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Decent speakers for Mac Pro
- Thread starter crazeazn
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Any recommendations? sub $200Monitors would be overkill. earphone jack would be great too.
Don't cheap out on speakers, you'll wish you didnt later. I recommend Bose Companion 5 series speakers, thats what I have. They are out of your price range but I really recommend spending a little more then 200. I once bought a sub $200 surround sound system from best buy and ended up returning it because it was so low quality.
I'm happy with my Bose companion 5 too. I had te chance to compare them with cheaper Bose systems and they are definitly the best.
The broad spectrum of recommendations in this thread illustrates that only you can decide what sounds good to your ears. Get out and listen to some stuff. Check out your nearest Guitar Center for studio monitors... it's well worth your time even if you don't buy anything there. They usually have several pairs setup for you to audition from high-end to low-end and everything in between. Then even if you end up buying some computer speakers from Best Buy or something at least you will have heard a few decent reference monitors to gauge their quality.
dont go bose, under-performing and over-priced.
logitech x530's is what i have, great sound for the price (around $80Aus here in Australia).
logitech x530's is what i have, great sound for the price
(around $80Aus here in Australia).
I bought a set of monitors, m-audio studio pro 4's. Sound good to me and their gray exterior matches the mac pro.
Price was 80 or so.
Price was 80 or so.
dont go bose, under-performing and over-priced.
logitech x530's is what i have, great sound for the price
You get what you pay for. $80 Aus don't cut it. You can't beat Bose just because you think they are over priced. I think they are over priced to but you can't beat the sound quality and that is why I bought them...
Go to Best Buy/Wherever and check out the speaker section. Only you will know when the quality: size: price ratios hit a sweet spot.
For me, the Bose Companion 2 speakers give good sound for the size and price. I can listen to music while working, and they're small and easy to plug into the Airport in the living room when we have people over.
I have a big Klipsch system sitting in a closet these days that gave outstanding sound, but just took up too much space.
For me, the Bose Companion 2 speakers give good sound for the size and price. I can listen to music while working, and they're small and easy to plug into the Airport in the living room when we have people over.
I have a big Klipsch system sitting in a closet these days that gave outstanding sound, but just took up too much space.
Those are totally not over $200 at all. They also have a headphone jack and are totally not "overkill" in the OP's opinion.
These all fit into the price range?
While iThink that these are probably the way to go, they are also hard to get in the price range, given the OP's wants, either these or the Z2300's that Krafty recommended are my picks.
The general recommendations are going to be some Bose product that I won't recommend and people will make jokes about. The Sound Sticks which people seem to be giving a lot of credence to these days. I'll recommend the Altec Lansing FX6021 over those, which will lead to another discussion. Then someone will recommend the Logitech Z-2300. At this point, someone will recommend that something from Wal-Mart that costs $25.00 and they will swear it that's greatest thing ever. Someone will then recommend Bose and get flamed, followed by the comment about get yourself a good set of cans (headphones), because those will always sound better. Somewhere along the way the M-Audio's will be thrown around, followed by people like me recommending a different set of pro monitors, followed by another Bose posts. A good chance there will be a discussion about the Logitech-Z5500s, which are a good choice. There are a couple of intangibles: someone might recommend the Klipsch Pro Media 2.1, Creative's T40 or some other Logitech that's probably not as good as the Z-2300s. After about 20 posts or so, the general consensus will be reached by a couple of users, you should probably just go hear them for yourself, making the thread well...you can decide...
My recomendation is the Swan M10. To put these in the category of computer speakers is insulting because they are that much better. The main problem with these is that they are impossible to find, but these things are truly on a different level. They even ship with white gloves so that you don't get fingerprints on the speakers. And they are barely over $100.
