Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
powderific
May 13, 2004

Grimey Drawer
I'm not sure many people would prefer that to bluetooth.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

KillHour
Oct 28, 2007


Said theoretical product would probably also support Bluetooth and use the USB c port to charge.

The Lord Bude
May 23, 2007

ASK ME ABOUT MY SHITTY, BOUGIE INTERIOR DECORATING ADVICE

H110Hawk posted:

Yeah. It seems like a good high margin item you could sell to Mac users. :shrug:

Macs already come with built in speakers that although aren't comparable to what you'd get from actual speakers are far better than what you'd normally get from laptops, all in ones, screens etc. I doubt you'd have a market at all.

H110Hawk
Dec 28, 2006

The Lord Bude posted:

Macs already come with built in speakers that although aren't comparable to what you'd get from actual speakers are far better than what you'd normally get from laptops, all in ones, screens etc. I doubt you'd have a market at all.

You, sir, need a better marketing department. I agree with all of this, I'm surprised no one has literally slapped the connector on a device yet, but I guess part of that is USB-C there are people trying to enforce standards.

powderific
May 13, 2004

Grimey Drawer
You can get portable bluetooth speakers with USB-C ports and some of them will even do stereo pairs. I feel like if you had a USB-C powered set of speakers with bluetooth most people would wind up just plugging the USB-C port into charger anyway.

edit: I'm sure it'll show up on speakers eventually as products get refreshed, but I don't think it's going to be a huge selling point.

ddogflex
Sep 19, 2004

blahblahblah
If you don't give any shits, just get the Amazon Basics USB speakers, they're like $20 have really high reviews fwiw

wormil
Sep 12, 2002

Hulk will smoke you!

The Lord Bude posted:

I was thinking off the S2000 MKIII; which seem to be bigger. What’s the deal with the volume resetting?

It's not a potentiometer, just digital with no physical top or bottom and when the speaker is unpowered it loses the volume setting. So when you turn the volume up there is no way to know when you reach full volume other than the speaker stops getting louder, and vice versa. It's a minor thing but extremely dumb and it irrationally annoys me.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!
Mac speaker chat is a good time to remind people that Harman still makes the Soundsticks, and they still look rad enough for MoMA and sound quite good for “classic style 2.1” computer speakers.

I would recommend people stay away from the pricier Bluetooth model and go for the Soundsticks III, as the Bluetooth ones are normally $150-200 and the implementation is poor. The speakers are always in pairing mode and will override a wired signal, meaning that you’ll occasionally find them playing the content of somebody around you. The III can be had for $99 and you can attach something like a cheap preamp/switcher and/or $20 Bluetooth dongle for a better experience. Like I might do a Schiit Sys + an amazon Bluetooth dealie to get signal from my computer plus wireless or whatever.

These also frequently show up on Harman’s website sales and on their official refurb store.

The REAL Goobusters
Apr 25, 2008
Hey there everyone, looking to buy some speakers for my new pc I just built. Budget around 100-200 USD.

I did some research and a lot sites said the Logitech g560s (out of stock) were the best if not the razer sound bar, but wanted to ask here if theres anything better that I'm not seeing.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

The REAL Goobusters posted:

Hey there everyone, looking to buy some speakers for my new pc I just built. Budget around 100-200 USD.

I did some research and a lot sites said the Logitech g560s (out of stock) were the best if not the razer sound bar, but wanted to ask here if theres anything better that I'm not seeing.

Read through the last like 5-10 pages

The Lord Bude
May 23, 2007

ASK ME ABOUT MY SHITTY, BOUGIE INTERIOR DECORATING ADVICE

The REAL Goobusters posted:

Hey there everyone, looking to buy some speakers for my new pc I just built. Budget around 100-200 USD.

I did some research and a lot sites said the Logitech g560s (out of stock) were the best if not the razer sound bar, but wanted to ask here if theres anything better that I'm not seeing.

None of those are good. Speakers from
Companies that make PC accessories are going to be bad; and tech websites are not appropriate places to read speaker reviews. Look at stuff made by actual audio companies.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

The Lord Bude posted:

None of those are good. Speakers from
Companies that make PC accessories are going to be bad; and tech websites are not appropriate places to read speaker reviews. Look at stuff made by actual audio companies.

This, and it doesn’t have to be pricey or out of the range you specified either. Companies like JBL/Harman, Bose, etc all make stuff that’s miles better than the Logitech/Razer stuff in the <$200 bracket.

