I'm quite lost. What are good speakers?

[sahni130]

hello everybody,
I need some help deciding which speakers to get to use with my imac. Im looking to spend no more than $130. i was mainly looking at the $100 Bose and Logitech. I know Bose arent the best but I only have $130 to spend. Which speakers do u recommend? I listen to bass heavy music and some slow stuff as well.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

hello everybody,
I need some help deciding which speakers to get to use with my imac. Im looking to spend no more than $130. i was mainly looking at the $100 Bose and Logitech. I know Bose arent the best but I only have $130 to spend. Which speakers do u recommend? I listen to bass heavy music and some slow stuff as well.

Thanks,
Jay

Big, loud, power burning, and from the 1980s. That's what I've got now, but I'll be going to 7.1 surround eventually.

 

[sahni130]

hhaahahah do you know any from the modern times? D

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

hhaahahah do you know any from the modern times? D

Anything Harmon/Kardon or Sony or JVC is great.

 

[carlosbutler]

it depends what sort of price range. if you are looking for some cheap computer speakers, then you can go for a pair of logitech something speakers (cant remember what they are called) or even a paid of Bose Companion 5 speakers, only about £250. If you are looking for something a bit better then their is the Bower and Wilkins Zeppelin which can be used for music as well as connected to any TV or computer.

If you are looking for proper music speakers then, again, Bower and Wilkins do some nice ones around £800 (not including amp). There are also a range of systems from Bose (surround sound) at the £1500-£2500 mark. You can also pay more but for Bose i wouldnt recommend. You might as well start looking at some Bang and Olufsen speakers. A complete set, I guess you are looking about £10000.

Then if you wake up every morning and think you are a vegetable, you could go and buy some Tag McLaren speakers for £60000.

 

[PurdueBio]

I don't know if you are looking for 2.0 or 2.1, but the harmon/kardon soundsticks sound pretty good. They also have great reviews. I have only heard them in the store but will most likely be purchasing them when I decide I need new speakers. So probably tomorrow...

Anyway, you can get them on Amazon for $100. I DO know that they sound better than the Bose Companion 2 but you will need to find a place for the sub (that looks like a jellyfish for some reason).

http://www.amazon.com/Harman-SoundSticks-II-Multimedia-Speaker/dp/B0001DBEM4

 

[toxic]

2.0, 2.1, or surround? If 2.1, the Logitech Z-2300 and Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 (if they still make them..) are about as good as it gets. Out of those two, the ProMedia is probably better, since it has tweeters and the Logitech doesn't.

 

[sahni130]

i think im looking for 2.1...something with a subwoofer or something with good bass.

 

[orbital~debris]

I think Acoustic Energy's Aego M are a good choice. I bought a set last year from Amazon UK for about £80 (although they cost a little more now I think).
I previously used a set of Harman/Kardon soundsticks (original USB version) and my sister has the Soundsticks II, and I think the Aego M sound even better than both. They have great bass and nicely defined, clear sound from the speakers. I have the white metal version, but I think they come in black too. The satellite speakers are very small, but quite heavy and solidly built.

 

[designgeek]

"Quite Lost"

I know how you feel. There are so many choices and so few really good ones. I think I've decided on Logitech Z-4's but still not totally on it.

 

[miles01110]

If you're after sound quality, get a pair of good headphones.

 

[cdcastillo]

it depends what sort of price range... only about £250... around £800... at the £1500-£2500 mark... you are looking about £10000... some Tag McLaren speakers for £60000.

And what part of "I don't want to spend more than $130" didn't you get? But don't worry, it is important that we now know you are really knowledgable about speakers and that you are an audiophile. Things like helping the OP are not important, nevermind.

To the OP: you may want to try the cyber acoustics CA-3550 or the CA-3602 for about 60 bucks. They sound more than good and are cheap.

 

[DELTAsnake]

You don't have to spend lots of money to get good speakers anymore. I got the LS21 from Logitech on sale for $30AUD, the sound is 100 times better than the tinny speakers built into the iMac, they have plenty of volume and adjustable base.

 

[tfrank]

Low cost, great sound?

