Yeah it's crazy the little details we think are super important when getting into a hobby that seem to be pretty unimportant later on. I had a Lamy Safari as my first pen, but going into it I thought that the snap cap would be a huge issue. I thought it would be super loud or annoying to put on and off or something like that. Turns out it's not even a problem now that I've got the pen lol.

That pentel looks awesome! I really like the simple and classy look of it. That's a big reason I like the Lamy 2000. It looks like a black pen at first, but is much cooler once you really look at it.

Honestly with speakers, cheap stuff is a lot more fun that expensive stuff to me. I've got a pair of Quad Z-3 towers. Yeah, of course they sound good. If they cost that much and don't, there's a big problem. The thing I like about cheaper speakers is how they all have a very fun character. Once you're spending a lot of money, every speaker out there just tries to sound exactly the same. Cheaper speakers do different stuff though. There are some speakers that focus on midrange, so vocals sound really sweet and warm. There are some that focus on the top end, so you get every little detail up top. There are some that focus on dynamics, so you get that "front row of a concert" sorta feel. I like experimenting with all that stuff. It's just fun. And you don't have to spend a ton of money and get those KEFs to really get into it.

Just for fun, I'll build a cheap setup for you, so you'll know what to get in the future if you ever feel inclined haha.

The Micca MB42X are really the "go-to" starter speaker. They're one of the cheapest that sound decent. And, honestly, they sound really good.

SMSL SA50 to power them. That's on sale for the same price as the SA36 right now. They're the same thing, just this has more power. You don't need it, but you might as well have it haha.

Some speaker cable. You need to cut it and strip it to put it into the speakers. There are quite a few tutorials out there on it. It's pretty easy.

Cable to plug it in.

Boom, just like that you've got a sweet stereo speaker setup that will blow any single speaker out of the water, and easily impress anyone! It comes to around $150 with everything.

I'm not trying to talk you into anything, but I'm basically pointing out that you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to get a respectable system.

While we're on this, another thing I like about hobbies is that anyone can be in it at any price range, and that's super cool to me. If someone only has money for a $15 Pilot fountain pen, who cares? That's awesome that they like fountain pens! They don't need to have a $200 fountain pen to be cool. Just anything is sweet. Same with speakers. You don't need a multi thousand dollar system to be "into audio" or whatever you'd call it. If you've got a setup that you like, at whatever price, that's sweet! I'm glad we both enjoy music.

EDIT: I put main points in bold so that people can skim through this and get the gist of what I'm saying here. Very long post, so I thought it would be merciful to do so.
 

Alrighty, this may be long so buckle up and get ready for a journey.
 

I don't consider myself a hardcore audiophile or an expert in turntables/records, so I did some research when I was first looking to purchase one. I was originally looking at a Crosley record player but was soon warned about how notoriously evil they are -- by the way, DO NOT GET A CROSLEY, THEY ARE TERRIBLE!!! They are notorious for putting too much pressure on vinyls with their needles and end up scratching, carving, and ruining perfectly good records (for reference, ideal tracking force is two grams while the Crosley applies five grams tracking force). The parts are cheap and outdated and the player itself is extremely unstable and will skip if there's any sort of vibrational disturbance nearby. It's not good at all.
 

That said, I want to make sure you know what exactly you're getting into right now. When you buy a turntable, there are other things you need to buy along with it to make it function correctly. I don't know whether you're planning to get a turntable just as a gift that only your SO will use or if it's something you both will use, but it's important nonetheless to know what exactly a turntable requires to work properly. See, when people buy a turntable, a lot of people don't realize that there are three things that are needed alongside it: a pre-amp; an amplifier; and speakers. Speakers is obvious, sure, and of course you'll need something to control the volume, but a lot of people I've talked to only thought about that kind of stuff after purchasing their turntable.
 

The reason why these things are important is because most turntables rely on an electrical current in order to transmit vinyl to audio, but the current the turntable generates on its own doesn't matter if there's nothing to turn that current into sound. Think of it like a secret code. The vinyl is the coded message, and the turntable is the tool that deciphers the code. It can't decipher the code without the correct key, though; a preamp is like the key. It takes that current the turntable generates and amplifies it so that the signal is strong enough to be decoded by the amplifier. The amplifier is what actually turns it into the sound format, and is how you control volume as well. The speakers project the deciphered sound that you get to hear and enjoy. If you only plan on buying a turntable, then you don't need to worry about these things. Otherwise, keep reading; I'm finally getting to the point so please bear with me after this terrible analogy. :P
 

It's a lot to take into consideration when buying a turntable; when I did my research, I found that the Audio Technica LP series was pretty reliable. It's not exactly ultra high-end, but it's a great starting point for beginning collectors. There are two ATLP record players, the 60 and the 120, and some other variants that I'm not really aware of. I personally use the 120 because I thought it was funny being able to mess with the pitch settings on it, and I like the extended options the 120 has over the 60. This is just a comparison between both the 60 and 120 below if you're interested in the Audio Technica LP series:
 

In Favor of the 120:

• the LP60 is a belt-drive turntable which means that you'll be replacing a belt in the turn table if it breaks, whereas the LP120 is direct drive and there's no broken belts to worry about replacing
  
  
• the stylus is also a better quality in the 120, but I don't know from experience whether this is true in comparison to the 60
  
  
• the 120 is also sturdier than the 60 as well
   
  
  In Favor of the 60:
  
  
• the LP60 is smaller and more portable than the 120, as the 120 is kind of bulky and heavy
  
  
• the LP60 is cheaper than the 120 (Amazon says that the 60 is about $100 while the 120 is about $300. I recommend the 60 as the best way to start listening to vinyl over the 120 as it's less of a financial commitment than the 120 is, especially if you turn out not to like records. not meaning to be negative but it's something to consider, as well
  
  
• the LP60 has less options, but the options on the 120 don't usually matter to people who are just getting into vinyl so that's more of a personal preference
   
  
  Something in the favor of both players, though: they both come with built-in preamps, so you won't have to worry about buying one of those. Some people don't like the sound quality of the built-in preamp, but I think it's fine and it really isn't something to worry about as a beginner. The amp and speakers matter a bit more.
   
  
  When I went to go find a good amp, I made the mistake of going to Best Buy. Never go to Best Buy. It's a nightmare. The guy I talked to about amplifiers promptly directed us to home sound systems that cost over $1,000 in price. I found one on Amazon for $39. Not only does it work with my turntable, it's also bluetooth so you can stream from your phone if you want to as well (I'll link it right here so you can see it). I only set the amplifier up to half volume and it fills the entire room. I thought it was a miracle how I was seeing all of these huge ass home systems and then I get this little tiny ant of an amplifier and it does just as well.
   
  
  Now, onto speakers. You should think about the speakers the same way as I described the amp. The biggest, most ultra high-end stuff is just not worth it when you're starting out. I use Micca MB42 Bookshelf Speakers, which are amazing (the link is here). It's also $60 on Amazon, so you'll be saving money there, too. Oh, and you'll need speaker wire, which is $11 on Amazon as well.
   
  
  The total amount of money I spent on my system was $400 (it's really $399 but I rounded up), including the Audio Technica LP120, the mini amp, and the bookshelf speakers. If you get the LP60, you'd only be spending $200 ($199 but again rounded up). My setup and recommendations aren't the most top-of-the-line stuff, sure, but this is all I can recommend to you as this is all I've ever really used. It sounds great and I wouldn't really change it for anything.
   
  
  I'm so sorry this is such a long read, but I went through a lot figuring this out the hard way. I got my turntable as a gift along with those speakers, but then found out that I also needed to buy an amp to actually be able to make my whole setup work, and it spawned a two week-long horror show of trying to figure out what kind of amp to get. I feel like getting a turntable or really anything on such a scale as this should be a momentous and memorable occasion to cherish forever, and shouldn't be tainted by having to go through the ringer just to get one missing piece of the puzzle. I am also a music lover and feel your first foray into vinyl shouldn't be associated with high costs but rather being able to experience it for the first time and marveling in its strangely magical quality. It's a great gesture, especially towards an SO.
   
  
  Now I might be over-exaggerating a bit throughout this whole thing, but I think what you're trying to do is very sweet and I thought it would be good to take it seriously. Also, reading long posts like this can be exhausting, so I thought it'd be easier to get through if I did over-exaggerate and make it a more interesting read. Thanks for reading, and I hope your SO appreciates the gift. :)

I have some recommendations and suggestions. I know there's a lot of info, but you should know this if you want to get more value for your money. I ran out of space before I could cover everything, so just ask me if you have questions.

Headphones

---

The first thing you should determine is whether you need sound isolation or not.

• Open-back: the earcups have perforations/openings that allow sound to freely pass through. The benefits to this is generally a larger soundstage and better imaging. This can also help if your ears tend to sweat.
  
  
• Closed-back: the earcups have solid shells that isolate sound from passing through to various extent.
  
   
  
  Next, you should figure out which sound signature you prefer.
  
  
• Balanced/flat/neutral: doesn't over- or under-emphasize the bass or treble.
  
• Warm: emphasizes the bass.
  
• Dark: recesses the treble. A headphone can be warm and dark.
  
• Bright: emphasizes the treble.
  
• U-shape: emphasizes the bass and treble a little.
  
• V-shape: emphasizes the bass and treble more than U-shaped.
  
• Mid-forward: the mids are louder than the bass and treble. The mids may be emphasized or the bass and treble may be recessed.
  
  Sub-bass is how deep the bass goes and is where rumble comes from.
  
  Mid-bass is where impact/slam comes from.
  
  Generally, for competitive shooters, as little bass as possible is favorable because bass overpowers or overshadows footsteps and other sound cues.
  
   
  
  Lastly, you should know what sound characteristics constitute positional audio and pertain to immersion.
  
  
• Soundstage: is produced by the headphone, not the game. It's perceived space and environment of sound. It's the size of the sound field around you. A small soundstage makes the environment around you sound confined or boxed in. With a large soundstage, the environment sounds much more spatial, open and natural. You can't comprehend it without experiencing it.
  
  
• Imaging: is inherent to the audio content. It's how accurately the locations of sounds/objects are reproduced.
  
  
• Separation: is how you discern individual sounds from a range of overlapping sounds. This is only important in competitive shooters.
  
   
  
  Personal headphone recommendations:
  
  
• Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X (open-back):
  
  has recessed sub-bass and emphasized treble. Has clean bass and a little harsh treble. Has a huge soundstage, excellent imaging, separation and clarity, and great detail retrieval.
  
  
• Beyerdynamic DT990 (600 ohms) (open-back):
  
  has recessed sub-bass, emphasized mid-bass, and very emphasized treble. Has clean bass and a little splashy or overly sparkly treble. Has a huge soundstage and excellent imaging, separation, clarity and detail retrieval.
  
  
• Philips Fidelio X2 (open-back):
  
  has emphasized sub-bass, mid-bass and treble. Has clean bass and smooth treble. The soundstage is very wide, like the others I've mentioned, but it lacks some depth. It's probably only noticeable if you play competitively or compare it side-by-side with headphones that are deeper. This affects the imaging from front to back. The imaging from left to right is excellent. Separation and clarity are excellent. Detail retrieval is great, but bass overpowers sound cues a lot.
  
  
• Sennheiser HD598 (open-back):
  
  is mid-forward and has recessed sub-bass. Has clean bass, smooth treble, and excellent clarity. I haven't used it much, so my impressions are that it has a large soundstage and good imaging, separation and detail retrieval.
  
  

  
  

  
  I also compare to AKG K52, AKG Q701, Audeze LCD-2 Classic, HiFiMan HE400i (the revision), HiFiMan HE-500, HyperX Cloud, Monoprice Monolith M1060, Philips SHP9500, Sennheiser HD700, Sennheiser HD800, Superlux HD662 EVO, Superlux HD668B, Superlux HD669, Superlux HD681 EVO, Tritton Pro+ and Turtle Beach Ear Force XP Seven.
  
  My evaluations are based on games, not music. I test headphones mostly in BF:BC2, BF3, BF4 and R6S.
  
   
  
  Alternatives:
  
  Open-back
  
  

• AKG K612 Pro
  
• AKG K701
  
• AKG K702
  
• Audio-Technica ATH-AD900x
  
• Beyerdynamic DT880
  
• Sennheiser Game One (headset)
  
• Sennheiser HD558/HD579
  
• Sennheiser HD599
  
  Closed-back
  
  
• AKG K550
  
• Audio Technica ATH-MSR7
  
• Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Plus
  
• Beyerdynamic DT770
  
• Sennheiser Game Zero (headset)
  
• V-MODA Crossfade M-100
  
   
  
  

  Microphones
  

  
  ---
  
  

  
  

  
  Attachable to headphones
  
  

• Antlion ModMic
  
• Massdrop Minimic
  
• V-MODA BoomPro
  
  Alternatives
  
  
• Audio-Technica AT2020USB
  
• Blue Snowball
  
• Blue Yeti
  
• Neewer Clip on Mini Lapel Microphone
  
• Samson Go
  
• Sony ECMCS3
  
• Zalman ZM-Mic1
  
   
  
  

  Setup
  

  
  ---
  
  

  
  

  
  Antlion ModMic and Massdrop Minimic are compatible with all headphones.
  
  V-MODA BoomPro is compatible with Philips Fidelio X2 and V-MODA Crossfade M-100 of the aforementioned headphones.
  
   
  
  You can connect the headphone and mic to the PS4 by using an audio USB adapter. The one I linked has separate jacks for the headphone and mic, so in order to use it with V-MODA BoomPro, you need a Y-splitter, which is included with the mic. The other 3.5mm mics have an own cable, so there's no need for a Y-splitter.
  
  USB mics, like AT2020USB, Snowball and Yeti, connect directly to the PS4.
  
  If the cables aren't long enough, then just use an aux extension cable or a USB extension cable.
  
   
  
  The PS4 isn't capable of powering all headphones sufficiently, so you may need a sound card or a headphone amplifier and a DAC (digital-to-analog converter). A Sound card has an amp and a DAC built in and sacrifice sound quality for features. You need a DAC because USB and optical are digital signals and PS4 has no analog outputs. There's a common problem with reversed left and right channels when using USB DACs, so I'll only list DACs with optical. I'll only list USB sound cards that officially support PS4.
  
  Power isn't just impedance dependent, it's also sensitivity dependent, which many new to this hobby overlook. If a headphone has a low impedance rating and a high sensitivity rating, it will be very easy to drive. If a headphone has a high impedance rating and a high sensitivity rating, it should be easy to drive. If a headphone has a high impedance rating and a low sensitivity rating, it will be hard to drive. If a headphone has a low impedance rating and a low sensitivity rating, it will be very hard to drive.
  
  There's no consensus on where 'high' impedance starts at. I've read/heard anywhere from 50 ohms to 300 ohms. For sensitivity, there are two different measurements used for this: SPL/mW and SPL/V. 100 dB SPL/mW and 110 SPL/V are considered high.
  
