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MMD3 posted:Do any of you guys with passive speakers run tripath amps? As long as you have sensitive speakers and don't expect high volumes you're fine. What speakers do you have? Do you know their tech specs? Although the main advantage of tripath amps is that they're cheap. Either consider getting a Lepai or take a look at Sherwood 4105/4109 amps. Is there a particular reason for this Dayton model? Vidaeus posted:I'm not sure if this is the right thread for this, but I am after a pair of bookshelf style speakers for my PC. Since you have an amp already passives (should) offer you way more bang for the buck. Good pair of used speakers should work nicely. Hob_Gadling fucked around with this message at 02:44 on Mar 23, 2012 |
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Mar 23, 2012 02:12
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MMD3 posted:So my plan was to use the tripath in the upstairs for listening to music in the bedroom. I couldn't locate any specs for those. Unless you happen to have them at hand, I'd seriously consider getting the cheaper Sherwood 4105 or slightly more expensive 4109 (if you think you'll need phono stage). It's got a remote which would be big for me. Also several inputs, which is always nice. http://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-RX-4105-Stereo-Receiver-Black/dp/B0002EPWC0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1332466973&sr=1-1 Alternatively, if you know you'll only listen at quiet volumes, know the Magnavoxes are pretty sensitive 8 ohm speakers and/or are willing to take a risk: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=310-300 You'll get only a couple watts of clean power out of that thing, but it's enough for some quiet listening. The specs list 10WPC @ 8 Ohm, 1% THD which is the limit you don't want to go above or the sound starts to significantly distort. Even at 10WPC it's not as nice as it could and should be. The Dayton is undoubtedly a nice piece of equipment, but it falls into a tough spot. Too expensive for tripath, too modest features to compete with a real amp.
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Mar 23, 2012 11:13
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T-amp route is the el cheapo route where you have ~$100 or less total, have a pair of old cheap speakers lying around and/or are strapped for space. Separate volume knob and headphone plug are handy. The problem with DTA-100a is that you have to compare it to this: http://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-RX-4105-Stereo-Receiver-Black/dp/B0002EPWC0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1332466973&sr=1-1 Multiple inputs, built-in tuner and remote are nice to have, and if you have LP player you can get the $10 more expensive model which lets you hook it up. e: copypaste from another thread: Looking at PC speaker choices, the options are pretty much as follows: - cheap plastic cans that come in varieties of 2, 2.1 and 5.1 (Altec Lansing, Creative) - not-so-cheap computer speakers that sound reasonable (Klipsch ProMedia, M-Audio MV-40) - professional nearfield monitors (Genelec) - stereo or surround amp with whatever (see rest of this thread) Those get signal from integrated sound cards, other sound cards or USB DACs. Typical connection is either optical or 3,5mm to RCA for sound cards. External DACs use USB and sometimes optical. Pro audio gear uses balanced connectors (3-pin XLR) but that's outside most use cases. For headphones external DAC is the most convenient option. Audio signal is most often either FLAC or other lossless format. MP3 and other lossy compression is still common, but it may or may not sound terrible depending on what the rest of the system is like (for example, 128kbps MP3 sounds just terrible with a proper stereo system). Streaming services like Spotify usually offer a high quality option. Personal opinions after this point only: "computer speakers" are generally speaking not worth it if you want to listen to music. T-amp based systems are cheap, other stereo receivers are powerful and passive speakers offer superior variety at very competitive prices. Even when picking cheap parts you can still get very good value. Surround audio for computers is another thing I wouldn't attempt. It's easier to hook up your laptop to your home theater receiver than build a home theater around your laptop. Look into HTPC if you're interested: for $400 you can get a lot. If you're strapped for cash consider getting headphones. $50-100 buys you a lot of headphone. Nearfield monitors are recommended if you do audio work. Active speakers aren't necessarily any worse than passives and can be significantly better for some applications. I'm not much for lots of bass, but most every system can include a subwoofer. Example systems: NuForce Icon uDAC-2, $130 Onkyo TX-8255 Stereo Receiver, $170 Pioneer SP-FS51-LR floorstanding speakers (the Andrew Jones model), $180 (pair) AKG Q 701 headphones, $290 Wires etc. $20 (USB, RCA, speaker wires, banana plugs) Lepai TA2020A+ Tripath amp, $25 Sony SS-B1000, $45 (pair) Wires etc. $20 (3,5mm to RCA, speaker wire) Behringer MS40, $165 Optical wire All prices checked from Amazon on the day of writing. The Behringers are an interesting choice. On paper they're good but I keep hearing how they cut corners in manufacturing, leading to constant small problems. Buyer beware. For what it's worth, when they work they sound nice. Wouldn't use them for professional audio work however. Hob_Gadling fucked around with this message at 16:13 on May 10, 2012 |
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May 10, 2012 15:44
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MMD3 posted:it'd be difficult convincing the girlfriend that a full-sized receiver deserved a place on our nightstand. Yeah, sometimes size is important. These things are always a compromise of one sort or another. As long as you're satisfied with it it's all good!
