PC sound system

[Tannin]

Not being much interested in sound these days (after half a lifetime as a sound fanatic, believe it or not) I haven't been following this thread, but I just noticed all the crap being thrown at Creative speakers. Now for mine, this doesn't wash. The entry-level Creatives are outstanding value, the closest thing to actual quality sound that you'll get without spending serious dollars. I highly recommend them. (Which is more than I can say for any other Creative product!)

 

[Mercutio]

Tannin, give any recent Logitech computer speaker a go. They're excellent, far better than Creative's.

Cambridge SW speakers are better than the Creative-branded ones as well. Mostly the ones labelled Creative are $10 - $50 models.

 

[skeet]

Correct me please if I've missed the boat a bit here but the first name to consider when buying anything as lo-fi as computer audio monitors would have to be Yamaha. Tannin, you should have spent enough time in front of NS-10's to know how influential they are. I recently purchased a small powered pair for my home PC and they worked about as well as I would have expected given their size. Relatively vice free all things considered. We have also ordered several sets to do the job of 'orribletones in our mixing rooms to work alongside Genelecs and Spendors. About £30, try them out!

 

[Santilli]

Klipsch Pro Media 5.1

From www.klipsch.com:
"
PROMEDIA > PROMEDIA 5.1

"Ideal for a small home-theater setup but equally adept at gaming, the [Klipsch ProMedia] 5.1s are anchored by a freak-nasty subwoofer boasting dual 8-inch drivers. Toss in five two-way satellites, and you have a recipe for ear damage. But these babies aren't just about volume — they also offer crisp, clean sound reproduction regardless of how loud you play them."
—-Maximum PC, September 2002



"I have finished the testing phase of my time with the [Klipsch ProMedia] 5.1 speaker system, and quite frankly I am in love."
—-by Todd Stovall, GDXBOX.com, August 2002



"I am now making this system from Klipsch the benchmark with which I will measure all other audio systems by...Klipsch has truly delivered a perfect audio experience."
—-by Todd Stovall, GDXBOX.com, August 2002



"At low volume, the ProMedia 5.1 system can subtly imbue a workspace with the full ambiance of any elaborately mastered DVD or wrap the listener in a warm musical blanket. Cranked up, this thing simply and effortlessly rocks the house."
—-by Chris Chiarella, Home Theater, August 2002

"Klipsch has made its new ProMedia 5.1 speakers sound so good, it verges on the ridiculous. The system packs a total of 500 watts (RMS), which is a mind-bogglingly enormous amount of power - most home stereo systems don't come anywhere close. The extra watts ensure that you'll get plenty of clean, undistorted sound at very high volumes."
—-PC Gamer Editor's Choice, November 2001



"Klipsch has proven once again that they are quite serious about music and the desktop theater experience; with the 5.1's they prove it every step of the way. Make no mistake about it, you will not find a better set of PC speakers anywhere."
—-Computer Source, November 2001



"...the ProMedia 5.1s represent the pinnacle of PC audio...the end result is the crispest sound we've ever heard, even at maximum volume...we were convinced the ProMedia 5.1s are the best PC speakers in their category...crisp, clean sound reproduction, fantastic bass punch, and kick-ass extras such as the control tower."
—Maximum PC, October 2001

Synergy SeriesReference SeriesHeritageContractor SeriesClassicPresentation ProductsInstalled ProductsPortable ProductsStage MonitorsAll Weather ProductsCinema/TheatreProMedia SystemsAccessoriesProcessorsPreamplifiersAmplifiersAccessories"

I have a similar system with 4 surround sound, and the sub. Awesome.
s

 

[Mercutio]

I disagree on that one, Greg. The Klipsch computer speakers are boomy and bass-heavy. They remind me a lot of Bose speakers in that way. I think in the realm of computer speakers, one gets a much better overall listening experience from Logitech.

... and yes, I think Yamaha makes very nice 2 and 2.1 speaker sets. I just wish they were a little more durable.

 

[Cliptin]

Users Beware:

The Philips Acoustic Edge AC3 passthrough is broken by W2K SP3. Once you install SP3 the only hpae to recover AC3 is to reinstall W2K.

 

[Santilli]

Mercutio: Sort of...

Klipsch is a rock and roll company, but, they are famous for speakers with very accurate reproduction. The drawback is they usually have to be played loud, or with a very powerful amp for low volume.

I have not listened to many speaker systems that approach this 4+1 system, for 200 bucks.

s

 

[adriel]

For the money the Rockets are probably without a doubt the best speakers you can buy.

This is one of the reasons why AVS forum has a bad reputation. First they were saying the Swan Diva series were the "best speakers at any price". Now, it's the Onix Rockets. The impression being given is that AVS contains a bunch of midfi folks who've never heard anything better, and are thus prone to unjustified hype.

Due to the rather large variety of speakers available, can really any of them be "the best speakers you can buy for the money?" What if one likes electrostatics? Or planars? Or crossoverless, single-driver, high-efficiency, conventional dynamics? Manger transducers? Add to this the multitude of design configurations, materials, and price points. Are Rockets truly without a doubt, the best you can buy for the money? Obviously, it only holds true for those who think the Rockets are the best for their money. The rest are free to make up their own mind on the matter.

 

[Santilli]

Thanks Cliptin

I'm still running service pack 2, because scsi drops 10-15% with 3.

You just gave me another reason to pass on it.

Thanks
Greg

 

[Cliptin]

Re: Thanks Cliptin

I'm still running service pack 2, because scsi drops 10-15% with 3.

You just gave me another reason to pass on it.

Thanks
Greg

Don't be mislead into thinking your abormally fast SCSI speeds (SP2 vs SP3) come without cost.

 

[Pradeep]

There may be other "Dolby Digital" standards in the future, such as an official "7.1" format.

Windows XP seem to have a 7.1 speakers setting. I found it strange but it was there...

Well there are two 6.1 formats for the home, Dolby Digital EX which creates a rear center channel via matrixing the left and right rears, and DTS-ES Discrete which has a discrete rear channel.

I'm using a Pioneer VSX-D811S which decodes both and it sounds great. Plus you should be able to get the receiver for less than $300.

 

[Santilli]

Stuck on the horns of a dilema(sp?) Cliptin: what causes the difference in scsi speeds, and, is the threat sufficent to justify going to service pack 3, and disabling my sound cards' features? Phillips acoustic edge.
DR S

 

[Santilli]

Sound cards are weird. I've tried a bunch of cards, Philips, Sound Blaster, etc. in a Dell dimension xpsr400, and none worked.

Went to an ISA Yamaha Opl3SAXWDM and it works fine. :roll:

Go figure...