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Just went from AL MX5021's to Logitech Z-2300's: *shocked* by the difference!

M

metagroboliser

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Jan 28, 2005
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I have an 80/20 music/games listening profile and had been using Altec Lansing MX5021's for the past few years. Admittedly, the AL's were an absolute pleasure to listen to ... save for a mild hiss audible in quiet surroundings that was a minor bother at best. So, after reading raves about the Z-2300's (particularly CNet's review), I decided to bring them in as a replacement ... hoping, of course, for better than AL's quality minus the hiss.

The Z-2300's arrived yesterday and I must say, I'm absolutely stunned and horrified by the sound quality! Compared to the MX5021's, the Z-2300's sound like they are under water. The entire midrange is simply absent ... zero ... nada ... not even a hint ... even after hours of tweaking with an equalizer. The sub has too low a cross-over and puts out massive amounts of bass ... all of it sloppy! I am having a very hard time imagining what people have been raving about with these. I am far from being an audiophile, but these things are simply intolerable. They are going straight up on eBay!

Which leaves me in a bind. The AL's are gone, and I am left with limited options for a quality 2.1 set. The Klipsch 2.1 Promedia's would seem to be a natural choice at this stage, but I'd rather have some of the newer amenities ... like a wired remote, etc.

Folks, what are my options? What are some good 2.1 sets out there these days.
 
Also, what would be the next level up from the Klipsch/Logitech/etc. for a quality 2.1 setup? Essentially something with good gaming and excellent music performance?
 
Going from a MX5021 to a Z-2300 is like backpedalling up a hill.

Logitech's are great deals...if you buy them at street price. If you pay msrp, then pretty much every product not named "bose" runs laps around it. Logitech stopped bothering to innovate after they tookover major marketshare with their Z-560 coup; they knocked klipsch off the pedestal and everyone else was small fry after that.

The design aspect of the ALs were great--the amplifier QA was horrendous. Most of their multimedia speakers have exhibited some form of "crap amp" syndrome but its overweighed by its performance once the music starts pouring. I'd honestly get neither brand if I was starting anew today...I'd either get the Klipsch iFi or some passive bookshelves + amp...I would have recommended some powered monitors but given your experience with the ALs...lets just say at the lower price bracket they suffer from crap amp syndrome too...

1) Whats your budget?

2) What are your size constraints?

3) Do you mean *wireless* remote?
 
I used to have them now with my xr-55 and onix x-ls the z2300 is like a deaf kid listening to skull candy headphones blasting so they are all distorted.
 
Have you considered a set of stereo studio monitors? Granted there's no subwoofer, but with a nice set you won't really need it.

Another option would be an amp and a set of bookshelf/floor speakers...
 
Regarding budget, I am willing to go a little above the ~$150 price point of the Klipsches/Logitechs ... perhaps into the $200-300 range. As for size, nothing *too* much larger than the MX5021 satellites, as I have somewhat limited desk space ... large'ish studio monitors or a full amp+passive set up is prevented by this constraint.

Ideally, either a stock 2.1 setup, or pairing a good 2.0 pair with respectable bass (for the occasional gaming) might be the solution ... but I don't know where to start looking (in terms of brands/models/reviews etc.).

Any thoughts?
 
You want bookshelves.

Polk R150 from Frys - $50
T-Amp - $60
Dayton 8" - $100

Oh, and wtf? No more Insignia's from Best Buy?


Edit

Oops, R150's are sold out. Damn :(
 
sounds like you need to step into buying real speakers at this point.
 
Fantastic suggestions guys. Thanks for the responses. It does indeed look like either the powered Swans or passive (Polks) + Amp ... both with the Dayton 8" ... will have to be it for my budget.

I do have one lingering concern with either setup. While I can live without a remote control, I do need to incorporate headphones into the equation. The positioning of my PC chassis makes running headphones over to my sitting position problematic. I use headphones on an ad hoc bases and have come to rely on just plugging them into the MX5021's wired remote thingie sitting next to the keyboard whenever needed. Neither the powered Swans, nor the T-Amp seem to have a jack to accomplish this. What would be a good solution to this?

Also, regarding wiring. I'm assuming that both the Swans and the Daytons are PC (ie. stereo mini jack) friendly, yes?
 
You need bookshelves if you want real sound. Period.

