What speakers do you use?

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Stargate199 · #1 Post by **Stargate199** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:40 pm

We have covered mouses and I think keyboards here, so what speakers do we all use? I just got a set of Logitech S200 speakers yesterday from a local computer store. These are OEM speakers and I got them for $20. The set that these replaced was a Creative Inspire G380. I also have a pair pf Logitech R10 hooked up to the family computer, and when I was just using my 600E (about 4 months ago), it was hooked up to my 450 watt Sharp CD-SW 200.

pianowizard · #2 Post by **pianowizard** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:06 pm

I am using this Cintre RW-6510 6-piece 5.1 channel speaker system on my Dell Dimension B110 desktop. It's pretty good!

Purcy · #3 Post by **Purcy** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:52 pm

For some reason, I hate speakers on my laptop. I do have a pair of non-descript multimedia speaker system stereo speakers to plug in - but for sheer heavenly enjoyment of music and movies, etc. I pull out my featherweight Sony MDR-W08 headband earphones, with added bass (you know women can't hear bass as well as men)

dr_st · #4 Post by **dr_st** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:32 pm

Speakers...

Well, for my primary desktop machine, I use a Creative Inspire T7700 7.1 speaker set with my Audigy 2 ZS sound card.

For my Thinkpad T42 I use a pair of Maxxtro 2.0 stereo speakers. Maxxtro is a "next-to-noname" brand, but those speakers are a class above all the cheap speakers. They are huge for desktop speakers - each satellite is half the size of a subwoofer, and as such they can deliver good bass. However, now there is a problem with the wire contacts (the speakers are like 6 years old), and so I might want to replace them, and perhaps even sacrifice the bass for something smaller.

Oh, and the Inspire G380 that Stargate mentioned - that's a kickass 2.1 system. One of the best, if not the best I've heard in its range. My friend has them and they sound clearer than my T7700.

The Spirit of X21 · #5 Post by **The Spirit of X21** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:45 pm

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 setup on my eMac. Lovely!

Turbo Audi · #6 Post by **Turbo Audi** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:10 pm

Logitech Z-680 5.1s

#7 Post by **gator** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:02 pm

No speakers yet, but I love my sennheiser HD 210 earphones. They are simply fantastic, esp. when you get 'em for $17 shipped!

#8 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 7:03 pm

For the desktop PC at home I have a set of Monsoon Planar Media 9 - PC multimedia speakers. This system consists of two flat-panel Planar Ribbon Transducers, a subwoofer, and a hockey-puck control with volume, bass, mute, and headphone jack. They look cool and the sound is quite good - unless music such as AC/DC is your preference.

Image of Monsoon Planar Media 9 - PC multimedia speaker system
EDIT: Here is another link with text and different image views. Level 9 Sound Design Monsoon Planar Media Speakers

For my T42 at work I use a set of Altec Lansing 120i multimedia speakers. At work I have size and volume constraints, so I did not spend a lot of money on a speaker system. One thing I do like about these as compared to the Creative speakers they replaced is that they are well-shielded from radio interference. The Creative speakers produce a very annoying noise when my cell phone or WWAN card is operating on 850Mhz. The Altec Lansings are unaffected.

I do agree that headphones are capable of very high quality sound, but I just do not like wearing them. I am not that crazy about earbuds either. About the only time I use either is on an airplane flight.

JHEM · #9 Post by **JHEM** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:29 pm

For my "desktop" (docked A31P) in my home office I use a Boston Acoustics BA4800 system I picked up for $25. My office is only 12' X 14' So i don't need a lot of speaker.

Sounds great playing my Sirius or Rhapsody feeds. Kickass playing MP3s.

Excellent little 6.5" sub-woofer.

For those times when I absolutely have to crank things up, I can feed the audio to a pair of 16" Tannoy triaxials driven by my ancient but reliable and sonically pure Dokorder (Denon) 400W receiver.

James

#10 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:55 pm

So, do you have any idea how the Boston Acoustics BA4800 system compares sonically to the Bose Acoustimass® 5 speaker system/SA-3 amplifier package? I realize the price disparity is pretty large.