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May 10, 2012 23:29
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I'd seriously consider an A/V receiver here just for the ability to connect everything conveniently. Sub-$200 example: Receiver Speakers] Separate subwoofer and center/surround channels if you want to expand the system: neither is absolutely required. I'd seriously consider headphones also. Setup: Hook your Xbox and PS3 to receiver via HDMI. If your PC has a HDMI-capable video card hook it up to receiver. Otherwise you'll have to do 3,5mm -> RCA to receiver and whatever it is you use to hook it up into monitor. Connect the video cables of Wii into monitor and audio into receiver. Connect monitor and receiver with HDMI. You may need about $20 worth of speaker and HDMI wires if you're missing any.
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May 20, 2012 16:12
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Skywalker OG posted:So, the A2's sound like the best as per recommendations from this thread, but is there anything sub-$250 that's worth the money that also comes with a receiver? Accessories4less.com has A/V receivers starting from $109. Get one of those and any pair of speakers you want with the rest? http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/DENAVR1312/DENON-AVR-1312-5.1-Channel-A/V-Home-Theater-Receiver/1.html
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Jun 2, 2012 09:59
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booseek posted:I am not very knowledgeable about audio, but I like decent sound. What sort of space restrictions do you have? Your budget is easily high enough to get a receiver and pair of floorstanding speakers to go with it. For example: Pair of Pioneer SP-FS51-LR speakers $130 Denon DRA-397 stereo receiver $150 + wires from Monoprice or similar (~$20) This is the way to go if you have enough space and value music above other uses. You can also play around with various bookshelf speaker and subwoofer combos if you get a stereo amp. I prefer floorstanding speakers, but good bookshelves can be excellent for music. If you're set on active speakers then you might want to check out the options from Pro-ject, Fiio or NuForce.
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Jun 21, 2012 16:12
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booseek posted:What are active vs inactive speakers, in short? You may find this thread useful with the basics. Speakers come in active and passive varieties. Passive speakers need to be powered by receiver, active speakers do not. Typical computer speakers are active speakers. Generally speaking "normal" stereo speakers are usually passive and subwoofer is active. The first decision you probably have to make is whether to go with a receiver and passive speakers or active speakers and some sort of a switching device. quote:The stereo receiver that you posted -- I take it as that is an amp? Is there any other use for it beyond providing better sound? It powers your speakers, that's the main function. You can also connect several audio devices to it, and it should come with an iPod dock. The Swans you linked are active speakers, you don't need an amp to power them. They include an amplifier to boost the line-level volume to audible levels. If you get a separate receiver like the Denon linked, you probably want something like Polk RTi6s or Klipsch WB-14s to pick a few examples from Neweggs speaker choices. Hifi shops near you will have more choices: I would seriously suggest you visit one of them and tell what you want to have. If the shop is any good you can bring in your headphones and listen at available choices on location. Without actually listening to the speakers in question you're essentially trying to guess if they sound any good. quote:I've always thought that subwoofers are necessary for good sound. They're not necessary per se. The reason why computer speaker setups always have them is because computer speakers are small. Physics of sound say that you can't get very deep bass out of a very small speaker: thus, add in a subwoofer to hit the low frequencies. Floorstanding speakers can be large enough to hit the magic 20Hz frequency, below which human ear can't hear. Most cheap floorstanders (and many expensive ones!) don't go quite that low, so for chestrumbling bass you may want to add a subwoofer into the mix anyway. How you would connect the subwoofer depends on what exact stuff you get. Receivers may have a specific subwoofer pre-out for connecting the sub. You may have to connect your receiver to sub and sub to other speakers. There may be some other way of connecting the speakers.
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Jun 21, 2012 19:24
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KingKapalone posted:I've had Logitech Z560s for maybe 10 years. Is there any reason I would want to replace them for something newer? Assume that my PC usage habits haven't changed in that time. Is this a trick question?
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Jun 27, 2012 18:57
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Even if they didn't a question like that is impossible to give any answers to. You've listened to those speakers for 10 years. Do they still work? Do you like how they sound? Have you heard what else is out there? If nothing has changed, why are you asking this question in the first place? I guess I could always repeat the age-old wisdom "go forth and listen with thine own ears".
