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Best External Subwoofer/Speakers for $100?

mangoman

mangoman

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 27, 2002
931
61
Second Floor
OK. Looking to replace my ol' Cambridge Audio setup that cost me about $100 a few years ago (I'm taking it to work). Ideally, I'd like to get a little more bass and power in a new setup for the home/gaming.

Any suggestions/good experiences?

For the record, I'm a music nut, but NOT an audiophile.

Thanks!
 
Anyone care to comment on Apple's Pro speakers? I have a feeling they're probably just ok. I've also seen some nifty JBL Creature speakers on apple website. Anyone care to comment on if either are worth the cash? I've got a POwerMac Dual 1GHz/MDD and so far I've gotten by with the built-in and a pair of headphones.
 
Pro Speakers: OK if you don't really listen to music on the computer (frequently), and definitely don't turn it up loud.

JBL Creatures: Decent, but not exceptional speakers. I got them because they are the best balance of sound/aesthetics for the cost, I just can't stand having things that DON'T match my iMac, it just seems to negate the point of having it. There isn't anything *wrong* with the sound quality, however, but I would agree that Monsoon's planar speakers have better sound.

By the way, I own/have owned all products mentioned above....
 
well at like 120 total they are a bit more, but the apple pro speakers and a subwoofer should do it for you. I tried the apple pro speakers out at my friends house the other day (lucky bum has G4 tower) and they sounded better then my AIWA stereo that I usually connect my computer up to.
 
i just bought some speakers last weekend, i went and listened to a whole bunch, originally looking at getting the JBL Creature ones as they'd go with my iMac. The Pro Speakers I already have are decent, but lack bass and one is now rattling a bit from too much volume. I listened to those Bose ones, the JBL ones, some Klipsch (at twice the price) ones, and a few others too, and the ones that did it for me were the Altec Lansing ATP3 which are unfortunately black, but stylewise pretty good. They sound fantastic for the price ($80) and much better than everything else I heard, although the JBL Creatures came second, they were $50 more. Someone else came to the same conclusion I did at the time too, and bought the same, and we both made the same sort of comments, i.e. that we both like music, know good speakers when we hear them etc... So yeah, ATP3.
 
If you're willing to spend a little more, a little more meaning roughly 60-70 more then your targeted ben frank, go with Klipsch's Promedia 2.1's. Hands down best 2.1 system out on the market. They've been out for a number of years but I have yet to see or hear for that matter another set of 2.1's rival them.
 
Technically, calling speakers "2.1" is a misnomer.

2.1 refers to the signal output of a sound card/surround receiver/etc. The woofer channel requires far less bandwidth, since it only carries low-freq signals, so it was dubbed .1, or 1/10 of a sound channel.

x.y = # satellites . # woofers (in the signal)

Unless there are actually 3 separate signal cables going to your speakers (which is rare in comp. speakers) they're not "2.1" in techie talk.

But usually, common speaker designations are:
7.1 = 7 sats + 1 sub (more useful than 6.1, but still overkill)
6.1 = 6 sats + 1 sub (overkill)
5.1 = five sats + 1 sub,
4.2 = 4 sats + 2 subs
(Klipsch is the only company I know who make these, helluva lotta bass, then again, they just came out with their daisy-chain Wall o' Bass...)
4.1 = 4 sats + 1 sub
2.1 = stereo + sub

(I heard somewhere that the THX standard people are tinkering with 12.2, which is frickin' INSANE)


P.S. - Anyone know the name of the company that makes the ultra-luxury speakers that look like nautilus shells? I keep thinking Bang & Olufsen, but they're not the ones.
 
I have the JBL Creatures. Got 'em for $99 at the ipod event. I think otherwise they retail for $129, unless the price has gone down.
They look pretty spiffy next to my 20" ACD. The sound quality is not bad, but I'm sure you could find better. They look freakin' awesome though, IMHO, and touch-capacitance volume buttons always get an ooo from friends.
The only complaint I have with them is it would be great if they had a headphone jack somewhere on them.
 
Originally posted by iMook
P.S. - Anyone know the name of the company that makes the ultra-luxury speakers that look like nautilus shells? I keep thinking Bang & Olufsen, but they're not the ones.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they're made by B&W (Bowers and Wilkins) and referred to as the Nautilus Series. The highest end ones run for only $35,000 a pair. :D B&W make awesome speakers...we have a pair of them (not the Nautilus) in our home theater and coupled with a nice amp (300 watts/channel), Matrix rocks!

(Edit: Check out these sweet speakers at B&W )
 
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