This combo. Not exactly a smallest system, but it sounds brilliant.

Yamaha RX-V563 receiver
Canton GLE-420 as front speakers
Canton Plus XL.2 as rear speakers
BK elec XLS200-DF subwoofer

subwoofer was the priciest part of the whole setup, imported from the UK ^^
I have this setup for over 10 years now and I'm very happy with it, don't see a reason to change anything.

the reasoning when I got it was, "I'm going to spend a little bit more for once but that'll probably last me for a while", and well, 10 years later that stands true 😀
also got it spread out over a year, first the receiver and front speakers, a while after that the subwoofer and then got the rear speakers used off ebay.

before that I was using a Cambridge Soundworks 2.1 Digital set that I also had and used for a decade.

Modern active studio monitors. I like things balanced so I'm not a fan of tiny speakers that squeal and beefy subwoofers that try to save the game. I can understand why someone might prefer them for movies and game explosions, it's just not for me. They also come in convenient sizes. I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't heard a good pair to do so, you might like their neutral and well balanced sound or you might not, but in case you do you'll discover a whole new world. And you won't be able to enjoy music from youtube ever again 😄

I am talking "small" "micro" and "barely visible" here 😀
My plan is to get every machine it's own sound-system.
Actually the speakers in the TFT's are too bad, they need (bass) support.

the old monitors like SM124/SC1224/1084 and other CRT's had amps and far bigger speakers in them,
so sound-performance was ok back then, actual TFT's sound like crap compared to these.

dr.zeissler wrote on 2020-02-20, 11:41:

I am talking "small" "micro" and "barely visible" here 😀

You'll be surprised by the size of some studio monitors and the sound they deliver. Size-wise they are comparable to the classic shitty computer speakers we had back then, maybe you have the huge ones in mind.

http://www.tmeeco.eu/BitShit/PCschit/BattleStation.jpg
(seems vogons won't let non-HTTPS sources to be used for images, and I will not be wasting my server CPU cycles on that)

I have an EQ, small amp and pair of small speakers (compared to what's in the livingroom) for computer use. Speakers in the CRT monitor are not used normally, except maybe for a quick test of some device without having to reach for sound cables of the main rig 🤣.

Selfmade Stereo TDA2822M based Amplifier 2x IC operating in Bridge Mode.

Raw 1W of Power per Channel into Schneider 4 Ohm Speakers found on a Pille of Trash near the Street.

all my modules + sound cards feed into a rolls rm203 10 channel stero mixer, into an amp (smsl sa-3) into a pair of MB42 speakers.

I've always been a bit of a computer audio nerd. Here's what I use.

Gaming PC - onboard Realtek ALC1220 to Swan M50W 2.1 speakers. These are probably the nicest sounding PC speakers I've ever heard, with lots of detail in the higher frequencies (yet not bright or fatiguing), and a nice, clean low-end. The sub is definitely capable for a 6.5" unit - the lower frequencies in movies and games absolutely shake my chair, yet it never overpowers the satellites or sounds boomy. As with most PC speakers, this is definitely a near field system. It sounds absolutely wonderful when you're sitting in front of it, but bass drops off quite quickly as you move away. One minor complaint: as the satellite drivers are only 3", certain midrange frequencies aren't quite as full-sounding as you'd get from a proper hi-fi with larger main speakers, but that's to be expected from any sub/satellite based system.

Office/bedroom PC - onboard Realtek ALC898 to Swan M10 2.1 speakers. Very stylish set. Good range and remarkably flat output for a $100 2.1 setup. However, the silk dome tweeters are definitely subdued--you might even think the high-end response is somewhat "boring" compared to many other PC speakers, especially for movies and gaming. For most kinds of music, however, I actually prefer this!

Retrogaming machines - They are all plugged into an older Sony stereo receiver from 1992, powering Klipsch RB61-II bookshelf speakers. You can buy these older receivers for peanuts at thrift stores and garage sales, yet they have far more amplifier power than PC/multimedia sets. Hooked up to larger bookshelves like the Klipsch RB61-IIs, you can tell right away that you're listening to a larger system - it has a much easier time filling the room with sound than the M50Ws, and with none of the bass dropoff as you move away from the system. One word of advice: if you're not going to be using a subwoofer, avoid 5.1 surround receivers. The plain old stereo amps seem to pump a much fuller sound--with lots more bass content--through your speakers than 5.1 receivers, even if you configure the 5.1 receiver for full range stereo output.

486 PC - Creative Inspire P7800 7.1 speakers. I only have two of the satellites plugged in, so it's running as a 2.1 set. Typical cheap mid-2000s multimedia surround set, but the AWE64 doesn't exactly output the cleanest audio, so I guess it's a match made in heaven. And actually, the somewhat bright satellites and somewhat boomy sub act as a natural equalizer of sorts to the AWE64's output, and they manage to sound quite great together. I certainly can't get this set sounding as good with the much flatter output of any modern source!