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Jun 27, 2012 19:09
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KingKapalone posted:I'm wondering if the technology has changed enough to warrant an upgrade. Have their been any breakthroughs? Not really. Speakers (and hi-fi in general) don't really advance at same pace as computers and other gadgets. Speakers several decades old can still sound excellent. There's three things mainly: - generally slow advances in tech. The last really big leap was CD. - matters of taste; is a horn-loaded speaker "better" than electrostatic? - relatively static target; the big challenge for all speakers is human voice, and if it does that well then it can be expected to do most other instruments well also. Your usage is a most central thing to the question at hand. So is your taste. If you listen to lots of music, maybe consider a good stereo setup or headphones? If you're satisfied with what you now have, then stick with them. Unfortunately there is no single "correct" answer, and I can't give you a neat performance table which shows how much "better" certain speakers are in regards to others.
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Jun 27, 2012 21:33
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Opus125 posted:Is this a good idea? Should I buy this? I have a $50 logitec pc speakers set but I'm looking to upgrade to something better. Why not? I have B&W 683 and Marantz PM7004 as my computer speakers. Of course, I have the option of kicking back and listening to a CD with the same setup. Sometimes the best thing you can do with one hour of your time is to play a record.
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Aug 21, 2012 21:22
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Argyle posted:Hopefully I don't get laughed out of this thread, but if I only had about $50ish to spend on a 2.0/2.1 setup, what would you recommend? Or is that "everything sounds the same at this price" territory? Is $65 about $50-ish? Lepai T-amp and Dayton B652 are about that much, plus a couple bucks for wire if you don't have any. Note that B652 manufacturer may have changed about 5 months ago. This may or may not have affected build quality. Buyer beware. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-652 http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=310-300 Otherwise you may want to look for sales or used equipment. Sony SS-B1000 might be a good one to look for. They have the typical Sony dry sound which I don't much care for, which makes recommending them for their current price a bit hard. I was browsing around a bit, and looks like tigerdirect.com has Pioneer bookshelf speakers on sale for $90. They don't show the price until checkout time which is odd. For a ~$100 stereo system I'd get a Tripath amp and a pair of those.
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May 23, 2013 21:20
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Jigoku San posted:How should I set the various volumes? For best sound quality, PC and app volume to 100%. Use your amp only for changing volume.
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May 25, 2013 00:04
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pik_d posted:How well does the Lepai + Dayton B652 setup compare to something a bit more expensive like the Audioengine A2s or the Polk Monitor30 Series II's that have also been mentioned in this thread? Poorly, but then again you're comparing a $40 pair of speakers to a $100-200 pair. I would rather spend the extra money and get good, long-lasting speakers no matter the initial cost. Then again I've probably spent more than most on my audio stuff, so who am I to speak. Sometimes you're tight on cash and for $65 the Lepai & Daytons make a decent garage stereo. Sometimes you just want some background noise. Best bang for the buck is always going to be headphones. If you listen to music as a hobby and are strapped for cash, a ~$100 pair of headphones can be an excellent way to get started.
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May 28, 2013 01:35
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Lepai T-amp: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=310-300 Monoprice speakers: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10904&cs_id=1090407&p_id=8250&seq=1&format=4#feedback A bit of wire and you're good to go. For what it's worth, I'd still rather hunt down a pair of Pioneer sp-bs21-lr or 22 speakers and pay the extra $60-90.
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Jul 17, 2013 12:13
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Sasquatch! posted:The only thing missing from these is a dedicated headphone jack. Is there a version with a jack that anyone has used and can recommend? Are you looking for the form factor or cheap price? You could take a look at this Topping t-amp: http://www.parts-express.com/topping-tp21-class-t-digital-mini-amplifier-with-headphone-25-wpc--310-310
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Nov 18, 2013 01:10
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Hurricane human being posted:Would this setup be any good if I liked to listen to stoner rock/sludge metal in my room on a $200 max budget with shipping. How loud do you want to play, how constrained are you by space and is the budget absolutely inflexible? The amp is sort of crap, you'd be better off with some other T-amp. Those are severely limited in power, which is a problem if you want to crank it up. Also, B652 speakers aren't manufactured by the same company that got all the good reviews. Do keep in mind that you need to budget a couple extra bucks for wires.
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Apr 19, 2014 10:53
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Hashtag Banterzone posted:My old receiver stopped being able to player stereo, and I need something cheap that can power bookshelf speakers and has a headphone jack. Price difference is so small that I would suggest buying a Sony receiver if only for the remote. Refurbs start from $95. http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDH130...stereo+receiver
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Apr 19, 2014 18:47
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vaginal cramps posted:You're being really helpful and all, but I'm looking for suggestions for a 5.1 system because that's what I want. One idea: up the budget a bit and buy a genuine 5.1 home theater setup. You can connect all your other music stuff into it, you get a remote, you can repurpose it as home theater if/when you fancy one.