Star Man
Jun 1, 2008

There's a star maaaaaan
Over the rainbow
I got my pair of JBL 305p MkII monitors today. I'm cheating on a DAC and am using a Mackie Onyx Artist 1-2 as the interface for them. It's good poo poo.

The Lord Bude
May 23, 2007

ASK ME ABOUT MY SHITTY, BOUGIE INTERIOR DECORATING ADVICE
Edifier seems really good value too as discussed recently.

The REAL Goobusters
Apr 25, 2008

Ok Comboomer posted:

This, and it doesn’t have to be pricey or out of the range you specified either. Companies like JBL/Harman, Bose, etc all make stuff that’s miles better than the Logitech/Razer stuff in the <$200 bracket.

So get a pair of JBL monitors? Do I need a subwoofer? Very new to all this and the posts from a couple of pages back are from last year

Djarum
Apr 1, 2004

by vyelkin

The REAL Goobusters posted:

So get a pair of JBL monitors? Do I need a subwoofer? Very new to all this and the posts from a couple of pages back are from last year

You don’t need a subwoofer likely. If you decide you need more bass there are plenty of options out there.

Don’t worry about stuff being a year or two old. Speakers and audio in general doesn’t really tend to change all that fast. If you get a good set of speakers today they will likely last for a decade or more and sound nearly as good then.

japtor
Oct 28, 2005
Recently discussed here, the only limiter for desktop use basically just seems to be size. Below a certain size the number options go down fast, but anything bigger there's a whole bunch of nice stuff.

Djarum posted:

You don’t need a subwoofer likely. If you decide you need more bass there are plenty of options out there.
And note it's something you can just add after the fact, so nothing to really think about (unless you really don't want a sub). Best case the two speakers will be fine, worst case you buy a new toy later to upgrade your setup.

The Lord Bude
May 23, 2007

ASK ME ABOUT MY SHITTY, BOUGIE INTERIOR DECORATING ADVICE
And more broadly the bigger the speakers are the less likely you’ll need a sub.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

The REAL Goobusters posted:

So get a pair of JBL monitors? Do I need a subwoofer? Very new to all this and the posts from a couple of pages back are from last year

Not necessarily. I mentioned the Harman Soundsticks above, and JBL makes much smaller, more desktop friendly speakers. JBL monitors are extremely large and often don’t work for many use cases.

Wibla
Feb 16, 2011

Ok Comboomer posted:

Not necessarily. I mentioned the Harman Soundsticks above, and JBL makes much smaller, more desktop friendly speakers. JBL monitors are extremely large and often don’t work for many use cases.

The 305's are hardly extremely large, though. Lets not give people the wrong impression here :v:

JBL 305P MkII size: 298 x 185 x 231 mm

They have 5" woofers, I would seriously considering picking up a subwoofer, but you don't HAVE to buy one right away.

(I might be biased, I'm running even larger bookshelf speakers on my desk - and still have an SVS SB12 to help the with the bottom end)

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

Wibla posted:

The 305's are hardly extremely large, though. Lets not give people the wrong impression here :v:

JBL 305P MkII size: 298 x 185 x 231 mm

They have 5" woofers, I would seriously considering picking up a subwoofer, but you don't HAVE to buy one right away.

(I might be biased, I'm running even larger bookshelf speakers on my desk - and still have an SVS SB12 to help the with the bottom end)

I would argue that they’re extremely large, like most real monitors are, by the standards of most normal people looking to pair some speakers with their computer. They’re significantly larger than something like the A5+. Just eyeballing, I could probably fit eight A2 speakers in the same volume as one 305.

Right now I’m looking from one to the other and....yeah that’s about right.

powderific
May 13, 2004

Grimey Drawer
I dunno, they're good enough that it's definitely worth seeing if there's any way to make them work in your setup. It's not like floorstanders or something where it's just out of the question for most people. I think it makes sense to start with seeing if it's 305s can fit, but I do wish there was an obvious go-to for more normal computer speaker sized options.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

powderific posted:

I dunno, they're good enough that it's definitely worth seeing if there's any way to make them work in your setup. It's not like floorstanders or something where it's just out of the question for most people. I think it makes sense to start with seeing if it's 305s can fit, but I do wish there was an obvious go-to for more normal computer speaker sized options.

I agree, I have a set

ddogflex
Sep 19, 2004

blahblahblah
You can often find the 306 for around the same price and they dig significantly deeper. I have them in my garage and have no desire for a sub at all. Got a pair for $180ish

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

ddogflex posted:

You can often find the 306 for around the same price and they dig significantly deeper. I have them in my garage and have no desire for a sub at all. Got a pair for $180ish

I’d have a set of those if they’d been available in white with the fancy limited screenprint like my 305s.