Purcy · #11 Post by **Purcy** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 12:49 am

gator wrote:No speakers yet, but I love my sennheiser HD 210 earphones. They are simply fantastic, esp. when you get 'em for $17 shipped!

okay, these headphones I want, I had the pleasure of Sennheiser headphones some years ago. Might I ask where they are available for $17 ?? TIA

#12 Post by **KristianJ** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:12 am

For external speakers, I simply use the speakers of my Sharp stereo and attach an A/V cable from one of my digital cameras to the AV inputs of the stereo and the headphones jack of my T40. Works very well since I've got the speakers behind me thanks to several metres of speaker cable

tvsjr · #13 Post by **tvsjr** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:53 am

GomJabbar wrote:So, do you have any idea how the Boston Acoustics BA4800 system compares sonically to the Bose Acoustimass® 5 speaker system/SA-3 amplifier package? I realize the price disparity is pretty large.

No highs, no lows, gotta be Bose. Any audio geek will tell you, Bose sucks.

JHEM · #14 Post by **JHEM** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:47 am

tvsjr wrote:No highs, no lows, gotta be Bose. Any audio geek will tell you, Bose sucks.

Gotta' agree with what tvsjr wrote Dave, I'm no fan of the Bose systems. No true audiophile, or professional musician, will own a Bose system if they hope for good sound reproduction.

Back in the day (early 70's) I sold Dr. Bose's speakers out of my store in NYC for a period (primarily 501s and 901s) and they were invariably returned by folks after trying them at home, especially the musicians. The only times the speakers weren't returned was when the aesthetics of their small footprint and ability to be hidden in a room was given more consideration than their lack of performance.

I've often thought that the only reason I carried the speakers at all was because Dr. Amar was related to my old math prof. at Stevens, Dr. Ajay K. Bose.

Conversely, I love my Bose aviation headset.

If the speaker system you're looking for is to be used at your computer, there are far better choices for far less money available.

If this is to be used for a home theater system, check the offerings from Denon, which is my choice for my home theater. I recently purchased a set of Omnistats to replace some old B&O speakers in my living room. I added their 12" sub-woofer to complete the system. Unbelievable sound quality!

James

#15 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 12:18 pm

My present stereo system is getting a bit long in the tooth (although I have it hooked up to a 40" Mitsubishi rear projection set, I would not go so far as to call it a home theater system). I had some Infininity Reference Three speakers that I liked very well, but the woofers went out over a year ago, so I am currently using some old Bose 301's that have some Radio Shack replacement woofers in them. My receiver is a Carver, and I have a Technics graphic equalizer. The receiver and equalizer are nigh on 20-years old. Hopefully before too long I will be able to replace this antique system (you know, the old bugaboo $$$).

To be honest, I do not spend much time watching TV or DVD's, or listening to my Stereo (except as background music) much anymore. More often than not, I just point the desktop PC to live365.com and listen to internet radio over my Monsoon Planars.

JHEM · #16 Post by **JHEM** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:00 pm

Dave,

Denon DHT-487DV

Circuit City and Vanns both have it for $600 vs. the $700 list price and CC had it on sale awhile ago for $500.

Absolute killer HT/Stereo system for the money!

James

#17 Post by **tomh009** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:30 pm

GomJabbar wrote:For the desktop PC at home I have a set of Monsoon Planar Media 9 - PC multimedia speakers. This system consists of two flat-panel Planar Ribbon Transducers, a subwoofer, and a hockey-puck control with volume, bass, mute, and headphone jack. They look cool and the sound is quite good - unless music such as AC/DC is your preference.

Image of Monsoon Planar Media 9 - PC multimedia speaker system
EDIT: Here is another link with text and different image views. Level 9 Sound Design Monsoon Planar Media Speakers

I have an older model of the Monsoon flat panels, the MH-502. As you say, they sound good and look cool. And the volume control is very handy.

http://secure.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=6495

RUSH2112 · #18 Post by **RUSH2112** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:42 pm

I just use the Creative T2900 2.1 set. They put out nice sound, nice bass and all for a $50 set. I'm no audiophile, so I dont care much for $400 speakers (plus, anything much more than these and I would also need an external sound card to take advantage of them). I also have a nice set of Sony headphones.

skitty4gzus · #19 Post by **skitty4gzus** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:03 pm