I like the Audio Engine 5's (~$325). They are powered monitors so you don't need a receiver. They are EQ'd a bit to give good response to about 50hz. If you want rumbling explosions, you'll need to add a sub. Otherwise, they are some of the best music oriented speakers around in their price class.
 
Check out the Razer Mako's, they are supposed to be exceptional from everything I've read so far.
 
bluntspoon, thanx for pointing the switcher out! ... having that option really opens up the field.

Ok, so we have Swans, AudioEngine's and Polks (passive) that are worth looking into. Any other names/models that should be added to this list? Also, what's the verdict on the Swans vs AudioEngine built in amps (ala astrallite's very aptly named 'crap amp' syndrome). Any reports of hiss or somesuch?

anr11, I see that the Mako's are being very well reviewed, but after my experience with the Cnet review on the Z-2300's, I'm a little gun shy ... would you know of a review from a respectable/discerning audio site that I could take a peek at?

The Dayton seems to be a done deal. The only remaining question is choosing the right bookshelf set. Thanks for all the suggestions so far guys!
 
Not sure which sites you would consider respectable so I would recommend a google search. It will turn up a long list of reviews so you can pick and choose. I've read most of them because I'm interested in these speakers too and can sum them up by saying:

Overall sound quality is excellent with no distortion even at high volume levels due to the variable output amps.

Bass output is impressive and strong while remaining clean without distortion again due to the variable amps.

The design is of course subjective but most (including myself) say they look awesome.

The one sticking point seems to be the remote which is touch-sensitive. Some reviewers absolutely hate it while others say it's not bad once you get used to it.
 
Lodrin said:
...the Audio Engine 5's...are some of the best music oriented speakers around in their price class.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Audioengine makes a pretty decent amount of money on 'em, no doubt, but they're still pretty attractive for what they deliver and the box they come in is absolutely loaded to the gills with stuff (good stuff). I haven't come across anyone who's managed to end up dissatisfied with them.

For an 80/20 music/games guy, the A5s seem like the right way to go if you can stomach the sticker price. Otherwise, the Swans M10s are a good entry-level option, but don't expect a stellar high-end.
 
I get no distortion/hissing from my Swans M10s. For the price, they are an excellent desktop speaker system.
 
How do the Audioengine A5 compare to the Swan M200MkII? Anyone ever have a chance to listen to both, or to the A5 and the previous version of the Swans (M200)?

I've been looking at the A5, and the A2 as well since I'm not sure I wanna sacrifice so much desk space on what's essentially my workspace (plus the A5 could simply be too powerful to be sitting on my desk)... But the M200MkII seem to be priced quite favorably, $250, actually coming in closer to the A2 than A5 price-wise. On the other hand, they're also larger than even the A5. :eek:

The volume being on the back panel on the A2 is kind of a bummer but I might just get 'em anyway and later step up to something else if I'm not entirely satisfied... I can always use 'em as portable speakers for domino nights with my pals or whatever.

Edit: I guess I really should've jumped on the M200 deal Newegg had a few months ago, seems they were just trying to clear stock and they had 'em dirt cheap. They haven't brought 'em back since, nor the M10 for that matter. Probably not a big deal to most, but shipping down here to PR can be a hassle with a lot of e-tailers, and it's always smooth with the 'egg. :(
 
Best thing atm is to do this:

Get a Sherwood 6500 receiver. Simple, powerful, clean sound. Way better than anything you have heard trust me. $120 shipped it is the most important part. You can keep it forever while trying different setups around it.

Try and get front ported speakers or sealed so that you can have them close to the wall.

Get the speakers off of craigslist if you can. If not, then audiogon. Stay away from anything that you can buy at BB or CC etc.

I would get the speakers first then the dayton sub.
 
I had decided to pull the trigger on the AudioEngine's and was in the process of talking myself into stomaching the price ... but Omegaslast's mention of the Edifier S330D's has thrown a spanner in my works.

I fully expect the Edifiers to not be up to AudioEngine quality, but the price difference is *substantial.* The S330D's appear to be relatively new, so there are precious few reviews available. I'd love to hear from current owners ... especially on how they might compare to AL MX5021's and the Klipsch Promedias (i.e. 2.1 competition in the $100-150 range). Do they exhibit any amp hiss/distortion? Any particular quirks? etc.

anr11, did you end up going for those Mako's?
 
Best bet is to just get whatever Swan offering is out there. the rest, I am certain klipsch sucks with the promedia.
 
