speaker advice: klipsch promedia VS logitech z2300

[okron1k]

hey i am in need of a set of 2.1's to use for now on my computer in the bedroom until i replace my z5500's in the living room with real home theater equipment.

i know for a while.. the klipsch promedia 2.1's were some of the best. i've also had a set of logitech z2200's before but no experience with the 2300's.

what are the opinions of the HL members for 2.1 speakers? it doesn't have to be limited to this either. i just want the best sounding 2.1's i can get. good bass and something i can crank pretty loud. (to +11 for the z5500 owners :P)

thanks in advanced

-kr0n

[gvblake22]

Klipsch is a very respected name in PC audio, so both the Promedia's and GMX's would be a good product. Logitech is (as you no doubt know from your Z-5500's) a good speaker manufacturer as well, so the Z-2300's would also be a good buy if you need something loud and powerful. Those are the three that I would recommend right off the top of my head as being a higher-end 2.1 computer speaker configuration.

[okron1k]

there's also those maudio that maxpc has in their best of the best..

[gvblake22]

Indeed, M-Audio is a very respected name too. I didn't see any 2.1 setups from them on Newegg, so I didn't take the time to look up what they had available. I just bought myself the M-Audio StudioPro 3 speakers and hope to get them this week or next. I know it's a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a speaker set without a sub, but I didn't want the extra size and weight a sub requires. I'll let you know what I think of the M-Audio "monitors" (as they call it) when they come in!

[okron1k]

awesome i'll check back within a few days.. i have to go to work. i work out of the province for one.. and from that province i'm always going into the US.

so while i'm in the us i'll stop at a flying j and use their wi-fi and see what has been said here. i checked my local best buy and it seems the klipsch promedia's aren't sold in canadian best buys. i know they have the z2300's there too.. or i shop online at ncix.com. newegg isn't very canadian friendly last time i remember trying to use them, which was several years ago.

can you get a sub for the m-audio's?

about newegg... i remember them not shipping to canada before. i could be remembering wrong.. but there is also the problem of getting the item's across the border and paying duty on them and what not. ncix is in canada so i don't have that problem with them. i haven't tried to find any other canadian sites... if anyone knows of any?

[gvblake22]

Newegg doesn't ship to Canada, sorry. Check here for a good list of online technology vendors (including US and non-US vendors).

M-Audio does list this individual sub on their website, but you'd have to run a Y splitter from the computer to get it to run with a 2.0 speaker set and probably isn't worth the hassle. If you need a sub for computer speakers, you're best off (money wise) to just get the whole set.

Otherwise, you would be looking at piecing together a whole speaker system with amp/reciever and individual speakers to fit your needs. I've actually done this before and hooked it up to the computer with pretty good results, it's just expensive and takes up a lot of space.

[polobunny]

Originally Posted by gvblake22

Indeed, M-Audio is a very respected name too. I didn't see any 2.1 setups from them on Newegg, so I didn't take the time to look up what they had available. I just bought myself the M-Audio StudioPro 3 speakers and hope to get them this week or next. I know it's a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a speaker set without a sub, but I didn't want the extra size and weight a sub requires. I'll let you know what I think of the M-Audio "monitors" (as they call it) when they come in!

Well, those ARE monitors and not really standard computer speakers.
You're crazy, Blake. :P

[gvblake22]

Originally Posted by polobunny

Well, those ARE monitors and not really standard computer speakers.

So what would you say the difference is between "monitors" and "speakers"?

Originally Posted by polobunny

You're crazy, Blake. :P

Yes, I know, it hurts sometimes...

Well, got the speakers in, here is a quick pic:


They sound very good and have great range. They can actually play the very high sounds, as well as most of the lows, but it lacks a lot of "puch" in the low range because there is no sub. It suits my needs because I live in an apartment and constantly have people asking me to turn down the bass. But if you want bass, you really need a sub, these won't cut it by themselves.

[Stephenish]

Originally Posted by okron1k

about newegg... i remember them not shipping to canada before. i could be remembering wrong..

You could always ask one of us to accept the newegg shipment for you and then ship to you directly.

That is, of course, if the shipping cost doesn't overprice the goods.

[MantaBase]

Originally Posted by gvblake22

So what would you say the difference is between "monitors" and "speakers"?

....but it lacks a lot of "puch" in the low range because there is no sub. It suits my needs because I live in an apartment and constantly have people asking me to turn down the bass. But if you want bass, you really need a sub, these won't cut it by themselves.

You wouldn't know what a "monitor" is because you don't/haven't done studio (mixing) work - or no-one told you about them - but since you have them you should know what you have :)

A speaker in a home system is balanced for the particular system and with a target audience in mind. Speakers often modify the sound so that we like it more. For example, that sub woofer you mention that we all so like is actually modifying the sound to give more bass and the "punch". Great for most of us that like the low frequency in games and in popular music (I certainly do). Folks into classical have thier favorites that often enhance the midrange - this give a sense of dynamics in classical music that is sometimes lacking. Think of it as a built in static eq.

Monitors are "flat" sounding. They attempt to represent the actual signal coming from the source with no bias at any point in the range. Sound boring? It can be. They can be eq'ed, but should not be unless you are using them in the home and want them to sound better to you.

So why have monitors? Why have flat sound when none of us want it? And why are they so pricey and high quality just to sound "blah?"

Every stereo system (or home PC system) is different. The speakers all do different things to the sound. If you mix music on a set of speakers, you will get it sounding very good on that set of speakers. However, it might sound like crap on any other system - even overload the bass.

If you mix on a set of monitors, it will sound good on any system - and then you can let the speakers of any system enhance the sound on their own - with no pops or clipping or overdriving the amps.

With the addition of an eq and subwoofer, you could have the best of both worlds - use the eq and woofer for listening, and the monitors alone for reference sound when you get into home studio work. Which, BTW, you are now committed to do - since you bought a set of m-audios.

I'll be waiting for your first album to be release in the next few weeks (Titled "Hard Logic"). Please do not disappoint me.