  If you don't want to ever deal with this, then I recommend just getting a very powerful sound card or amp, e.g. Creative Sound BlasterX G5 or Schiit Magni 3.
  
  Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X, Philips Fidelio X2 and Sennheiser HD598 are very loud for me out of the controller or by using an audio USB adapter. The 600-ohm version of Beyerdynamic DT990 is too quiet.
  
  

  
  

  
  Mics generally don't work with amps, so you'll have to connect it to an audio USB adapter, or to the controller with a TRRS Y-splitter. You recognize them by the three black rings on their connector. You need to use the included Y-splitter with V-MODA BoomPro.
  
  With a sound card, you can use both the headphone and mic with it. You need a TRRS Y-splitter if the mic has a separate cable.
  
  To connect a separate amp to a DAC, you need RCA cables.
  
  

  
  

  
  Sound cards:
  
  

• Astro MixAmp Pro TR
  
• Creative Sound BlasterX G1
  
• Creative Sound BlasterX G5
  
• Turtle Beach Elite Pro TAC
  
  

  
  

  
  Amps and DACs:
  
  

• Audioengine D1 (both)
  
• FiiO D3 (DAC)
  
• FX Audio DAC-X6 (both)
  
• Mayflower ARC (both)
  
• Micca OriGen G2 (both)
  
• Schiit Magni 3 (amp)
  
• Schiit Modi 2 Uber (DAC)
  
• SMSL SD793-II (both)
  
• Topping A30 (amp)
  
• D30 (DAC)

If you ask a question, and someone answers it correctly, reply with a thank you, but include this checkmark: ✓ ( or if you cannot enter Unicode, use !check instead )

This will score the user whose comment you replied to a 'point'. Currently the points will unlock special flair that will show in all Daily Simple Questions threads.

This should be working, hopefully

In case you missed it, click here for yesterday's Daily Simple Questions thread.
There may be some questions still unanswered! Below are a selection of questions with no replies. See if you can help them out.

If you don't want to see this comment click the little [-] to the left of my username to collapse this comment.

----

> does newegg tend to have cyber monday deals? building a whole new rig for the second time, and a couple sales on parts actually end on sunday, so I was wondering if I should just order them now.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9w82oo/

----

> Hi everyone.
>
> will any simple/cheap/ rgb strip sync to my mobo MSI x470 gaming , as long as i plug it directly on the rgb dedicated pins on the mobo? and what about usb hubs? would they still sync up just trough the mobo? i have their mystic light app, so far i only used for the rgb on the mobo itself

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9wben8/

----

> I bought a Cooler Master - MasterLiquid Lite 120 66.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
> And I'm looking for an installation video to help me with it. Otherwise I'll have to get my brothers friends to help install it and he want like $50 to put my PC together. All I need help with is the liquid cooler cause I've never put one in before.
>
> Anyone know any good videos to help?


/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9wem45/

----

> Hi. I have the ability to purchase an old Xeon E5420 Dell Desktop, with new SSD and 8GBs of RAM for cheap. Does anyone use it still? How does it hold for browsing the web, mainly more demanding websites like perhaps Cloud9 which I intend to develop on.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9wkvc0/

----

> Got. Mobo. For a old machine. Pull working parts from another machine to test it. Everything is install correctly . but. It not wanting to tirn on. After it was on last night
>


/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9wlax0/

----

> I'm looking for a place where I can buy last year's computers or laptops. I figure that last year's $1000 laptop is now $700 somewhere in the internet. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9wnpld/

----

> I built a PC last year with a 1080 Ti, i7 CPU, monitor is AW3418DW. I haven’t done anything to make it look good though. What’s a good site or YouTube channel that goes into ideas and the process of “pimping out” a PC? I’m talking RGB, color schemes, accessories, etc. I don’t know where to start.
>
> Thank you.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9wz0dl/

----

> Among other drives, I have two 6TB WD Reds for media storage for a Plex server. I use Backblaze for online backups as it has no storage limit, but even with the best consumer internet in my area, obviously a backup can take a while. I would like to have a second local storage drive specifically for a media backup.
>
> So the question - what is the best 12+ TB internal drive now, specifically from the standpoint of reliability? Cost is a near secondary concern, with performance being by far last.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9x16vl/

----

> Where is the most reliable place to buy replacement keyboard keys for a laptop? Some of them seem kind of sketch

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9x5qzv/

----

> Decided to upgrade my graphics card. I decided to go ahead and grab a 1080ti until I saw how inflated the prices have become since I last checked. It looks like a used 1080ti is a similar price to the 2080. Should I just grab a used 1080ti or buy a brand new 2080?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9x5w55/

----

> Is there any way to get audio input/output from my ps4 and my PC at the same time? I have a pair of HyperX Cloud IIs, I bought this splitter thing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AWBA8U8/
>
> And this cable: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D5H8KO2/
>
> I thought this would work and I'm almost certain I have it all set up right but my PC and ps4 won't recognize it. Any help is greatly appreciated.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9x5zb5/

----

> In your guys opinion, whats the coolest case I could get for around $100-200?
>
> Last year, I built a very budget and compact PC with a small case so that I could easily take it to friends houses. (worked better than I thought) Soon im going to be getting a laptop, so I have no need for a small case and was thinking, why not go all out and get a nice, fancy RGB case? I have always wanted to do one of those rainbow-puke builds, think its possible to do that for around $100-200 including RGB fans and light strips and all that?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9x8x6j/

----

> Is the aorus b450 mini itx board good? How is it compared to the asus board.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9xb5fp/

----

> I'm needing a bit of help with my new GPU. Just yesterday I upgraded to a Asus Strix 2080 OC edition card, and now I'm getting a D3D9 error on a hat in time. I've tried everything I've seen from forums, and nothing works. Any tips to get it running? Everything is up to date, so how do I get it to run?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9xbm5i/

----

>
> https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/WqZRyX Looking at building this in the next few weeks, for my little cousin. Slowly buying everything as they go on sale. Since it's a windowed case, was thinking of putting some RGB parts in it - what are some cheap ways of doing that? Fans? Will those be compatible with my case/motherboard?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9xdcg6/

----

> lets say i wanted to start a youtube tech channel and a twitch channel. the requirements are, for twitch it just needs to have a stand and preferably have hardware that can minimize outside sound. for youtube, it needs to have the ability to record how loud pc components (and keyboard) are when being stress tested. i was thinking the yeti mic, but maybe there might be a better mic, idk.

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9xgx6f/

----

> So i got a weird kind of thing
>
> So my Logitech G403 mouse that replaced my Razer Deathadder (because of the infamous DoubleClick bug that appeared a month after i bought it (dont buy razer mice!)) the mousewheel on my G403 started to freak out after a couple of weeks of use. Randomly scrolling up or down.
>
> Thing is i use Linux, in my workplace they also use Linux so it took me a few weeks until i could do a firmware upgrade to fix the bug (firmware update is windows/mac only) but that didnt fix the bug. The Mousewheel kept being random. Until a couple of days ago when i noticed that it is less random then usual...and it only got better and the bug is all but gone now.
>
> I dont understand this.
>
> Why did the Firmware update needed time to gestate? What is going on?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9xvbea/

----

> Hi there.
>
> I need a new keyboard and as I'm waiting for black friday week promotion, I can't choose between Logitech G513 and the new Razer BlackWidow Elite.
>
> ​
>
> What's your point of view ?
>
> ​
>
> Edit : One more : A friend is playing on a 21:9 34" monitor (3440*1440). I'm thinking of upgrading to it and then see the 38" (3840*1600) that exists. Is it enjoyable ? I certainly need a high end GPU to handle all of those pixels. Will my i5 4690 (4 core@3.5GHtz) be bottlenecked for those two screen size ?

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9y73tw/

----

> Hey guys I just bought a new pc on parts and I think I messed up. I bought a segotep sg-k8 case (with bottom mounted psu) and a psu (seasonic M12II-520) that is supposed to be top mounted.... I can still mount the psu in the case but I have to flip it upside down. Is that a problem? Thank you very much...

/r/pcmasterrace/comments/9xwmm1/daily_simple_questions_thread_nov_17_2018/e9y809h/

----

User | Points
-----|-------
A_Neaunimes | 459
badillin | 432
Luminaria19 | 389
zakabog | 319
thatgermanperson | 314
Sayakai | 306
saldytuwas | 249
095179005 | 210
motionglitch | 207
Excal2 | 161


----

I am a bot - This action was done automatically. Please direct any questions or concerns ( or bug reports ) to \/u\/eegras - About /u/PCMRBot

Hey all!

This is probably old news for many of you but for those thinking of setting up GroovyMAME with CRT_EmuDriver, do it; you won't be disappointed. It is a little bit of mucking around but the fruits of your labour are well worth it.

Some helpful links that I've collected along the way:

GroovyMAME -- Get the latest GroovyMAME from here. This forum is also pretty active so if you get stuck, you may find someone else in a similar spot as you. A great resource!

CRT_EmuDriver -- Get the latest CRT_EmuDriver versions here. Also has guides for setting up based on your selected hardware / software setup.

Wavebeam Guide -- Excellent and comprehensive guide from Wavebeam detailing the entire setup (including software and hardware requirements). Given that it is over a year old, use it as a reference to give you an idea of what is involved. The hardware aspects are pretty much the same now, but some of the pieces relating to software you will want to seek more up-to-date info.


Buttersoft Windows + CRT / PVM Guide -- buttersoft's supremely thorough thread on hooking your PC up to your CRT / PVM. Lots of great info here.

GroovyMAME Setup Thread -- Recap's thread on setting up GroovyMAME. The guides and posts on the Eiusdemmodi forum are descriptive and thorough. In particular, you should read this post as it has useful information pertaining to audio latency (search for 'PortAudio') and I foolishly missed it the first time and wasted a lot of unnecessary time with ASIO4ALL.

As for my setup, before I begin, I will point out that it is not ideal for someone planning to avoid Windows and boot directly into a MAME frontend. For that, you should really consider a discrete card that be flashed with Calamity's ATOM-15 -- more info here. I went the way I did because I wanted to be able to keep my computer relatively versatile given that I already have a dedicated cabinet.
With that out of the way...I spent probably more than I needed to getting this up and running. I couldn't find a whole lot of info about people who have set this up on relatively "new" hardware. Most people tend to favour older OS's and discrete cards, whereas I was more interested in Windows 10 and an AMD APU based system after reading this post outlining the hardware behind the recent SkyCurser arcade game. Enough waffling on:

• Case: IN WIN BM643BK18PNU3
  
• CPU / GPU: AMD A8-7600 Kaveri
  
• Mobo: ASRock A88M-ITX/ac R2.0
  
• RAM: Ballistix Elite 4GB Single DDR3 2133 (probably should get another for dual channel)
  
  It is all hooked up to my Olympus OEV-203 via a VGA to RGBHV cable, with the H/V sync on a BNC Y adaptor (male to dual female). I am just running the audio through the mono speaker on the PVM at the moment using a 3.5mm to RCA cable with a RCA Y splitter.
  
  Hope this helps some of you. Good luck!

>They sound good but I feel like the mids can be slightly muffled and the highs aren't particularly sharp and clear. The lower mids and bass are great though.
>
>I'd be willing to spend up to $400.

I recommend passive speakers and an amp or receiver:

For the best value, first look used for less cost then the following options, or get one part used and the other new.

Receiver/Amp: Refurbished with a 1 year manufacturer warranty.

• Stereo: ONKYO TX-8220 $135, or ONKYO TX-8140 $200.
  
• AV If also ever using with a TV even with just 2 speakers, 4K HDMI switching, high pass crossover for your speakers if ever adding a subwoofer. DENON AVR-S640H 5.2 $200, Audyssey Multi EQ room correction EQ speaker setup and HEOS wireless networking and smartphone app. Also has a built in phono stage/preamp phono input you can start out with and then add a better external later.
  
  Speakers: Speaker recommendations from AverageJoeAudiophile and r/HTBuyingGuide.
  
  Internet Manufacturer Direct can be a good bang for the buck with 30 day in home trials so you can try 2 or 3 pairs.
  
  
• 5.25" Emotiva Airmotive B1 $230. Folded ribbon high-frequency transducers.
  
• 5.25" Wavecrest Audio HVL-1, and order on sale at Ascend $80 each + shipping, budget Ascends. Front ported. Neutral sound with a linear frequency response. Great mids which many speakers lack. To me, comparable to KEF Q100s. As with most bookshelf speakers, best with a subwoofer.
  
• 6.5" Ascend CBM-170s $300 + $30 shipping. Neutral sound with a linear frequency response. I have these for their great mids which many speakers in the price range lack.
  
• 6.5" HSU HB-1 MK2 $280 + $60 shipping. Have a good low end if not getting a subwoofer at all or right away.
  
  On sale:
  
  
• 5.25" Infinity Reference 152 $140 refurbished, originally $350 MSRP or Boston A25 $150 bogo.
  
• 6.5" $200 a pair, JBL Studio 230 refurbished or Boston A26 bogo.
  
• 6.5" Klipsch RP-160M $340.
  
  Towers on sale:
  
  
• Pioneer FS52 $150 pair (note the long massdrop ship time).
  
• JBL Studio 270 $260 pair.
  
• Boston A250 $225 pair bogo.
  
  DIY speakers, build your own: Add around $50+ for tools and supplies. Kits includes pre-cut cabinets. Glue, solder, paint, assemble. Comparable to built speakers costing twice as much
  
  
• C-Notes $100 are a great starter DIY speaker.
  
  Speaker wire: Pure Copper Oxygen Free 16 Gauge Speaker Wire 50 ft. and self adjusting wire strippers, optional banana plugs to add. Or already with banana plugs, Micca or DFWCableConnection.
  
  Speaker stands: Dayton Audio SSMB24, Monoprice Glass or Monolith by Monoprice and Audio Advisor where most are also available at Amazon.
  
  Subwoofer:
  
  
• 10" Infinity SUB R10 Reference Series $399 $140 flash sale ends in 1 day.
  
  If going with powered speakers:
  
  
• Fluance Ai40 5" $170 on sale.
  
• Fluance Ai60 6.5" $300 adds a bit more low end, subwoofer out port, optical and USB inputs.
  
  Guides:
  
  Home Audio: Intro to home stereo systems • Zeos Tutorials, Diagrams and Videos • Guide to Home Audio • AverageJoeAudiophile's Guides • r/BudgetAudiophile
  
  Speaker Positioning: Speaker Placement for Stereo Music Listening • How to position your speakers for great sound

Okay so I've got a solution for you.

https://www.amazon.com/KOTION-Over-ear-Gaming-Headphone-Headset/dp/B00Z924M58

My girlfriend got me this headset about 2-3 years ago for my birthday, and it's still in perfect working order.

I DID have to buy a cheap little audio/mic converter dealy so that it would connect to my DS4. I think it was like $10-$15 at my local Best Buy. BUT if you find a similar converter on amazon and bundle the two together I'm sure you'd get free shipping and it'd be around 40-50 dollars EDIT: I am bad at math and it actually would come out to around $30, check the links I posted!