Lastly, my thoughts on Bose. Audiophiles will tell you never to buy Bose. People like me, that want to be audiophiles will tell you not to buy Bose. I don't think they sound awful, but when you place the price tag next to them, then they start to sound awful. For the most part, the Bose stuff is mid-range stuff at top range prices. With that being said, if you are satisfied with your purchase, then more power to you. To say that Bose is "junk" is probably a little overstating it, because they are no worse then any of the other companies. But, to say that they are the best, is giving way too much credit. I love my 901s, but I believe that the in-ear headphones belong only in one place, the trash.
Now you of course would have known all of this if you searched, but I did all the work for you.
Speakers Discussions Are Rampant:
Here is one thread for $100 USD. Good Discussion.
USB Speaker Discussion Here
Here is another discussion
Wireless Thread Here...although it diverged.
2.0 DiscussionHere
$200 Discussion Here
$80 don't cut it?? can you explain what you mean.. you do realise $80Aus = $64US right?? i was quoting prices from stores, you could get it cheaper at warehouses
over your way they would probably be cheaper anyway (because we get ripped over here)the sound quality is great, nice bass in the mid-range areas.
the logitech x530's come with a wierd little ad-on thing that lets all 5 speakers be used from the one 3.5mm plug. sort of a "virtual-surround-sound". its really cool
Regarding the Yamaha HS 50M studio monitors I recommended...
I got 2 of them at Guitar Center, on sale about a year ago for $179 EACH. Current website price is $199 each. Still, they are excellent , fairly small and offer (to my ears) a much cleaner, fuller sound than any Bose or computer level speaker. The M-Audio's and Samson monitors also offer excellent sound and rugged build quality. These speakers are routinely used in sound studios and home recording set-ups by amateur and semi-professional musicians.
Not to knock the Bose stuff, but I will anyway... most audiophile stereo and home theater experts consider Bose to be junk. Innovative and packaged/marketed VERY well, but not nearly the soundstage that better speakers deliver.
Bottom line is, go listen to every speaker setup you can, always take a cd of some music that you KNOW REALLY WELL and just "A - B" back and forth. You'll find something that appeals to your ears and hopefully wallet.
I got 2 of them at Guitar Center, on sale about a year ago for $179 EACH. Current website price is $199 each. Still, they are excellent , fairly small and offer (to my ears) a much cleaner, fuller sound than any Bose or computer level speaker. The M-Audio's and Samson monitors also offer excellent sound and rugged build quality. These speakers are routinely used in sound studios and home recording set-ups by amateur and semi-professional musicians.
Not to knock the Bose stuff, but I will anyway... most audiophile stereo and home theater experts consider Bose to be junk. Innovative and packaged/marketed VERY well, but not nearly the soundstage that better speakers deliver.
Bottom line is, go listen to every speaker setup you can, always take a cd of some music that you KNOW REALLY WELL and just "A - B" back and forth. You'll find something that appeals to your ears and hopefully wallet.
I almost purchased a pair of HS80Ms last year, but some KRK V8 Series 1's were on the eBay and I could not resist. But they are double the top of the OP's price range? And they aren't going to sound better then some of the other computer speakers without an external controller (another $100).
It's not that Bose necessiarly sound awful, some of their speakers sound decent. The problem is that for what you are paying for, nearly every other option in the price range is better and the are plenty of cheaper options that are significantly better. With that being said, I still love my 901s.
We agree on everything it seems?
Very true...though I went through compu-speakers and the Companion 5's do really sound very good.
$80 don't cut it?? can you explain what you mean.. you do realise $80Aus = $64US right?? i was quoting prices from stores, you could get it cheaper at warehouses
the sound quality is great, nice bass in the mid-range areas.
the logitech x530's come with a wierd little ad-on thing that lets all 5 speakers be used from the one 3.5mm plug. sort of a "virtual-surround-sound". its really cool
Well the first point I was trying to make is that I had $80 speakers at one time. I thought they were great for $80 speakers and at that time that is what my budget could afford. I now have the Bose Companion 5 and there is no comparison. Second the Bose Companion 5 has built in virtual surround sound.