question
0
Votes
Votes
5
Answers
Answers
M$1.00
Best computer speakers?
What are the best computer speakers currently on the market? What are the cheapest computer speakers that are the best value?
No Best Answer Selected, Tip Refunded
answers (6)
I like Bose, and speakers are definitely a personal preference. Bose makes a quality speaker. You should check out the Bose Computer Speakers at Hammacher Schlemmer or Amazon.
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/76406.asp
Bose Companion 3 Series II multimedia speaker system
This satellite computer speaker system by Bose delivers rich, room-filling sound via two compact speakers that take up little room on a desktop or mount to the sides of a computer screen. The system has two full-range speakers that produce crisp, clean high frequency notes, yet require only 2 1/2" of desktop space. Proprietary technology creates a wide soundstage from the speakers even when they're closely spaced, so whether you're listening to Internet radio, streaming video, or playing your digital music collection, you'll be encompassed by dynamic audio. The subwoofer delivers deep, low frequency sound that accurately reproduces bass notes. A convenient control pad that's no larger than a computer mouse allows you to adjust the volume and mute the sound, and has a headphone jack and an AUX port for connection to an MP3 player. Includes brackets for mounting speakers. Plugs into AC. Speaker 3 1/2" H x 2 1/2" W x 2 1/2" D. (8 oz.); Subwoofer 8 1/2" H x 7" W x 14" L. (15 1/2 lbs.)
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/76406.asp
Bose Companion 3 Series II multimedia speaker system
This satellite computer speaker system by Bose delivers rich, room-filling sound via two compact speakers that take up little room on a desktop or mount to the sides of a computer screen. The system has two full-range speakers that produce crisp, clean high frequency notes, yet require only 2 1/2" of desktop space. Proprietary technology creates a wide soundstage from the speakers even when they're closely spaced, so whether you're listening to Internet radio, streaming video, or playing your digital music collection, you'll be encompassed by dynamic audio. The subwoofer delivers deep, low frequency sound that accurately reproduces bass notes. A convenient control pad that's no larger than a computer mouse allows you to adjust the volume and mute the sound, and has a headphone jack and an AUX port for connection to an MP3 player. Includes brackets for mounting speakers. Plugs into AC. Speaker 3 1/2" H x 2 1/2" W x 2 1/2" D. (8 oz.); Subwoofer 8 1/2" H x 7" W x 14" L. (15 1/2 lbs.)
source(s):
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/76406.asp
http://www.amazon.com/Bose-Companion-II-multimedia-Graphite/dp/B000HZBR64/r...
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/76406.asp
http://www.amazon.com/Bose-Companion-II-multimedia-Graphite/dp/B000HZBR64/r...
1)
At home, I have an inexpensive receiver in my library / home office, its a Yamaha. It was orphaned when I upgraded it late last year.
I ordered one of these cables:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=665&seq=1&format=2
http://images.monoprice.com/productlargeimages/6651.jpg
I have some regular home bookshelf speakers that I found on clearance at a local electronics store. They cost me $25 for the pair. They're low end Infinity.
To complicate things a little, I also have this output running through my full Home Theater setup with an audio switch. But this setup doesn't have to be complicated at all.
This setup sounds better than just about any "computer speaker" setup I've heard before. I have a variety of "audio scenes", a remote control, easy setup, and best of all, it was inexpensive.
2)
If you want to walk into just about any electronics store and purchase a good sounding set of speakers, these are them: http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=4&subcategory=789&product=16936&listby=usage
http://images.americas.creative.com/images/products/large/16936.png
3)
Headphones usually sound as good or better than high end speakers at a fraction of the cost. If you don't mind something in or around your ears, a decent set of headphones can be more versatile and sound better than speakers.
I'd love a set of these:
http://store.shure.com/store/shure/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.105181400
http://drh.img.digitalriver.com/DRHM/Storefront/Company/shure/images/image/site_img_pa_se210_l.jpg
I hope that this helps Mike!
At home, I have an inexpensive receiver in my library / home office, its a Yamaha. It was orphaned when I upgraded it late last year.
I ordered one of these cables:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=665&seq=1&format=2
I have some regular home bookshelf speakers that I found on clearance at a local electronics store. They cost me $25 for the pair. They're low end Infinity.
To complicate things a little, I also have this output running through my full Home Theater setup with an audio switch. But this setup doesn't have to be complicated at all.
This setup sounds better than just about any "computer speaker" setup I've heard before. I have a variety of "audio scenes", a remote control, easy setup, and best of all, it was inexpensive.
2)
If you want to walk into just about any electronics store and purchase a good sounding set of speakers, these are them: http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=4&subcategory=789&product=16936&listby=usage
3)
Headphones usually sound as good or better than high end speakers at a fraction of the cost. If you don't mind something in or around your ears, a decent set of headphones can be more versatile and sound better than speakers.
