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Speakers for iMac?

iPoopeh

iPoopeh

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 7, 2010
242
5
I really don't see a thread about speakers for the iMac. I know that the iMac has their own built in speakers, but I'm a person that likes external speakers. So I was wondering if you have external speakers? Or do you use the speakers that is already in your iMac? And what type of speakers should I get?

Thanks in advance! :]
 
I use Klipsch speakers and they sound terrific. I don't recall the model number but looking at the Klipsch site, they don't sell the exact same model anymore.

However, they do sell something that appears quite similar, the ProMedia 2.1 which, knowing Klipsch, will also sound terrific.
 
iPoopeh said:
I really don't see a thread about speakers for the iMac. I know that the iMac has their own built in speakers, but I'm a person that likes external speakers. So I was wondering if you have external speakers? Or do you use the speakers that is already in your iMac? And what type of speakers should I get?

Thanks in advance! :]
Click to expand...

I'm using Audioengine A2 -active speakers. They have exceptional sound for such small speakers and they aren't that expensive either. They also are stylish and fit together with an iMac very well -- especially the matte black. One possible problem with the A2s is that Audioengine seems to have similar trouble to that of Apple: the quality control isn't 100%. So it is possible that you might get a pair that doesn't work right.

My native company Genelec makes a good iMac-compatible active speaker as well, Genelec 6010A. They are double the price of Audioengine A2 though.

I'd say those two are probably the best "small but powerful active speaker that fits the iMac's style" speakers for the iMac. You might also consider getting a small DAC and Nuforce's uDac is definately one of the best choises: small, looks good with an iMac, doesn't cost much. I'm probably getting the uDac-2 myself (an upgraded version). The A2s don't need a DAC but it should make the sound even better. Moreover, these A2s must be connected to the iMac's headphone jack and because of this you cannot use headphones (unless you get USB-headphones which are rarely as good as regular quality headphones) unless you constantly swap the cables. The good thing about the uDac is that it connects via USB and has a headphone jack as well. So with it you don't even need reach to the back of the iMac to connect headphones.

If you want quality with relatively low price, I'd say you cannot really beat a Audioengine A2/uDac -combo.
 
Great, thanks for replying back! I sorta have limited desk space, but the A2's look very appealing to me! I was sorta looking for box-type speakers that still sound good. So far I've been finding a lot of USB speakers. Do they still have good sound quality as the others?
 
iPoopeh said:
Great, thanks for replying back! I sorta have limited desk space, but the A2's look very appealing to me! I was sorta looking for box-type speakers that still sound good. So far I've been finding a lot of USB speakers. Do they still have good sound quality as the others?
Click to expand...

I have limited desk space as well (one of the reasons why I did not want the 27" iMac) and these A2s with perfect. I previously used Logitech V20 USB notebook speakers that were decent for their size (got very good reviews) but were still very "plastic" sounding and distorted badly at higher levels of volume. They had no bass. The difference between them and the A2's was like the difference between night and day.

Logitech and Creative do have those desktop speakers that are popular (like Creative Gigaworks T20/T40) and quite good but I think Audioengine makes speakers that are little closer to hifi speakers than Logitech's or Creative's models. I also think that speakers from those two brands aren't that stylish (I like the clean hifi-like shape of A2 compared to the plastic-like PC speaker -shape of a Logitech/Creative-speakers). I tend to do a lot of research when I'm buying electronics and I did search the net looking for the best stylish small computer speakers around 100-250 bucks. I did not find any USB models that would fit into all of those three categories.

On the other hand, if you want to invest in something a little better (but still a bargain) like Audioengine you'll find out that price keeps getting higher a bit. The A2s kinda require stands (otherwise they sound a bit boomy and not as good as with the stands) and while you can make them out of the protective pads in the A2-box, I bought the dekstop stands that Audioengine makes. As I mentioned, a DAC is a good investment as well although you can live without it. And I guess it always pays off to buy a bit better speaker cables and interconnects to the A2's as I did (the ones that come with the box aren't that high quality).

So it all depends on high much do you want to spend. I'm of the opinion that it's not that smart to spend something like 500 bucks for computer speakers. On the other hand, having lived with the hollow sound of those Logitech speakers, I wanted to invest on something significantly better. So I think Audioengine A2 is a perfect compromise in buying quality but at a relatively low price. It does pay off to invest in a good pair of speakers: the sound feels full and fills up my livingroom when I listen to Spotify via my iMac with the A2s.
 
I bought a pair of Klipsch RB-51s and drive them with a Topping TP-21 class T amplifier. 25W per channel is more than enough for my home office.

