I'm using this Altec Lansing VS2421 with one of my systems :

I know it's subjective, but the sounds are ok with deep bass.

YouTube VS2421 Demonstration.

I have a few sets. Best are Klipsch Promedia 2.1. Can't really go wrong with those. Just go to a store with a display of speakers that you can listen to.

I wouldn't recommend any PC speakers. Price/quality wise none of the PC sets I've heard can compete with proper hi-fi speakers. Problem with hi-fi speakers is that they take up a lot of space, however.

Maybe I missed something but I see neither RCA nor 3.5mm inputs on the Klipsch sub, only a 3.5mm in on one of the satellites...

And yeah obviously going in a store and testing some out would be optimal. Can't do that with the older stuff though, yet I've heard that the old Logitech Z-2300 or even Z-4 are far superior to what they currently offer so I wondered if it might be worth picking one up on ebay since they seem to go for fairly cheap.

With that said I'm not looking for what offers the biggest bass (I've been fairly satisfied with the bass on the Z323, if I turn it half way up it's already way too much, for that reason I really can't use them with a PC), I mainly want improvements in midrange detail while still having decent bass for those explosions and stuff...

I have the Z623 from Logitech. They come with a MASSIVE sub, not like the cheaper speaker sets.

Over here in Australia Logitech does specials so never buy full price. JB Hifi does Logitech gear at 20% or similar promotions from time to time, so make sure it's on sale 😀

http://www.logitech.com/en-au/product/speaker … em-z623?crid=47

As a homegrown mixing engineer, I wouldn't recommend buying a 2.1 system for such money. You will anyway end up with suffocated midrange frequencies and huge booming bass.

Buy yourself a 2.0 system, something that had earned its reputation over time. Maybe a Sven Royal series or Microlab Solo, or Microlab Pro. You might acquire less bass, but overall more balanced sound.

A nice 2.0 set would probably sound wonderful if bass is not a primary concern.

I gave up on the .1 years ago -- too much of a midrange gap unless you're willing to shell out the dough. I've been using M-Audio StudioPro 4s on my PC for about seven years...full sound, but they won't kick you in the chest (85Hz-20kHz). They stopped making that model but replaced it with the Studiophile AV 40:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Act … /dp/B0051WAM64/

That is a bit what I expected... 😒 it looks like most 2.1 sets have the midrange issue, the manufacturers designed the big sub to "fill in" that role when bass is turned up and it just sounds horrible. And I always get that feeling that I have to turn the satellites way up to hear all the details in game music. Well guess I'll start looking at 2.0 sets too then, even though still I'm aiming for something that doesn't sound *too* thin.

For me, sounds without a sub-woofer sound....empty or lacking something. Of course, the proper level of adjustment is required for the "right" effect.

Well, to acquire deep bass (not the booming 100-130 hertz one that 5" woofers produce), you should go for 7-8" woofer in your AC.

You may either hunt for large used ACs (to fit your budget), or buy yourself a smaller pair 4"-5" pair, and acquire a subwoofer later when you have funds. In that case ensure you are buying more or less honest ACs (ones that wouldn't exaggerate bass frequencies they are able to reproduce), maybe entry level studio monitors like Stull is suggesting. They will lack bass in comparison with same sized hi-fi units, but it can be treated later by purchasing a subwoofer.

I took a shot in the dark and ordered the 2.1 Klipsch set swaaye suggested. Apparently this thing was released 11 years ago and it's still sold, which I find quite interesting. For that price it'd better be good... 🤣 will check it out and report back 😀

The main reason why I'm focusing on those small PC speakers is just that I don't have a lot of space near the TV where I'm doing my console gaming...

Malik wrote:

For me, sounds without a sub-woofer sound....empty or lacking something. Of course, the proper level of adjustment is required for the "right" effect.

It depends a lot on what you are listening to actually... for certain games I think a subwoofer, even a small one like the Z323 can give a nice cinematic feeling. But just for music (other than some bass-heavy electronic music anyway) it's a bad call and any 2.0 system is better here.

I found these new boxed on ebay this year. They match old PC's in color and sound good.

Yamaha YST-M100

Yamaha YST-MSW10

A 2.1 system for retro PC gaming? Not sure, if I'm correct the concept didn't get introduced to PC speakers until 1999 or so. Certainly DOS games don't have powerful sound effects either for the most part. The only thing that I remember is that in 98 we had some Typhoon 2.0 speakers, if anybody here knows that brand 🤣

Malik wrote:

For me, sounds without a sub-woofer sound....empty or lacking something. Of course, the proper level of adjustment is required for the "right" effect.

The whole point of having a subwoofer is only to compensate for lack of low frequency response in your main speakers. If your speakers go low enough, a subwoofer will only make things worse since it's next to impossible to get the phase response right. I used to have a subwoofer the size of a small fridge, but ditched it for that reason. It sounded worse when I turned it up.

d1stortion wrote:

A 2.1 system for retro PC gaming? Not sure, if I'm correct the concept didn't get introduced to PC speakers until 1999 or so. Certainly DOS games don't have powerful sound effects either for the most part. The only thing that I remember is that in 98 we had some Typhoon 2.0 speakers, if anybody here knows that brand 🤣

My dad bought a Gateway 2000 Pentium Pro system in 96 with an Altec Lansing subwoofer included. 96 was the year of Quake and Duke Nukem 3D I consider those both retro games now.

Pentium Pro, Duke3D/Quake and a subwoofer, all in 96, sounds like a good time 😀 OK, to be fair those are pretty late DOS games, perhaps with early 90s games it wouldn't be quite as useful.

Yeah I used some 2.1 sets in the mid 90s. Altec Lansing was putting out sets back then for example. I'm not sure when it all started for 2.1 PC speakers.

I hope you like the Klipsch set. I've had mine for maybe 8 years. A friend or two have them as well. Of the 2.1 PC sets I've used they are probably the best I've heard. I only wish the power switch was on a satellite instead of the sub! I usually just pull the power plug.

Some speakers sucks, I use HEARTEST.EXE from Ken Silverman utility to argue with the vendors,
as the 2.1 speakers he sell can't proudce the proper low-freq sounds (less than 50 Hz).