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Jul 28, 2014 22:34
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vaginal cramps posted:I'm not completely sure what the difference is in a PC speaker system and home theater. Receiver which gives you better connectivity (CD, DVD, iPod, pretty much whatever you can come up with), a number of network and other convenience features (like remote!) and generally better sound quality. You also have a vastly better choice of speakers. Most importantly, if and when something breaks it's easier and cheaper to replace just the broken part. Or if upgradeitis strikes. The system we tend to suggest in the home theater newbies thread looks something like this: Denon X-1000 receiver ($279 @ Amazon) Pioneer speakers (from Newegg): Fronts SP-FS51 ($149 / pair) Surrounds SP-BS21 ($79 / pair) Center channel SP-C22 ($97) Wires and banana plugs: $25 Total: $629 OR Fronts and surrounds SP-BS21 ($79 / pair) Center channel SP-C22 ($97) Wires and banana plugs: $25 Total: $559 Add a subwoofer if you think you need one. Normal suggestion is Polk PSW505 12" sub for about $200 more, if you really want to hit the low notes. If you live in an apartment it may be the safer choice to pick a pair of SP-FS51 as fronts and forego the sub completely.
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Jul 28, 2014 23:26
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program666 posted:thanks a lot bro, this is probably going to help. Contact Harman and ask them where the closest dealer is? They should have stuff for all price ranges. http://www.harmandobrasil.com.br/
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Jan 23, 2015 22:27
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teraflame posted:Is there a dirt cheap speaker I can buy that will sound better than built in tv speakers? Like under $30. Closest I could find was a refurb soundbar for ~$50. If you're willing to use active speakers, they can be had for $15 or so per pair. I would only consider the latter choice if you know you can change the volume from your TV remote.
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Feb 28, 2015 07:23
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Taima posted:I was just curious if anyone had a similar situation crop up and what your thoughts were about it/ if following the yellow brick audio road really made you a happier listener of music/ etc. I ran into something similar. Strangely enough I can still go back to the old music with cheaper equipment. On the other hand I now have a wider appreciation for music than ever before in my life. Before music was just background noise, now I listen actively. The variety of genres also opened up. Think of it as an opportunity. Have you ever heard how nice a cello can really sound?
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Apr 18, 2015 10:28
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You could always mail order from Germany. Since you're Danish, you could check out Argons. Say, Argon 7460A.
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Nov 3, 2015 22:50
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Subwoofer is the obvious one, but I can see why you don't necessarily want one. External DAC with a remote or headphone output might be a quality of life thing. Other than that, maybe spend some money on better quality music source? Spotify Premium offers a high quality mode for $10 a month, for example.
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Nov 30, 2015 15:58
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codo27 posted:Are there really any fundamental differences in sound quality or anything else I should consider, maybe switch to analog instead? If you're using an integrated sound card it may have interference. Easy enough to test: if you don't hear anything, it's clean enough. Worst case, you can switch back to USB or optical.
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May 14, 2017 22:23
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codo27 posted:I am using integrated, and I'm getting this awful sound like AM radio with a buzz every 5 seconds or so. Hm. From what I understand I thought it wasn't really worth having a dedicated sound card anymore? I have a high end board with 24 bit/192hz support. What's wrong with sticking to USB? Your speakers support it and you don't get interference with that. The problem with integrated sound cards is that sometimes they get interference, usually because they're not electrically separated enough from rest of the system. When a part of your system draws more power it can be heard. A computer is not hi-fi equipment. From a strictly bang-for-buck dedicated sound cards aren't really worth it. Case in point, you who can use USB to your speakers. An external USB DAC is a nice thing to have though, especially if you use headphones.
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May 20, 2017 11:35
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For supercheap computer speakers I kinda prefer these: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-S15...25CS6YHADH13W8C T-amp and separate speakers is nice since you can set it up elsewhere later to act as a radio or whatnot. Lepai + Dayton bookshelves are a fine combo for the price, or Sony if you're buying used and can spare the space. It's not too uncommon to see stuff like this on sale: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-STR-DE...WEAAOSww3tY7CJr http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Vintag...RkAAOSwblZZDk3I e: oops, fixed the link to cheap speakers. Meant to link Logitech S150, not AmazonBasics. Hob_Gadling fucked around with this message at 16:25 on Jun 27, 2017 |
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Jun 27, 2017 12:32
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Herr Tog posted:also I already have these will these work with the amp? Those Logitechs? No, USB only.
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Jun 29, 2017 16:38
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