I've already got my dream setup. Oh sure, there's far better equipment available, but I honestly don't see the need for anything more than what I have. I wouldn't buy $100k speakers even if I had a money tree growing in my backyard. I use two different systems: a Klipsch and SVS system for movies; Swan for music.
Yes, but what setup would you like to use for PC gaming?
I use the 7.2 setup for PC gaming too. Handles it all very well.
94 MHz NEC VR4300 | SGI Reality CoPro | 8MB RDRAM | Each game gets its own SSD - nooice!
On the bigger issue - grounding/shielding/etc is probably the bigger problem (I base this on that I've seen (heard?) laptops that have hiss even on battery (essentially perfect DC), but I've also seen (heard?) desktops that sound fine with a so-so PSU but decent card/board).
Standard Def Steve: not surprising that you find Klipsch is on the bright side for music; that's kind of their reputation. As far as sounding like the movie theater - there's actually a good chance the theater uses Klipsch speakers itself (Klipsch is a prominent movie theater speaker builder).
On the bigger issue - grounding/shielding/etc is probably the bigger problem (I base this on that I've seen (heard?) laptops that have hiss even on battery (essentially perfect DC), but I've also seen (heard?) desktops that sound fine with a so-so PSU but decent card/board).
I see. Well I guess I have to try old sound cards like AWE32, Diamond MX 300, and Audigy 1 on anything better than multimedia speakers.
It's kinda funny; I have a laptop with pretty crappy adapter. It doesn't hiss on an Edifier M3400 multimedia speakers, but it hisses pretty bad with Sansui/JBL combo.
Anybody now of a good 2.1 setup, ala the Cambridge Soundworks kit from years ago? I have no need for 5.1 or 7.1, just something with really good frequency response, and a nice sub.
Anybody now of a good 2.1 setup, ala the Cambridge Soundworks kit from years ago? I have no need for 5.1 or 7.1, just something with really good frequency response, and a nice sub.
I like the older Altec Lansing 2.1 setups, but a lot of the newer ones of are inferior quality IMO...I would check out some of the relatively newer logitech 2.1 speaker systems as their subs are usually pretty good quality and they are usually readily available and therefore can usually found for a good price (at least in North America)....or if you can, find an old set of beige Altec Lansing ones as I mentioned.
Anybody now of a good 2.1 setup, ala the Cambridge Soundworks kit from years ago? I have no need for 5.1 or 7.1, just something with really good frequency response, and a nice sub.
I like the older Altec Lansing 2.1 setups, but a lot of the newer ones of are inferior quality IMO...I would check out some of the relatively newer logitech 2.1 speaker systems as their subs are usually pretty good quality and they are usually readily available and therefore can usually found for a good price (at least in North America)....or if you can, find an old set of beige Altec Lansing ones as I mentioned.
Really? Those used to be the ones to avoid like the plague (circa late 90's, early 2000s). I'll have to give them a second look, and the logitechs. Thanks much! 😁
I'm the minority but.... I like KLH plastic cones.
The room I'm sitting in is ringed with 10 large bookshelf sized KLH speakers.
I also like sitting in the center of the sound storm they generate 🤣.
2 5.1 systems, sometimes I have different soundcards duel one another.
They are basically mirroring one another, so its a rather interesting experience when you are in the center of it.
Anybody now of a good 2.1 setup, ala the Cambridge Soundworks kit from years ago? I have no need for 5.1 or 7.1, just something with really good frequency response, and a nice sub.
I like the older Altec Lansing 2.1 setups, but a lot of the newer ones of are inferior quality IMO...I would check out some of the relatively newer logitech 2.1 speaker systems as their subs are usually pretty good quality and they are usually readily available and therefore can usually found for a good price (at least in North America)....or if you can, find an old set of beige Altec Lansing ones as I mentioned.
Really? Those used to be the ones to avoid like the plague (circa late 90's, early 2000s). I'll have to give them a second look, and the logitechs. Thanks much! 😁
I know what you mean, they really seemed at first to me to be crappy speakers and at one point I would see them everywhere, but after getting a pair of ACS500's and ACS400's I have to say those are some of the best computer speakers for retro systems around.
I only really like the ACS400 and ACS500 and some other similar models with dolby surround ('simulated surround') around the same era-anything else is not that great.
They really are good quality and designed for computer use and do look awesome with most beige towers and desktop cases too IMO....Now whenever I see these, I buy them (and hoard them 🤣 ) if they are a good price...getting kind of rare though...I only have the one pair of each as mentioned...another advantage to having these speakers is that they are designed to be used with two inputs and have a built in mixer allowing you to hook up your sound card and lets say a roland sound module/card for combining the separate MIDI and FM sounds for example...just an awesome feature that no one seems to be implementing in computer speakers anymore 😵😢 for obvious yet stupid reasons....Here are some pics of the ACS400 and ACS500 I saw online to give you an idea what to look for if you do decide to go the old school Altec Lansing route.