Nice thread might I add!!!!
-first of all I use Logitech Z5300e 5.1 setup on the desktop. Nice lows, the highs are pretty clear. Not the most impressive midrange, but i think i blew a driver in the center channel!!!
-second, I use shure e3c's for headphones. IMO the best earphones for around $100. They are in ear monitors and the quality of music reproduction is very honest. I can here babies crying in the audience on a live cd I have!
-third, it's nice to hear other people who are smart and knowledgeable. Bose is an utter joke. I feel sorry for people who pay that kind of money for what they get. They (Bose) purposely play "homemade" cd's and dvd's that highlight the best and only parts to their audio frequency. I will gladly put together a shopping list of home audio pieces for anybody that asks.

tvsjr · #20 Post by **tvsjr** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:07 pm

JHEM wrote:Conversely, I love my Bose aviation headset.

I like my Bose active noise cancelling headphones. For aviation work, David Clark H20-10 ENC all the way.

#21 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:39 am

An older 2.1 Cambridge Soundworks system. Lovely sound.
I have a brandnew Creative Inspire 5.1 5300 system lying about as well, but it has not even been opened yet after 4 years!

JHEM · #22 Post by **JHEM** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 9:23 am

skitty4gzus wrote:-second, I use shure e3c's for headphones.

The e3c's are simply amazing and the only "in-ear" phones that can replace one of my usual cans.

James

skitty4gzus · #23 Post by **skitty4gzus** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:31 pm

The e3c's are simply amazing and the only "in-ear" phones that can replace one of my usual cans.

James

Nice someone who appreciates good sound. My buddy is a sound engineer and he uses e3c's as well and he said they sound very similar to e4's. Well as far as lows go anyways. I would love to try some UM2's or e5's though. Im expecting dual drivers to flat out blow me away. But, there is no way im hooking up some $500 e5's to my pathetic 4th gen Ipod. Not gonna happen. Ive tried a personal amplifier too with the e3's and the Ipod and I was very much NOT impressed. A lil off topic but worth saying.

ronbo613 · #24 Post by **ronbo613** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:44 pm

On my Thinkpad, the stock speakers. They are horrible, but if I need to, I plug in my earbuds from my MP3 player. All I need from an "on the road" system.
With my PCs, I have Harmon Kardon HK 195 basic speakers for the internet rig, for the workstation where I do all my video and audio editing, headphones are the way to go. I've got a pair of Sony studio headphones and a pair of Altec Lansing headphones with a boom microphone that I use for basic narration and voiceover.
I had some 5.1 speakers to check out the sound of my Combat Flight Simulator game, but the mess of wires were a serious safety hazard.
Where did you say you got those Sennheiser HD 210 headphones for $17? Please don't say the trunk of Vinnie's car.......

JHEM · #25 Post by **JHEM** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 12:09 am

skitty4gzus wrote:A lil off topic but worth saying.

And worth reading. My e3s are as good as my present hearing will accommodate. I can no longer appreciate the spectrum of my e5s, so one of the kids has them now, although it irks me that they usually have them connected to their iPod, what a waste.

James

Purcy · #26 Post by **Purcy** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:28 am

ronbo613 wrote: Where did you say you got those Sennheiser HD 210 headphones for $17? Please don't say the trunk of Vinnie's car.......

LOL, I was not the OP of that rec, but I did contact him and he told me he found some on Buy.com for good prices. I just bought a pair of Sennheiser Street MX51 earbuds (I want to put them in my purse) for my PDA, and it you use the Google checkout you get $10 off your purchase.

www.buy.com (search Sennheiser)

Deckard · #27 Post by **Deckard** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:38 am

Creative SoundWorks 2.1

Not the latest, but it has enough juice to keep me happy.

skitty4gzus · #28 Post by **skitty4gzus** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:15 pm

I can no longer appreciate the spectrum of my e5s, so one of the kids has them now, although it irks me that they usually have them connected to their iPod, what a waste.

James

-I will trade you my e3c's and fit kit, problem solved. lets make a deal

#29 Post by **gator** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:10 pm

http://www.instructables.com/id/E3S11UK1IOEV0FB1EX

Sock earphones anyone?

jamiphar · #30 Post by **jamiphar** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:55 pm

I use a pair of homemade studio-type speakers. I used a pair of these tweeters, pair of these woofers. As well as this to shake those ceiling tiles.

The main reason I added a sub is to move the bass output to the floor instead of the desktop, the speakers were shaking my monitor too much.

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