Behringer MS40 VS M-Audio AV-40?

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leetpyro

Limp Gawd
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Aug 14, 2008
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I'm not sure which one of these bookshelf sets I should get. I play games quite a bit, but listen to music more. I listen to MP3s @192kbps or more, most of it being trance/progressive. Oh, and also I use my ASUS P5K Deluxe mobo's integrated realtek sound card. Therefore I would be using digital out for the Behringers, and analog for the M-Audios I guess.

So what do you guys think?

The Behringer MS40 for $200 (shipping included) on digital out

Or

The M-Audio AV-40 for $150 (can pick-up at retail location) on analog out

Oh and I do plan on getting a sub as soon as I can find a good price/performance sub in Canada for around $200, maybe $250. I love my bass, and I will probably not get bookshelves if I can't get a sub. :p

Thanks!
 
Ouch at those Canadian prices. They are both good. But the MS40 bass is a bit weak. If you like more bass, get AV40. If you don't care for bass and/or you are going to get a DAC and new speakers within a couple years, I would say MS40.
 
Get the m-audio and use the other $50 towards a $100 X-Fi Titanium. Best to take the longer route usually.
 
Newegg has the Titanium for $139... that's $60 less than it cost when it was first released.
 
My bad, I probably should've mentioned that I do plan on getting a subwoofer as soon as I can find a decently performing one for around $200-250 here. I don't plan on getting a bookshelf setup without a sub. :p

Alai said:
If you don't care for bass and/or you are going to get a DAC and new speakers within a couple years, I would say MS40.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I don't understand what you are trying to imply by this. Why get the MS40 instead of the AV-40 if I'm going to get a DAC and speakers later on? Oh and about the pricing, what are the average prices for these 2 sets in the U.S.?

spaceman said:
Get the m-audio and use the other $50 towards a $100 X-Fi Titanium. Best to take the longer route usually.
Click to expand...

Does this recommendation still stand if I am going to upgrade a sub into the system later, and is there a big difference between the integrated and the X-Fi Titanium? I've heard mixed reviews about the X-Fi. I'm using Vista if that makes a difference (I've heard of inconsistencies between the drivers on XP and Vista).

Oh, and this is the X-Fi Titanium I found at Newegg.ca, is this the one?
 
Yes, that's the Titanium we were talking about. It's $100 for us. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102024

As for the AV40 and DAC question, well, as I see it, if I get the MS40, I can hold out on the external DAC and a better pair of speakers longer since it comes with its own DAC. I would trust most other DACs to onboard audio. With the AV40, you can build up your audio inventory piece by piece while gaining the maximum benefit per upgrade while you wait for each upgrade. AV40 --> external DAC --> better speakers. You get to use the external DAC and gain a good marginal benefit as you wait for better speakers.

But that's just me. You can come up with your own rationale for your purchases.
 
Would be the Behringer MS40 is enough to connect on Digital Ouput or really need a good SC?
 
So basically if I'm not planning to get another set of speakers for a while, the MS40s + subwoofer is a good choice? I just want to get something that I can get once and will keep me happy for a few years. I don't want to get into the endless search for amazing ear-gasm speakers; it costs too much. :p

However, if I decided to get the AV-40s with a DAC or X-Fi titanium, and a subwoofer (instead of MS40s + sub), would this be good too? People say the AV-40s already have a lot of bass, so do you think it would be overpowered with a sub, or would it be ok?

Thanks for all the help btw. :)
 
They will both work with a sub just fine. Although the MS40 will definitely benefit from the sub more. But I recently played a movie on my MS40 and the bass is still rocking without a sub. Just not super clean. The bass was enough that I got shot pressure waves because the lows were strong. And I didn't even set the volume unbearably high. Just enough for the 'movie experience'.

Battlestar said:
Would be the Behringer MS40 is enough to connect on Digital Ouput or really need a good SC?
Click to expand...

I connect via digital. Works great. And of course a really good SC would benefit the MS40, but it's not necessary, per se.
 
Hey, just had to ask another question since I found a sub and I'm considering getting it along with the M-Audio AV-40s. Spaceman was saying that it would be a good idea to get a DAC for the M--Audio AV-40s, but would it still sound good without a sound card? Because if I'm going to get the M-Audios, I don't really want to spend another $100 or so on a DAC.