I'd love a set of these:
http://store.shure.com/store/shure/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.105181400
I hope that this helps Mike!
You can't beat used receivers hooked up to cheap bookshelf speakers in value, can you? And it costs less than anything but the cheapest options to boot.
Oh god, really? Bose? Avoid.
Bose = overpriced for what they are, generally you can get equivalent or better speakers in most other top flight brands for equal or less dollars.
Bose = overpriced for what they are, generally you can get equivalent or better speakers in most other top flight brands for equal or less dollars.
I don't think I said anything about Bose in my answer.
In my experience searching for speakers, I tried 3 different types of Bose speakers and returned each one. They didn't sound right in my home theater room. However, I have heard the Bose computer speakers and they sound good.
Personally, I'd rather spend a little less to get the same (or better) sound, which I why I suggested the Creative speakers.
However, I really think that the receiver / wire / bookshelf speaker setup works the best. Between over-the-air radio, remote control, variety of input options, different sound styles for games, movies, etc, it really is the best thing you can do to get good sound out of your computer.
In my experience searching for speakers, I tried 3 different types of Bose speakers and returned each one. They didn't sound right in my home theater room. However, I have heard the Bose computer speakers and they sound good.
Personally, I'd rather spend a little less to get the same (or better) sound, which I why I suggested the Creative speakers.
However, I really think that the receiver / wire / bookshelf speaker setup works the best. Between over-the-air radio, remote control, variety of input options, different sound styles for games, movies, etc, it really is the best thing you can do to get good sound out of your computer.
The best computer speakers are the Logitech Z-2300.
http://reviews.cnet.com/pc-speakers/logitech-z-2300/4505-3179_7-30993080.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody
http://reviews.cnet.com/pc-speakers/logitech-z-2300/4505-3179_7-30993080.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody
i keep wanting to buy the klipch thx speakers for my computer. (about $150
)
)
Best on the market? You cant go wrong with these:
KRK's Rokit G2 (Generation 2) powered studio monitor
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/regular/9/8/4/557984.jpg
The least expensive bang-for-the-buck will be a good set of USB headphones. Logitech has several, but I really like the Clearchat USB Series. For a few dollars more, buy the "pro" version which has a much thicker cord (less prone to damage) and a few small additional features.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/533479.jpg
KRK's Rokit G2 (Generation 2) powered studio monitor
The least expensive bang-for-the-buck will be a good set of USB headphones. Logitech has several, but I really like the Clearchat USB Series. For a few dollars more, buy the "pro" version which has a much thicker cord (less prone to damage) and a few small additional features.
source(s):
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/KRK-Rokit-Powered-8-Generation...
http://www.krksys.com
http://www.logitech.com
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/KRK-Rokit-Powered-8-Generation...
http://www.krksys.com
http://www.logitech.com
I have Rokit 5's and they are quite good, but mostly for listening and not for MIXING which is the intended use. Also, you'd want some sort of hardware volume control between your soundcard and your speakers, since these have individual volume knobs on the back. They are stepped, so you can count the number of steps, but that gets annoying quickly.
I had a previous answer to this exact question:
http://www.mahalo.com/answers/computer-accessories/what-are-the-best-desktop-speakers
There are other good answers too. The quick version is:
If you want thumping bass and loud sound, the Klipsch/Logitech sets will fit the bill. The THX computer speaker certification is relatively meaningless. You won't find it on poor speakers, but you also won't find it on better speakers that are from companies that don't bother paying to have them THX "certified". Putting the THX label on your equipment is more for marketing purposes than it has to do with sound (Again, THX won't stick their name on something horrible - all of the THX options are fine, but don't make it out to be an actual selling point)
If you want to pay too much for something that's OK, but not fantastic, feel free to waste your money on Bose. Their computer speakers cost a lot more than comparable competitors - this is more about their home audio stuff, but their pricing strategies are similar:
http://www2.zhome.com:81/ZCMnL/PICS/stereo/bosefaq.htm
Headphones are awesome in bang for your buck. You can get some headphones that'll sound better than any speakers you've ever heard for about $150 or so (See Sennheiser HD580 - they're out of production now but you can find them on eBay easily)
The computer speaker companies make OK computer speakers but not great speakers.
You can get some inexpensive studio monitor type speakers like the inexpensive M-Audio models recommended in the answer I linked if you want better sound. The more expensive, larger Tannoy speakers are better, but not as good of a value. The M-Audio models currently around $180-200 or so are likely the best value in computer speakers today. They're relatively compact, but are bookshelf style speakers, so they aren't appropriate if you don't have any free desktop space. You won't need a sub with them unless you're a bass freak, and if you are, you can hook something far better up if you want to spend the cash to do so.