These are meant for PC so to me they feel like high end headphones, sound quality is great and the mic is very clear and has pretty good noise cancellation. I have my mic set to a little above normal and people still really can't hear any noises in my room other than me.

But you said yours don't fit over your Psvr, these ones adjust and fit VERY comfortably. I have a pretty large head, too. Plus, they match the colors of the PS4/Psvr!

I hope this helps! I can update with some pictures if you'd like, too!

Edit: I found a cable adapter that even matches the headsets cord pattern! There's another one that's all black if you don't like the pink/teal default jack colors.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01M0T6PSF/ref=pd_aw_sim_23_2/153-3904418-5173344?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=9BBC6Q12TQQMD0V7V7J1

So with the headset and this adapter, it comes out to around 30 bucks. And I can attest to the quality. They are amazing headphones!

Don't apologize! I used to do some sound work on the side in a past life, so this is fun :) I just hope you post a link to one of your shows once all this is done...

Mixers, like any analog equipment, have good models and bad models. Good models will sound great and bad models will sound not so great due to poor quality components and insufficient shielding. Some cheap models are decent, some just suck.

I picked those three because they're all in the Behringer Xenyx line (which you are already familiar with), because they have USB I/O, and because they are cost effective (you don't want to spend a lot when you're just starting out). Behringer is known for making low cost stuff that performs decently if not amazingly well. Certainly you can do better, but it's useful and cheap and not in the realm of 'garbage'.

If you want something a little better, try a Mackie 802VLZ4. Mackie is a better brand, good sound quality, good build quality too, which comes with a matching price tag of $200 for the 802. That would fit your needs nicely- 3x stereo channels, 2 mono channels, and an aux send. Not much room to grow (only one extra mono input) and no sliders, but it'll work well for a long time.
There's also the Mackie 1202VLZ4, for $270 you get 4x stereo channels, 4x mono channels, 2x aux sends. Still no sliders.

Neither of those are USB boards, which means you need another way to get audio into the computer. If your PC's sound card has a blue line-in jack you could use another dual mono 1/4" phono to stereo 3.5mm cable to send the board's output into the computer that way. Otherwise you could use a USB sound interface, most of the ones you'll find on reputable websites are decent, try a Behringer UCA222 for $30. You'll need a dual 1/4" phono to RCA cable to hook that up to the UCA222. If you want to improve audio quality, this is a decent place to do it; most computer onboard sound cards are pretty crappy so any decent USB interface (including the UCA222) or a dedicated quality PCI sound card will be better.

------

If it were me- and keep in mind this reflects my mindset- I wouldn't worry about the tech stuff much now, because attracting an audience and keeping them is harder than making sound work. Going from decent sound to great sound won't do a huge amount for the success of my channel, especially when starting out.
IMHO, the biggest challenge to starting a stream channel is building the audience. I can control the sound, and I can throw money at quality hardware, but I can't control whether people will watch my show or not. And I don't know if the channel is going to be in any way successful, or if I'm going to do 20 shows and get 3 viewers and then decide to spend my time on something else.

So if it were me, I'd get that cheap 4-way 3.5mm switcher and for the moment make it work with the Q802USB mixer I already have. Or I'd do an ugly ghettosplice, just use Y-splitters to plug the Xbox and PS4 into the same stereo channel, and only turn on one at a time.

This wouldn't sound as good as a Mackie setup, but it would work and it'd be cheap.

Then I'd start streaming and focus on building an audience and getting subscribers and whatnot.

Then once I'd been streaming for a while, I'd have a better idea of what kind of show I'm putting on and thus what kind of capability I want to have.

For example, I might want some kind of simple background music that I can easily fade in and out without pausing the game. I might have guests that call in via Skype or a phone, and want to adjust their volume separately. I might have some kind of dual mashup stream where I host myself and my buddy playing on the same team. Depending on what people like watching me play, I might end up only streaming one or two games (thus not needing both consoles). etc etc. Or the whole thing might totally flop and I might get bored of it, in which case I don't want to have wasted $500 on mixers and adapters and cables that I'll never use again.

You'll only know the answer to these questions after you've been at it a while. So my suggestion is get from where you are now (mucking about with audio cables) to a published stream as efficiently and cheaply as you can, especially since you already have a mixer, and then improve your setup as your channel grows.

Now you already have the most important component- a decent microphone. All the mixers in the world won't help if you are feeding them shitty audio from a shitty mic. The one thing I would tell any streamer is spend $40 on a decent microphone (that's NOT part of a headset), but you're already there. The rest is details.

I'm not saying your Edifiers aren't fine, but that it's not what they were designed for so you'll need to be a bit unorthodox when adding a subwoofer. I'll give you 4 options:

1. Keep the Edifiers and pick up a Pioneer SW-8MK2. This will cost the same as the Yamaha sub you were looking at. Connect your current RCA cable to a volume knob like this one. Split your signal coming out of there with RCA to Dual RCA cables and You're good to go.
   
   
2. Spend your money on a great pair of speakers and forget a sub for now. This will offer the best sound by far and you can always add a sub down the line. Maybe you find a subwoofer for sale locally. A pair of JBL LSR305 speakers would fit the bill here. You can add a cheap mixer if you wanted more sources and convenient volume control.
   
   
3. Purchase a pair of powered speakers with a sub output like the Kanto YU4. These are super convenient since you just connect a sub through an RCA cable and you're good to go. You can still fit in a cheap sub within your budget like the cheapo monoprice or the Acoustic Audio RWSUB-10. If you wanted to spend the extra bit for the pioneer subwoofer, that's great too.
   
   
4. Purchase a passive system with a separate amplifier. Assuming you don't have infinite space on a desk or something then pick up an SMSL Q5. Pick up passive speakers like the Pioneer BS22 or Micca MB42X. Choose any of the aforementioned subs that fit in your budget. Pick up cheap speaker wire to connect your speakers to your amp, and use an RCA cable to have your amp send signal to your sub.

You're gonna need a receiver. Even if your TV does have speaker outputs the receiver is just gonna make everything easier, it'll sound better too! I live in the US so I need to convert...

Your budget is $1145

If you're completely new to this stuff, I can help lay down the basics.

A receiver is a device that 'receives' signals from audio sources, amplifies them, and sends the signal out to speakers. There are two channel receivers, which push audio to two speakers. Five channel receivers are for surround sound, and push sound to five speakers. Seven channel receivers allow for two extra surround speakers to a five channel setup. Right now, you're just looking for a stereo setup, so a two channel receiver will do the job.

This is how you set up a receiver.

On the back of a receiver, there should be a series of terminals or 'plugs', either HDMI, white and red rca jacks, or optical plugs. Next to them should be a term, something like 'DVD', 'CD', 'TV', or 'AUX'. This is to help distinguish the audio sources you are putting into the receiver. Plug your source into any one of the plugs, then turn the receiver on. On the front, there should be a dial or a button labeled "Source". This is used to select the audio source you plugged into the back. For example, if you plugged your source into 'CD', you would then find CD on the receiver display using the source button or dial. This is the jist of it. There are settings to adjust the bass, treble, balance, and other stuff on basically any receiver, so you can tune it to your liking.

Next up is setting up the speakers.

This next step requires some wire cutting, but it isn't difficult at all. I've done it with scissors. If you have ever seen stereo speakers before, you'll notice they don't have wires attached. They will have some red and black clips or screws on the back (Call them terminals). The receiver has these same things as well. Inside the terminals is bear metal, and this is where the signal is transferred. You will need to get some speaker wire and cut the tips off of each end, then attach one end to the receiver's terminals, and the other to the speaker's terminals. Speaker wire consists of two wires sealed together. One wire should have a mark along it or be colored differently, so you can make sure you match up the terminals correctly. (Black to black- Red to red) Do this for both the left and right speakers.

Most receivers can drive two pairs of speakers. (An A system and a B system.) So you will see two sets of black and red terminals. It doesn't matter which one you use, just make sure the speakers are connected to the same system, then select the system you want on the receiver.

If you're only wiring two speakers, it shouldn't be that much work at all. Ten minutes tops to get everything wired.

Now the fun part!

Choosing the system! I'm jealous as I didn't have this big a budget for my setup, you'll be in for quite the treat.

The Receiver

If I were you, I would buy a vintage receiver from the 70s. If you're into ease of access and all that I can understand, but vintage sound is really something else. It has a warm sound to it, and you usually have to pay maybe four times as much for a new receiver to get something similar. (They also look awesome.) Almost all of them have turntable amps too, so if you want to get into vinyl in the future you're basically set.

You can find them on Ebay. If you can, buy one locally off of Craigslist. Look for something by Sansui, Kenwood, Marantz, or Pioneer. Expect to pay $200-$500 for a good one.

You could also get a new one if you want bluetooth and a remote. Bear in mind it probably won't sound as good as the older stuff. Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer, and Sony are generally the cheaper of the bunch. Denon and Marantz tend to be higher quality.

I would strongly recommend buying vintage if you're not doing a home theater. You'll get diminishing returns paying the same amount for a modern receiver. You'll probably just get more channels and surround decoders which you aren't going to use anyways.

The Speakers

In this price range, I would look at these companies for speakers: PSB, KEF, Bowers and Wilkins, and Martin Logan to name a few. They make excellent products and I think their field fits snugly into your budget.

My recommendations:

PSB Imagine Bs. $880 pr (Ebay)

KEF q350 $650 pr

Martin Logan Motion 15 ~$350 ea

What I think you should do is let the speakers drive your budget. Choose a pair then use whatever you have left on the receiver.

​

If I were to suggest a full setup for you, I would get the PSB Imagine Bs and a Kenwood KR-6030 with some Amazon Basics wire. (I literally just slapped this together.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-PSB-Imagine-B-Dark-Cherry/112709601866?hash=item1a3e040a4a:g:b-UAAOSwEVpboe5G:rk:2:pf:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JUST-SERVICED-VINTAGE-KENWOOD-KR-6030-AM-FM-STEREO-RECEIVER-EXCELLENT-SHAPE/163318231169?hash=item2606867081:g:iNMAAOSwkwdbqqiF:rk:1:pf:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-16-Gauge-Speaker-Wire-Feet/dp/B006LW0WDQ/ref=sr_1_3_acs_sk_pb_1_sl_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539928099&sr=8-3-acs&keywords=speaker+wire

​

Happy hunting!

I personally recommend the Klipsch ProMedia as the best sub-$200 option. Sound is really solid and it's definitely got the bass. Plugging your computer in is straightforward and I believe the newest version has bluetooth as well. Best Buy used to have it as a demo with their computer speakers, not sure if they do anymore.

A better option might be studio monitors like the JBL LSR305/LSR30X which are also an insane deal. You'd need to get a bluetooth adapter and you'd need to worry about inputs (many studio monitors take 1/4" or XLR, which would require janky adapters (probably won't sound great out of a headphhone out without something like this) or a dac/audio interface like this or this. The JBL approach will get you a better sound (more accurate to the music, more balanced sound, magical amazing beautiful and perfect imaging) but will probably be a bit above what you'd like to spend. Most of that stuff can also be bought used if you are okay with that.

I would try and stretch or save up a bit for the monitors. They're a pretty solid step up from most all "computer speakers," and the JBLs in particular are one of the best bang-for-buck deals in audio that I've seen.

Best of luck, and feel free to shoot me a PM with more questions or what you decide to do!

Receiver: Denon X3300 for $600 (huge sale, actually cheaper than getting a refurb model), it does everything you would likely want.

Subwoofer: Get a pretty good one for now, then spend big (sell this one or go dual) once you move. This one is $605 or this one for $550, unless you want to plug the ports to experience sealed ones in a while, the $550 one may be better actually. There is such a thing as too big for a room, not only will a huge monstrusity like the $1000 Rythmik FVX15 will actually sound bad in that small of a room (sound waves bouncing all other the place, that not even room treatment can really help, as the distance is too close) and the soundwaves will travel to neighbors much more easily.

So, let’s call that $1500 total just to account for miscellaneous stuff like speaker wire, banana plugs, subwoofer cable, any applicable tax for any component here, etc.

So, that leaves $2000 for a 2 towers and 1 center.


There are a lot of options (sorted by price, not that that's an indicator of quality):

____

• RBH/Emptek has their clearance sale, you can spend a lot less (30% off) and get some awesome sounding speakers if you don’t mind minor cosmetic imperfections. Here are the towers and center, use the bundle coupon for $70 off, this will total $661 vs the ~$1150 new price tag (can’t buy new, out of stock, maybe discontinued). They get great reviews. I got the bookshkeves for my computer setup, they are great, here are pics of the cosmetic imperfections of mine.
  
  ____
  
  
• HTD Level Three towers and center, if you get the more expensive finish, it will total around $1165. I have their old gen bookshkeves and center (no ribbon tweeter or waveguide, got them for cheap off Craigslist), they are fantastic.
  
  ____
  
• JBL Studio 580’s (on sale) and 235C, these will be decently more music focused. Total cost ~$1180.
  
  ____
  
  
• HSU CCB-8 3.0/LCR bookshelves, up to $1400 for the more expensive finish. If you want the HSU sub, you can save a bit by using their bundles (more expensive finish not available via this method.
  
  ____
  
• Wharfedale Diamond 250 and 220C for $1600 (4 color options), may be more music focused.
  
  ____
  
  
• KEF R100 bookshkeves (on sale) and R200C. Total cost ~$1800. If you don't mind white finish and refurb, they can be had for $1600, link to bookshelves and center.
  
  ____
  
  
• KEF Q900 new (on sale) with refurb Q600C (if you want the walnut finish, it'll be $50 more, no charge for tower finish). total cost ~$1800-$1850
  
  ___
  
  
• B&W 600 684 S2 and HTM61 S2 for $1900, these are heavily music focused, not that dynamic for movies.
  
  ____
  
  
• KEF LS50 3.0/LCR bookshelves, the L/R will be refurb with a new center, they are available in a white/blue finish as well, for the same price, link to refurb white/blue L/R (don't come with a free pair of headphones like the black/orange ones). Total cost ~$2000.
  
  ____
  
  So, you got some debating to do.
  
  Keep in mind some of these may have tax added on based on where you live and which company I linked to (for instance, I live in Florida, so no tax if I get the HTD's from them as they are in Texas (if I was in Texas them there would be tax), the B&W's are only via BestBuy so there will be tax. That's why I accounted for it a bit at the start.
  
  If you need any help about optimally setting up your speakers and sub in terms of placement, let me know.

College kid here, I'll try to help out.

It's generally recommended that you don't ever go for a HTIAB (home theater in a box) as they come with super shitty components and most often don't leave room to upgrade.

You'll get more flexibility and bang for your buck with bookshelves and a sub, but as you mentioned you only want a 2.0 for right now. If bass is really that important to you, I would actually recommend you get a pair of bookshelves now and invest in a sub later on. Towers are great but for a 2.0 setup you're going to want something smaller with better sound quality.

 

---

Bookshelves: used Polk Signature S15's

>Top listing is $165 for like new speakers; S15's run for $229/pair new.