Their enclosure is also much bigger than the 305’s proportional to the driver size, I’ve found. They’d probably overtake my desk too much. The 305s are big as it is, and I had to greatly downsize my setup when I moved into this space.

The Lord Bude
May 23, 2007

ASK ME ABOUT MY SHITTY, BOUGIE INTERIOR DECORATING ADVICE

powderific posted:

I dunno, they're good enough that it's definitely worth seeing if there's any way to make them work in your setup. It's not like floorstanders or something where it's just out of the question for most people. I think it makes sense to start with seeing if it's 305s can fit, but I do wish there was an obvious go-to for more normal computer speaker sized options.

There are a couple of really good smaller choices; like the iloud micro monitors that are pretty amazing by any standard; let alone something not much bigger than a soda can; they cost USD $230. They look incredibly dumb though, if you care about aesthetics.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

The Lord Bude posted:

There are a couple of really good smaller choices; like the iloud micro monitors that are pretty amazing by any standard; let alone something not much bigger than a soda can; they cost USD $230. They look incredibly dumb though, if you care about aesthetics.

Yeah they look cheap (tho they’re built well) and any company (still) biting the “i- - -“ branding gets a :rolleyes: point deduction from me but whatever

Thirst Mutilator
Dec 13, 2008

I have a pair of Simple Audio Listens that I bought probably 5 years ago for around $170 USD on Massdrop. I don't have any complaints about their sound quality or volume (I'm not the most discerning when it comes to sound in general though, yet they're plenty loud and clear throughout my room), but they do tend to shake my desk when they're playing something particularly bass forward and they're rather large on my desk. I was wondering:

- Are these speakers actually well regarded? I bought them when Linus Tech Tips was the extent of my knowledge of "audio" reviews and didn't realize threads like this existed as a resource.
- If they aren't, how much would a "worthwhile" upgrade of a pair of smaller profile speakers and a dedicated subwoofer cost?
- If they are/there's little reason for me to spend money on replacing them aside from their physical profile, would picking up a dedicated sub and putting it on the ground alleviate the shaking, and what are the subs I should be looking at in their respective price break points?
- In general, what are decent USD price break points for computer speakers that are clear, maybe a bit bass forward, and loud/clear enough for a roughly 13'x13' room?

Sorry if the questions seem scatterbrained - I've got a little more experience with headphones due to commute and open office environments, but I haven't had to think about computer speakers since I bought these.

KillHour
Oct 28, 2007


Ok Comboomer posted:

I would argue that they’re extremely large, like most real monitors are, by the standards of most normal people looking to pair some speakers with their computer. They’re significantly larger than something like the A5+. Just eyeballing, I could probably fit eight A2 speakers in the same volume as one 305.

Right now I’m looking from one to the other and....yeah that’s about right.

It's always amused me that there are basically two completely different markets for audio equipment. There's the mass market stuff everyone is familiar with where the standard is "makes sound of some kind" and "looks trendy and/or is as small as possible" and there's the stuff that actually works worth a drat. Like, who the gently caress turns on one of those tiny portable Bluetooth speakers and thinks "This sounds so good! It's just like I'm at a concert!" No, motherfucker, it's not. I can't think of anything else it compares to. It's like if there was "food" that kept you alive but was basically colorful cardboard and food that actually tasted like something, but only enthusiasts and nerds cared about the difference.

Anything smaller than a 6" driver needs a sub for most music. And even then, a sub would help unless you exclusively listen to string and woodwind instrumentals.

KillHour fucked around with this message at 09:12 on May 23, 2020

powderific
May 13, 2004

Grimey Drawer
I am honestly really impressed with how good a job some of the small Bluetooth speakers with their tiny little drivers and a ton of DSP. For a lot of people it’s more, “this sounds better than my laptop/phone speakers and I can play it loud enough to actually hear things” rather than thinking it’s the best thing in the whole world, total concert fidelity. Sound quality just falls lower in the space/hassle/cost/look scale.

There’s analogues in all sorts of things too. Food is easy, think frozen entrees and prepared meals vs something you make fresh for yourself.