If $50 is all you had in mind on spending, then, in all seriousness, go to the store, listen to them, and choose the ones you like the most. Frankly, they all suck in one way or anothr, and all have major flaws in their sound reproduction - better for you to pick your own poison there rather than listen to someone telling you that crappy speaker set A is better than crappy speaker set B when both of them have major flaws. You might prefer the speakers with little detail in their sound to the ones with the resonant, honky sounding midrange, whereas the latter will cause me to kill people.
lastly, I will note that the manufacturing cost of the cheap 2.1 and particularly 5.1 speaker sets has to be miniscule to make a profit. Those sets for $50 for 2.1 speakers probably cost $10 or so to make... that's not a lot of money for quality materials, and it invariably shows - they are all molded plastic that is thin - the cabinet is one of the most important parts of a good speaker, so even if they used very good drivers as opposed to the 25 cent ones they use, they would still sound poor because of the resonance from the enclosures. Build quality is not a guarantee of quality sound, but poor build quality and materials are a guarantee of poor sound.
Grr. One last thing - if you get speakers that use standard speaker wire, you can usually slap in some cheap bookshelf speakers to replace the cruddy sattelites that came with the unit. I did this a while back with some nice small Celestion bookshelf speakers, and the original Klipsch computer speakers (V2.400) - and the difference was amazing. No more shrill highs and lack of lower mids/upper bass, the small Celestions were far more mellow and smooth sounding, and played a lot deeper. I'm pretty sure you could hack something like this up now with the current Klipsch 2.1 set - just check to make sure that the speaker outputs on the sub are the normal spring clamps, and you can use any plain lampcord/speaker wire to hook them up.
If you've got more questions and desire more specific information, feel free to ask!
http://www.mahalo.com/answers/computer-accessories/what-are-the-best-desktop-speakers
There are other good answers too. The quick version is:
If you want thumping bass and loud sound, the Klipsch/Logitech sets will fit the bill. The THX computer speaker certification is relatively meaningless. You won't find it on poor speakers, but you also won't find it on better speakers that are from companies that don't bother paying to have them THX "certified". Putting the THX label on your equipment is more for marketing purposes than it has to do with sound (Again, THX won't stick their name on something horrible - all of the THX options are fine, but don't make it out to be an actual selling point)
If you want to pay too much for something that's OK, but not fantastic, feel free to waste your money on Bose. Their computer speakers cost a lot more than comparable competitors - this is more about their home audio stuff, but their pricing strategies are similar:
http://www2.zhome.com:81/ZCMnL/PICS/stereo/bosefaq.htm
Headphones are awesome in bang for your buck. You can get some headphones that'll sound better than any speakers you've ever heard for about $150 or so (See Sennheiser HD580 - they're out of production now but you can find them on eBay easily)
The computer speaker companies make OK computer speakers but not great speakers.
You can get some inexpensive studio monitor type speakers like the inexpensive M-Audio models recommended in the answer I linked if you want better sound. The more expensive, larger Tannoy speakers are better, but not as good of a value. The M-Audio models currently around $180-200 or so are likely the best value in computer speakers today. They're relatively compact, but are bookshelf style speakers, so they aren't appropriate if you don't have any free desktop space. You won't need a sub with them unless you're a bass freak, and if you are, you can hook something far better up if you want to spend the cash to do so.
If $50 is all you had in mind on spending, then, in all seriousness, go to the store, listen to them, and choose the ones you like the most. Frankly, they all suck in one way or anothr, and all have major flaws in their sound reproduction - better for you to pick your own poison there rather than listen to someone telling you that crappy speaker set A is better than crappy speaker set B when both of them have major flaws. You might prefer the speakers with little detail in their sound to the ones with the resonant, honky sounding midrange, whereas the latter will cause me to kill people.
lastly, I will note that the manufacturing cost of the cheap 2.1 and particularly 5.1 speaker sets has to be miniscule to make a profit. Those sets for $50 for 2.1 speakers probably cost $10 or so to make... that's not a lot of money for quality materials, and it invariably shows - they are all molded plastic that is thin - the cabinet is one of the most important parts of a good speaker, so even if they used very good drivers as opposed to the 25 cent ones they use, they would still sound poor because of the resonance from the enclosures. Build quality is not a guarantee of quality sound, but poor build quality and materials are a guarantee of poor sound.
Grr. One last thing - if you get speakers that use standard speaker wire, you can usually slap in some cheap bookshelf speakers to replace the cruddy sattelites that came with the unit. I did this a while back with some nice small Celestion bookshelf speakers, and the original Klipsch computer speakers (V2.400) - and the difference was amazing. No more shrill highs and lack of lower mids/upper bass, the small Celestions were far more mellow and smooth sounding, and played a lot deeper. I'm pretty sure you could hack something like this up now with the current Klipsch 2.1 set - just check to make sure that the speaker outputs on the sub are the normal spring clamps, and you can use any plain lampcord/speaker wire to hook them up.
If you've got more questions and desire more specific information, feel free to ask!
Related questions
140 characters left
ask any question
+1 From me bose are solid.