This listing in particular says "Speakers only, nothing else is included" which is odd for them to mention because I don't think these speakers normally come with any accessories. Maybe he's talking about the manual which can easily be found online. But who needs manuals anyway?

 

Amp: SMSL SA-50

>Price fluctuates between $63 and $69. This listing is $63.

Puts out 50 wpc, will power pretty much any speaker you throw at it. I owned this myself and recommend it for a first setup. Just keep in mind you will have to upgrade to a surround receiver if you ever want to move past 2.1 in the future.

---

 


This puts you at $228 shipped. A bit above your absolute max of $200, but this is probably your best bet. You're also going to need to buy some speaker wire. It's only like $8.

So in total, this comes to $236 shipped. A bit above your budget, but it leaves you with some kickass bookshelves as well as the ability to add a sub in the future.

> or is there something I can download on my laptop that can just record the audio from me playing it?

Yes, assuming your laptop has a functional microphone you can do the following:

1. Download Audacity for free from http://www.audacityteam.org/download/windows/ and install it.
   
   
2. Launch Audacity and click OK to hide the tip window.
   
   
3. Select Edit > Preferences from the top menu and then under Devices > Recording make sure that the drop-down next to "Device:" is set to your laptop's microphone. Then press OK.
   
   
4. Click the red Record button at the top. You should then see blue waves when you make noise, indicating the microphone is working correctly.
   
   
5. With Audacity recording from the microphone, play the tape from the cassette with the volume loud enough that the waveform nicely fills the bar like this. Make sure the sound isn't flat-lining or clipping at the top/bottom of the bars or else the volume is too loud.
   
   
6. When the tape (or side) is done recording, hit the yellow STOP button at the top.
   
   
7. Select File > Export Audio. Give it a name and navigate to where you want it to save to, such as the Desktop. Under "Save as Type" select either "WAV (Microsoft) signed 16-bit PCM" or "FLAC" so that the audio does not get compressed or lossy. Then click Save. You don't need to enter any meta data, just click OK again.
   
   
8. Upload the exported WAV/FLAC file(s) either to Soundcloud (requires a free account) or https://mega.nz/ (no account required).
   
   
9. Once uploaded, you will be able to share a link. This is what you can post to Reddit :)
   
   > But I only see holes for "6V/DC, ear spkr, MIC, REM". Am I going to need some kind of cord
   
   If your laptop has a "line in" or "auxiliary" port then you can run a 1/8" standard audio cable from the EAR SPKR port on your cassette recorder to this port on your laptop. Then you can follow the same steps above except in Step 3 you may need to change the sound-in device to "Auxiliary" or "Line In" whichever shows up. A lot of laptops have mic/auxiliary combined into one, and when you plug in a device it will ask if it is a microphone or line-in device. Select line-in device. You can look up your laptop model to see what audio input ports it supports. Then you can record in Audacity and follow all of the steps above and the audio will be a direct copy from the cassette. But the first method is certainly acceptable as well!

I love the look of the old rack systems. They may not have top of the line components but they still sound pretty good.

It looks like your setup was well taken care of! If I were you I would do the following:

• Before you play any records examine the stylus on the turntable tonearm and replace it if it looks worn or corroded. It looks like this is the stylus you need but you'll need to compare what's actually on your turntable before ordering
  
• Before you play any cassettes clean and demagnetize the cassette deck heads. A simple cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol on the head will clean it, and an inexpensive tape head demagnetizer is all you need. Here's a video guide on demagnetizing
  
• Get a Chromecast Audio and a 3.5mm to RCA cable so you can enjoy your tunes without the compression problems of Bluetooth.
  
• Get rid of the books and binders and other junk and fill up your shelves with records, cassettes, and CDs!

Just FYI, you can hook this up to your computer or smartphone using the aux input and a cable like this:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Stereo/dp/B01D5H8KO2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=3.5mm+to+rca&qid=1564516794&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Note, ultimate fidelity would be better with a dedicated DAC to connect computer/phone, but even using the adapter cable it will probably sound better than anything you've heard.

Just so you know you're not limited to playing vinyl records or something, which are fun but require a lot more commitment.

One more thing - this receiver is only going to sound as good as the speakers you connect. That doesn't mean expensive - there are plenty of vintage speakers in the $100-$150 range that will blow you away. Look for brands like EPI, Boston Acoustics, ADS, Dynaco, KLH, Advent, or just search "vintage speakers" on your local Facebook marketplace or Craigslist. This was a luxury item when new, and will offer a refined, sweet sound quality that is difficult to find in new equipment.

If you're space limited, I would recommend some smaller, newer NHT speakers or just using it as a headphone amp, which many people do, see head-fi.org vintage receiver thread.

If you decide to keep it, enjoy the beginning of your journey into high quality audio and more satisfying music listening. A MAC1700 is a rare and lucky find, my foray into vintage audio started similarly with finding my dad's old Sansui G-9000 in our attic.

I assume this is all hypothetical and you haven't bought anything yet?

Assuming you haven't bought anything...

• Save a few bucks on headphones and get Audio-Technica ATH-M40x as these "lessor" phones are actually technically better than the heavily slanted "baby's first decent headphone" M50x. The AKG K181 DJ UE is worth looking at as well.
  
  
• Since you're streaming from a computer you're best mixing on the computer in software and using an audio interface. A good starter interface is the Behringer U-Phoria UMC202HD. Use said interface with Voicemeeter Banana. Said audio interface will become your PC's soundcard and some adapters may be needed for your existing speakers (like this or this). Make sure to set everything to 24-bit 48khz (Windows' Recording/Playback in Sound control panel, Voicemeeter's internal rate, and including OBS Studio itself).
  
  
• For mics you really need to stick to cardioid pattern dynamics. A good mic in this class for not much money is the SE V3.
  
  
• You'll also need a headphone distribution amp like the Behringer Microamp HA400.
  
  
• For cables Hosa REAN are quality XLR cables for not much money. Two 10'/3m+ XLR3F to XLR3M is what you'll want. A short ~18"/0.5m 1/4" male-male TRS-TRS would be for the interface to headphone amp.
  
  
• The Neewer NB-39 microphone arm is OK and way better than the $15 comically short garbage you see on Amazon
  
  If you're thinking of multiple people around the same desk, you may think of going for headsets. The Audio-Technica BPHS1 is way better than any "1337 gamer" headset out there and is basically a ATH-M40x with a dynamic mic attached. Earpads meant for the M40x/M50x fit too. Pads from Shure are good here, Brainwavz not so much.
  

This will definitely be the cheaper option but there are still some newer stereo receivers with phono inputs. I have an Onkyo TX 8020 and it has a phono input. Looks like all/most of the Onkyo stereo receivers include a phono input.

But yeah OP, check your local Craiglist/Kijiji/whatever, people sell their older receivers for cheap all the time. That will definitely be the cheaper option if you are okay with going used. Receivers tend to age pretty well, just check to make sure it works.

EDIT: pretty much all receivers will have a headphone out on the front. It's often a 6.3 mm, but you can pick up a 3.5 to 6.3 adapter for pretty cheap.

As for aux in, a lot of stereo receivers will only have RCA inputs, but you can also pick up a 3.5 aux to RCA cable for cheap too. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D5H8JW0

> Looking for the best sound $400 can buy, for music.

If you want the best sound money can buy, you're not looking for 2.1. I can't stress this enough - even if you DIY it, getting a good sub is easily going to cost $400 alone. And even if you do stretch your budget, to accomodate for a sub, a 2.0 system will sound more coherent, and be far easier to live with. Plus, with good speakers, you are not really going to miss a sub.

In your price bracket, and with active speakers as a requirement, you are effectively looking at studio monitors.

I am curious about your intended use - is it primarily when seated in front of a computer?

First Emotiva AirMotiv 4 - Review here - you will need stands for these, bringing the total up to about $400 - stands can either be DIY-ed from a bit of PVC pipe and a few pieces of wood in about an afternoon for about $40, or bought from anything between $50-80.

What kind of stands you will need, and their height will vary with the answer to the question above about intended use. If you primarily intend to use it in front of a computer, then a pair of stands placed on the desk (10-12 in), or taller floor stands (40-45 in) is the correct height. If you plan on enjoying music from the couch, then floor stands of 28-32 inches are the right option. Assuming what you need is for near-field office desk use, here is a decent pair of stands (And are the same stands as in my next item

KRK Rokit RP6 - bundle with stands. If you hang around any music or producer forum, many authors will have these as their go-to budget recommendation, and they are well-liked across the board.

If you don't already have it, both proposals need a 2xRCA to 2x1/4 TS cable, like this

For reference, I use neither of my two recommendations as my near-field budget monitors - the M-Audio BX5 D2 are what I use, and if you would rather get away with less than $400, they are pretty terrific. Also, differing prices in Norway, and in the case of the Emotivas, prohibitive shipping costs, makes the value propositions somewhat different - a kit with the KRK's and floor stands are $650 here, while I got my BX-5's for $300. With this being my secondary system, I'm personally not willing to spend much more than I did, until I feel I can splurge and get myself a pair of Genelec 8040A.

Final note: Yes, these are all classified as "studio monitors", and there is an ages-old misconception that studio monitors aren't good for casual listening. As noted, that is a misconception - studio monitors work exceptionally well, even for casual listening.

The PS4 only supports digital connectivity (old school analog A/V plugs have finally bitten the dust). So for video, it sounds like you're good -- HDMI will work great, as you mentioned your monitor supports it (alternatively an HDMI to DVI setup would also work for a monitor).

But for audio, that's another story... The PS4 uses digital / optical audio cables (also known as a TOSLINK connection). You need a decent speaker system for this type of connection. You mentioned that your monitor doesn't even have speakers (does it have an audio out port though? if so, you may be in luck and can just plug a pair of cheap computer speakers or headphones in). Otherwise, you pretty much only have three options:

• Option 1: Buy a [digital-to-analog converter](
  http://amzn.com/B004C4WPXA), along with a digital / optical (TOSLINK) audio cable and an [RGB-to-headphone style adapter](
  http://amzn.com/B000I23TTE). From there, you can get a cheap set of computer speakers (even something simple like these would work). Attach the cables together and plug in the speakers and boom -- you'll have sound. (Note: if the PS4 is anything like the PS3, you'll need to enable "multi channel output" under its sound settings.)
  
  
• Option 2: Buy a set of speakers that support digital / optical (TOSLINK) connections. We're not talking cheap computer speakers like before; these will likely be a pretty decent sound system to support digital / optical (TOSLINK) connections. ([This is the cheapest sound system](
  http://amzn.com/B002V3R2SM) I could find on Amazon that supports it -- it's a surround sound / DVD Player combo, in case you're interested.) You'll also need to buy a digital / optical (TOSLINK) audio cable, of course, which I linked to in the above example.
  
  
• Option 3: Or, your final option... just buy a TV. It'll be bigger than a computer monitor, it'll have the built in speakers, and it'll look nicer. TVs have come down in price significantly the last few years, so maybe you can pick one up for cheap on Black Friday or something.

Get a basic 5.0 system, then add a sub. This should be good value for music and movies. I'm partial to Denon/Marantz for their musical audio quality, but some other folks on this sub may know a cheaper receiver that still sounds good. The speakers are definitely the best bang for your buck, but you could get higher quality speakers for music if you did a 2.1 instead of surround sound. Based on the 4K TV, I'm assuming you're going to be watching movies/tv more than you listen to music.

• AV Receiver ($280): https://www.amazon.com/Denon-Audio-Component-Receiver-AVRS530BT/dp/B06XYD1RZ3/
  
  
• L, R, Surround L, Surround R (2 x $90): https://www.amazon.com/Micca-MB42X-Bookshelf-Speakers-Tweeter/dp/B00E7H8GG2/
  
  
• Center Channel ($80): https://www.amazon.com/Micca-MB42X-C-Channel-Speaker-Tweeter/dp/B00HHFBEK6/
  
  
• Speaker Wire ($11): https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-16-Gauge-Speaker-Wire-Feet/dp/B006LW0W5Y/
  
  Boom! Slightly overbudget but you get a good 5.0 surround sound, 4K/HDR compatible receiver, and you can throw in a BIC F12 subwoofer for $200 or a Polk PSW10 for $100 when you save the cash

Hola! I set all this up last year so it’s a bit rusty!

This is a shopping list for an Xbox One mixer setup similar to mine and you may need some help filling in a few gaps and the wiring!

So the idea is to build a setup to be able to use an awesome mic to talk to the stream as well as party chat ‘at the same time’ (which I prefer over using a headset) but to also be able to hear game/chat/PC audio though a single pair of headphones and control their volume levels in one place with ease.

I don't need sound going out to my PC as the Cap card is getting that from the Console via HDMI.
Streaming Xbox to PC then the WORLD!

Xbox – hdmi into a cap card in the PC Avermedia live gamer hd
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AverMedia-61C9850000AE-Avermedia-Live-Gamer/dp/B007SRYAPO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447858313&sr=8-2&keywords=live+gamer+hd
This grabs the game audio and that’s that bit done, stream using OBS and boom!

Here's is my shopping list for party chat:

Mixer

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-802-Premium-8-Input-Preamps/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415150891&sr=8-1&keywords=behringer+mixer
Headset Buddy (Real name, I didn’t make that up!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Headset-Buddy-Adapter-PC35-PH25-Computer/dp/B002D41HKS/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421341934&sr=1-3&keywords=headset+buddy

Xbox Chat Thing:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Xbox-One-Stereo-Headset-Adapter/dp/B00IAVDOS6

Cable from Buddy to Mixer:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hosa-CMP159-Stereo-Breakout-10-Feet/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415150937&sr=8-1&keywords=hosa+cables

Cable from Mixer to Buddy!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HosaTech-CMS-105-3-5mm-Stereo-Interconnect/dp/B000068O35/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447857349&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5mm+TRS+to+1%2F4+inch

Xbox Mixer(s)

Astro Mixamp (I use)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASTRO-Gaming-3AM99-HBU9X-975-ASTROGAMING-MIXAMP/dp/B004L6C6BK/ref=sr_1_4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1447856882&sr=1-4&keywords=astro+mixamp

Earforce DSS (an option!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Force-Channel-Dolby-Surround-Processor-Mac/dp/B003O0KICS/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1421378828&sr=1-1&keywords=dss1

Ground Loop things:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Headphone-Ground-Isolator-Filter-Stereo/dp/B00INV5LB6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_23_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41-9H3Hc3mL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1TTNMJANJDTK26VVSAE7

Although I have used these ones because I didn’t see the ones above!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/AV-Link-201-086-Skytronic-Isolator/dp/B000NVWB9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447857227&sr=8-1&keywords=Ground+Loop+Isolator

Mic wise any XLR mic is fine!