Out of the box, the sound was very flat. A quick tweak of the itunes eq and they sound fantastic from jazz to metal.
 
If you have a limited desk space, you may want to consider the Bowers & Wilkins MM1 speakers. They're a bit on the expensive side, but they do sound great. Their online reviews have also been quite positive.
 
i have the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 and it sounds great to me when i listen to my itunes library.
 
check out the cyber acoustics speaker systems out just got them and so far very impressed
 
Hmm! These all seem like high end speakers for audio production (I know you can go alot higher for pro production).

Any one use any nice small discrete speakers that match the iMac?

Quite like the look of the Bose Companion Series..... Anyone had any experiences with them?
 
DannyBres said:
Hmm! These all seem like high end speakers for audio production (I know you can go alot higher for pro production).

Any one use any nice small discrete speakers that match the iMac?

Quite like the look of the Bose Companion Series..... Anyone had any experiences with them?
Click to expand...

There is an old audiophile saying that Bose stands for Buy Other Sound Equipment - usually for a good reason. Their stuff is okay, but vastly overpriced for what you get (similar to Monster Cable). You can do much, much better.
 
richpjr said:
There is an old audiophile saying that Bose stands for Buy Other Sound Equipment - usually for a good reason. Their stuff is okay, but vastly overpriced for what you get (similar to Monster Cable). You can do much, much better.
Click to expand...

OK thanks!

the sound sticks look very 'white iMacey' & look a bit tacky now tbh.

Hmmm go on them people smart speakers that look nice small and discrete next to an alu iMac
 
Was lent a set of M-Audio AV40s for a while. Great speakers, but just too big for my desk. I am now back to my oldie-but-goodie Logitech X220s. However, if you don't like bass (I do!) you'll hate the X220s because they are really bass-heavy and LOUD. They don't match my MBP at all, but I'll use 'em 'til they die! Good replacements are ridiculously expensive IMHO. :D

EDIT: Also, if you're looking for cheap, the Boston Acoustics BA635s (yes, another oldie) are typically really easy to find cheap ($20 or less) on eBay. Not bad for the price - I had a set of these in the past and they were pretty good.
 
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js81 said:
Was lent a set of M-Audio AV40s for a while. Great speakers, but just too big for my desk.
Click to expand...

M-Audio does some nice desktop active speakers as well and actually I was thinking about getting M-Audios myself. Unfortunately as praised as the AV40s are they are just way too big for my desk. M-Audio does have AV30 as well which are smaller and good as well (although not as good as the AV40) but they are still too big. Don't even consider AV20.

I agree with the comments about Bose. They make stylish speakers that are decent but, as was mentioned, they are way overpriced. Those Harman/Kardon speakers are very popular among mac-people but for my taste they are just too "alien". For me the Audioengine A2s are the best option: incredible sound (even bass although some opt for an extra subwoofer), surprisingly low price considering the performance and they match the new iMac perfectly. And they are surprisingly small as well.
 
I have no idea what speakers I have but they are these dirty beige speakers that my grandaddy had for 20 years almost. And beige speakers do not look so hot with a new shiny iMac. So I am planning on getting a black pair of speakers that doesn't cost over $200.
 
I highly recommend anything that Blue Sky Audio makes. I have a 2.1 Monitoring system from them, and the sound is incredible and a great value for the money.

Happy Jams...
 
Tigerman82 said:
M-Audio does some nice desktop active speakers as well and actually I was thinking about getting M-Audios myself. Unfortunately as praised as the AV40s are they are just way too big for my desk. M-Audio does have AV30 as well which are smaller and good as well (although not as good as the AV40) but they are still too big. Don't even consider AV20.

I agree with the comments about Bose. They make stylish speakers that are decent but, as was mentioned, they are way overpriced. Those Harman/Kardon speakers are very popular among mac-people but for my taste they are just too "alien". For me the Audioengine A2s are the best option: incredible sound (even bass although some opt for an extra subwoofer), surprisingly low price considering the performance and they match the new iMac perfectly. And they are surprisingly small as well.
Click to expand...

Do you have Whote or Black with your iMac? Pictures?
 
DannyBres said:
Do you have Whote or Black with your iMac? Pictures?
Click to expand...

I have the matte black A2s. The white A2s don't go together with the new iMac as good IMO -- perhaps because there are no white parts in the new iMac, only silver or black. Unfortunately I don't have any online pics of my setup. Trust me though, the black A2s look like they are made for the new iMac.
 
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