Oh and I would be getting this sub. So would it be worth spending this much on the sub/speakers without a DAC?

Thanks again.
 
leetpyro said:
Hey, just had to ask another question since I found a sub and I'm considering getting it along with the M-Audio AV-40s. Spaceman was saying that it would be a good idea to get a DAC for the M--Audio AV-40s, but would it still sound good without a sound card? Because if I'm going to get the M-Audios, I don't really want to spend another $100 or so on a DAC.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

It will sound fine with on board sound yes. You can improve things as you go by adding parts.
 
spaceman said:
It will sound fine with on board sound yes. You can improve things as you go by adding parts.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick response. And sorry, 1 more question I left out. :p

How would I go about connecting the sub, speakers, and computer together? Would I have to buy the cables seperate?

If you could use this pic as reference, it would be great (no idea what the diff between the TRS L/R is and the Line L/R):
M+AUDIO+STUDIOPHILE+AV40+MONITOR-1.JPG
 
Your pc has sound outputs for 5.1. At least it should. All you need is 1/8th stereo to rca cables to connect from the pc to speakers/sub and speaker wire to connect the speakers together.
 
spaceman said:
Your pc has sound outputs for 5.1. At least it should. All you need is 1/8th stereo to rca cables to connect from the pc to speakers/sub and speaker wire to connect the speakers together.
Click to expand...

Oh ok. Seems simple enough. :p Hopefully I'll be able to get the sub, then I'll get these too. Otherwise, I may have to resort to PC speakers...
 
Alai said:
Ouch at those Canadian prices. They are both good. But the MS40 bass is a bit weak. If you like more bass, get AV40. If you don't care for bass and/or you are going to get a DAC and new speakers within a couple years, I would say MS40.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, how is the bass better/stronger on the AV-40's?

From looking at the specs of both, the AV-40's have a smaller woofer (4") & a frequency response of 85Hz - 20kHz.

The MS40's have a 4.72" woofer & a frequency response of 50Hz to 25kHz.

Both output 20W per channel.

The specs (which I admit may not tell the whole story) would lead me to believe that the MS40's would have better low-end/bass reproduction... :confused:
 
Lol, whoops. You're right. I don't know why I said that. I even have the MS40 and tried the AV40. It's vice versa. I actually like the bass on the MS40 lol.
 
I heard from some people that the MS40 sound is somewhat "airy", any comments on this?
 
area5x2 said:
I heard from some people that the MS40 sound is somewhat "airy", any comments on this?
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That is a good thing to me. They mean that it produces a nice sound stage where instruments and voices hang in the air b/w the speakers. The MS40s are the best cheap powered speakers going imo.
 
spaceman said:
That is a good thing to me. They mean that it produces a nice sound stage where instruments and voices hang in the air b/w the speakers. The MS40s are the best cheap powered speakers going imo.
Click to expand...


How would the MS40's compare to the BX5A's?

I can get the MS40's for ~ $117/shipped or the BX5A's for $150/shipped.

The MS40's have only 20 watts/speaker but do have their own DAC/optical input.

The BX5A's have more than triple the power (70 watts/speaker) but are analog input only.

I got a chance to listen to the BX5A's today at Guitar Center & I was impressed by their sound quality, strong output & punchy mid-bass.

I haven't got a chance to hear the MS40's though, so I can't compare the two.

Hmmmmm..... decisions, decisions.
 
spaceman said:
That is a good thing to me. They mean that it produces a nice sound stage where instruments and voices hang in the air b/w the speakers. The MS40s are the best cheap powered speakers going imo.
Click to expand...

Sure contradicts your earlier post in this thread :p
 
Angus66 said:
Just out of curiosity, how is the bass better/stronger on the AV-40's?

From looking at the specs of both, the AV-40's have a smaller woofer (4") & a frequency response of 85Hz - 20kHz.

The MS40's have a 4.72" woofer & a frequency response of 50Hz to 25kHz.

Both output 20W per channel.

The specs (which I admit may not tell the whole story) would lead me to believe that the MS40's would have better low-end/bass reproduction... :confused:
Click to expand...


thats an interesting question would like to know the answer to that, i know im five years too late.
 
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