Good Bookshelf/Satellites Under 6" Wide?

GaleForce

GaleForce

Gawd
Joined
Aug 7, 2004
Messages
761
I'm looking for a good set of bookshelf speakers that would be under 6" wide. I just don't have the desk space to really accommodate anything larger than that. In the past I've used Klipsch Ultras and just recently purchased Corsair SP2500s because it has always been a lot more simple to get a pre-configured multimedia system with small satellites. Anyway I do like the SP2500s but from what I've been reading I can put a system together that sounds a lot better for the same money. The SP2500s are definitely very solid but I am looking for something that will sound great for gaming, TV shows, movies, and music.

Also I am going to have to probably angle the satellites inward unless they don't have as tight of a "sweet spot" so even 6" is pushing it. That being said I have 6" from the left side of my left monitor to the edge of my desk and the same from the right side of my right monitor. I can place the speakers behind the screens but I would imagine that would diminish the sound, although I could be wrong.

Anyway I know virtually nothing about audio, outside of sets sold for computers and hooking audio equipment up, so any help would be appreciated. I do know that I need at least an amp and the 2 satellites and I would like a subwoofer in my setup as well. I know I can always add it later but it isn't something I want to wait on since I doubt small satellites could produce good bass.

My budget is around $200; what I spent on the SP2500s. It would be nice if I could include some kind of control pod in that budget but I can always add that later as well and I'm not really sure how that ties into building a system with an external amp.

Thanks for your help.
 
Wow that is asking a lot. Under 6" width, under $200, has a good sub, better than Corsair's setup.

Would like to hear what people find as well.
 
Well if it is going to take twice the budget to be better than the corsairs then I am asking for a lot and then I'd say don't bother. I just feel like I read a lot of people suggesting here and an audiophile sites (where I guess they are seriously biased against multimedia speakers) that a solid system could be built for under $200.

How about this; No sub necessary and no size limit for the speakers provided they aren't enormous. I know I can't fit them to the sides of my monitors but maybe I can find a way to make it work.

I'm really just curious if for $200 I could get something that sounds dramatically better than the Corsairs.
 
Parts express

Dayton Audio SAT-BK Satellite Speaker $40 pair

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-670

Dayton Audio SAT-BK Satellite Speaker

Lepai Model: TA2020A+ $25 Amp

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=310-300

Dayton Audio SUB-1200 12" $119.00

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-629

The Corsair probably sounds about the same as this one but it fits your size and budget. This one might have a bit more clarity due to the nature of the amp and the bass is probably a bit stronger and controlled. Nothing dramatic though.
 
If it isn't anything dramatic I probably won't pull the trigger but I really appreciate you getting me started. I think I'd rather spend more money on the satellites than the sub though, unless cheaper subs than that sound awful. I am definitely more interested in the sound quality than the bass quality but I don't want crappy bass either. I know it's a tall order but I guess I have buyers remorse from the corsairs considering how much audiophiles seem to bash multimedia systems like these.
 
Realistic Minimus 7 ($25-50) used on eBay or Garage Sales
Dayton Audio Sub 800 ($80) Parts Express
Lepai 2020A Amp ($25) Parts Express

This is my choice for ~$155.
For speaker cable, just get 16 awg lamp cord from a hardware store. Shouldn't run much more than $5.

Interesting. Spacebro and I got pretty close to each other...

Another option:
Paradigm Atoms used for $150
DTA-1 Amp for $35
 
GaleForce said:
If it isn't anything dramatic I probably won't pull the trigger but I really appreciate you getting me started. I think I'd rather spend more money on the satellites than the sub though, unless cheaper subs than that sound awful. I am definitely more interested in the sound quality than the bass quality but I don't want crappy bass either. I know it's a tall order but I guess I have buyers remorse from the corsairs considering how much audiophiles seem to bash multimedia systems like these.
Click to expand...

Then you need to explore other ways of mounting your speakers. 6" width will not get you much in terms of the most important aspects of what you are asking. I would suggest a pair of used atoms and the amp already suggested here for that. Or NHT SuperZeros are really good compact bookshelves. About as small as you can get outside of Orb or Mirage MX.
 
I have Minimus 77 spoeakers (bigger brother of the 7s) they cost me $10 + $5 (surround kit) (surrounds where rotted when I got them)

anyways they are small and sound pretty damn good.

I also have Optimus PROX7 if got for $12 they are pretty nice as well.


however I might suggest Polk Audio T15 bookshelf speakers they are actually good computer speakers cause they are relatively small and sound pretty nice for their size

http://www.polkaudio.com/products/t15

of course I got mine for $49 on sale which made the very compelling indeed but they are only 6.5" wide if you could find them for less than the $99 bb useually sells them for they could be worth considering


blah blah t-amp and dayton sub.
 
spaceman said:
Then you need to explore other ways of mounting your speakers. 6" width will not get you much in terms of the most important aspects of what you are asking. I would suggest a pair of used atoms and the amp already suggested here for that. Or NHT SuperZeros are really good compact bookshelves. About as small as you can get outside of Orb or Mirage MX.
Click to expand...

I really don't have any other options besides putting the speakers behind the monitors. The monitors are already angled as much as I can comfortably angle them towards the center point of the desk. To the left of my desk is my bed and to the right is maybe 2 feet of floor space however some of it is taken up by my tower. Then about 1/3 of it would not be usable because the door to my walk in closet opens like a 2 piece accordion, if that makes sense, and would hit any desk extension that came out as far as this desk. I suppose I could get just an end table/speaker stand about the same height and put it next to the desk in order to get a speaker on that side however the only way to get a speaker to the left side would be to move my monitors over 6 inches so that they're all the way left as possible. This wouldn't work though because then I would have to look more to the right to see my primary monitor (I keep my primary on the right). It might work with the primary on the left but I'd have to play around a bit to see.

That being said feel free to recommend any bookshelves in that case, within the budget, that would sound really good. If they're so good that it would be worth it to make some furniture readjustment then I would definitely consider seeing if there is anything I can do. Still though I would appreciate it if anything massive wasn't recommended but assume I can deal with an average size bookshelf. I honestly just thought that there had to be good satellite speakers out there that were compact.

How much do the small Orb and Mirage speakers you mentioned run? And are they any good or just small?
 
I have a pair of Polk T15 with Lepai TA2020A+ and a Dayton Audio SUB-800 8" . They sounds really good coming out of my Claro Halo soundcard. One thing to note with the sub, when you listen to lower volume and if you set the sub to auto(power wise) it sometimes turns the sub off in a middle of the song, that can be annoying since I'm trying to save some electricity. The 12" sub is a bit too much for me, I got a small gaming room and the 8" is enough.

Please excuse my crappy iphone camera ;)
2j3pldk.jpg
 
Unfortunately I can't wall-mount my speakers because half of my desk overlaps a window. I guess I could mount one of them although they would be at different heights, slightly, because I have chair rail molding that goes around the room. Nice setup though.
 
GaleForce said:
Unfortunately I can't wall-mount my speakers because half of my desk overlaps a window. I guess I could mount one of them although they would be at different heights, slightly, because I have chair rail molding that goes around the room. Nice setup though.
Click to expand...

Polk Monitor 30's and 40's are 7 Inches wide.
 
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