Audiophile Pc setup

[simpleandordinary]

Hello,

I'm a college student and just wanna start my 1st serious audio build.

Currently using a Altec Lansing MX6021 2.1 Expressionist Ultra Speaker System which I got as a gift last 2 years..

Could any one suggest any good product to me so that I can connect them to my desktop..

My budget is $1000-$1200

Thanks

 

[ssddx]

depends how serious you are.

do you want a pc speaker recommendation? the logitech z5500 is in the $900 range and seems to get decent reviews. however if you are going to spend that kind of cash....

the other option is to get home theater speakers, a subwoofer and a receiver. depending on what you buy the system should be better built, sound better and future proof you. with a receiver you can use it for more than just a pc... it can work with your console gaming or tv as well.

the last pc speaker set i used was a $200 logitech 5.1 set which were a good bang for the dollar. i currently use a 5.0 klipsch quintet iv set, 450w sub and pioneer vsx30 receiver. i paid about $1500 but then again i didnt need to get a $600 receiver either. so you could probably make everything work for $1200 if you shop around. keep in mind that there are plenty of other speaker manufacturers out there as well.

 

[americanaudiophile]

If you are serious about getting great sound out of you PC you would start with an audio board such as the ESI Juli@ ($150). This has decent analog audio outs and excellent digital audio outs. Connect this to a good quality integrated amp and real speakers. Anything that is labeled for PC use is not going to give you the quality of sound for music. Some integrated amps have digital to analog converters built in or you can add one later. Don't spend money on surround sound if you don't need it. Go 2 channel to spend your money wisely.
If there is a good audio dealer near you visit them and listen to what they have.

 

[musical marv]

Hello,

I'm a college student and just wanna start my 1st serious audio build.

Currently using a Altec Lansing MX6021 2.1 Expressionist Ultra Speaker System which I got as a gift last 2 years..

Could any one suggest any good product to me so that I can connect them to my desktop..

My budget is $1000-$1200

Thanks

Go to a website called audiophilia and they are showing a great PC audio system which is your price range.

 

[soundguruman]

Hello,

I'm a college student and just wanna start my 1st serious audio build.

Currently using a Altec Lansing MX6021 2.1 Expressionist Ultra Speaker System which I got as a gift last 2 years..

Could any one suggest any good product to me so that I can connect them to my desktop..

My budget is $1000-$1200

Thanks

There are certain motherboards built for multimedia that have a better signal to noise ratio.
Normal motherboards don't have that.
An audio card does not cure that problem, you have to start with a new board.
Powered studio monitors are the choice. Computer speakers are garbage for hi fi.

 

[blackhawk1928]

Hello,

I'm a college student and just wanna start my 1st serious audio build.

Currently using a Altec Lansing MX6021 2.1 Expressionist Ultra Speaker System which I got as a gift last 2 years..

Could any one suggest any good product to me so that I can connect them to my desktop..

My budget is $1000-$1200

Thanks

If you want good sound, forget about small speaker sets or HTIB's. For an entry grade good sounding system, you want a brand name receiver and speakers.
In the Audio-World...you must learn one principle before you buy anything:

Brand over Specs
Brand>Specs
First Brand...then Specs
Specs come AFTER Brand


There are tons of ways that manufacturers mess around with specifications, so if you want good quality, stick with good brands, do not just look at specs and come to conclusions. There is a very real reason why some 1000watt receivers cost $200 and some cost $800.

 

[simpleandordinary]

Now I decided to make a home system like what have mentioned by ssddx so that I can plug in to my pc, console and etc..

After doing some research, I still cant decide what kind of speakers, receiver and sub woofer should I be using..

Can anyone suggest a good combinations for $1000-1200 budget?

Thank you.. I really appreciate with the answer given..

 

[musical marv]

If you want good sound, forget about small speaker sets or HTIB's. For an entry grade good sounding system, you want a brand name receiver and speakers.
In the Audio-World...you must learn one principle before you buy anything:

Brand over Specs
Brand>Specs
First Brand...then Specs
Specs come AFTER Brand


There are tons of ways that manufacturers mess around with specifications, so if you want good quality, stick with good brands, do not just look at specs and come to conclusions. There is a very real reason why some 1000watt receivers cost $200 and some cost $800.

Your EAR is the most important aspect when purchasing an audio system.Brands do not mean a dam thing!There are unknown manufacturers out there will destroy brands like Altec Lansing or Sanyo

 

[blackhawk1928]

Your EAR is the most important aspect when purchasing an audio system.Brands do not mean a dam thing!There are unknown manufacturers out there will destroy brands like Altec Lansing or Sanyo

As a general rule of thumb, if you want quality, stick with the known brands. Thats if you cannot test of course. I doubt the OP will be going to stores to *test* out his $1200 speakers.

You might get lucky with a sony receiver...but 99% of the time they suck.
You might unlucky with a Denon receiver...but 99% of the time they are solid.

 

[ssddx]

marv does have a point... sometimes relatively unknown brands do sound great for the money paid. however, you are taking a HUGE gamble if you do not do EXTENSIVE research on specs, the brand and comparing them to other speakers by listening to them. in general if you arent audio savvy at all... its best to stick to well known brands (which often have LOTS of reviews on them).

@op

go to a store with a home theater section and listen to a few sets to figure out what you like. personally i thought quite a few sounded great but what got me into klipsch was the fact that they are very well built for the price.

as i stated earlier you can probably get into a set like mine in your budget if you get them on sale or get a cheaper receiver than i did. a quick search showed some online retailers selling the quintet iv for $450 and another the sw-350 subwoofer for $280. at these prices that still leaves you PLENTY of money for a receiver and cables. like i said you have to do some searching if you want deals.

another option is to take a look at the ht-sk5 or ht-sk6 htib by klipsh. not quite in the same league but they didnt appear bad when i looked at them myself.

google shopping showed a lot of 5 sk5 speakers (no sub or receiver) used for $99 on ebay. buy a gently used sub and a cheap receiver and you could probably walk out the door for less than $600 in equipment, albiet some of it used. there are tons of options..

op.... do as we suggested and go to a store to test these out. if not possible then pursue some of the brands we listed and read reviews. prices vary and even some top end equipment we list can be gotten cheaper. you need to do some searching for prices instead of asking us to do it for you.

 

[astrallite]

Buying used on Audiogon can get you great value

I picked up Revel Gem 2 ($11k retail) for $3,400, and Dynaudio Contour SR ($2500 retail) for $750.

 

[simpleandordinary]

Best answer selected by simpleandordinary.