Computer Speakers

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Discussion

rico

Original Poster:

7,916 posts

256 months

Thursday 26th June 2003
quotequote all
Does anyone here have a high quality computer sound system? By 'high quality' i mean anything above a pair of normal powered speakers.

I'm either getting a Apple Powerbook or a high spec pc laptop and want to add a decent pair of speakers.

I don't really want surround sound as I won't be watching many films or playing games on the computer.

I just want to buy a decent pair of speakers and possibly a sub.

Any recommendations? I'm tempted to buy a proper amp and some speakers normally used for home stereo systems. How easy are these to link up to a laptop?

Sub £200 all in is my upper limit.

FourWheelDrift

88,612 posts

285 months

Thursday 26th June 2003
quotequote all
I've got a Boston Acoustics surround sound (ok you said you don't need it but it's great value).

www.drakewood.com/product/Boston%2520Acoustics%2520BA7900%25206-pc%25205.1%2520Speaker%2520System

They also do a budget system
www.drakewood.com/product/Boston%2520Acoustics%2520BA745%25203-piece%2520Speaker%2520System

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Thursday 26th June 23:23

sjg

7,457 posts

266 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
rico said:
I just want to buy a decent pair of speakers and possibly a sub.

Any recommendations? I'm tempted to buy a proper amp and some speakers normally used for home stereo systems. How easy are these to link up to a laptop?


On £200, conventional hifi is the best bet - plenty of "budget" places like Richer Sounds, Superfi and the like.

To connect it up, all you need is a 3.5mm to 2xphono lead, available from any hifi or electronics shop. I also have a long 3.5mm extension that runs around the room to the hifi.

If you do want a sub/satellite one though, the Accoustic Engergy Aego 2s are meant to be excellent. Only £150 from superfi at the moment too:

www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/1312

Robertuk

591 posts

263 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
Creative Labs have got a nice new set called the
I-trigue 3300 2.1 I think. Retails for about £90.00 .

They look realy nice, have not heard them yet.

There are versions for both windows pcs and macs.

just spotted a new product (for macs I think)

http://asia.creative.com/products/speakers/i-trigue_i3350/

Good Luck !

rico

Original Poster:

7,916 posts

256 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
Thanks for the recommendations.

I don't really want to go the Hifi route as I'll be using this laptop at university and don't want the hassle of carrying lots of hifi equipment around (already got a small hifi so if i bought new it would be seperates).

If i go apple route, what are the Apple pro speakers like? They look great..

Also, anyone got the Harmon Kardon Apple soundsticks with iSub??

Cheers. Andy

alan_driver

1,281 posts

258 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
The setup I have is a bit bodged, but sounds great. I use a HiFi similar to below, powering the speakers shown.

+ the two small speakers in the picture below

+
1 x 8' sub and 1 x 12' sub.
It will probably blow up (again), but its a good excuse for a new system.

And adice for cheap speaker setup, but not portable, there are some speakers on maplin.com for £49.99 (eltax galaxy I think, but it doesnt say that)
if you buy 2 resistors to make the total to £50.01, you can use an online voucher for £5, so its only £45, next day delivery. Very good speakers for the price, but you will need an amp.

pdV6

16,442 posts

262 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
rico said:

I don't really want to go the Hifi route as I'll be using this laptop at university and don't want the hassle of carrying lots of hifi equipment around (already got a small hifi so if i bought new it would be seperates).

Presumably you'll have your small hifi at uni anyway, so why not just buy a cable & run the laptop through the hifi?

icamm

2,153 posts

261 months

Friday 27th June 2003
quotequote all
You should be able to get a reasonable set of computer 2.1 speakers for about £50. For abit more you can get 5.1 (Creative do some good ones). Or you could just get a cable and connect to your existing hi-fi.

>> Edited by icamm on Friday 27th June 19:20

Jnr

483 posts

252 months

Saturday 28th June 2003
quotequote all
Rico

I use a set of Altec Lansing ATP3 with my laptop. Two fantastic looking desk speakers and a amp/sub that can give my Bose system at home a run for its money, well not quite but you get my drift!!! You can get a set from Watford.co.uk for just under 40squid delivered and they sound great, leaving you 160 to squander on beer and baked beans !!!


Jnr

jvaughan

6,025 posts

284 months

Monday 30th June 2003
quotequote all
I have the top of the range creative labs 5.1 setup. £220 and it sounds awsome. turn the bass up and you can feel the music.

Also have it attacked to a cheap Technics pro logic tape deck ( free ads ) to allow me to record / input non digital music. works a treat.