Here is a link to a image i found that kinda helps piece it all together! http://imgur.com/UYaQQUZ

Here is a quick vid of my setup, happy to help if i can! http://www.twitch.tv/drunkiemunkie/v/26306849

Heres is my latest Xbox One vid with party chat but it picks up the Public Lobby if they speak!
http://www.twitch.tv/drunkiemunkie/v/31799799

dM

I'm like you, OP. I also am philosophically opposed to spending more on audio than on screen. That being said, good speakers do last for a very long time: if new formats ever come out, you can always upgrade the receiver and you can keep your speakers forever.

I did a lot of searching and I ended up with a good compromise that allowed me to have a LG OLED 65 together with a set of solid speakers.

​

Here's what you need to know:

​

- The latest OLED TVs are pretty much the same as last year's. LG B7, C7, B8 or C8 are all the same TV pretty much. Get the cheapest you can find. I bought mine on greentoe.com. I offered 1900$ for a 65' B7 this past April and my offer got accepted. You can even try to price match it with your credit card, I think (search in this sub). This may save you a few dollars more. Bottom line is: you should be able to snatch a 65 OLED for ~1500-1900.

- You can order a refurbished sub for a fraction of the price. I have the Denon X1400H that u/robotdinofight recommended, and I also bought it from accessories4less.

- Atmos speakers are mostly marketing BS. There isn't much sound that comes from above you in movies. That Denon is compatible anyway, so you can always add them later. Before you do that, just go watch a movie in Atmos at a theater.

- Sorround speakers are not that important either. Your dialogue is coming from the center speaker, and music etc will be on the front channels, with just some in your sorrounds more for ambiance than anything else. You can go with *very cheap* speakers here. Source: Zeos's guide here. I ended up buying the cheapest speakers Zeos recommended: Micca Covo-s for 40$ the pair (a factor in my decision was also that I had the speaker stands I was using for the cheap Logitech 5.1 PC system I had. Speaker stands are expensive too so factor in that cost too). These speakers are honestly not great: I tried using a pair of ELAC B6 and yes, sorround was much better. But I like HDR and perfect blacks way more than better sorround, so I ended up returning the ELACs and kept the Miccas as my rear. Maybe I'll upgrade some other time.

- If you are like me and have neighbors and a wife who's not into loud explosion, you really don't need a crazy sub. I have the Elac S10 and that's *more* than enough for us, my wife wants me to keep it down. Get a cheap one! Mine was only about 100$. See Zeos's guide here: https://www.reddit.com/comments/5b1u99

- Invest in good fronts. I have the ELAC B6.2 and while I don't think they sound like the crazy expensive speakers that some friends have, they sound *much* better than a soundbar/integrated TV sound and are great for movies! Important: whatever you buy, you must buy a center channel that matches the left/right speakers. I have the ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 center, with the ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers as my L/R channels.

- Buy cheap speaker wire and strip it yourself!! I'm so bad with practical stuff that I was a bit intimidated by it, but honestly it's ridiculously simple. The guide that I liked before has a section on wires, read it. The sub has its own cable, remember to buy it (I bought the Amazon one).

- Buy cheap HDMI cables from AmazonBasics.

- I have these stands for my fronts: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PYV7LQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Compared to u/robotdinofight's guide, you lose some sound quality, but only where it matters least and you should save some 700$, enough money to go from the TCL to a LG OLED. Hope it helped!

I will probably get flak for doing this but here you go:

Sony SSB1000 ($55) These speakers are pretty good for how cheap they are. Much better than the Micca Covos.

SMSL-SA-50 ($68) I have this amp and it is awesome how much it puts out. I see the people all the time recommend the Lepai LP-2020 for cheap setups but ignore that amp. Get this one.

There you have it. Cheap setup that is entirely expandable. Get some Banana plugs and some cheap speaker wire.

Later on if you save your pennies you can buy something like the dayton sub for about 100 bucks and will fit nicely with that setup.

Sure!

So I'll assume you guys have the absolute bare bones in equipment and work from there. Since these are voice recordings from the 60s\70s there won't be much fidelity to capture so you should be pretty safe.

I've only done this with a Windows machine but I think there are similar settings on Mac. If not this will at least give you an idea of what to Google.

You'll need to get the audio from the tape deck to the computer. Technically you should use a line input. If you have a desktop computer it might be the blue connector. If you have a laptop you can use one of these things or something similar. If you're a cheapskate like my Dad you can just use the microphone input (if you have a headphone/microphone combo jack you'll need this doo-dad).

Note that the Mic input is "hot" in the sense that it's very sensitive to the noise coming into it and a line level input from a tape deck with clip out all the audio. You'll need to dial the mic sensitivity down. In Windows 10 right click the audio icon>Sounds>Recording>Select your default mic input>Properties>Listen>✔Listen to this device (to monitor)>Levels>Adjust levels. How to adjust levels should be apparent soon.

If you're using a Walkman type player you can connect with a simple auxillary cable (double sided male headphone jack). If you have a big tape deck just hook it into the Mic or Line jack with one of these. Toss a tape in there and let it play. Check to see if you can hear it with the "Listen to this device" checked. Adjust the levels to where it sounds normalish. You'll fine tune it next.

Install Audacity. In the top bar you'll see a mic input drop down, select your line in or mic input. Click the audio meter for the mic next to check your input levels. Advice on this varies but in general keep the green bar bouncing on the low end between the -12 and -6 during normal audio levels on the tape. This gives some wiggle room when people on the tape get antsy. You can adjust that with the OS input levels and fine tune it with the Audacity mic levels.

Restart your tape, hit record, and play it through.

When exporting I like to use FLAC for lossless audio but if you're looking for something more practical just use a high quality setting for MP3. FLAC is built in but you'll have to install the MP3 exporter (which I just linked wiki instructions for). You can also use WAV but its a lot bigger and doesn't support tags. When you export you'll have options to tag the artist data. I like to input as much data as I have about the tape in these fields. It will display in any compatible media player and it keeps things generally more organized.

If you don't want to bother with any of that you could try visiting local music shops and recording studios and I'm sure there's someone there that you could pay to have it done. I've never tried that though.

Hope that sets you down the right path. Preserving old audio like that of our parents is important. I have a box of old "love tapes" my Dad mailed to my Mom when they were dating. I should digitize them... but it's really weird to hear. Maybe I'll send them out.

To add on to this:

Xenyx 802 - $60

This will be good for a stereo application. It is cheap and will sound great. Plus it will give you the needed control for a stereo setup, of using one mic for left and the other for right.

Samson C02 pair - $75-$140

These microphones are relatively cheap, even at their price ceiling.
They use a Cardioid pick up pattern that is seems slightly Super Cardioid. They're sold in pairs, so you will only need one order.

Lyxpro SDPC-2 - $100

These microphones are packed with features at their price point. Plus they sound great, so they're extremely competitive. They come with 3 capsules for both microphones so you can choose between Omni, Cardioid & Super Cardioid. You'll likely want to use Cardioid or Super Cardioid, depending on your use case.

SDPC-2 or C02?

Mainly comes down to this: Price at time of purchase - are they the same? Which is more important to you - Omni & Super Cardioid pick up patterns or a good shock mount? The patterns means purchase the Lyxpro, the shock mount means purchase the Samson.


Are they different prices? Do the features justify the price gap?

Accessories

Stereo Microphone Bar - ~$10

You'll need one of these or something similar.

Scissor Arm - $20

You'll want one if you don't have one yet. Or if it is better suited go for a Boom Stand.

2 XLR Cables - $12

Cheap cables. They aren't OFC so you can look into slightly more expensive options. Maybe even make some yourself! :D

RCA to 3.5mm - $8

YOU NEED THIS. This is how you are going to connect from the mixer to the computer.


--EDIT-- You are looking at roughly $210 for the entire setup. Which isn't all that bad seeing as it will be 2 microphones.

I advocate using component bookshelves speakers with a mini amp unless space is at a big premium. They are better engineered, have better bang for your buck, and have a much cleaner sound.

You have the added bonus that the speakers are more flexible for other uses and, if you wanted to go from 2.0 to something else, it's a pretty easy upgrade, ala: you don't have to pitch the old system and get something new. I think you'd find a good 2.0 system to be much more impressive than a lot of the gamer sound systems out there.

Polk Audio T15 Bookshelf Speakers

Dayton Audio DTA-1 Digital Amplifier

Amazon Basics Speaker Cable

Another note: A system like this will sound way fuller without a boominess that you'd get from most gaming 2.1 sound systems. All of my friends that I have recommended go this route have loved it!

>What are you feeding into the JBL's? Computer, phone, etc.

I'm using this cable to connect them to my PC's stereo output jack: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005HGM1D6

>How are the speakers placed? On a shelf, on stands, etc.

At the front edges of my computer desk about 4-5 feet apart and hanging over the front edge an inch or two. The speakers are about level with my ears when sitting on my sofa listening to music, and are pointed slightly inward as per the card that came with the speakers.

>That said, speakers loved by "audiophiles" (especially in this price range and form factor) don't necessarily "wow" - they aim for accuracy and to get out of the way of the music more than anything else.

To clarify what I meant by "wow" - basically I was expecting to be blown out of the water as to the amazing quality of the sound coming out of the speakers. Not necessarily "wow that's some amazing bass", etc. (Even though the LSR305's bass is very impressive to my ears.) It's not that the speakers don't sound good, it's just I was expecting to hear the best quality sound I've ever heard in my life by far, and perfection, or close to it.

It's hard for me to put into words how I feel about the sound that the LSR305's produce and what I'm not sure whether I like about it or not. I hear the term "warmth" being thrown around a lot in general, and I'm wondering if that's what describes what I might feel the LSR305's possibly lack. Almost slightly digital and cold? I don't know. I also noticed that it's harder to hear vocals on some songs vs. when listening on headphones or my OEM car speakers, like they're turned down in the mix a bit. I noticed the bass level drops off with minor listening distance changes too but that's probably got nothing to do with these speakers and more to do with me never having speakers that produced decent bass before, meaning less level change to notice...

>In contrast, the Pioneer BS22s (while still very accurate for their price) are designed for slightly more of a recreational listening experience - a slight hump in the bass, with rolled off treble. A lot of people find that more enjoyable. There's a tradeoff, of course. It's like wearing tinted glasses. Things might look "better" but they'll definitely be less accurate.

Thanks. Maybe I would enjoy them better then. Before I do anything with the LSR305's (I've still got a month to return them), maybe I'll buy some BS22's and a cheap used receiver (hopefully most older receivers produce decent audio quality) and do a comparison, I guess that's the only way to really find out.

• I started out with just trying to get it going on my laptop with kjams & a microphone.
  
• But that didn't sound good and look good, so I hooked up my laptop to my tv through a receiver
  
• But using my mic through the laptop mic hole, caused a delay between the audio of the song and the mic
  
• This is why you need a mixer. You need the sound of the laptop and the sound of the mic to arrive at the same time. I got this one. Mic goes in channel one, laptop goes in channel 3 or 4 (get the right cable)
  
• That mixer's output goes into my receiver now. My receiver allows to get the audio from a different input than the video. This was essential in my setup. I have a basic yamaha 4 hdmi receiver. I turn it to hdmi1, but get the sound from one of the audio inputs, where the mixer goes into (get the right cable)
  
• sweet, now I have music and mic arriving in my receiver, and it's going to the speakers and the tv is displaying my laptop
  
• now people are tripping over the mic cable and they want a second mic
  
• get yourself some wireless mics. the ones i bought are no longer for sale but they are "dual channel" and "uhf" or something
  
• now you need some songs though I have to say, just opening youtube and searching a song title + ' karaoke' works pretty darn well as well
  
• and some disco lights!
  
• my friends like it and say it's the best home setup they know
  
  
  Btw, nice effort on the è but you want the other one: fiancé
  It's easy to remember: é the stripe goes on and so does the sound. è the stripe stops and the sound is short
  
  

Everyone here is making this so unnecessarily complicated. I just picked up DJing last year myself and it's not hard to start at all. I did quite a bit of research on what DJ controller would be the best for someone who is just starting, but also wants to have something more than a simple mixer.

1. Build a music library and download Serato
   
   
2. Import your music library and organize it to your liking.
   
   
3. I bought a Pioneer DDJ SB2 and it's awesome. You can do really basic stuff but at the same time you have the ability to do some higher level mixing as well.
   
   
4. While you wait for your controller to arrive, watch this https://www.youtube.com/playlist?annotation_id=annotation_2381793899&feature=iv&list=PLk1VCXHnvPLDLbKTvHacpo6tQDzp4OS38&src_vid=W1OCHTWqc_w. It's a full on tutorial on how to use your controller along with Serato.
   
   Good luck and have fun! It's a blast to get into
   
   I FORGOT you obviously need a laptop and some speakers. Any speakers will do, just make sure it's RCA output. Here is a cheap converter if you currently have a 3.5mm output.

If you get him bookshelf speakers like the Q Acoustics suggestion, you'll probably need something to put them on, i.e. speaker stands, unless you've got an unusual amount of room on the stand next to that enormous TV. These can range from pretty affordable to unjustifiably expensive. Just find something that seems stable that you like the looks of. Speaker stands are something you can save a ton of money buying second hand without really having to worry about them being broken or abused, but you might not like gifting something used.

Oh, and if your house is entirely new to this speakers-and-amps thing, make sure you've got some speaker wire. Don't let anyone tell you you need to spend a lot on it. Stuff like this is just fine.

One other question you had was about wall mounting and sound quality--generally speaking nice bookshelves on stands will sound better than something you'd wall mount. In part because you'll have more control over how you place them in the room, and they'll be at ear-level like they should be. And in the case of the Q Acoustics (and many other speakers), there's a port on the back of the speaker that you definitely don't want pressed up against a wall. Basically they need a little room to "breathe".

Now, if he wanted actual IN-wall speakers (where you only see the grill), that's kind a specific and very different thing than what we tend to do around here.

What a great gift idea!

I have a dual PC stream setup and I currently use a mixer to receive both audio sources into my headphones.

There are probably cheaper options than what I have, but it is fairly cheap in comparison to what some get and I think it does a fantastic job.

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Xenyx-Q502USB-Audio-Mixer/dp/B008O516JW Runs $60 dollars on Amazon, but I picked one up at my local guitar center for 40 a little while back.

With this, you will also need to get different cable to match the input for the mixer. I currently have two of these and they work perfect. Only $4 dollars as well so not too much more onto your investment.

http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP159-Stereo-Breakout-10-Feet/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=pd_sim_267_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=41xj746I2QL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=12PC9MK9VJ0BBG6XEFQ9


The other option you can do is plug a 3.5 to 3.5 aux cable from your computer linein to your TV headphone jack if there is one present. This will allow the sound to play using your computer sound card and can be activated for listening in the audio control section. A fair warning though, the computer can create a hum noise that will transmit to your stream. If you don't hear the hum, you should be good to go, but I figured I should warn you. I also don't know how to fix the hum but there is probably something online to resolve the issue if needed.

Anyways! I hope this helped!

Hello. I hope this is the appropriate place to post - a bit of an audio noob, so i'm hoping someone(s) will be kind enough to point me in the right direction.