With your budget, you might look at the Behringer MS40's. Though large in size for computer speakers, they sound wonderful and are a bargain at around $125 the pair. Have a digital audio input too.

 

[txhockey9404]

You could also go the route of iPod speakers with an AUX in port. For your price range, I recommend Altec Lansing, some JBL, definitely Harman/Kardon (basically higher end JBL), or the Polk Audio miDock Studio iPod speakers. I have personally heard the Altec Lansing (newer models as well as older), older JBL, the Harman/Kardon iPod speakers, as well as soundsticks, and the Polk Audio miDock Studio, which is basically the smaller brother of the I-Sonic ES 2 minus two speakers an HD radio, and a screen. You're really not going to get anything amazing for $100, but if you can bump that up to $200, you open up countless other options.

 

[icanboogie]

I know these jellyfish-style trio, and they sound really really great, also with a lot of bass:

they are called Harman/Kardon Soundsticks 2 and should suit your budget as well.

 

[sahni130]

thanks everybody! i know my budget isn't too much but I appreciate you guys helping me. is there any place where i can go and try all these speakers in person? where do you recommend I buy them from?

 

[Eyedn]

I don't know if you are looking for 2.0 or 2.1, but the harmon/kardon soundsticks sound pretty good. They also have great reviews. I have only heard them in the store but will most likely be purchasing them when I decide I need new speakers. So probably tomorrow...

Anyway, you can get them on Amazon for $100. I DO know that they sound better than the Bose Companion 2 but you will need to find a place for the sub (that looks like a jellyfish for some reason).

http://www.amazon.com/Harman-SoundSticks-II-Multimedia-Speaker/dp/B0001DBEM4

Yeah i would go for the soundsticks also, for the price they are fantastic.

 

[LeoFio]

+1 for the soundsticks

Don't waste your money on surround sound for music purposes only since last time I checked, music was still being produced in 2 channels.

 

[Fizzoid]

Yeah i would go for the soundsticks also, for the price they are fantastic.

That IS a good price. They're £97 on Amazon UK

 

[sahni130]

so soundsticks it is then?

 

[Duff-Man]

thanks everybody! i know my budget isn't too much but I appreciate you guys helping me. is there any place where i can go and try all these speakers in person? where do you recommend I buy them from?

Duff-Man says....going to a shop to "audition" computer speakers isn't likely to be of much help for you. Shops (at least any I've been in) don't have their computer speakers set up in any halfway decent area for checking them out and they'll not sound anything close to what they'll sound like in your own room. Speaking of which - part of the equation with speakers is the room you're putting them in...how big is it, how close are you sitting to the speakers. In general it is not as big an issue as with home theater or standard stereo system speakers but it is not something to totally dismiss either.

If you browse or search at Amazon you'll see loads of reviews for most popular speaker systems, and with all the various resellers on board there you'll find some really good prices too so I'd give that a shot if your still looking for a place to shop....oh yeah!


(oh, and the soundsticks would be a very decent choice imho too)

 

[gothamm]

not a great idea to ask about audio advice on a mac forum, as most users will recommend something along the lines of bose...


I can almost say with certainty that you will dig the klipsch promedia 2.1

 

[Duff-Man]

not a great idea to ask about audio advice on a mac forum, as most users will recommend something along the lines of bose...

Duff-Man says....huh? What do you base that remark on? Is the insinuation that users on a Mac forum don't know anything about audio and/or speakers? There's over 20 replies to the original post and only a single "recommendation" of Bose. There's been several decent replies with ideas that fit the op's modest budget...oh yeah!

 

[gothamm]

Duff-Man says....huh? What do you base that remark on? Is the insinuation that users on a Mac forum don't know anything about audio and/or speakers? There's over 20 replies to the original post and only a single "recommendation" of Bose. There's been several decent replies with ideas that fit the op's modest budget...oh yeah!

this thread deviates from the norm, which is great. I have a feeling its only because the OP said something along the lines of "i know bose arent great but i'm on a budget here", which caused others to give different recommendations.

Audio also includes things like headphones. I can truly say that most posters are completely clueless on this one!