High-end Speakers for $600.00.

[CharlieKirk]

Hi.

I'm posting this for a second time, as my needs have somewhat changed.

In a few years I'm going to be purchasing a high-end audio system, but right now I'm looking for computer audio. My budget is $600.00, but I can go over a little bit.

I'm looking for something reasonably high-end, and am open to all brands, I'm not a brand junkie at all. Except for computers... and shoes... and hygiene. Everything else, I am completely open to. Oh and furniture. It has to be IKEA. Or whatever they use in bang and olufsen stores.

Thanks!

 

[Victor ch]

Hi.

I'm posting this for a second time, as my needs have somewhat changed.

In a few years I'm going to be purchasing a high-end audio system, but right now I'm looking for computer audio. My budget is $600.00, but I can go over a little bit.

I'm looking for something reasonably high-end, and am open to all brands, I'm not a brand junkie at all. Except for computers... and shoes... and hygiene. Everything else, I am completely open to. Oh and furniture. It has to be IKEA. Or whatever they use in bang and olufsen stores.

Thanks!

How about studio monitors? for $600 you can get a GOOD pair of studio monitors that will sound better than any 2.1 systems out there. Check over at Guitar Center for that price range. I've heard awesome thing on the KRK brand, specially the 8 ones ($599). The M-Audios too (dunno if they have regular 1/8" [3.5mm stereo jack] inputs though). Be sure that they have regular inputs, TRS and XLR are good balanced inputs but it will require some sort of either an adaptor or some sort of a mixer [or interface] with such outputs.

Victor

 

[CharlieKirk]

Ooh. VERY intriguing.

Call me stupid, but is there two of these included in this order?

 

[Victor ch]

Ooh. VERY intriguing.

Call me stupid, but is there two of these included in this order?

Not stupid, I wonder the same thing, some say clearly EACH other say pairs and others say INDIVIDUAL or such which is cool but not these (apparently the KRK's too) which also has me confused [but I think they're EACH items]. Disregarding the quantity they're actual studio monitors as in XLR input only, not a smart move (you'll some sort of a mixer or external amplification/signal device that has XLR balanced outputs).

To be honest I'll go for the M-Audio Studiophile AV-40s. You just can't go wrong with them for $149. They're not hi-fi but to be honest I own higher-end equipment and although they sound much better (no pun intended) the AV40's perform incredibly for their price and when Im lazy to turn on the 'big' amp I'll rather listen to an album thru the Studiophiles. They FAR surpass my more expensive Bose 2.1 system and many 2-way 'mini-component' systems I've heard. There could be better solutions, maybe there's a recording aficionado/pro here in MR that could give advice on how to get sound from your Mac to your more fancy powered studio monitors. Also, no matter what avoid Bose speakers like the plague, if 2.1s is what your up to Klipsch, Logitech, etc. have either equally or better sounding for less dough.

Victor

 

[Digital Skunk]

What would you be using them for?

Just curious since studio monitors are amazing but if you are playing MP3s or AACs through them they are a waste, the won't make compressed music sound better.

And if you are going to be watching movies or gaming with them then a high-end pair of multimedia speakers will better suite you.

 

[Victor ch]

What would you be using them for?

Just curious since studio monitors are amazing but if you are playing MP3s or AACs through them they are a waste, the won't make compressed music sound better.

And if you are going to be watching movies or gaming with them then a high-end pair of multimedia speakers will better suite you.

But they will sound better than regularly priced 2.1 systems. Maybe you're right on the "high-end" multimedia ones, they will suite you better for gaming and movies.

Victor

 

[Digital Skunk]

But they will sound better than regularly priced 2.1 systems. Maybe you're right on the "high-end" multimedia ones, they will suite you better for gaming and movies.

Victor

You're right too, those monitors will sound much better than any 2.1 or 5.1 or 7.1 speakers on the market, but what sound is the OP pumping through them?

 

[Victor ch]

You're right too, those monitors will sound much better than any 2.1 or 5.1 or 7.1 speakers on the market, but what sound is the OP pumping through them?

We agree on this, and I was wondering the same thing, we know the source but how 'bout the files? Lossless music? garageband/soundtrack mixing? making music? movies?. Perhaps multimedia speakers will serve him better.

Victor

 

[Beau10]

FWIW, I bought a pair of KRK Rokit 5s (Gen 2) and an Apogee Duet for $600 total. The Duet was used ($400) and the KRK's were accidentally discounted (they were supposed to be closeout Gen 1s and the guy at Guitar Center goofed) so with normal retail expect to pay about $800, or buy older Gen 1s for $100 each.

The Duet is an astonishing DAC for the price, actually competitive with popular entry level reference DACs like BenchMark DAC 1, Lavry D10, etc, that cost twice the price. FWIW, for a couple years I did most of my listening out of a headphone rig that was north of $4k (Ack Dack 2.0->SinglePower Slam PPX3->ATH-L3000). It's definitely not to that level, but it's quite nice and I wouldn't feel like spending more money is justified in my untreated loft.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Guitar Center has a lot of GREAT studio monitors to pick from. Please don't buy Bose, please....

 

[xparaparafreakx]

FWIW, I bought a pair of KRK Rokit 5s (Gen 2) and an Apogee Duet for $600 total. The Duet was used ($400) and the KRK's were accidentally discounted (they were supposed to be closeout Gen 1s and the guy at Guitar Center goofed) so with normal retail expect to pay about $800, or buy older Gen 1s for $100 each.

The Duet is an astonishing DAC for the price, actually competitive with popular entry level reference DACs like BenchMark DAC 1, Lavry D10, etc, that cost twice the price. FWIW, for a couple years I did most of my listening out of a headphone rig that was north of $4k (Ack Dack 2.0->SinglePower Slam PPX3->ATH-L3000). It's definitely not to that level, but it's quite nice and I wouldn't feel like spending more money is justified in my untreated loft.

Very nice. I have a pair of those speakers and connect my Mac and Playstation 3 to it. Love the sound it produces and they were only $125 each.

FYI, Mac(USB) --> Native Insturments Audio 8 --> DJ Mixer --> Rokit 5.

 

[Killyp]

Depends on the quality of the material being pumped through it.

I like the latest KRK Rokit series a lot. The HF driver is controllable, you can boost it's output or cut it out a little (ideal if you're playing poor quality MP3s).

FWIW, MP3 under 320 kbps generally doesn't sound too special through monitors, and AAC under 224 kbps can be equally as bad. Ideally, you'd store everything in Apple Lossless, ripped from the original CD.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Depends on the quality of the material being pumped through it.

I like the latest KRK Rokit series a lot. The HF driver is controllable, you can boost it's output or cut it out a little (ideal if you're playing poor quality MP3s).

FWIW, MP3 under 320 kbps generally doesn't sound too special through monitors, and AAC under 224 kbps can be equally as bad. Ideally, you'd store everything in Apple Lossless, ripped from the original CD.

I would recommend trying to find older KRKs. The original V-Series sound amazing - they signed a deal with GuitarCenter and that included cheaper speakers manufactured in China. The Originals still sound better, with that said no comparison with computer speakers or most anything-else and unless you have a serious usb/firewire unit to output (better then the Duet) you probably aren't going to notice.