I recently got a pair of JBL LSR305s, however, when plugged into my PC (i use this cable) i hear pretty noticable static and popping (mostly at rest, a little faint when playing something at lower volumes.) I have this motherboard which apparently has a built-in amp on it's onboard DAC, which made me wonder if that's what was causing the noise. More than likely however, I think it is signal noise, because i tried my 305s with the same cable at a friends house, both with his PC which had a built-in amp, as well as into his USB DAC/Amp combo. Both times the noise went virtually away on the LSR05s.


Because of this, i'm guessing i need a DAC or audio interface. Could you all be so kind as to direct me on a few points:

1. Will i actually need a DAC or interface?
   
2. I was looking at the Modi 2 Uber as well as a Scarlette, maybe like the 2i4? Would one of these be better than another? I kinda gathered that maybe the Scarlett wasn't actually a DAC, but an interface, although either might eliminate noise? I also have a Sennheiser HD598 and a MIDI keyboard (though i can plug that straight in USB) if that makes a difference on which one would be more ideal. Just trying to figure out which would be best for my needs, seeing as the LSR305s are already amplified.
   
3. If i do get a DAC/Interface, which cable would be best for the LSR305s?
   
   
   Thank you so much to anyone who can point me in the right direction.

No worries, buddy. Happy to help. You don't need to worry about a preamp just yet, as your turntable has one built in. Just make sure you have the selector switch on the back of the unit set to "line" rather than "phono" and you're all set. As for connecting the speakers to the receiver, I managed to find a pic of the rear connections on the U310. It looks like they use spring clips to connect, so you're going to have to use bare wire.

First thing you'll need is a spool of speaker wire. I've had good luck with the Amazon Basics stuff, and it's about as cheap as decent wire gets. You'll need to strip a bit of the jacket off of each wire on each end. I do it by hand, but you might want to try a wire stripper if you're not comfortable free-handing things. Once you've exposed the bare wire, simply give each side a quick twist to secure them into separate threads and insert each thread into the back of the speaker, depressing the spring clip to allow the wire to fit into the hole and releasing it to bite down on the wire. As for the back of the amp, the procedure's the same if it has spring clips. If it has binding posts like the SMSL I linked earlier, you'll want to unscrew them a bit, wrap the bare wire around the exposed post, and tighten the post heads back down to create a nice, tight seal.

One word of warning on the off chance you've never done anything like this before. Remember to connect your positive (red) terminals on your speakers to your positive terminals on your amp, and your negative (black) to negative. The speaker wire makes that pretty easy, as one channel is marked with a little white line so you'll always know what's going where. Additionally, make sure your amp's left output is wired to your left speaker and the right to the right. Simple stuff, but it's easy to miss if this is your first time.

To build a system using the minimum recommendations from this sub, let's start with this diagram: http://i.imgur.com/Z8FMJ.png
DAC is optional, so is a subwoofer but I recommend one.

DAC: Behringer UCA202 $29.99 Link: http://amzn.com/B000KW2YEI

Amplifier: SMSL SA-50 $68.99 Link: http://amzn.com/B00F0H8TOC

Subwoofer: Dayton Audio SUB-800 $99.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B0063NU30K

Bookshelf Speakers: Micca MB42X $89.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B00E7H8GG2

Wire: 16-gauge Speaker Wire $8.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B006LW0WDQ

With DAC, this cable: Stereo Male to 2 RCA Male $5 Link: http://amzn.com/B00I0HPK6O

Without DAC, this cable: Monoprice 105597 3-Feet Premium Stereo Male to 2RCA Male $5 Link: http://amzn.com/B0094A1F3S

This is a great starter system, I would have loved to had something like this starting out.
All of these pieces can be upgraded, do your research. Look for sales etc. Good luck and have fun.

Not sure why you would want the l/r and the center, other than it's a good deal. Are you hoping to fill it out to 5.1 eventually?

I've never heard Fluance, but the go-to recommendations around here are one of these two Pioneer speakers, or the Miccas. Search this sub to look for reviews (and double check the model numbers if you're interested. I'm doing this from memory). If you get the Pioneers you should be able to afford the subwoofer that goes with it. Also, you can usually find a Polk sub like this one on sale.

There are better options, I'm sure, but these get a lot of recommendations for budget systems. I have a brother in law with the Pioneers and no sub and he's pretty happy.

As for hooking it up, you just need a 3.5mm to RCA jack cable like this one. Also, if your receiver has an s/pdif input you could go from the sound card to the receiver that way. If you use the first cable, the sound card will be decoding the digital into analog. If you use the s/pdif cable, your receiver will do the decoding. Depending on the DACs in the card and receiver, one might be better than the other.

I wanted to give you some links about the cables I recommended as they got "bashed" a bit here which is fine if it's true but I researched them pretty well when I bought them so I went back to take a second look to see if I messed up. I don't believe I did and here's why. Below is a link to Amazon and my specific cables with over 2,900 reviews and a 4.8 out of 5 overall rating. Out of almost 3,000 people who bought them the rating was that high. The other cables suggested to you I also clicked on to maybe get them but I shop on Amazon mostly not vendor specific websites so I can check pricing and look for reviews. There are 0 reviews on the other cable in 50 ft. on Amazon and in AVS forums there is a forum discussing subwoofer specific cable that mentions issues with using 22 awg wire on a long subwoofer run let alone 24 awg . Not trying to tell you to get the cables I linked you to because in the end it doesn't affect me one way or another. Just telling you to look a little deeper before you buy one or the other. "(Good) information is power"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003FVYXY0#Ask

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GOBCV0G/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1453978470&sr=8-5&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=knukonceptz+subwoofer+cable

Also a link to AVS forums.com with the specific quote about the guage wire and the run

The only thing that matters is the resistance of the cable and how much voltage drop (signal attenuation) occurs over the length of run from the equipment to the sub (or other speakers). In other words, don't use 22AWG wire for 30ft runs.

Finally a link to this forum and the discussion.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/113-subwoofers-bass-transducers/1412557-difference-subwoofer-cables-brand-vs-brand-model-vs-model.html

I would write more about it, but I think Roger Russel has written it quite well: http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm He used to work at McIntosh Lab many years ago.

For comparison sake these are one of the highest rated subwoofer cables on the market in a 50 foot run ( blue jeans). See which one is the biggest seller below it. Just saying.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005979KVY/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1453979800&sr=8-8&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=blue+jeans+subwoofer+cable

Monoprice also has a 97% oxygen free copper 50 ft. sub cable that's rated at 18 awg. Much better guage for that long of a run and they are highly touted for it's performance on A.V. forums as well. Another option to choose from and a great value for the money.

http://www.monoprice.com/mobile/product/details/2684?maincategoryid=102&categoryid=10236&subcategoryid=1023603&cpncd=

Correct, standard RCA cable to connect everything. From what I'm reading on the Tapco's, they have a stereo RCA input. Turntable > ART DJ Pre II > monitors.

As LionsMouth pointed out below (and I stupidly missed) the Tannoys are active monitors as well. You could test out which pair you like best and go with those. I didn't find a manual in my quick google search, but from what I can see, the Tannoy's use a combo 1/4"-phone/XLR cable connection. If it is a 1/4" cable, you will need to find a pair of mono-RCA-to-mono-1/4" cable to connect from the DJ Pre II to the back of the Tannoys.

The other thing you will really, really want is some sort of line attenuator to control the volume. It looks like neither the Tannoy or Tapco have a volume control built into them. You could use the gain trim on the DJ Pre II, but that would be far less than ideal.

One other thing that would be very handy would be a simple AV switch box. This would allow you to connect a MP3 player or other audio source along with your turntable.

Outside of the turntable (not knocking you or it -- we all got to start somewhere) the other gear you have is really good quality stuff. Like I said the MX-2 is worth holding onto for the future if you get into this hobby. Otherwise, you could sell it for a decent penny.

Links for reference:

RCA to 1/4" adapter cable

RCA to 1/4" adapter

Line Level Attenuator

AV Switchbox

The RCA-to-1/4" cable or adapters can probably be found at any store that sells music equipment. Line level attenuator might need to be ordered. AV switchboxes are generally everywhere and should be at any big box or online retailer.

Unfortunately £100 is just around the lower limit of the very-entry level, not really mid-range if we're going to be honest.

The easy solution is M-audio AV-40s. They are 'powered monitors' so the amplifier is inside, all you have to do is feed them signal.

Alternatively, you could go for "passive" bookshelf loudspeakers and an amplifier. The advantage to this route is that you can upgrade the speakers or amp separately (edit: also each individual component is probably at least a bit better than the av40s, and if anything ever fails it can be replaced separately; it's just more flexible overall). There's some extra work involved but it's not difficult..

These Wharfedale 9.0 should be good for the price (the Diamond 9.1 were reviewed by Stereophile and they measure well for the price).

You'll need an amp, speaker wire, and some banana plugs are helpful. Oh, and probably a 3.5mm stereo to 2RCA cable to connect your 3.5mm source(s) to the amp.

How much better are either of these compared to tiny computer speakers like Logitech or Creative etc.? Much better.

Hi!

A friend of mine recently bought the Dayton B652-AIR, which sound phenomenal for the price. They're on sale right now for $50 from Parts Express. I haven't heard the basic B652, but the reviews seem to indicate that the AIR models are worth the extra money. They have a better crossover (internal circuitry) and an upgraded tweeter that's supposed to provide smoother treble and more clarity.

Second, you're going to need an amplifier to drive those speakers. Your previous system had a built-in amp. I recommend this little guy which is a barebones amplifier that produces nice clean sound and has a very small footprint and a reasonable price.

It won't amplify your headphones, though.

Something like this receiver would cover all your bases-- provide power to your speakers and your headphones as well.

If I were you, I'd just use an analog cable to attach my source (computer?) to the receiver.

Oh, and you'll need some speaker cable to connect the speakers to the receiver.

So, lots of information there, you've got some god questions.

In regards to the headset, you're right that a 50Ω set really shouldn't need an amp on its own to power them to a sufficient volume out of a computer. The reason to get a DAC/Amp would be to get cleaner sound from a discrete piece of hardware. If you aren't looking for ultimate sound quality out of your headset, you're probably fine with the outs on your PC (As unpopular as that opinion is around here, it's true). You can always try the headphones out without an amp, then if you're hearing hissing or lack clarity with your PC headphone out, then you can get a separate DAC/Amp and split the mic out using something like this.

In regards to the surround sound, I would probably save some cash and go with two sets of LSR305s rather than a set of those and the Logitech system. This way you can tune the speakers for your room individually, and I'm certain that the 305s are much higher quality than the Z906, even without the sub. The only hitch there is that you won't have a center channel, but many of us here use a phantom center provided by the front mains rather than a dedicated center channel.

You might need some fancy switchgear to have your audio interface connected at the same time as your surround sound, and all of that, but if you can sort that out, I think having quadraphonic 305s will sound better than the Logitech system.

Also, you can probably use your audio interface for whatever second set of headphones you go with, save a bit of money there. If you do go with a separate DAC/Amp for the second set of headphones, I've really come to appreciate the price/performance value of my Modi2u. I've returned higher priced DACs because I just couldn't tell the difference, or thought they sounded worse. It's a matter of preference, though, so demo what you can.

Hope that helps!

Are you open to refurb options? They could save you some money in the long run. I'll assume no for right now.

AVR - Yamaha RX-V377 or Denon AVR-S500BT for $250. The Denon adds in Bluetooth if that is something important to you. However, you can't go wrong with either one.

Speakers - I would look at a 5.1 set since you're starting from scratch. That would give you a 5.1 right away meaning you would get all five surround speakers and a sub included. Since you're in an apt I think a sat set would be fine. I would look at these sets.

• Yamaha NS-SP1800BL $120 a entry level set but a great place to start. Keeps you well under budget.
  
  
• Dayton Audio HTP-3 $200 This set comes with a Dayton 12" sub so make sure you have room for it. If not they sell the same set with either the 10" or 8" sub too.
  
  
• JBL Cinema 510 $150 nice set with small sats and a small 6.5" sub. Great for small spaces but if you move to a bigger place you might have to upgrade at least the sub.
  
  You could also get a prepack which is an AVR and speakers in one package. The Yamaha YHT399UBL $350 is a good example of this.
  
  Don't forget the following when you order.
  
  
• Optical cable $6 to hook up the TV/cable box to the AVR.
  
  
• HDMI cables $8 to hook up the AVR to the TV and dvd/brp ect to AVR
  
  
• speaker wire $10 needed to hook up the speakers in the Dayon set. Not a bad idea to get in case the wires that come with the sets are not long enough for where you want to put your speakers.
  
  
• Subwoofer cable $12 needed if getting the Dayton set as I don't think this comes with the sub cable.

Amazon Basics (http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-16-Gauge-Speaker-Wire-Feet/dp/B006LW0W5Y/) and Monoprice (http://www.monoprice.com/Category?c_id=102&cp_id=10239) make good, cheap speaker wire.

Good choice on the speaker. Those Chanes are amazing values: http://www.cnet.com/news/the-149-chane-a1rx-c-speaker-is-almost-too-good-to-be-true/ The tower version also won a shootout among $1000 speakers with some formidable opposition.

The next step down for subwoofers is the NXG BAS 500 (IMO the best subwoofer under $300): http://www.radioshack.com/nxg-nx-bas-500-12-500-watt-powered-subwoofer/55058551.html#.VIm1SjHF_T8 review here: http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/speaker-subwoofer-reviews/67178-nxg-nx-bas-500-subwoofer-review.html

However, they sell like hot cakes and they're out of stock everywhere (Radioshack and Amazon are out of them). No idea when they'll come back into stock.

A good option for less than $200 is the BIC F12 and will save you some money: http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M

You can get a 3.5m to dual rca male cable or 3.5mm to rca socket for easier splitting but need a rca male to male. Keep in mind to set your realtek driver to max power (differs for different drivers/software). Also a good motherboard is recommended like the modern alc1220 or even alc892-897). Ideally a high snr board (some low end boards are good like the msi tomahawk[except b450 ughh dont know why msi dumdbed it down:(] or mortar with high output for the codec they implemented by implementing good amps). You also need speaker wire or 2 premade speaker cable for sturdier and easier connection process

Despite the fact that both speakers seem to be a similar price, the Inclines will considerably cheaper and closer to your budget once you account for cables and a subwoofer (provided you actually need one).

Regardless of what you buy, I suggest first trying the speakers without a subwoofer to hear whether you actually miss the last bit of low frequency sound. Both of my suggestions produce fairly low bass, JBL 305 rated at 43 Hz +/- 3 db and who knows about the Inclines as Def Tech doesn't report frequency response using the standard +/- 3 db (most likely they reach somewhere in the 50s?).