Edifier.ca said:
Power Output: RMS 36W + 18W x 2 (THD=10%)
Click to expand...
I have to say this concerns me. Publishing amplifier power at 10% THD is a Logitech-esque sort of thing.
 
Just thought I'd chime in here again sine I got the Mako's a couple weeks ago. I must say I am very impressed. Everything from the sound to the looks and even the cables it comes with is impressive. Just a great all around package in my opinion. I especially like the touch-sensitive module. Many say it's hard to use but I had no problems whatsoever. On a scale from 1 to 10 these get a 10 from me all the way. They are expensive but worth it in my opinion.
 
I don't like the module personally, I've played around with it at CompUSA and it takes too much fiddling to get the meter moving... I dunno what it is, I don't like any of those touch media buttons a lot of laptops seem to have these days either (though the Mako's is better than most of those from what I've seen). I can almost understand the point of the gimmick on a phone, but it seems pointless everywhere else.
 
phide said:
I have to say this concerns me. Publishing amplifier power at 10% THD is a Logitech-esque sort of thing.
Click to expand...

Most likely a common typographical error due to the marketing department not understanding audio terms. Even if the measurement was achieved at 10% THD, the power output listed at said distortion level, and the actual listenable power output level won't be far off, since, you rarely get more than a watt of difference between 0.1% and 10% THD anyways. Once an amplifier hits its power limit the distortion goes up exponentially.
 
metagroboliser said:
Regarding budget, I am willing to go a little above the ~$150 price point of the Klipsches/Logitechs ... perhaps into the $200-300 range. As for size, nothing *too* much larger than the MX5021 satellites, as I have somewhat limited desk space ... large'ish studio monitors or a full amp+passive set up is prevented by this constraint.

Ideally, either a stock 2.1 setup, or pairing a good 2.0 pair with respectable bass (for the occasional gaming) might be the solution ... but I don't know where to start looking (in terms of brands/models/reviews etc.).

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I have the MX5021s and they are much better than the people that own them realize. There is not one 2.1 speaker on the marker in 2012 that blows them away.

The Swan M50ws are the best 2.1 replacement for them.

They are more accurate and have better amps. They probably are more accurate and less colored. They are better than the 5021 but do not blow them out of the water.

The rest, argh, Klipsh, Logitech, new Altecs are all junk in comparison. Can't believe in 7 years not one company has made a better 2.1 system but swan.

Corsairs are junk too.

I would say the M50ws

or Swan Mk2s with a sub. But that would be 400.00 or more.


So really in compact package I think swan is it. The rest have not compared them with good speakers only the other junk out there.
 
+1 for Audioengine. I have the A5 and I'm more than satisfied. My friend also has the A2 and he loves them.
 
The part that tipped me off to this being an old thread is the Z-2300s. I don't think Logitech even makes those anymore.

And yes, they do suck. A lot of sound, but it is bad sound.
 
jacqg said:
+1 for Audioengine. I have the A5 and I'm more than satisfied. My friend also has the A2 and he loves them.
Click to expand...

I almost got the A5s, but decided to keep it compact. Also I read this guys review that upgraded from A2s to the M50ws. I had room on the floor for a sub and it seems the A2s sort of need one.

"Now, how does it sound? I can honestly say these are the best computer speakers I have owned. That may not be saying much since I mentioned that I've only had a few different sets of computer speakers over the years, but my ears tell me that these speakers sound really good. They are significantly better than the Audioengine A2s which I thought and still think are good speakers. One big improvement though is the bass obviously, since the M50W has a discrete subwoofer. The A2s' design supposedly compensates for lack of a subwoofer, and while they have bass, it can sound boomy and artificial when compared to the real thing.

With the M50W, I had forgotten what it's like to be able to control the bass manually. I'm not much of a basshead so I keep the subwoofer volume relatively low but still have no problems hearing it as well as occasionally feeling it at my feet. I can't imagine that it wouldn't be able to provide enough bass for those who like to crank it all the way up.


As for the sound from the speakers, crystal clear and full is probably the best way to describe it. They're extremely detailed and work well with all genres of music, and vocals really shine. Little speakers aren't supposed to sound this good. Of course the better your source material, the better they are going to sound but that holds true for all quality audio equipment whether it's speakers or headphones. Note that I haven't really tried them with games or movies as my main use for them is music."
 
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