KVR Audio

Big Karma · Post by **Big Karma** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:37 am

Ok - today I plan to go buy some half decent speakers for my PC - am planning on spending about £60 - £80 so am not expecting to get top quality but anything has got to be better than what I have at the moment.

So, I need to know what I am looking for in the quality, wattage etc stakes!

Anyone got any suggestions of what is good and what is bad??

Thanks in advance!

P.T. · Post by **P.T.** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:28 pm

FM magazine did a blind test of monitors and in the lower price range they liked the Yamaha's. I forget the model number, but it was something 3. They also have a something 5. Sorry.

The 3's go for about $150 US a pair, which I think is around your price range.

They were the best in terms of accuracy and listenability.

C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:31 pm

Ehm.... Do you want passive or active ones? You probably won't need anything over 50W, unless you're fighting the neighbours.

How 'bout a set of Wharfedales? Doesn't bust the bank, but are pretty decent speakers I'd say!

Big Karma · Post by **Big Karma** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:46 pm

Passive or Active??

You mean there's different types??

I just want something I can plug and play that are better than the bog standard ones I have at the moment

C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:58 pm

Big Karma wrote:Passive or Active??

You mean there's different types??

Just guessing you're not joking (otherwise you might have said ***ive immediately)

Passive speakers need an amplifier. Just like the speakers of hifi sets (the hifi set does the amplifying, you could use an old hifi set actually!)

Active speakers have the amplifier built in, and require to be connected to mains power. Then you have a volume knob sitting on the speaker. Most "multimedia" PC speakers are of this type.

I guess the question really is, do you want equal/better quality as your hifi set? Or is it just for playing games and every now and then listen to a tune? Or are you looking for cheap speakers for the PC that can be used for making music? Serious monitoring speakers I mean?

Still, I think Wharfedales won't disappoint you..

Big Karma · Post by **Big Karma** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:08 pm

C00kie wrote:
Big Karma wrote:Passive or Active??

You mean there's different types??
Just guessing you're not joking (otherwise you might have said ***ive immediately)

Passive speakers need an amplifier. Just like the speakers of hifi sets (the hifi set does the amplifying, you could use an old hifi set actually!)

Active speakers have the amplifier built in, and require to be connected to mains power. Then you have a volume knob sitting on the speaker. Most "multimedia" PC speakers are of this type.

I guess the question really is, do you want equal/better quality as your hifi set? Or is it just for playing games and every now and then listen to a tune? Or are you looking for cheap speakers for the PC that can be used for making music? Serious monitoring speakers I mean?

Still, I think Wharfedales won't disappoint you..

Ok so I have been shopping and bought these...
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/ ... =undefined

and have also bought an internal cd writer so I can stuck stuff on disc and listen through my music system (150watt speakers) for super clarity!

Ohhh and a new keybooard fell into my trolley as well

Ooooh I love shopping

Thanks for the help and advice!

C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:38 pm

Big Karma wrote:Ok so I have been shopping and bought these...
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/ ... =undefined

Right, I see ...

(I see nothing but a timed out session, contents of the cart are your secret. I'm sure you'll like it though.) Shopping IS fun

Big Karma · Post by **Big Karma** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:02 pm

C00kie wrote:
Big Karma wrote:Ok so I have been shopping and bought these...
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/ ... =undefined
Right, I see ... (I see nothing but a timed out session, contents of the cart are your secret. I'm sure you'll like it though.) Shopping IS fun

Ohh bugger!! Sorry c00kie!

Here ya go...

creative 2.1 inspire. They sound 100xs better than what I had!!

The Chase · Post by **The Chase** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:32 pm

C00kie wrote:
Big Karma wrote:Passive or Active??

You mean there's different types??
Just guessing you're not joking (otherwise you might have said ***ive immediately)

Passive speakers need an amplifier. Just like the speakers of hifi sets (the hifi set does the amplifying, you could use an old hifi set actually!)

Active speakers have the amplifier built in, and require to be connected to mains power. Then you have a volume knob sitting on the speaker. Most "multimedia" PC speakers are of this type.

I guess the question really is, do you want equal/better quality as your hifi set? Or is it just for playing games and every now and then listen to a tune? Or are you looking for cheap speakers for the PC that can be used for making music? Serious monitoring speakers I mean?

Still, I think Wharfedales won't disappoint you..

I didn't know what passive or active meant either. I've always just heard the term "self-powered" and "not self-powered".

Igor 4000 · Post by **Igor 4000** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:42 pm

PT wrote:FM magazine did a blind test of monitors and in the lower price range they liked the Yamaha's. I forget the model number, but it was something 3. They also have a something 5. Sorry.

The 3's go for about $150 US a pair, which I think is around your price range.

They were the best in terms of accuracy and listenability.

I think you mean the MSP3s. I have the MSP5s and I'm (generally) happy with them. I've also heard that the MSP3s are good for the size.

fake · Post by **fake** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:00 am

Looks like the sub is in a wooden box, Good!

Too late now but, when you buy speakers or amps check out the RMS wattage value as a lot talk about the PMP wattage.
RMS is the true output without distortion, PMP is the total wattage of both speakers, turned up full with distortion and all. If I remember PMP works out around 4 time greater.

May be of help to others though!

Glad you like em!

kovacs · Post by **kovacs** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:27 am

Big Karma wrote:creative 2.1 inspire. They sound 100xs better than what I had!!

Then that's perfect, then. Congrats.

pooshka · Post by **pooshka** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:32 am

Big Karma wrote:Here ya go...

creative 2.1 inspire. They sound 100xs better than what I had!!

cool! I had Creative 5.1 speakers before and I really liked them. whenever i was working on music i used to set the speakers in 2.1 speakers so I guess your setup would be quite similar to mine.

VitaminD · Post by **VitaminD** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:53 am

pooshka wrote:
Big Karma wrote:Here ya go...

creative 2.1 inspire. They sound 100xs better than what I had!!

cool! I had Creative 5.1 speakers before and I really liked them. whenever i was working on music i used to set the speakers in 2.1 speakers so I guess your setup would be quite similar to mine.

wow

I have the inspire 4100's and I absolutely dislike them.. very sharp highs, overdone midrange, and crossover to the subwoofer seems to be too high a value..

surely the 2.1's arent the same

so therefore I just say that I dont have speakers.. they arent even connected to my pc anymore.. I prefer my 8 or 9 year old cheapo mdr headphones (consumer grade model) to the inspires... they're a lot more accurate.

not kidding..

though they were good for gaming, I wouldnt even bother listening to music on them (the creatives).. the midrange just sounds foul to my ears.

but whatever floats your boat.. congrats

ezeeboogie · Post by **ezeeboogie** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 1:03 am

I think you should have got this!

Speakers