Sorry I know this is a little off topic. But to tell you the truth, the ACS500 system is kind of my dream 'regular computer' speakers....I know I said I have a pair, but they are actually broken and I could not fix them 😵 so I guess I don't really have a working set....stilll looking for some good ones at a good price.
@ Alphawing: 10 speaker setup sounds pretty cool I must say!
There's an "inbetween" generation of Altec Lansing speakers between thsoe beige ones and the newest junk that's also good - some of them have downfiring midranges, and some of them have relatively large bookshelf-style satellites with 3-4" woofers and fairly substantial subwoofer units. Model numbers escape me at the moment. And, politics and price aisde, the Bose Companion 3 is a fine 2.1 system as well.
Kreshna: The sensitivity of the preamplifier/amplifier relative to the source, and their impedance relationship, can also contribute to noise. It's possible that you're just picking up noise that way.
Kreshna: The sensitivity of the preamplifier/amplifier relative to the source, and their impedance relationship, can also contribute to noise. It's possible that you're just picking up noise that way.
I see. It was an old Pentium 100 system; the noise persisted despite I have switched the sound card from SBPro to VIBRA 16, that I almost thought it was the amplifier's fault.Yet, when I recently tried the Kenwood DC20P amplifier with my laptop as source, it doesn't exhibit any noise at all.
Kreshna: The sensitivity of the preamplifier/amplifier relative to the source, and their impedance relationship, can also contribute to noise. It's possible that you're just picking up noise that way.
I see. It was an old Pentium 100 system; the noise persisted despite I have switched the sound card from SBPro to VIBRA 16, that I almost thought it was the amplifier's fault.Yet, when I recently tried the Kenwood DC20P amplifier with my laptop as source, it doesn't exhibit any noise at all.
Then it's probably the cards or the power/shielding/etc within the system. An example of what I was talking about would be the Auzentech version of the X-Fi, which will output a whopping 5Vrms from its line-out left/right jack at 100%, which is enough to clip in the inputs on most components (that expect something more like 1-2Vrms) and cause some nasty sounds. In the other direction if you have something very weak and have to turn up the volume control or gain on the receiver/amp/whatever it can lead to noise too (because it picks up whatever is there to pick up). 😵
Kreshna: The sensitivity of the preamplifier/amplifier relative to the source, and their impedance relationship, can also contribute to noise. It's possible that you're just picking up noise that way.
I see. It was an old Pentium 100 system; the noise persisted despite I have switched the sound card from SBPro to VIBRA 16, that I almost thought it was the amplifier's fault.Yet, when I recently tried the Kenwood DC20P amplifier with my laptop as source, it doesn't exhibit any noise at all.
Then it's probably the cards or the power/shielding/etc within the system. An example of what I was talking about would be the Auzentech version of the X-Fi, which will output a whopping 5Vrms from its line-out left/right jack at 100%, which is enough to clip in the inputs on most components (that expect something more like 1-2Vrms) and cause some nasty sounds. In the other direction if you have something very weak and have to turn up the volume control or gain on the receiver/amp/whatever it can lead to noise too (because it picks up whatever is there to pick up). 😵
I see. Well I hope it's not the card. Besides the Auzentech, anyone experienced with noise retro cards like Aureal 3D or Creative?
Dear god that setup just looks and sounds amazing. Imagine having all of the old consoles and a DOS rig hooked up to that. As well as laserdisc player, turntable, and of course a mini pc and DAC for FLAC playback. Giggity giggity goo! 😁
94 MHz NEC VR4300 | SGI Reality CoPro | 8MB RDRAM | Each game gets its own SSD - nooice!
Mine is a good pair of headphones. Switched almost a year ago from a pair of Bose Circumaural headphones to a Turtle Beach X12 with a headset for games and voice-over recording.
I work with a guy who's really bass-happy; he recently bought a car-style head unit, wired it up custom to his PC with two sets of PC speakers (2 front, 1 on each front-side), a huge woofer, an inverter and a battery backup. It's pretty sweet, but takes up a lot of space.
Dear god that setup just looks and sounds amazing. Imagine having all of the old consoles and a DOS rig hooked up to that. As well as laserdisc player, turntable, and of course a mini pc and DAC for FLAC playback. Giggity giggity goo! 😁
Well he gets points for nicely maintained vintage audio gear and taste in music, but the shelving/presentation is a bit "meh".
Mine is a good pair of headphones. Switched almost a year ago from a pair of Bose Circumaural headphones to a Turtle Beach X12 with a headset for games and voice-over recording.
I work with a guy who's really bass-happy; he recently bought a car-style head unit, wired it up custom to his PC with two sets of PC speakers (2 front, 1 on each front-side), a huge woofer, an inverter and a battery backup. It's pretty sweet, but takes up a lot of space.
Mmm headphones. 😎
Not sure what to think about car-style head unit; does it fit into the computer case's front end? Or is it just sitting by itself? How long can it go on battery? Sounds more like a "because I can" than a "because I should" system - not that there's anything wrong with such a thing. 😀
