to upgrade to a hi/fi, and if you are interested {email me: *zbomb99@yahoo.com* } and I will give you the stats.


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## AudioX

Update the price of the dts dropped to only $275 and the digitheatre for only $175 and the Digitheatre LC for only $85. The sale ends on Nov 18. or while supplies last 
buypcdirect.com That's the lowest price I think it'll go for, and I just got it for $309 two weeks ago.


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## Cap'n Dan

You folks should try the Boston Acoustics BA7500s and 7800s... great digital 5.1 speakers. Stellar sound, openness, and clarity for ALL sound--music, movies, and games.

 The 7500s seem to be electrostatic... you can see a broad shiny film behind a hexagonal structure behind the cloth cover. The subwoofer, a bass-reflex design, is also amazing: extremely powerful, VERY tight bass.

 I've yet to try the 7800s, actually, but they're supposedly an updated version of the 7500s.


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## PinkFloyd

The old addage "garbage in garbage out" dictates that there is no real aural benefit going for esoteric computer speakers due to the limitations of sound cards.

 I use Harmon Kardon HK 695 speakers with my sound card and they are fine for recreating the funny sounds that are generated by the card.. I certainly wouldn't consider spending more than say £100 on computer speakers though as I doubt they would only show up the bad quality of the sound card.

 If you're listening to music best to invest in a dedicated seperates music system, preferably one that's made in the UK


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## PinkFloyd

Meant to add:

 Why bother with crappy computer speakers? why not get some magnetically shielded Hi-Fi speakers and run them through an amp?

 Half of these "computer speaker" manufacturers don't know a woofer from a tweeter let alone how to design a decent transducer.

 Pinkie


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## poorimpulsectrl

PinkFloyd : 

 We all know that once you've heard how good things can be, you can't go back. But I also think it bears mentioning that for a lot of people (i.e. students such as myself), products such as computer speakers or the Creek OBH-11 amp are the best they can afford despite being comparatively crap to higher end components. You're welcome to buy what you want mate but no need to crap all over things that other people are happy with (or trying to be happy with).


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## PinkFloyd

Quote:


 _Originally posted by poorimpulsectrl _
*PinkFloyd : 

 We all know that once you've heard how good things can be, you can't go back. But I also think it bears mentioning that for a lot of people (i.e. students such as myself), products such as computer speakers or the Creek OBH-11 amp are the best they can afford despite being comparatively crap to higher end components. You're welcome to buy what you want mate but no need to crap all over things that other people are happy with (or trying to be happy with). * 
 

Hi,

 I "totally" agree with everything you just said there and I am sorry my comments upset you. It has always been a part of my nature to speak without thinking first. Apologies.

 I'm not the "capitalist" who has got to have "the best" .. I criticise low end equipment and try to see how I can make it better for a few quid (bucks to you). Usually, a sprinkling of high quality capacitors can improve the sound beyond belief as can the addition of other components.

 The people I hate are the manufacturers that cut cost to the bone as there really is no need to do so.... we have a "class" system in Hi-Fi which needn't exist.. why don't the manufacturers factor in the worldwide demand for quality sound and produce the best products they can and average the price out.

 For example... Linn would only manufacture "one" amplifier with a price that was affordable to everybody. Creek would only manufacture "one" headphone amp that was top of its class and affordable to everyone. If all Manufacturers adopted this strategy it would narrow the search down.. we would still have "choice" but the choice wouldn't involve narrowing it down to the best, most affordable piece of equipment in "the range" 

 It would be a choice of "which manufacturer makes the best"

 Whoops... too many beers

 Time for my waterbed!

 Pinkie

 We got Mercedes we got Porsche, Ferrari and Rolls Royce............... yeh we got choice


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## poorimpulsectrl

No worries PF. I agree with your convictions. Just trying to show the value of the 'good enough, not necessarily the best there is' product.

 cheers


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## blip

The other thing is that often (in my case at least) there isn't a lot of space in a room to put full sized speakers or even bookshelfs. Now I could get the cubes from a certain company whose name begins with B and ends with ose. But, to be honest, I've heard computer speakers that sound better than those POS. 

 Besides that, computer speakers can offer suprisingly good quality for little money. Think about it, most decent computer speakers cost 150-300. For that you get two speakers, a subwoofer, and an amplifier. In other words what you get with computer speakers is a set of 100 dollar speakers and a 50 dollar amp. Personally, I think that my Klipsch 2.1s sound pretty decent when I think about them that way!

 That's not to say, though, that if I got some extra money/ space I wouldn't trade them in in a second.


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## Guyferd

My vote goes to klipsch line.
 I own klipsch 2.1 promedia and they sound incredible for their price.


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