For the 305s, you are less likely to need a sub. Also, connecting a sub to the monitors can be complicated and will depend upon your overall setup. A related issue is whether you will be using an external digital-to-analog converter (DAC) - I recommend you do so for the improved sound quality and that you get one with a volume control. I think the best value approach is buy a pro audio interface - these have a DAC, volume control, and the types of cable connections that would facilitate mating your monitors and sub, plus other features that are used by recording musicians. I have the Steinberg UR22 (paid about $115 shipped new off ebay) but you can do fine with cheaper options: Lexicon Alpha has been recommended https://www.amazon.com/Lexicon-2-Channel-Desktop-Recording-Studio/dp/B000HVXMNE/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1472738288&sr=1-6&keywords=audio+interface or the Behringer UCA202 https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1472738288&sr=1-5&keywords=audio+interface

I went ahead and got the matching JBL LSR310S, but it is expensive ($400 usually but I got mine new on ebay for $279). It was worth it to me as I work from home and listen to some electronic music. Here are ebay listings now: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=jbl+lsr310s&_sop=15 Monoprice has a studio sub at $220 that would work (http://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=115&cp_id=11504&cs_id=1150401&p_id=605999&seq=1&format=2 For cable connections it will depend on what audio interface you get (suggest you buy cables from Monoprice for their support - don't bother with Guitar Center or similar places as their cable prices are very high), however, I think you need the following: for the Behringer you have to use unbalanced connections, qty 4 TRS male x RCA male cables, a) connect the interface to your computer with the supplied USB cable, b) then connect the interface input to the sub input using two (left & right) male TRS x RCA cables, and c) then two more male TRS x RCA (one each, L&R) from the sub output to the 305s input. For the Lexicon Alpha, you would connect in a similar manner but can use balanced connections, total of 4 male TRS x male TRS.

For the Inclines and in considering your initial budget goal, you could go with any of the budget subs. My son has the Dayton SUB-800 http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-800-8-80-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-627 ($99 - $5 Labor Day coupon + $6.95 shipping). I'd spend another $20 and get the Dayton SUB-1000 because it supposedly goes down to 30 Hz http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1000-10-100-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-628 You would need a subwoofer cable for the connection, such as https://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-ULTRA-Subwoofer-Cable-Feet/dp/B003FVYXY0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1472740255&sr=8-3&keywords=subwoofer+cable

As I mentioned before, one the nice things about the Incline is that it has a built-in DAC; however, the "manual" isn't very helpful - this review does a good job of explaining the source input hierarchy and how to engage the DAC (there isn't an input selection switch so you have to unplug cables to make sure the DAC overrides your computer onboard sound card - in any case, use the USB input or optical for DAC): http://www.audioholics.com/computer-speaker-reviews/definitive-technology-incline-desktop-speakers-review

You actually have one of the best android devices for that second to the LG v20. It supports Bluetooth and USB microphones. Otherwise get a splitter like this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PYZ2BT4/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486925540&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Headphone+mic+splitter&dpPl=1&dpID=41p4oX5fWXL&ref=plSrch

Go to the galaxy apps store and get the stock voice recorder it works great. It'll record with dynamic gain so no matter how loud it still won't distort. You can scream into it and it'll sound fine. It's amazing.

There are also great Samsung pro audio solutions too that'll let you do professional 24 bit recordings with live processing

Hello fellow LP120 owner!

Your new turntable comes with a built in preamp, but you still need an amp to amplify the line level audio. Records necessitate a preamp, as the audio level is quite low compared to other sources, (i.e. CD player, iPod). In addition to boosting the audio signal to something your amp can work with, the preamp also applies RIAA equalization which more or less adds back in the low end.

Some of the older amps out there have a specific PHONO input, which is designed to do the same thing a preamp does. Almost all of the new amps on the market have gotten rid of these inputs, as "no one listens to vinyl anymore". You don't need one with a PHONO input though, you just need a good 2-channel amp to power your speakers.

If you don't want to spend much, the Lepai LP 2020 is probably the best bang for your buck. I'm using it right now with these Pioneer bookshelf speakers (very similar to yours) and they sound great. I don't have a recommendation for anything more powerful, but you won't really need anything more powerful unless you go with bigger speakers down the road. Don't forget to grab some speaker wire to wire it all up.

Have fun!

Here's a fairly easy-to-read guide on speaker placement for home theater.

And here's an exhaustive resource on acoustic treatment from Ethan Winer. He is (I believe) one of the more serious experts in the audio community.

I love the look of the room and setup, but I agree with other people on swapping the lava lamp (as cool as it is), and the TV to help center the display between your speakers. Something about the low vaulted ceiling and basic but neat appearance of your system is pretty bitchin'. Nice stuff.

Also, about your cables... I say sell them for whatever somebody will pay and do yourself a favor.

Happy listening!

You have already mentioned that size is a factor. In that case, I can recommend Denon SC-F109, which are almost the same size and about £10 more. Tried, tested and impressed. Never heard the QAcoustics so cannot say anything, but the Denon has a lot of fans in Germany apart from me.


Both of your amps are good enough for desktop use. Get the SA 50 if you also plan on using it for a small party.

The wire seems a bit expensive to me. For that price you could get 100 feet of speaker cable and banana plugs and attach them yourself. All you need is a wire stripper or a pocket knife. In fact, I don't even use banana plugs; they are only convenient if you plan to connect/disconnect speakers often. 12 AWG would be too thick for your purpose, 16 AWG (or even 18) is good enough. You could also save some money by buying per meter (or feet as you're in the UK!) from some sellers or check your local classifieds to see if someone wants to get rid of their extra speaker cable. Also, I can vouch for this 3.5mm to RCA cable. These are a little more expensive, but very well made and don't usually suffer from contact issues.

PS: Just wanted to add some more information about speaker dimensions. H x W x D mm

• Denon SC-F109 - 245 x 165 x 234
  
  
• Wharfedale Diamond 9.0 - 236 x 145 x 165
  
  
• Q Acoustics 2010i - 235 x 150 x 203
  
  So the Wharfedales really are the smallest of the lot, and the Denons the biggest but only in depth.

More speakers doesn't equal more immersive. When buying sound equipment a lot of the value comes from things not properly listed on specifications, such as total range frequency within a certain amount of total harmonic distortion.

A good set of studio monitors is a better sound solution than most people have ever owned.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GP56OYA - Some slightly above entry level studio monitors.

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6 - Connection cable needed.

https://www.amazon.com/Studio-Solutions-Density-Isolation-Monitors/dp/B01FGCC2FM - Isolation pads to prevent desk vibration and angles them towards your ears properly.

Assuming your motherboard isn't using a really poor audio chipset and you are using a high quality audio source they will sound pretty good. If you want to hit frequencies below 70Hz with significant volume I suggest adding a dedicated subwoofer of 10" minimum, although 12-15" is more ideal.

Bit of a long shot, but this adapter will get you a 3.5mm headphone audio out.

Now, I say it's a long shot because it's pretty worthless at $35, however, all the WalMart stores around my area have them all on clearance for $7, which makes it a much better deal. While it doesn't say anything about working on a PS3, I have tried it, and it does work, though you will want a headset or speakers with volume control.

Otherwise, use an old PlayStation composite out cable, with the red, white, and yellow connectors, and get something like this adapter to convert it to a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Best of luck, and happy hunting!

I have jerry rigged plenty of turntables up for sampling so... let's see what we can do here...

(1) Pick up a used turntable from your local craigslist or used electronics shop (follow the guide or post here for recommendations). Depending on your location, $100 will find a basic vintage turntable. Make sure you get a new stylus, maybe even a new cartridge depending on what you want to do. If you want to do backcueing, starting and stopping on the fly, or scratching, get a DJ-oriented cartridge. I recommend the Shure M44-7, it's a workhorse and widely available, you can even pick them up at Guitar Center if there is not an audio shop around you. Runs about $60-70. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT backcue, start and stop on the fly, or scratch with a regular cartridge. You will fuck up your stylus and your record.

(2) As long as the 2i2 has a built in preamp (not sure if the mic preamps on it will work for all turntable--see comment below) all you need to go from your turntable to your 2i2 are adaptors that go from RCA to 1/4 jacks that you can then plug into your 2i2. You can pick them up at Radio shack or order them online. You can use a regular RCA cable and then use these RCA-to-1/4 adaptors, they are like $3... Radio shack will have them if you don't want to order them online. You could also pick up a RCA-to-1/4 cable, these are more expensive and I would just go with the first option as it also allows you to use better cables, but that's up to you. These are your cheapest options to get you started. The best way to sample is to run your turntable into a dedicated audiocard with RCA/phono jacks on your computer... something to think about in your future.

(3) If the mic preamps on the 2i2 do not work or sound weird because they do not have RIAA equalization, then you might need a phone preamp amp. The cheapest one that gets recommended around here is the ART DJPRE II which is $50. You would hook up your turntable to the preamp and then run the cables with the adaptors mentioned in (2) to the 2i2.

(4) If (2) and (3) don't work or seem like too much you could always pick up a preamp with a USB output. I know that there is the ART USB Phono that has built in USB output for $80. I have not used this and cannot comment on the sound quality.

Good luck.

Alright, thanks! Would something like this work? (Maybe there's a better quality brand I should look into?) http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Cable-CPR203-Dual-Inch/dp/B000068O18/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1408054622&sr=1-1&keywords=TS+to+RCA

Also, if you don't mind me adding onto the question, I'd like to try my best to milk my DAC/Amp for as much as possible. Would you recommend going for something better than the Magni and/or replacing my DAC in the future if I want the most out of my sound? Thanks again.

I have been putting together a 5.1 system, and was wondering if you would be able to take a look at it! Maybe something you would recommend other than what is here. This set up is a little more than I wanted to spend, but from what I have read about each piece, it seems to be worth it. Any advice is appreciated!


Denon S500BT


BIC America F12


Micca MB42X Center


Micca MB42X BookShelf


Fluance AVBP2 Surround


A few questions I have:

• Are the Fluance dedicated rear speakers worth the extra 50 bucks over 4 of the Micca bookshelf speakers?
  
  
• Is the Micca center speaker a recommended speaker? I didn't see it listed in the OP, but I found it while searching through amazon, and figured that matching the front two speakers was a good idea.
  
  
• I was also looking into the Denon E300, but I don't see any advantages over the S500BT - any advice?
  
  
• What other things will I need to complete this system? Some speaker cable for sure, do I need a sub cord or any banana plugs? It doesn't look the S500 uses plugs, but I figured I would ask.

I was in a similar situation and ended up getting a pair of KEF Q150's with a Yamaha RX-V385 receiver. The Yamaha isn't on sale anymore but the KEF's are still at $398 from $650.

When I bargained with 2001 Audio Video, they offered me the KEF's for $350 (from the sale price of $398) and the Yamaha 385 for $280 (from the sale price of $299). And the KEF's come with a free pair of bluetooth headphones.

Visions will give you a good discount as well, but they'll try and push their house brand Soundstage first.

You'll get a better deal bargaining at one of those places versus buying from Amazon.

I just have the 2.0 setup right now but I'm happy with the KEF's and the receiver leaves lots of room to upgrade in the future.

And I got these wires to connect, and then these HDMI to connect the receiver with everything else

Mike was right, except replace RCA with 1/4". Clicky

You are also correct about the Stereo into Mono being the reasons for your problems. The Focusrite has 2 mono preamps, so you still need to break up the stereo signal from your Monitor into 2 separate mono channels...thus you still need a 'Stereo 3.5mm to 2 x 1/4" Mono' breakout cable ;) But this is pretty much unnecessary as your monitors are self-powered and can run straight from your computer monitor. This is how I run it off my TV into my monitors. Less cables, but good enough sound.

Stereo TRS -- Tip - Left, Ring - Right, Sleeve - Ground.

Balanced TRS -- Tip - Signal, Ring - Out-of-Phase Signal, Sleeve - Ground

Here is the biggest issue, running through your computer monitor is using your monitor's DA Converter, which is probably pretty shite. You would gain little benefit from using your Focusrite after going through that conversion. The best way would be to use the optical (digital) out of the PS4, or split the HDMI into a digital audio output with a splitter, but the Focusrite has no input for ADAT or SPDIF or AES anyways.

So, as long as there is no issue with your monitors having both 1/4" and XLR inputs at the same time, I would run the 3.5mm->1/4" straight to your monitors, Focusrite output to XLR inputs for your computer, and leave the preamp inputs on your Focusrite open for recording =)

There's a switch on the back of the Behringer amp tl pick from stereo or mono. Set it to mono, and both channels will be driven by a single input: Same thing as a Y cable, but with fewer parts.

Your list looks pretty complete, but that XLR cable won't do you much good with a typical receiver unless it also has an XLR output (most are RCA outputs).

The Behringer amp can accept XLR or 1/4" connections. If it were me and my own system, I'd get something like this:

Hosa CPR-201 Dual 1/4" TS to Dual RCA Stereo Interconnect Cable, 1 Meter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000068O16/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Cfd8CbWWVZMT4

Split the pair and put half in a drawer for when you get a receiver with multiple subwoofer outputs, or decide to rent some full-range PA speakers to piss off the neighbors with.

Speaking of PA: Handles are glorious things for enormous and heavy boxes. If you can work some into your design, I think you'll be much happier when those monsters inevitably need moved.

the Lepy amp or the Kinter will Drive them. Supposed to be 20RMSx2 so a 40 or 50 x2 amp........I'd buy an amp that comes with power supply to make it easy. You'll have Better Highs than the Bose, maybe less Bass but more Balanced Overall.

3.5mm to rca cable to hook to PC........

Need 1 - https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-5mm-2-Male-Adapter-Cable/dp/B01D5H8KO2/ref

Banana Plug speaker wire makes it Easier to hook speakers to amp - just plug in like rcas But Not necessary

Need 2 - https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Speaker-Cable-Gold-Plated-Banana/dp/B07FKJDTPY/ref

​

I run Micca MB42Xs on Desktop with a Topping MX3 Dac/headphone amp/amp combo with Bluetooth. Room is 14x18' and Open to Kitchen on One side with a bar separating them. Fills Room(s) Pretty Well.

Recorded on Iphone so does Not convey the Sound Quality.........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjg7uIg11_Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6pYIp7OUGY

other amps:

https://www.amazon.com/%E3%80%90Update%E3%80%91-Audio-Amplifier-Receiver-Integrated/dp/B076P2VS9H/ref

https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Bluetooth-Amplifier-Wireless-Audio/dp/B07DPKSKVQ/ref (Bluetooth)

https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-50Wx2-TDA7492-Amplifier-Adapter/dp/B00F0H8TOC/ref

this One has Bluetooth and supposed to be Clean. My Choice if not a Topping MX3.........

https://www.amazon.com/Amplifier-TPA3116D2-Bluetooth-Adjustment-Amplifiers/dp/B07Q2XC7K3/ref=

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAN8IKXcFtQ&t=828s

​

MB42X + SMSL SA100 amp+ 3.5mm to Rca cable+ 2 Amazon Basics Banana Plug Speaker wires = $173.69 plus tax

There are a number of solutions available. My assumption is you are looking to use the external computer speakers you have currently without investing in a larger sound bar or AV receiver type solution. I also assume those external speakers are connected to the headphone jack (3.5mm) on your computer.

