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Which 2.1 speakers to buy for my new mac?

student_trap

student_trap

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 14, 2005
1,879
0
'Ol Smokey, UK
Hi guys,

just ordered a new mac, an imac 20", and want to get some good speakers to sit next to it!

I have up to about £130 ($250) to spend, but thats my upper limit. Sound is most important (speakers that could handle playing loud so i can jam to them!), but i also want speakers that look pretty next to the imac

i have been looking at:

http://www.johnlewis.com/Audio+and+TV/Apple+iPods/Apple+iPods/Speakers/4369/230211105/Product.aspx

or

http://www.microanvika.com/product.asp?TXT=INFO&PNO=JBL19635

anyone have any experience with these? any other suggestions?
 
srf4real

srf4real

macrumors 68040
Jul 25, 2006
3,001
26
paradise beach FL
For that price you could get very powerful Klipsch 2.1 's. but not matching a mac's sleek design... if it were me I chose sound for money over looks when it comes to hearing my music loud and clear!
 
szsiddiq

szsiddiq

macrumors 6502
Dec 21, 2005
401
1
im not sure about the UK, but i kno in the US harmon has a factory direct store on eBay that sells refurbs for really cheap. ie, u can get jbl creatures for under $20
 
Tucom

Tucom

Cancelled
Jul 29, 2006
1,252
310
I second the Bose Companion III's. Probably the best sounding set of speakers you can buy for under 400. I have the Klipsch Ifi, and the Bose is RIGHT there with it, though sometimes a little lacking in midrange, but rarely. The Bose have greater clarity, and handle voices better.

They can louder than you would ever in-the-right-mind want to; I tried full volume, my finger was on the volume dial before 10 seconds was up, they had ZERO distortion. NONE!

Peace
 
amiga

amiga

macrumors 6502
Jul 12, 2006
354
0
London.
Is there anything small and sexy that has optical input? I think people are missing a trick there! I'd love to get something like that for my gf who has some creature II's at the moment and she loves them but I'd really like to get her something a bit better.
 
Tucom

Tucom

Cancelled
Jul 29, 2006
1,252
310
The Bose out-perform anything I've heard for 400 smackers and down, including an Infinity PS-8, P150 bookshelf 2.1 system I made, it comes at the least up to par, it some ways, especially in the detail of the treble, the Bose takes a step ahead. This is from a very discerning ear. The Bose are serious speakers, very high-quality stuff.

Peace
 
M

macintouch

macrumors regular
Nov 10, 2006
109
0
Chicago, IL
Tucom said:
The Bose out-perform anything I've heard for 400 smackers and down, including an Infinity PS-8, P150 bookshelf 2.1 system I made, it comes at the least up to par, it some ways, especially in the detail of the treble, the Bose takes a step ahead. This is from a very discerning ear. The Bose are serious speakers, very high-quality stuff.

Peace
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it any better myself.

I've had numerous sets of speakers over the past couple of years. Logitech Z5300's, Logitech Z3's, Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, use SoundSticks all the time at work, and hands down the Bose Companion 3's still take the cake.
 
Z

Zwhaler

macrumors 604
Jun 10, 2006
7,110
1,605
Nonono. It's all about the Altec Lansing FX6021's. Best speakers I have ever heard. Don't buy from apple or a major retailer, search around on line, at MicroCenter I think you can get the for about $150, with the original retail price being $250. Shop around, you will not be dissappointed.
 
szsiddiq

szsiddiq

macrumors 6502
Dec 21, 2005
401
1
IMHO bose are overpriced and overrated. but thats just me. sound is, to some extent, dependant on your own ears, the type of music you listen to, and the environment the speakers are kept it.
choose 2 or 3 that people recommend, test them out in a store, or purchase them from a store thats got a lenient return policy and see which ones YOU like best.
enjoy!
 
Tucom

Tucom

Cancelled
Jul 29, 2006
1,252
310
The bose is NOT overpriced for what you get; exceptional sound, fantastic build quality, unparalled customer service; they bend over backwards to make you happy, which I have not personnaly seen in any other business/company. Bose do lack a LITTLE in midrange, so to some ears they may sound weaker, but to my ears, they are the some of the mose excellent speakers I have ever heard, and that's comparing them to bookshelf systems I have, including two spika speakers, which I haven't hooked up recently, but if memory serves, the bose are amazingly nearly as airy, revealing, and dynamic.

I'm not saying bose are the BESTEST (yes I meant to but an "EST" there :p) speakers when it comes to SQ, but for all things considered (customer service, quality, fit and finish) they are the best, at least for me, and yes, I am a man who vastly enjoyes excellent audio, and the bose dilver :cool:.


Peace
 
szsiddiq

szsiddiq

macrumors 6502
Dec 21, 2005
401
1
Tucom said:
The bose is NOT overpriced for what you get; exceptional sound, fantastic build quality, unparalled customer service; they bend over backwards to make you happy, which I have not personnaly seen in any other business/company. Bose do lack a LITTLE in midrange, so to some ears they may sound weaker, but to my ears, they are the some of the mose excellent speakers I have ever heard, and that's comparing them to bookshelf systems I have, including two spika speakers, which I haven't hooked up recently, but if memory serves, the bose are amazingly just as airy and revealing, and dynamic.

I'm not saying bose are the BESTEST (yes I so meant to but an "EST" there :p) speakers when it comes to SQ, but for all things considered (customer service, quality, fit and finish) they are the best, at least for me, and yes, I am a man who vastly enjoyes excellent audio, and the bose dilver :cool:.


Peace
Click to expand...
see! so the best thing for the starter of this thread to do is to try out several on his/her own!
I've had good experiences with Harmon's customer service, and their sound is the best to my ears (in this price range i guess). my brother's car came with a jbl system - sounds amazing. i've used the jbl creatures, onstage, radial, on tour and the harmon soundsticks and ive been blown away by them all. IMHO the OnStage is the most impressive over, given its size and price point. We had a party once, around 50people, in our apartment, and all we used was the OnStage, and we got noise complaints ;). Everyone was amazed when we showed them where the sound system was. not only was it loud, but it maintained its clearity very well.
best of luck!
 
student_trap

student_trap

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 14, 2005
1,879
0
'Ol Smokey, UK
hey, just saying that i bought the harmon kardon soundsticks 2 from amazon, in the end they cost £100 after shipping so i am very pleased! i will let you know how they are when they arrive
 
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