Too many options Need multimedia speaker advice

[Dudeyourlame]

I cant seem to figure this out myself, Too many options

Looking to spend up to 500-600 dollars on a setup for my computer

Id like to have 2 speakers, and a Subwoofer.

have been looking at Studio monitors from KRK,M-Audio, AudioEngine

-Seems like a lot of people complained about thier M audio BX5a and BX8's failing quickly so that shyed me away

-KRK ive never heard of, a bit too bright coloring for me


- Audioengine A5's sparked my interest because they have sub-out on them

http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-A5-Powered-Multimedia-Black/dp/tech-data/B000OABTPQ/ref=de_a_smtd

and i think this looks like a decent enough subwoofer for the price from BIC America
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-V1020-Down-Firing-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B0000Y2WY8/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_4

OR would klipsch 2.1 Promedia be good enough? I don't think id call myself an audiophile, but i like my music to sound crisp and clean.


Any input would be fantastic!

 

[BostonHXC]

I have the Audioengine A2 and absolutely love them. I would have gone for the A5 but the footprint was too big. I would recommend this sub from Velodyne: LINK

Normally I would recommend a sub from Epik, Elemental Designs, or SVS but that would blow the budget.

 

[TESLA]

The Audioengine A5+ is out now as well. So look for potential deals on the A5s should they stop selling them in favor of the + version (not sure yet if the A5+ is a replacement or complementary product).

M-Audio has an excellent performance per dollar ratio, and they have been getting better in the QC department with newer revisions. They also just recently discontinued their Studiophile DSM line, which is another option with reportedly better build quality (it is a digital DSP monitor, however, which may not be what you are looking for).

I have never heard KRK, so no advice there.

I was in a similar situation a while back with around the same budget. I was considering M-Audio's DSM2, which has an 8 inch woofer, but I ended up going with a company more know for their HT gear, Emotiva. (Emotiva and its parent company have been OEMs behind a wide variety of audio related gear for years as well.)

More specifically, I went with their recently released EmotivaPro airmotiv5. They are in your budget and fairly impressive for the price. The bass is also superb for a monitor their size. I do not know what you plan on using them for, but I do not miss a sub with them. (I do have a full HT for movies, however, so I guess it may be different if you want full impact in a primary system.)

Anyway, take it for what you will, there are so many good options out there for monitors in the ~$4-600 range.

 

[Krispy Kritter]

I'd go with an amp/Receiver, monitors, and a sub. keeping everything separate allows you to upgrade/swap pieces individually.

 

[Procyon12]

before spending your full budget on a studio monitor set, consider making room for a pre amp, dac, etc. and subwoofer if you want it.

also, you dont need a subwoofer out on your speakers, you should split the signal at the pre amp level, or put an active crossover behind the pre amp. you can also go the high level route.

my reccomendation for $500-$600

spidf out of your mobo to
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TC7510-Audiophile-Digital-Analog-Audio-Converter-DAC-/370528529957?
http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-Speakers-Dark-Pair/dp/B004NDN9NK/ref=pd_cp_e_2
http://www.ebay.com/itm/A3-RCY-1-Ma...095?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c60449bcf
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sonance-Son...ultDomain_0&hash=item336ae0bf4b#ht_500wt_1202

this energy sub seems to fluctuate between $130-190 on amazon. try to get it on one of the troughs...
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-ESW-C8-8-Inch-Subwoofer-Black/dp/B0021L9BMO

saving some money and smaller footprint:
http://www.amazon.com/AudioSource-AMP-100-2-Channel-Bridgeable-Amplifier/dp/B00026BQJ6 (use the B zone for the subwoofer, not the line level passthrough)
http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Channel-Sound-Card-XONAR_DG/dp/B0045JHJSS
http://www.amazon.com/Energy-ESW-C8-8-Inch-Subwoofer-Black/dp/B0021L9BMO
http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Aud...2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1319845897&sr=1-2

 

[Dudeyourlame]

I appreciate everyones suggestions..