Basically you need to get the audio out of the HDMI signal from the cable box/console. Unfortunately it doesn't look like that Sony model has an audio loop out of the HDMI audio (that would be the best way). If you are lucky the next easiest solution is something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Male-3-5mm-Stereo-Female-Y-Cable/dp/B000I23TTE

A simple RCA to headphone adapter. I know with the cable box I own, all the outputs are live. Meaning you can plug into any of the analog audio outputs (RCA L/R). One thing to note is that this may not work even if those outputs are live. Sometimes HDMI has a processing delay at the cable box or the projector. So the audio may be off by a few frames or more.

I do not know if that would work for a game console. If it only has HDMI out then you would need an active device to extract the audio, and at that point you probably are spending close to a nicer sound bar type solution. If the console has component outputs it may be easier to go analog (RGB RCA connectors and RL RCA audio). You would need a VGA to RCA adaptor cable for the projector as well then:

http://www.amazon.com/VGA-RCA-Component-RGB-Cable/dp/B003DSC96E

(this analog solution would also work for the cable box)

For the Wii or game cube, both of those are just standard composite video with analog audio so the above audio adapter would work.

Either get the JDS Labs Atom Amp and OL DAC ($200 + $15 shipping), or save a little bit of money and get a Monoprice Liquid Spark and a Massdrop Grace SDAC ($180 + free shipping). Either option is great, with the JDS Labs option being simpler to get a hold of (same online store) and the other option being slightly cheaper. Neither will disappoint, and both are a little bit better than a Schiit Stack.

​

JDS Labs option:

https://jdslabs.com/product/atom-amp/

https://jdslabs.com/product/ol-dac/

​

Other option:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33304

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-grace-design-standard-dac

​

Don't forget to get Amazon Basics RCA cables and a decent usb cable to hook them up.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-2-Male-RCA-Audio-Cable/dp/B01D5H8P0G/ref=sxin_2?keywords=rca+cable&pd_rd_i=B01D5H8P0G&pd_rd_r=d5b4131b-5bb5-439b-9b5c-11a205d8a3df&pd_rd_w=3owY2&pd_rd_wg=6yjsC&pf_rd_p=0395a9fd-d124-46c0-a48f-d8582ed1a45c&pf_rd_r=J1JWK7YFY9D8XK5S47XX&qid=1555197970&s=gateway

​

For the OL DAC:

https://www.amazon.com/JSAUX-Printer-Scanner-Brother-Lexmark/dp/B07KXRW7FN/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=usb+type+a&qid=1555198004&s=gateway&sr=8-17

​

For the Grace SDAC:

https://www.amazon.com/Android-JSAUX-Charger-Braided-Compatible/dp/B07DFC297R/ref=sr_1_17?qid=1555198129&s=gateway&sr=8-17&srs=18609081011

I am going to be using this article plus my own personal experiences in the 7 years I have been collecting: https://www.techradar.com/news/best-turntables


Turntable: Audio-Technica ATLP120USB Direct Drive Professional USB Turntable Price $229.00 (On Sale at the time of this writing) it comes with a built in Pre-Amp so you are good to go. This is one I have been eyeballing myself.


Amplifier: Yamaha R-S202BL Stereo Receiver Price $149.95 (On sale at the time I am writing this). This is the one I personally use and I love it. It has multiple channels so you can allow for growth. For example I got a stereo cd player at the local thrift store I am trying to upgrade. I just need RCA Cables to hook it up which I do.


Speakers: https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T15-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B002RJLHB8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 Price $49.98 (Sale at the time I am writing this)


Wire from speakers to Amp: AmazonBasics 100ft 16-Gauge Audio Stereo Speaker Wire Cable - 100 Feet Price $13.49


Headphone Adapter (Trust me you'll need this if you want to listen to music via headphones) Adapter Price: $7.99


Subtotal: $450.41‬ plus taxes. I think you have wiggle room on the speakers, but I searched for high rated ones. If you need help setting up your Turntable and Stereo please feel free to reach out and I can help! :D

> Now, would it be bad to the speakers behind the sides of the monitor? It might not look very great, but I'll have 13" of room on either side. But, I'll also be limited to 9" deep, because of the wall.

As long as the sound waves aren't obstructed by the monitor you should be fine. One thing to keep in mind is that speakers in this price range often have ports (where the air is pushed out as the speaker is operating). In a lot of cases the port is in the back, so you'd want to give at least 6" between the back of the speaker and the wall.

> So the DAC and amp can go anywhere? Like between my desk and the wall (if it'll fit) so that it's hidden?

They can go anywhere, but you may want to keep the amp within arms reach for volume control. Or you can set it to a value and control with your computer. Up to you.

Regarding measurements. Bookshelf speakers vary quite a bit in size, so once you pick whichever set you want just make sure they will fit your desk. The smallest set that's worth buying IMHO is the Micca MB42X.

On another note, I tend to agree with /u/BeardedAlbatross that if you can find JBL LSR305 in your price range then that's the way to go. People are rarely disappointed in them. They have an amp included and you can always run you motherboard as the DAC. So to sum up, if you can find the LSR305 for ~$200 and they would fit your desk then I'd get those and these cables.

If not then the other option I listed with a UCA202 DAC, SMSL SA50 amp, and whichever speaker set you want.

As others have said it makes a huge difference. I love feeling the subtle details as well like engine RPM and gear shifts in my back. It really pulls you in.

Get a butt kicker setup if you don’t like to DIY. Otherwise a cheap setup can be pieced together easily:

Shaker:
Dayton Audio BST-1 High Power Pro Tactile Bass Shaker 50 Watts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CDDPJTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Irj5BbKDNWGTP

Amp:
ONEU Mini amplifier Super Bass Hi-Fi Stereo Audio Amp Booster for Car Moto Home with DC 12V 3A Power Supply, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019MBUX40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Dsj5Bb3JGVQ77

Wire:
AmazonBasics 16-Gauge Speaker Wire - 50 Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LW0WDQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Gtj5Bb7QK1K9K

Free Software:
https://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/simhub-diy-sim-racing-dash.10252/

From what I can tell, you have an Apple Music subscription, which is the only streaming service that allows you to play music using Siri. In that case, you can buy a Bluetooth receiver, such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AGQMQC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Kgo5AbBDF24K8

A lot of these seem to be made with batteries so they can work in cars, but I see no issue with just leaving it plugged into the charger.

Chromecast audio does not appear to have Bluetooth from what I can tell (although I don't own one, so if someone can say otherwise, please do.)

You could also do what I did and hook up an Amazon Echo Dot to your speakers. You won't be able to use Alexa to control Apple Music, but you can say "Alexa, connect my phone" and then play it over Bluetooth. I bought a used one with zero scratches or anything like that for $30 and I couldn't be happier.

You'll also probably need a 3.5mm to RCA adapter, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D5H8KO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Fmo5AbMYS6FKM

Hope this helps, just reply if you have any questions. :)

Edit: also I just noticed the thing in your post about the Charge 3, I have a UE Boom and it wouldn't let me do something like that, so I doubt the charge 3 would either.

good advice here in this thread so far but your description leaves us all guessing a bit.

if, as I suspect, the mic does not require phantom power Then:
I think that a possibly better solution would be to get a stereo mini female to two RCA Male and use the "Record In" or "tape In" RCA's found towards the right on most behringer mixers.

Lika dis: http://www.amazon.com/Male-3-5mm-Stereo-Female-Y-Cable/dp/B000I23TTE

Edit: On second thought the mic probably won't have the voltage to drive that RCA tape in input without a preamp of some kind to "step up" the mic to line level
(the RCA inputs expect line level) ( maybe this would have same chance of kinda working that your 1/8 to 1/4 adapters had going in to line inputs -you would have to gain em up a lot and you would increase the noise floor)
Does your input of your channels have a mic/line switch by the 1/4 inputs --if so this gets you around that aspect of the problem --set the square up/down switch to mic and you are good with what you have (maybe )

What you really might need is a cable that will break out the 3.5 male jack into two XLR's I think (if the mic male mini jack is a stereo plug that does not involve the earphone side of your headset!) -- in this scenario , depending on whether you male plug is TRS,TRRS, or TRRRS, you might end up with one xlr having the mic signal you need going into your mixer ( yay!) and the other one "needing" to have the audio send to your earphone going into it.

Kinda Lika Dis One: http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Stereo-3-5mm-Male-feet/dp/B000068OEP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407295366&sr=8-1&keywords=xlr+to+mini+stereo but with a female on the 1/8 side -- an 1/8 Stereo "barrel" would convert the one shown to the right gender

2nd Edit: the above mini to 2 male XLR break out cable would be need only IF the mic has [a TRS mini plug  <br />
TRS = Tip Ring Sleeve  aka stereo - or possibly send receive as this is a two way headset right?](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Audio-TRS-Mini-Plug.jpg)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
that would make it possibly  a stereo mic , or at least compatible with a typical computer's 1/8&quot; stereo INPUT <br />
<br />
The XLR breakout linked in edit 2 Might require one leg to be plugged into the mic in and the other one might need to be fed with the line or speaker out of your computer  <br />
 ( without all the facts man, this is damn confusing, I know, but we can get you through this when you fill us in with the ant swears to my  impotent questions(~):-])  <br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`<br />
<br />
3rd edit --I just realized that your &quot;typical gaming headset&quot; probably has in AND out on the ring section of the 1/8 plug Unless it splits out to two discrete plugs to go into your computer -one for mic sound in and one for earphone sound out.   <br />
Or it [could be a TRRS male mini ( that is have two rings on the plug) ](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/3.5mm.jpg/220px-3.5mm.jpg) or even TRRRS ( three rings)  <br />
this makes things much more complicated.    <br />
Do you hope to continue to &quot;hear&quot; from this headset as well as &quot;Send audio&quot; ( use as a mic)??<br />
<br />
does it have separate jacks for headphone and for mic?  Or all in one?  <br />
if all in one is into some sort of interface before th compooter?<br />
<br />
Home many rings on your mini plug??<br />
<br />
what is the make and model of the headset?  <br />
is the make and model of the mixer?<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
me &amp;lt;&amp;lt; lots of audio troubleshooting experience, but zero knowledge of gaming headsets<br />
<br />
Please provide the answers to f the questions i asked and I might be able to help with a more definitive answer in a less corn fusing manor with way less wurdz

If you want to integrate video sources, I would recommend getting a home theater receiver. It will work fine for stereo music and offers a ton of good features.

This is a good choice: https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs730h/denon-avr-s730h-7.2-ch-x-75-watts-a/v-receiver-w/heos/1.html

Next you need some speakers, I’d get these Infinity R162, it’s a killer price on some great speakers. They will play loud and clear and work well for music and movies: https://www.harmanaudio.com/speakers/R162BK-Z.html

Lastly you need a sub, again Infinity has a great sale on this and i don’t think there’s anything better unless you spend quite a bit more for a RSL speedwoofer: https://www.infinityspeakers.com/reference-series-home/REFERENCE+SUB+R10.html

Speaker cables: Micca Pure Copper Speaker Wire with Gold Plated Banana Plugs, 14AWG, 6 Feet (2 Meter), Pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZ5HCTM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n60mDbHDDC5EV

Speaker stands: Sanus BF24B 24 Inch Speaker Stands (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JQ5N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_M60mDb568ER14

Subwoofer cable: Mediabridge ULTRA Series Subwoofer Cable (15 Feet) - Dual Shielded with Gold Plated RCA to RCA Connectors - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003FVYXY0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_a70mDbDG54CND

IMHO: A subwoofer isn't optional when it comes to dubstep. You'll be missing all the low-end (which let's be honest, is why we're all here) if you omit a decent sub from you set up. As far as amps (I call these receivers) go, you'd probably be best off visiting your local pawn shop or anywhere you can get pre-owned electronics and picking something up. I got mine for under $100CAD and it has power to spare. For ease of set-up I'd suggest finding something with dedicated subwoofer outputs on the back. As for speakers, these or these will do right by you. Personally I use this subwoofer, and it has the juice to have my entire house shaking. Wires are pretty much standard in my experience as long as you're talking about a simple home listening system. These wires would do fine for your needs. If you want a proper listening experience dont use bluetooth speakers, and dont skimp on a subwoofer.

Hope that helps, my dude!

So... very good news! I took a chance and this cable fits and works perfectly:

AmazonBasics 3.5mm Male to Male... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NO73MUQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I also picked up these just as a test and they too fit and work perfectly if you’d prefer to use a different cable:

Josi Minea x 2 Pcs 3.5mm Gold... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DCKU7YI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Very happy!

In simple terms this is what you will need.

Speakers -> Use Speaker Wire -> Amp

You will need an amp because the speakers are passive and need power (which your tv can't provide). I listed the usual bang for your buck recommendations. In addition it's up to you whether you want to get banana plugs or not, personally it's just easier to stick the wire straight into the speaker. The MB42 has 5-way binding posts that can accept banana plugs, spades, bare straight wire, and bare looped wire.

Now the easy part. You just have to connect your Amp to your tv. You said you only have optical or aux (no rca?). The amp I linked has the option to use either RCA or Aux input. My personal reccomendation is to use the RCA wire over the Aux, if you can.

And for price vs performance, you can't get too much better than the Micca MB42s. It's always highly recommended as one of the best bang for your buck speakers at that price level.

That was my problem too in the beginning. This may get a little long, but I can definitely help you out.

Elgato has page to help with this issue

I use the original Elgato HD and at first I had a headset with a USB and 3.5mm headphone jack, so I had to make a little jerry rig setup with a splitter and an audio Y cable

But if you are willing to spend some money, I highly recommend getting this headset
Its what I am using now because I can talk to my teammates in game, hear my tv audio, and listen to music or donation goals on my PC since it has a multi media source input.

I hope this helps.

Ok, so you have 2 audio out ways. The first is optical. This is much better, can do surround sound etc, but isn't exactly headphone friendly, so scratch that. You also have RCA out, which can easily go to a headphone, so here is what you will need.

First up, you need an adapter to convert RCA to a headphone. You might have one hanging around as some mp3 players, etc, comes with them. If not, Amazon has it for 1.46 with free shipping. You can also get them at bestbuy/walmart/etc, but they will likely cost at least $20. Once you have it, you can plug it into the red and white "audio out" ports on the bottom back panel. the closest 2 rca ports to the ethernet cable, and right next to the headphone port (to bad it is only audio in, for from PC's).

Ok, now you have a headphone jack, time to get headphones. You get a bit of choice, as now you just need wireless headphones. This is also where most the money will be. Personally, I would get something like this from amazon or this from ebay. This lets you use any bluetooth headphone with your TV, thus the headphones will work with your phone, etc, and be of more use. If you do go this way, you can get cheap headphones like this all the way up to very good ones. Whatever you want.

If you don't want to mess with bluetooth, or it is too much, you can just get this from ebay for cheap, or this one from amazon. They will both work, though won't be as useful, and likely won't sound as well as the bluetooth ones. Also, if you get the amazon one, it can actually directly connect to the rca output, so that is a plus :).



TLDR: If you want the cheapest way, just buy this. Though not the best, it should do exactly what you need.