Entertainment For Lively Minds
Ask the Massive: Computer speakers, part II
Dear Massive, apologies for another thread on a recurring theme. Last February you very kindly gave me advice on computer speakers:
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/advice-please-computer-speakers
I ended up buying the Altec Lansing FX3021, which I liked the sound of but malfunctioned. As I was sending them back I found that my parents had a spare pair of speakers so just got a refund. Those speakers have now gone kaput, so here I am again.
This time I'm upping my price range to £200 but possibly looking to buy three pairs of speakers with that... Here's my criteria:
- Dependable speakers that give a good sound with a range of music
- My last two sets of speakers have bust due to a loose connection from the wire, probably because I move them around so much, so I'm looking for a) three sets of speakers for the kitchen, lounge and bedroom (perhaps one slightly better for the lounge), b) something wireless that is compact enough to move around.
- Or alternatively I could just buy two sets of speakers and link my old hi-fi speakers to the laptop if I can find a means of doing so - they are very old fashioned speakers with black and red wires that clip into the back of the hi-fi.
I've checked out this thread, but it was mostly about a higher price range than I've got and technically over my head!: http://wordmagazine.co.uk/content/atm-speakers-den
Any advice gratefully received...
Chris
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Have a look at the Audioengine range.
I bought the A2's and they are great. Tiny but powerful. The A5's look great but are a bit over your budget.
Microlab T9
Don't know if you can get them over there. Amazing.
aktimate
corkers
or plug lead into headphone socket with rca leads at other end , pick up a retro 70s amp cheap on ebay ,attach to auxiliary sockets
attach any old speakers to amp...hey presto
Bluetooth
I'm not sure what the sonic downsides are, but have you considered some bluetooth speakers? It's a solution that would mean no more trailing wires to break or snag.
200....just
Bose have some computer specific ones just inside your budget. http://www.bose.co.uk/GB/en/home-and-personal-audio/digital-music-soluti... . Whether they will make you happy or not will depend on a lot of things. Like where you put them - on shelves, in cabinet, on desk, in a corner of the room and so on..... If the environment is going to compromise the sound anyway, cheaper speakers with a sub-woofer might be a better bet.
Cables to go from a PC output (the 3mm stereo jack) to a normal hi fi amp input would be pretty easily found at your average Tandy or computer outlet.
However I tried putting my media center PC through my old hi-fi and had a curious effect. Through the hi-fi music sounded great, warm and full, but TV and movie sound came out a bit muffled. Conversely, through the TV's in-built speakers TV and movies were much better but music is tinny and compressed. All based on the same files on the same hard drive. Weird (at least to me who's not a sound engineer). It might mean I need to invest in a proper AV receiver to get the necessary variety of signals out to the speakers properly.