I already have a reciever , and speakers for my TV, just until i move out they are in the same room... So I feel like the best thing to do is get a dedicated set for my computer ( I do FAR more at my computer, and dont wish to have a bunch of shit laying around on my desk)

So I'm going to just keep looking for Self powered speakers for my computer, and just have one sub for the entire room
---- which begs a question, could i just use a splitter to connect 2 sources into one input plug and the sub would just play whatever source happened to be sending a signal?

My current motherboard x58 has coax SPDIF and Optical Audio out, and of course the 1/8" jacks...

-What would be the most ideal way to get that signal from my computer to the speakers, perhaps though some form of DAC with a optical audio port IN, and Coax Outputs to go to the spaekers?

Im aware that1/8" audio plugs probably arent the most ideal source plug and since im not a HUGE audiophile wouldnt that suffice?

 

[Procyon12]

---- which begs a question, could i just use a splitter to connect 2 sources into one input plug and the sub would just play whatever source happened to be sending a signal?

yes. just get more of the splitters im going to link below.

-What would be the most ideal way to get that signal from my computer to the speakers, perhaps though some form of DAC with a optical audio port IN, and Coax Outputs to go to the spaekers?

taken from the suggestion i posted above:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TC7510-Audio.../370528529957?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/A3-RCY-1-Mal...item2c60449bcf

just get the the active monitors and subwoofer of your choice.

 

[Procyon12]

looks like my ebay link for the y cables broke:
http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Ultra...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1319864026&sr=1-12

whathifi rating on that ebay DAC:
http://www.whathifi.com/review/beresford-tc-7510

 

[Dudeyourlame]

Excuse my ignorance, All a DAC does is take a signal which is digital, and converts it to an Analog signal, and allows me to let the signal go to 2 devices at the same time?

So what id have to do to set that up is
1 )plug into an optical plug from the computer
2) plug a powered speaker into the Line ( Fixed ) ports
3) plug a powered subwoofer into the Amp (Variable) ports

I have a feeling this is going right over my head


http://www.ebay.com/itm/TC7510-Audio.../370528529957?&afsrc=1#ht_1393wt_1396

 

[Procyon12]

Excuse my ignorance, All a DAC does is take a signal which is digital, and converts it to an Analog signal, and allows me to let the signal go to 2 devices at the same time?

yes, but in this case, its also a pre amp/volume control.

So what id have to do to set that up is
1 )plug into an optical plug from the computer
2) plug a powered speaker into the Line ( Fixed ) ports
3) plug a powered subwoofer into the Amp (Variable) ports

I have a feeling this is going right over my head


http://www.ebay.com/itm/TC7510-Audio.../370528529957?&afsrc=1#ht_1393wt_1396

you actually want to use splitters on the variable ports and send to both.
this way you control the volume on the DAC for BOTH. otherwse every time you change the DAC volume you also have to change the speaker volume.

you should play with the sub volume and speaker volume untill they blend well together, then never touch them again only touch the volume on the DAC.

 

[Dudeyourlame]

yes, but in this case, its also a pre amp/volume control.



you actually want to use splitters on the variable ports and send to both.
this way you control the volume on the DAC for BOTH. otherwse every time you change the DAC volume you also have to change the speaker volume.

you should play with the sub volume and speaker volume untill they blend well together, then never touch them again only touch the volume on the DAC.

Awesome i think i finally understand .

Seems a little cobbley to get this all to work, a Full on amp i can start to see why it would be better, and then get unpowered speakers for that!

ALSO, lets say you have a subwoofer with only one coax port, after the split it at the dac, you would split that back into one port for the sub?

 

[Procyon12]

yes, exactly.

 

[SirMaster]

Here are some great speakers for a great price.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1324599373

Pair those with a nice sub and a receiver and you will have a great setup in your budget.