HTPC in the living room: Optical out to a DAC connected to a late 70s Marantz receiver, driving a pair of Infinity Kappa 6 floor standers and a passive Dahlquist DQ-1W 13" sealed subwoofer. I was lucky enough to find the Dahlquist and its passive crossover module at a yard sale a few years ago. This system sounds absolutely incredible and especially shines with older analog sources.

HTPC in the basement: HDMI out to Denon AVR X7200WA receiver. Using an external Emotiva XPA-3 to drive the three Philharmonic Audio BMRs up front, and the Denon's built in amps to drive the four PA AA-II surrounds. Subwoofers are a pair of SVS PC13-Ultras. DOS games sound fantastic on this rig, and that's all I have to say about that. 😜

matze79 wrote on 2020-02-20, 15:25:

Selfmade Stereo TDA2822M based Amplifier 2x IC operating in Bridge Mode.
Raw 1W of Power per Channel into Schneider 4 Ohm Speakers found on a Pille of Trash near the Street.

I would use my TFT Speakers for the High/Mid and use the for Asus SonicMaster for Bass-Support, but that did not work out as intended.
Filtering was in Software and the Amp was in the Laptop as well. (Asus Sonic-Master) Though it produces some lower mids right via y-cable connection with adapter,
but that is not what I wanted and expected. I can't regulate the bass because there is no amp.

The idea was good, but...
https://www.asus.com/Laptops/N55SF/ProductPrint/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l_MZI17wjM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqlnBtyyATI

here's my setup. i like it very much.
dac/preamp/headphone amp - fostex hp-a8c
active near field studio monitors - fostex px-6
headphones - fostex th900 mkii

Standard Def Steve wrote on 2020-02-20, 18:41:

486 PC - Creative Inspire P7800 7.1 speakers. I only have two of the satellites plugged in, so it's running as a 2.1 set.

This is exactly how I run my Inspire T7700 nowadays; back when I first built that computer (Pentium 4 desktop), I ran them as a full 7.1 set, and it was like this for years, but I realized that it's a waste (nothing supports such surround, and most of the time I was just using it as stereo surround anyway - multiplying the stereo signal to 3 pairs of speakers).

I'm not really into high-quality sound. Entry-level speakers are typically enough for me, and often I use headphones too. Right now my primary desktop does not even have an external set - I just use the built-in speakers of the BenQ PD3200U monitor, and more than 70% of the time with headphones plugged in. My secondary and retro systems typically have a pair of compact stereo speakers, except one that has an Inspire T2900 2.1 set with a subwoofer.

To give some context, I live in an apartment, so neighbours are just on the other side of a wall. The sound insulation is pretty good, but not perfect. That in mind...

For my gaming PC, some Corsair Void Pro wireless headphones. Sound reproduction is good, if a little bit bassy, decent trade-off for the mobility, I can listen to them anywhere in my place!

For my home theatre, a mid-range Sony 7.1 receiver in a 3.0 configuration with some decent-ish Kenwood tower speakers. Never listened to super-loud on account of close neighbours, so a subwoofer is just wasted space. I still prefer this over the TV's built-in trash, and the HDMI switching is handy too, so I've kept it despite the floor space used by the tower speakers.

For my turntable, a Luxman L2 stereo amp and Wharfedale bookshelf speakers. Fills the room with music nicely, which is all I really need from it.

When I owned a house, the home theatre was set up in a nice 5.1 configuration with full-range rear speakers and all, but in the apartment I can't justify the space requirement.

I don't have a dedicated space for retro PCs or consoles, so when I play them, I'm near my gaming PC and can use the PC's line-in, and listen on my wireless headphones.

Don't get me wrong, you all have nice setups, but they do not point in the direction that I intended.
I will use the speakers of my TFT-Monitors (Eizo-L367, Nec71vm/51vm) but I need a really small and versitile solution for adding mid/bass in order to get them in a range that my old 1084/sm124 etc. has.
That should be possible, but the mid/bass must be so small that it will fit behind the monitor or on the machine itself. It should be a solution that can simply be adapted in the 3,5cinch-cable and if it needs additional power, then it would be nice if it get's this from the machine itself via adapter.

Machines that I inteded for such a solution:
- Apple IIgs (no Speakers in TFT)
- Archimedes 4000 (no Speakers in TFT)
- Atari MegaST (Nec51vm)
- 486/DX2-66 (L367)
- A2000 w. A2286 (Nec71vm/71vm)

Doc

Creative T20 speakers with as much spdif as possible into a decent headphone DAC. Small mixer to mox DAC output with the output of a midi stack and that's it.

I use Logitech x230 speakers on my retro PC and Mac computers. I think it's a very good quality pair of speakers. I would love to use retro beige speakers but I am not experienced with them. Firstly i choose the quality and then the appearance but i don't want to pay much. For me, one important thing on sound is the subwoofer. The games are lot better with the bass. These days i am thinking of something better. I would like to ask if someone has experience or believe that it would be nice a compination of the React AV 1300 amplifier and Presonus 3.5 speakers.