RIP Paul Walker
Feb 26, 2004

Thirst Mutilator posted:

I have a pair of Simple Audio Listens that I bought probably 5 years ago for around $170 USD on Massdrop. I don't have any complaints about their sound quality or volume (I'm not the most discerning when it comes to sound in general though, yet they're plenty loud and clear throughout my room), but they do tend to shake my desk when they're playing something particularly bass forward and they're rather large on my desk. I was wondering:

- Are these speakers actually well regarded? I bought them when Linus Tech Tips was the extent of my knowledge of "audio" reviews and didn't realize threads like this existed as a resource.
- If they aren't, how much would a "worthwhile" upgrade of a pair of smaller profile speakers and a dedicated subwoofer cost?
- If they are/there's little reason for me to spend money on replacing them aside from their physical profile, would picking up a dedicated sub and putting it on the ground alleviate the shaking, and what are the subs I should be looking at in their respective price break points?
- In general, what are decent USD price break points for computer speakers that are clear, maybe a bit bass forward, and loud/clear enough for a roughly 13'x13' room?

Sorry if the questions seem scatterbrained - I've got a little more experience with headphones due to commute and open office environments, but I haven't had to think about computer speakers since I bought these.

You MAY be able to put an isolator pad under them but looking at the design maybe not. It would definitely look odd. Looking around my apartment, the cork things from Ikea that you put pots on may work ok and look less bizarre than actual monitor isolation pads.

Honestly, I think they look pretty cool and if they sound good to you I’d leave them be. I skimmed a few reviews and it sounds like they’re not garbage-tier or anything.

If you’re near the Cleveland area and want to sell them, I’d happily buy them. I’m planning to move my computer speakers to the bathroom and wouldn’t mind something like this for my desk.

KillHour
Oct 28, 2007


powderific posted:

I am honestly really impressed with how good a job some of the small Bluetooth speakers with their tiny little drivers and a ton of DSP. For a lot of people it’s more, “this sounds better than my laptop/phone speakers and I can play it loud enough to actually hear things” rather than thinking it’s the best thing in the whole world, total concert fidelity. Sound quality just falls lower in the space/hassle/cost/look scale.

There’s analogues in all sorts of things too. Food is easy, think frozen entrees and prepared meals vs something you make fresh for yourself.

Most people don't eat exclusively lovely fo... Actually you may have a point there.

wormil
Sep 12, 2002

Hulk will smoke you!

powderific posted:

I am honestly really impressed with how good a job some of the small Bluetooth speakers with their tiny little drivers and a ton of DSP. .

I bought my wife a Phillips BT speaker for her office and it legit sounds amazing for the size of the thing but unfortunately the build quality was poo poo and the board died soon after the warranty, an extremely common occurrence. The little JBLs sound great for the size too.

ddogflex
Sep 19, 2004

blahblahblah

RIP Paul Walker posted:

You MAY be able to put an isolator pad under them but looking at the design maybe not. It would definitely look odd. Looking around my apartment, the cork things from Ikea that you put pots on may work ok and look less bizarre than actual monitor isolation pads.

Isolation pads are so loving important with bookshelf speakers. It's a night and day difference and costs all of $20.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

ddogflex posted:

Isolation pads are so loving important with bookshelf speakers. It's a night and day difference and costs all of $20.

got yoga blocks under my 305s

RIP Paul Walker
Feb 26, 2004

ddogflex posted:

Isolation pads are so loving important with bookshelf speakers. It's a night and day difference and costs all of $20.

His speakers have these stand-looking things built In, it may look weird with pads under them.

Otherwise, I agree 1000%.

ddogflex
Sep 19, 2004

blahblahblah

Ok Comboomer posted:

got yoga blocks under my 305s

I use yoga blocks as headphone stands. They are the most universal audio product lol

Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


Ok Comboomer posted:

got yoga blocks under my 305s
Aren’t yoga blocks a bit too firm compared to traditional foam isolation pads? I’m very interested in the idea since I need to raise my speakers by a few inches and a cheap DIY isolation block could pull double duty.

Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 08:48 on May 24, 2020

Djarum
Apr 1, 2004

by vyelkin

Josh Lyman posted:

Aren’t yoga blocks a bit too firm compared to traditional foam isolation pads? I’m very interested in the idea since I need to raise my speakers by a few inches and a cheap DIY isolation block could pull double duty.

I have used the yoga block method for years and have had some fancy isolation stands. The difference is undetectable.

The fact that I have been to professional studios using yoga blocks as isolation solutions should confirm the fact.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


Djarum posted:

I have used the yoga block method for years and have had some fancy isolation stands. The difference is undetectable.

The fact that I have been to professional studios using yoga blocks as isolation solutions should confirm the fact.
My HT fronts are 16” deep and 8” wide while most yoga blocks are 9”x6”. Would it be enough just putting one block under each speaker or do I need “full coverage” from 2 blocks per speaker?

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply