(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best computer audio & video accessories

Slightly over budget, but I did my very best to keep it around this price while not overspending money but still get great quality components. I as well kept the blue theme.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor | $247.94 @ SuperBiiz
CPU Cooler | SilenX EFZ-92HA2 54.0 CFM Fluid Dynamic Bearing CPU Cooler | $10.98 @ Newegg
Motherboard | MSI Z97-G55 SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $114.99 @ Amazon
Memory | A-Data XPG V1.0 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $78.59 @ Amazon
Storage | A-Data Premier SP610 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $67.28 @ NCIX US
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $56.98 @ OutletPC
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB ACX Video Card | $329.99 @ Amazon
Case | NZXT S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $69.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $44.99 @ NCIX US
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 - 64-bit (OEM) (64-bit) | $90.26 @ OutletPC
Monitor | Acer H236HLbid 60Hz 23.0" Monitor | $129.99 @ Best Buy
Keyboard | Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard | $71.98 @ SuperBiiz
Mouse | Logitech G400s Wired Optical Mouse | $47.93 @ Amazon
Headphones | Sennheiser HD 558 Headphones | $119.95 @ Amazon
Other| Blue Snowflake | $38.00 @ Amazon
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $1519.84
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-09-22 09:32 EDT-0400 |

My short rationale for the chosen products:

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CPU: Intel quad-core, hyperthreaded CPU clocked at 3,4GHz with a boost up to 3,7GHz. This will do awesome in gaming and will help with streaming as well. It's locked so can't overclock it.
CPU Cooler: Because the budget was very tight, I had to use a budget CPU cooler. Now after looking for some reviews I found this one and it was good enough for me. Tempatures are not amazing, but the CPU will not get that hot to begin with, so I am not worried about it at all.
Motherboard: Z97 is the latest chipset from Intel designed for overclocking. Now wait a minute? Overclocking? Yes. I had to get the Z97 chip instead of the H97 (basicly the same chip, but not designed for overclocking) because H97 does not support SLI. Now this motherboard has solid on-board audio and all the features Z97 got. As well 8 USB ports on the back wich 6 of them being 3.0.
Memory: RAM is RAM. The only thing that really mathers is capacity. For gaming, streaming and recording 8GB is enough for now. So I went for a 1x8GB, 1600MHz, CL9 stick from A-Data. Don't worry about 1 stick vs 2 sticks. The performance loss is nothing in your use scenario.
Storage: 128GB SSD, 1TB HDD. The SP610 is an amazing SSD for the price. It can perform better in light workloads then the MX100 or EVO drives wich is amazing. But you will not really notice much difference between this SSD compared to other "faster" drives in your use. 1TB HDD for your data.
Video Card: Now before I say anything else. I would like to have a talk with your trusted friend about overclocking. Especially GPUs these days is so easy and it's very very hard to "kill" the card by overclocking it. So I highly suggest to overclock this card. If you want a nice step by step guide by me personally wich will let you get a nice overclock. I can provide this for you. Now this is an amazing card. I am blown away by Nvidia. Sadly all the GTX 970s are out of stock as of right now. So you have to keep your eyes open. I heard from somebody else that newegg would have them back on Tuesday (not sure if that is today). So I don't know! Here is a very well written review of the EVGA ACX. I highly suggest to have a look at the "overclocking" section.
Case: I went for an amazing looking, but still affordable case from NZXT. The Source 340. Here is the only solid video I could find about this case, but you can see that it's a pretty awesome for the price. Very clean; especially with the PSU cover meaning most of your cables will be hidden very well. I skipped the intro because she just went over another item that I did not include into the build.
Power Supply: 5 year warrenty, 80+ bronze, semi modular fully black sleeved cables, 750W PSU made by EVGA. Amazing PSU for the price. 5 year warrenty, wich is amazing. Means that they used very solid components and this shows in the testing of this PSU. Very stable power all around. It as well looks very clean. The only downside is the fan, wich can get slightly on the louder side. But because this PSU is fairly well covered away by the PSU cover it should help with that.
OS: Windows 8.1 as asked for.
Monitor: 1920x1080, 60hz, 5ms, IPS monitor from Acer. Now I will instantly tell you something about "ms". Almost all the numbers that are marketed are wrong. I have myself a korean 1440p monitor that is marketed at 8ms. But in reality is 13ms. Does this mean I lose an edge in high level competitive gaming? I don't think so. A higher MS on a monitor really only will cause motion blur, wich means that when you move quickly from left to right or up and down. The frames aren't yet correctly on the screen. Causing a "blurry" effect. Wich is somethig that is noticeable if you pay very close attention to it, but I personally have not even seen it yet on my monitor. Now, it's an IPS monitor instead of TN. Wich is just so beautiful. You will probably never want to go back to TN after you got an IPS panel. Here is a unboxing and first look from Linus. That ends weirdly! ^^
Keyboard: Since you wanted cherry MX blues I went for this keyboard instead. Very solidly build wich is in my opinion a very big factor tenkeyless keyboard from CoolerMaster. This will make you sit in a more natural position wich will help you in the long term.
Mouse: I had to go down with the price.. so I can suggest the G400s. I have it myself and I love it. It's based of the very popular MX518 wich was an amazing mouse back in the days.
Headphones: This is the beauty wich I did not want to cut down at all. It's an amazing value for what you get. Head-fi is a well regarded forum with fair and solid reviews on a lot of good or bad quality headphones. Here are reviews from just normal people who review it in short and tell you their experience. I can give you a in-depth review as well if you want. But I hopefully got you sold on this headphone by now.
Microphone: So budget was cutting it close, but this is as low as I wanted to go for a microphone. There are way cheaper options out there, but they all had mixed reviews, for some they worked amazing, for others they were crap. So I did not wanted to risk that and went for a solid but budget friendly microphone from Blue. Here is a very nice review - he did unbox it as well if you want to see it.

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###Hope you like it and If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

So I woke up and these are the links to the videos and some pointers and what not.

ALL LINKS IN THE BOTTOM

Here is the first video for 150 dollars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dj5G0isn9Y

These are the 50 dollar headphones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fD-M1F6L4g

These are the really high end for 200-1000 dollar sets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgTnJ3JQQ0E

Open vs Closed

Closed

Closed which is what I use right now but am looking to get an open pair for 150 bucks. Now closed is where the sound outside your headphones do not come in, as much. Now some are completely noise cancelling then others and some you can still hear but not too well. It has a less of a sound stage so it is harder to know where somethings is by hearing it.

Open

Open is where the vibrator (forgot the name) is directly exposed with little noise cancelling materiel and sometimes none. The offer a much larger sound stage where you can tell where hostiles are, where the birds are, tanks, etc. They also are much better sounding. However, if you live in a loud place with a lot of things going on, get closed. Open also allows for people to hear what you listen to, from 2 or 3 feet away but not behind a closed door.

Microphones

One of the things that you need to be weary about is desktop mics. They are good sounding, great everything. However if you have a small desk get an attachable arm. If you have a mechanical keyboard or hit your table a lot get an arm. But arms can be expensive 20-40 dollars or even more. The solution is getting a Antlion Modmic 4.0 for 40 bucks, great sound, nice and clear and noise cancelling so it won't pickup outside noise. Desktop mics I'd get is a Blue Yeti, Snowball, Audio Technica 2020 is also great, Snowflake microphone, etc.

Ad-dons for audio

So if you want to get better audio, louder, etc. Get an AMP/DAC mix. They are a DAC/AMP connecting VIA USB plug to the PC and then the headphones connect to the DAC with a quarter inch with some 3.5mm connectors but not recommended. These offer a much better experience but at a cost for 80-200 dollars for good ones. Some pads too add bass or take away from treble, mids or bass or add to. But not that much but it is always great to get better pads then stock ones on some stuff for more comfortable wearing.

Headphones

Probably why you are here reading this. Now if you have 80-100 dollars here are my recommendations

Takstar HI 2050 open back headphones and a modmic 4.0 come in at just 100 dollars, they are great headphones. VERY comfy pads from Bererdynamic, honestly I don't know how they aren't losing money they sound like 200 dollar headphones.

Superlux 668B's they are good headphones, they sound high end, are very tough, etc. However they are semi-open and have a fairly large sound stage. My biggest 2 problems are, they are very treble heavy and uncomfortable for larger heads and ears. If I got these I'd need the velour ear pads Amazons sells for them because the stock are hard plastic. The other problem is they aren't very big either and I have a very large ear and head so they is a minus for me. Which is why I love the Takstar HI2050's.

Now if you want to drop more money then get these AKG Q701's which are VERY open. They offer the largest sound stage in the price bracket and more then almost all 500+ headphones. They are very comfy and big for big ears. Very good sound.

For some alternatives in that price bracket for open are DT 990's pros for 150 dollars, they are a bit treble heavy but still are very great. They are 150 on Amazon for the 250 OHM one which can be used in quarter inch and 3.5mm plugs by unscrewing the quarter inch adapter. They have very deep ear pads and very comfy ones too.

Now if you want closed for 30 bucks and still good audio get these Monoprice 108323. Now these earpads aren't very good IMO so I'd get Brainwavz replacement pads for 20 dollars. They are deep, comfy and overall nice. Sound I don't know too much about but they still beat gaming headsets.

For the last pair of closed backs I can think of are DT 770s, bass heavy, VERY big headphones from Beyerdynamic and overall good but not a good sound stage get these for 170 on Amazon.

Another honourable mention is Audio Technica M50x's, they are ok. Better then gaming headsets but don't offer much compared to 990's or 701's but still good. They are 160 I believe.

Now get a modmic or whatever mic you want with these, I'd get a desktop mic w/ arm personally but modmic is nice.

Links

• http://www.modmic.com/collections/modmic Modmic
  
  
• Blue yeti http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B002VA464S I'd recommend a pop-filter too.
  
  
• Snowflake http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowflake-USB-Microphone/dp/B0012AUHXW
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Razer-Seiren-Elite-Digital-Microphone/dp/B00QXT5M3C This isn't much more then the Blue Yeti, in fact a bit worst and very expensive. I'd stay away but worth a mention.
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowball-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B006DIA77E
  
  
• AT2020 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AS6OYC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=1944687582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0006H92QK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0ZVM8GGV5TDXFE02QPWP
  
  
• DT 990 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011UB9CQ/ref=twister_B00WU2V08C?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
  
  
• DT 770 http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-770-PRO-250-ohms/dp/B0006NL5SM
  
  
• ATH M50x http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1457973618&sr=1-1&keywords=m50x
  
  
• Takstar HI2050 http://www.amazon.com/Takstar-Monitor-Headphone-Gaming-Computer/dp/B009PIQUB6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1457973640&sr=1-1&keywords=Takstar+hi+2050
  
  
• Superlux 668b http://www.amazon.com/Superlux-HD668B-Dynamic-Semi-Open-Headphones/dp/B003JOETX8/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1457973655&sr=1-1&keywords=668b
  
  
• Velour pads for 668B's http://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-Velvet-Replacement-Cushion-Headphones/dp/B00KLPRQMO/ref=pd_bxgy_23_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Z33W5JHBVD65A9T5YGD
  
  
• Brainwavz pads http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Replacement-Memory-Foam-Earpads/dp/B00MFDT894/ref=pd_sim_23_36?ie=UTF8&dpID=41vuwIZESZL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=14DP2XANDMR7AFMC1QMY Make sure these fit I am postive but check /r/headphones to know.
  
  
• Monoprice headphones http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-108323-Headphone-Gold-Plated-Accessories/dp/B007SP2CO2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1457973687&sr=1-1&keywords=monoprice+8323
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/AKG-Signature-Reference-Class-Premium-Headphones/dp/B004444OFK
  
  Make sure to look at reviews.
  
  Feel free to ask any questions too.

Okay so I watched Episode 1 of Grandia.
My Thoughts:

• The fraps timer in the corner bothered me. I think it is quite easy to crop it out when editing and it would make the video look a bit more polished.
  
  
• The game's audio, especially in cutscenes, was at points kind of stuttery. It is probably just the emulators fault but if that can be fixed I guess it is worth a mention.
  
  
• You should try investing in a better mic. Logitech as a super cheap one with pretty good commentary, I use one so you can check out the beginning of one of my videos to get an idea for the quality. Having good audio quality generally just makes the video seem better.
  
  
• Your commentary was good. Some cutscenes are kind of boring you can go ahead an talk in between the dialogue to keep things going. You seem to know the game well which is great. When you did speak the commentary overall was kinda funny. You got a couple of chuckles from me throughout the video. :)
  
  
• Video quality was good. It is a PS1 game that is being emulated so I didn't expect much but the game was presented clearly so that is good.
  
  
  That is pretty much it the video was good, just get a better mic and it would improve the video ten fold.
  
  Here is the mic I use:
  http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-981-000246-USB-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B002RL84OY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342815820&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+usb+desk+mic

Audiophile here.

First off, disclaimer: You cannot get BI4L computer speakers. Long-lasting (a decade), sure, but not BI4L. Computer speakers require an amp of sorts, which are notorious for not being BI4L. Running an amp separate from your speakers will not only exceed your budget for a decent one, but would be impractical for a laptop setup.

Okay, so don't get monitors. You can't get decent monitors however small for that price range. Computer speakers haven't quite had the opportunity time-wise to be tested for BI4L-ish (again, the internal amp) quality, but there are a few brands that are going in the right direction.

As Sloppy said, you don't want paper membranes in your speakers. Cloth, glass, crystal, or high quality rubber (but only for the largest of subs) are the ones for which you'll want to look.

First, a few warnings against some brands. In the market, you have a bunch of computer brands trying to make speakers and a handful of speaker brands trying to make computer speakers. The problem with the former is that, well, they don't know speakers.

Logitech excels in consumer electronics - keyboards, mice, joysticks, remotes - but their speakers suck. Yes, even the $400 Z906s. They're loud, they're easy to use, they're flexible (in that you can alter the output easily), but the sound lacks finesse in all three ranges - the bass is muddy, the mid-range is flat, and the tweeters pierce rather than sparkle. You may have heard good things about Logitech's "Ultimate Ears" headphones. Yes, these are pretty good, but that's because Logitech bought a higher-end headphone company a few years back. In any case, that expertise has yet to make it out of the earphones lineup.

On the other hand, you have high-end speaker companies trying to make something that sounds decent but fits in the roughly the same $100-$400 price-range at which people looking to buy nicer computer speakers spend.

Like everyone else, I'm going to warn you against Bose. Bose speakers sound okay, but not for the price at which they're sold. I could justify buying Bose speakers if they were 50%-60% cheaper. They're the Abercrombie and Fitch of speakers, if you will - decentish quality, but you're really paying for the brand.

The other big name that falls into this category is Klipsch. Their higher-end stereo speakers are pretty good, but their cheap speakers are, well, cheap. Their speakers in the $100-$200 range sound okay and are built okay for the price. Nothing special. Plus, they tend to be ugly. =P

Finally, the recommendation:

Here are Creative's GigaWorks T20s and T40s. IMO, the GigaWorks offerings hit the sweet spot in price, sound, and build quality. I've had the T20s for eight years now, and they still sound as good as the first year. They have cloth and glass tweeters and midrange, so they sound great and are quite durable. Rather than wasting your money on a muddy discrete sub, each speaker has a proprietary mini-sub in it. The smaller size means a tighter membrane, so it'll sound better, and there's two of them to make up for the lack of a separate subwoofer. The T40s are the same thing, but with an additional midrange driver on each side if you want a little more volume (though the T20s carry just fine for my smallish apartment).

these:

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54

• this:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1491575296&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=modmic&psc=1
  
  and you will be considered the best Girlfriend ever.......there are a million choices out there on the market today, but, in my experiance there are a very few full on pre-made Gaming headsets that are truly super good, sure some sound ok but very few have the sound quality of a decent studio monitor headphone, and for me, that's important. Good luck, and, you're awesome for soliciting info like this, well done!!
  
  whoops, missed the wireless part, sorry!!!!
  
  logtiech artemis is a nice headset, I loved mine till I moved to the set up I have above, decent sound, lots of extras, good range, good mike:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Artemis-Spectrum-Wireless-Surround/dp/B0148NPJ78/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491575575&sr=1-3&keywords=logitech+artemis
  
  and, if he already has some logitech gear, it works in conjunction with the software he already has.

It's cool! I remember it took me a while to get going as well, and that was in University haha.


Firstly, the best program that you can use is called FRAPS, which is pretty much the industry standard. You can either buy an official copy here or find a torrent, it's quite easy to get ahold of. When you get it and download it, it's very easy to set up and use and is very user-friendly. Step to follow when first opening the program will generally be;

• Click on the 'Movies' Tab
  
• Check where the movies are being saved to
  
• Unless you have a VERY powerful computer, it's better to record 'half-size'
  
• Make sure it's recording Win7 Sound in Stereo AS WELL AS the external input....oh, definitely get a microphone too. You can use built in ones, but as an investment it seriously improves overall video quality! (I currently use this, but a cheap £12 one served me fine for a long time!!)
  
  When all of this is setup and he next opens minecraft, if it's working in the top left corner he'll see some big yellow numbers (the current framerate) and as soon as he presses record, that'll change to red. I think the default record button is F9 but you can check and change that in the program. You want this red number to generally be the same as what you set your frame-rate capture to be (30fps, 50fps, 60fps) etc but that all depends on the speed of the computer. Luckily Minecraft is quite easy so you can probably have it comfortably in at least 30 without any issues.
  
  
  As soon as he is done recording, he just has to press F9 again, the numbers will go from Red to Yellow and it'll all be in files wherever you set it to save them too.
  
  
  
  As far as it goes, this is all you really need to do! It's very easy and basic and is one of the reasons Minecraft has become such a big youtube hit is how easy and well it records through this method. Let me know if you have any further issues! :)

I wouldn't recommend any traditional gaming headsets, you would do better to get a good pair of headphones and a separate mic. Gaming headsets have good mics, but the speakers are almost always lacking compared to similarly priced headphones.

I've used many headsets from Logitech, Steelseries, Razer, Turtle Beach, and a few other companies, and anything from Sennheiser, Audio Technica, Beyerdynamic, Denon, AKG, or the multitude of quality audiophile manufacturers, will give you far better audio.


Sennheiser makes the only really good headsets in my opinion, the PC350 and PC360, but they are expensive at around $200, and don't sound as good as the HD598's for about the same price.

Steelseries makes okay headsets, but are over priced for the audio quality. The 5Hv2 and 7H are incredibly comfortable, and the Siberia v2 are quite comfy as well (not if you have a large head though, I have 7 7/8 hat size and was fatigued in an hour). Also their build quality is very good. They produce very accurate locational noise, but be warned as Steelseries headsets have no bass at all at the cost of having very clear footstep identification.

I wouldn't even consider Razer products as their build quality is sub-optimal.

Check out: reddit.com/r/audiophile and reddit.com/r/headphones for all the info you want on good headphones.

Also www.head-fi.org/a/headphone-buying-guide is a good place to start.

For gaming I use Audio Technica ATH-AD700 and Zalman Zm-Mic1. The AD700's don't have a large bass presence, so bass thumps don't interfere with footsteps and important locational noise (which they produce very accurately). These are by far the most comfortable headphones I have ever had on. The ModMic is also a very good mic option for any headphone.


Do a little research on the audio sub-reddits and you will find the perfect solution for your needs.

• Budget: 250CAD/200USD (That being said I'm a teenager with his first job, if theres some god like headphones in the 200-300 range then lay them on me!)
  
  
• Source: PC/Phone (I'm not to worried about phone compatibility)
  
  
• Isolation: Isolation is always a nice feature but I play in a quiet room so it is not necessary.
  
  
• General Use: These will be typically used at home, but it would be good to be able to walk around with them.
  
  
• Type of Headphone: Over ear
  
  
• Balance: I'm a fan of bass but would very happily take a well balanced set of headphones
  
  
• Past Headphones: Nothing of note
  
  
• Music Taste: Crappy nightcore remixes / techno
  
  *Location: I'm buying in Canada
  
  I was one step away from pulling the trigger on some Logitech G933's before I discovered this subreddit. I already have a separate mic but would prefer to have a build in mic and the convenience of wireless appealed to me. After discovering this subreddit I looked through some posts on gaming headphones and two really caught my eye.
  
  
• Audio Technica ATH-AD700X
  
  -Noticed this after reading through Mad Lust Envy's guide to gaming headphones. The original ones reviewed are no longer on sale new and I've heard complaints about build quality and the 3M non detachable cable on the new ones. While it may be possible to modify the cable I'd rather not have to.
  
  
• Sennheiser PC 363D
  
  -I've been looking at these because they come with a very convenient mic as well as an attachable sound card for 7:1 Surround Sound. In terms of getting good positional audio Surround Sound is very appealing, although I may just be buying into the marketing.
  
  While audio quality for things like music and movies is important I am willing to sacrifice all round quality for good positional audio and a wide soundscape. These headphones will be used for fps games like CSGO and Arma 3 and I don't use my headphones for much else. These are pretty popular games so I'm sure that someone helpful on here could share their experiences. Everything I've seen of this community so far makes it out to be really good and I'm looking forwards to learning more. Thank you in advance!

What you want to achieve? Will it be full time recording, motion detection, for weather monitoring, or some kind of time lapse situation?

Since you have a PC in the room you could just get a USB webcam. You could use USB extension cables (up to five meters or 16 feet) if the computer isn't near the window. This Logitech camera reportedly works well in Linux.

If you want a full blown camera take a look at Foscams and UBNT AirCams.

The Foscams can be had for less than a hundred bucks on Amazon. This one can do 720p for about $100. It has remotely controlled pan & tilt features. A warning about Foscams, however: From my personal experience they need to be rebooted a lot and have lots of bugs. They are inexpensive, though.

UBNT AirCams go for around $100 and use Passive PoE (power over ethernet). Passive means there's no active checking for PoE support (not 802.3af or 802.3at compliant) it just injects power into the line continuously. The cameras don't have any zoom or pan & tilt features, but there is the airVision NVR product behind it. It's a pretty nice NVR product. This particular airCam would probably suit you nicely. Check out the UBNT airVision forum for more information.

ZoneMinder is a free software based NVR that can do both full time recording and motion detection recording. It's got a bit of a learning curve, but it's powerful and free. It can be used with any of the cameras mentioned above.

Beyond that just take a look at security or USB cameras on Amazon. You may find better or cheaper options.

If you are a Do It Yourself kind of person check out the Raspberry Pi. There is an active community here on Reddit for the Raspberry Pi. You can find several guides via a quick google search for setting up one to use as a security or weather camera.

Edit: Just to mention them, there are other NVR (Network Video Recorder) product available. Up on top of this list are the Blue Iris and Milestone software products. You can do a web search for them.

Sorry, I didn't know I had to post my question to this thread.

Are refurbished headphones better than like new?

My boyfriend and I are doing late Christmas to take advantage of all the Christmas money we've both got and I want to get him a nice pair of headphones, but I don't want to spend more than $100. He likes over the ear headphones, and that about his only preference.

After doing a bit of research I settled on these Sennheiser pc 350 headphones. I won't be able to buy a new pair, so I'm going to choose one of the used or refurbished ones.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Are refurbished better than like new?

Also feel free to critique my choice of headphones or suggest other alternatives. I have absolutely no headphone knowledge other than the fact that the bose pair I've had for two years are pretty awesome.

So yeah, any advice would be great! Thanks!

The .1 stands for sub-woofer. So yes a 2.1 speaker will have better range when it comes to base. Generally normal 2.0 speakers are mid range speakers that usually do not have the higher end or the lower end. So it you love the "thump" you might want to consider a 2.1 speakers. Point to note here is that the Creative T40 has a much smaller woofer, hence it will produce the base, but not the "thump", additionally it has a tweeter, which will cover the high end as well.

The speakers I have recommended are some of the higher end speakers from Creative. From my experience - they are the best value for money speakers you can buy. Something equivalent from other brands like Logitech or JBL will cost you much more. Cheep brands like Zebronics and iBall are not worth considering. Philips has gone down the drain as the product is no longer theirs, they lease out their brand for royalties.

To really enjoy these high end speakers - you have to have good quality media (HD media - DTS/Dolby encoded, Not AAC, or low quality MP3). If your listening area is no larger than 12ftx12ft - these creative speakers, the clarity they offer will blow you away. You can read a lot more user reviews here on Amazon's US website.

I'm going to college soon and I wanted to get some good speakers for my dorm room. I'm into EDM and I've confirmed my roommate is too, so I want really good quality ones with great bass.

My friend got the Logitech Speaker System Z623 and I was very impressed when I heard them. I want something like those, but I'd rather not have the $100+ price tag. I mean if I really have to, I'll get those, but I'd rather not spend that much.

I was looking at the Z523 and the Z506, but I guess they aren't as good. But is the difference noticeable?

I asked my friend and he said a good way to tell the quality of a system is the frequency range. And I guess the more watts, the better bass.

If anyone could recommend some good ones for a good price I'd be grateful. Thanks!

Here is what I would do if you wanted good speakers for a desk. They are a bit big but should sound really nice. This also tops out your budget so keep that in mind.

• Pioneer BS22 $97 with a Lepai 2020 $20. You'll probably need some wire and a 3.5 to RCA cable
  
  I would also look at some nicer computer speakers as an alternative. I know I'll get some hate for this but realistically if you want something closer to the $75 mark this your only option. Here are some sets I would look at.
  
  
• Altec Lansing $85 - These sound great. Bass and treble controls are a great feature.
  
  
• Logitech z523 $85 - These should sound good for just about any kind of music. It's not audiophile quality but should do a fine job.
  
  
• Bose Companion 2 III $90 - I know I know...Blose. I normally wouldn't recommend them but they actually sound good for smaller speakers. If you want something that sounds good with no sub these are it. If you like EDM/Techno/Rap/Hip-hop these are not for you look above.
  
  
• edited to fix link.

> 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.

Hey guys. I want to get some good speakers with good audio quality and base, because currently the ones I have are not great. I don't want to spend much more than $200. I listen to a lot of music, but mostly EDM, and stuff like that, so sharp base is important to me. I also want something I can turn up loud and not fear blowing out or sacrificing audio quality.

I would like a set of 2, because I am sorta obsessed with symmetry and having just one throws the room off balance for me...

Anyways, here is what I was looking at:

Alesis Monitor1 MKII Channel Studio Monitor (passive)

or buying 2x Gemini DJ SR-8 - 8-Inch Bi-Amped Active Channel Studio Monitor, although that is a little bit more than I want to spend, if it is worth it I will.

And then on the much higher end, where I really am not willing to go unless someone can make the best argument ever to buy them, are the M-Audio BX5 D2 5" Active 2-Way Studio Monitor Speakers.

I would love some advice.

Thanks!

Location - England, should be available on Amazon UK

Budget - <£75 (~$110) - preferably lower if there's something good

Source - Laptop and Nexus 5. I've noticed white noise from earbuds in my laptop for a while after I stop playing audio, is that a sign of a bad sound card?

Requirements for Isolation - High; will mainly use at home, but want the option of a quiet library (i.e: don't want anything leaking out, but I shouldn't have much outside noise)

Preferred Type of Headphone - Was thinking full size over-ear because I assumed they'd have higher isolation and comfort, but then I also read these were often less comfortable than on-ear, so whichever ticks boxes.

Preferred music - Pretty big mix, but I'd say indie rock if I had to give a direction (Arcade Fire, Wilco, etc.), sometimes heavier. I assume that means I don't want high bass?

Past headphones - Various earbuds which I find break a LOT for me just from wear and tear, want something sturdier and much better audio quality. Also had Plantronics GameCom 780 headset which I remember liking the audio of, but I don't want a mic anymore.


I'm a complete headphone/audio newb, feel free to correct a requirement/give budget advice if they seems unrealistic. I'm not an audiophile, so while I want something that sounds significantly better than my earbuds, I also care a lot about comfort, durability and aesthetic (not necessarily flashy, but attractive). Thanks!

I do the same, high volume on good headphones. I think you're right because now that you mention it I always turn up the volume for rocksmith about 40% higher than anything else, but never really thought much on it since I have amplified computer speakers. Here's the easy guarenteed fix.. Simply get a pair of decent-to-good powered computer speakers like creative t20s (about $100) and put them between your pc and your headphones. That's exactly what I have and I only go 2/3 of the full volume capacity before rocksmith blows my ears off. Its awesome and totally worth the investment.

Also always disable loudness control settings when playing rocksmith. It doesn't sound right with it on. You will never get your guitar and the backing track to be in a steady constant volume level to each other, as it will automatically change them to mix "evenly" (what the computer thinks is even). I adjust the rocksmith track and guitar volumes separately for every song I play. Sometimes I want to hear my own playing standout more like when I'm learning something new, and when I know the song well I like it to blend in so it's there but not obtrusive. I only use loudness when watching action movies because I like to both hear voices and not blow my neighbors away with explosion sounds.

At the bare minimum include the following things if you want help and/or advice choosing or setting up amplifiers, speakers, DACS, etc

• Budget: a little more or less than 100 u$s? I'm not sure
  
• Country: Argentina. If the product cost more than 50$, I have to pay 50% of the excedent as taxes
  
• I can buy from: Any amazon, b&h, I think almost everywhere
  
• Use: Audioslave, RHCP, Rock in general, series,
  
• Where: A desk in a Room
  
• Space: 3.67m x 3.88m, NOT really loud, I will be most of the time 1.5m away from the speakers and occasionally on my bed, or taking a bath or cooking in the next room.
  
  Optional but also helpful
  
  
• Powered, passive, or no preference: no preference, I've heard you can get a better quality with the same budget with passive speakers.
  
• Any size limitations for either speaker or amp: no
  
• To upgrade later?: not really
  
• Pref certain way of sounding (Bright/forward, smooth/laid back, neutral, etc): that immersive experience (everyone here would call it the commercial one?) but I'm not sure, I don't have any speaker to listen and compare.., I only have a HyperX Cloud 1 headsets and I won't be downloading FLAC at least for the moment, I only listen from Spotify (music) or Bluray (series and movies) most part of the time
  
  I've made my search but I have no idea about this so... I need speakers for the pc on the desk in my room. Mostly for series, music, games. I will not update the system soon after this purchase and I don't have anything right now besides my current headphones.
  
  I'm from Argentina so I have 2 disadvantages: I have absolutely no idea what I'm buying because there are no places near me to try any of these speakers. For every purchase, if I spend more than 50$ I will have to pay 50% of the excedent. That means, I can buy an amp of 30$ without paying taxes or if it exists the possibility to buy a pair of headphones by separate (1 and 1 making a pair) I will probably not pay taxes... Are there places willing to do that?
  
  This is my room: https://imgur.com/a6UVKYU
  
  Questions:
  
  - What would you recommend and why?
  
  - My motherboard doesn't have bluetooth. I want to connect my pc the 99% of the time and maybe my phone 4-5mts away. What is my best option?
  
  - I think I can buy from any amazon. I've found better prices for some of the products there. Editing..
  
  Active:
  
  Edifier R1280T 156$ - £89.99
  
  Edifier R980T 115$ - £59.99
  
  Swan Speakers - D1010-IVB (unavailable? the 2nd best option?)
  
  Passive:
  
  Micca PB42 60$
  
  Micca PB42X 110$
  
  Pioneer SP-BS22-LR 93$ (the best ones? 1st best option?)
  
  Dayton Audio B652 28$
  
  Dayton Audio B652-AIR 45$
  
  Amp:
  
  Lepy LP-2020A Class-D 23$ (I want to connect my phone occasionally without disconnecting my pc, should I get a bluetooth or wifi amp?)
  
  ​
  
  ps: sorry for the long post and thanks in advance

No I dont have an amp or receiver. I'm trying to keep my budget relatively low which is why it's been challenging. Trying to find something affordable and decent quality preferably under $200 and in Australia. So yeah powered for now would be better and I'll upgrade later down the track I think.

Thanks for that recommendation though I will check the Audioengines out!! Do you know anything about Microlabs? They have Some relatively cheap products but Im worried that there like a Logitech...

I also came across these Genius SP-HF1800A which seem to have reviewed pretty well and I know where I can get them.

Edit: I found some Audioengine 2's for $160 second hand locally so that seems like a pretty good option atm

Edit2: Also came across these Creative T40's Which seem to be pretty decent for PC speakers aswell

Here's the deal. Get only the most necesary equipment right now, and don't skimp on the cost. Most microphones are good, and I particularly like Logitech's desktop mic as a starting point. HOWEVER, remember that the more you shell out on equipment the better it will sound.

Get a good set of headphones, at least a pair you can use whilst recording. Having the mic pick up your game audio is a bad idea. If you can get a good headset, even better. I know it's an expensive option, but I found the Astro A30 to be totally worth every penny (start with just the headset, get a mixamp if you want to use multiple audio sources without switching around cables)

As for a capture device, there's plenty of options, but again, remember that the more you pay, the better quality the capture will be and the better the software will be for capturing. I personally don't use a capture device, but I have a friend who uses a hauppage HD PVR and swears by it. Also remember that the device you get may or may not be usable for live streaming if you want to get into that. Also keep in mind that the low cost recording devices are fairly limited in what they can do. They might be good for older consoles and the wii, but they won't be good for the 360 or ps3 at all.

As far as software goes, invest in a copy of FRAPS for PC recording. You buy it once and they give updates for free. Also get editing software. If you record both the mic and the game audio to the same file (like how fraps does it) you won't need anything special, just something to re-encode the files so they aren't so huge. I can't remember what I did before just dropping in my video to Sony Vegas, but I like SUPER for converting most things. If you want to get into live streaming, you'll need Xsplit it's the easiest way to get streaming up and running.

Location - UK

Budget - ~£60, flexible on price. Lower is also perfectly fine.

Source - Will be using them for Console gaming mostly but with a chunk of films and music also. So a bit of everything but mostly gaming.

Requirements for Isolation - Will be using them at home so no preference here, open or closed is fine.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Over Ear / Circumaural. I have a large head and fairly large ears and will be wearing them for fairly long periods of time for gaming so large cans would also be preferable.

Preferred tonal balance - Not too sure, whatever is best for the things which I will be doing. Maybe a bit more on the Bass side.

Past headphones - I am new to the world of decent headphones so my past consists of the bog standard apple and in ear Samsung earphones etc.

Preferred Music - Fairly general taste in music, little bit of everything but probably favour R&b/Rap and dance/ electro a bit more.

Notes - I have spent the past week looking into getting a pair of headphones but I am still fairly lost as to what to get with such a huge variety. The AD700s and Senn 558s and other models above those are widely recommended but they seem to cost almost twice as much in the UK as they do in the US and so they are out of my price range which is disappointing.
Audio Technica M50s and Senn HD 518s can be had for around £80 but they are really pushing it price wise for me unless they are definitely worth it. Found some cheaper Senns like the 419s or the 429s but what is their quality like? Sony MDR-V6s are also another pair i have seen recommended.

Obviously for gaming I would pair these with a clip on mic of some description. something like the Zalman clip on or similar and a 2 to 1 splitter to plug into the DS4 controller. The dislike of gaming headsets is well known but never the less I have seen a couple recommended here and there and they are reasonably priced so it's not a total loss if they are useless: [The Logitech G430] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CJ5FPUE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LHKRQNKZ0EPX&coliid=I1XWGCGB108WMV) and the Plantronics GameCom 780.

PS4 will likely be my console of choice that I will be using these for if that makes any difference. I have seen lots of talk about surround sound in relation to gaming headphones but a lot of it seems to be for PC, will it function properly on consoles too? does anyone know if the sound would be impacted if I was to plug into the controller jack or the USB slot on the console?

Thanks in advance.

I can't recommend the Sennheiser G4ME One's enough. Best headset I have. Mic is really really good as well. Also extremely comfortable, at least to me. They are open so they offer a great sound stage to pin point footsteps better than any of my other headsets.

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-GAME-ONE-Gaming-Headset/dp/B00KK8ZLEC

If you want wireless for PC or PS4 get the Logitech G933. They sound FANTASTIC, really they do, in my opinion. Almost as good as the G4ME Ones. And they are jam packed with tons of features. And it can go wired as well. And it can take phone calls and it can mix in audio from like 3 sources and any 3.5mm you plug into the wireless dongle will also get transmitted.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Spectrum-Wireless-Surround-981-000585/dp/B0148NPJ78

It feels like you're only going to be using them in your room which leaves the option of the open back headphones. They don't really isolate much but I think the tradeoff and benefits in soundstage can be worth it. That being said, I have no idea how loud your fridge is. If you're open to the idea of that, the Philips SHP9500S with a Vmoda Boom Pro is about one of the best choices you can make around your budget.

If you really want to have that closed headphones (which also have benefits since closed headphones can be used in public unlike open headphones), then something like the ATH M40X or even Sennheiser 598C are worth looking into. There's plenty about both on this sub or google. They're not compatible with Vmoda boom pro but instead work with something like this.

Hope that helps

No.

First off, $50 for a mono, unpowered speaker? No thanks.

Second, ceramics have terrible acoustic properties; there's a reason that both musical instruments and speaker enclosures are usually made out of metals, woods and plastics: they sound better. I'm not sure of the exact physics behind it, but I believe the plasticity of the materials gives them a wider range of frequencies. Glasses and ceramics are very brittle and, I believe, will tend to have a very narrow range of harmonic frequencies. This is why glasses and ceramics tend to only be used in instruments that make a single frequency: jugs and bells.

If you want unpowered mp3 speakers, I'd recommend these Sonys.

If you want great sound for under $50, get a Logitech or Altec Lansing powered 2.1 system like this or this.

If you want to save up for a top of the line set of speakers, you can store your money in one of these handy ceramic pigs. Nowadays it's probably safer than a real bank.

I have this one and love it.

However it's not USB. I've heard great things about the U320 as well.

If you want great sound quality paired with a great microphone, Sennheiser is awesome. I sound like a shill but I just really love their products and I've had that headset for almost 5 years with no issues. They're definitely on the pricey side but a good gaming headset is worth the investment in my opinion.

Yes, that should be enough room, though more is always better. Get rid of your furniture! That TV is going to get punched if you're not careful.

Seriously though, that is an adequate amount of space. Here is the official guide for setting up the best possible roomscale experience.

Your 3 sensors are going to be setup similar to how you have them now, with the third being directly across from one of the current two, like an L shape.

Throw down a small rug or mat in the middle of your playspace, this helps to keep you centered so you have a more tactile sense of where you are in the room (in high intensity situations, Guardian is not enough).

Consider looking into overhead cabling, it's around $20 and is super simple to setup. Additionally look into wall mounts for the sensors. 3M strips are your friend.

Check out Sensor Bounds to help maximize your sensor coverage. Check out Cable Guardian to help prevent cable wear (basically required if you use overhead cable routing)

Lastly, try out EchoVR once you have all of this setup.

HAPPY HAPPY CAKE DAY!

1. ---
   
2. ---
   
3. No book is currently higher on my want list.
   
4. ---
   
5. Not just an animal.
   
6. Purple and poignant.
   
7. A game for misanthropes.
   
8. A guilty pleasure, albeit one I don't get to partake in too often.
   
9. This tool allows near instant face to face communication.
   
10. This may be from my childhood but its still a part of my life to this day.
    
11. Now hear me out on this one: in order to use this item your organizational skill have to be off the charts.
    
12. I got to live music events and write reviews on them, and writing is one of my three biggest hobbies.
    
13. Not sure it gets nerdier...
    
14. Few things are more natural than hair.
    
15. The Great Old One.
    
16. Something I'd wear all the time.
    
17. A lot of people of people tell me this is funny. I've only played once, and only online.
    
18. ---
    
19. ---
    
20. As a writer, gamer and aspiring video/sound editor, this is the ultimate dream item on my wishlist.
    
    BONUS. Off your High Priority wishlist, the thing that sticks out the most to me, because I'm a war buff, was THIS. Though peronsally, I'd probably grab THIS above the rest.

I don't know what your budget is but I'm a fan of the Creative T20 ii

They're under $80, good looking, good sounding. A lot of people are a fan of a separate amp and then a good pair of bookshelf speakers but for me these things are a good mix of simplicity, size, price and sound quality (and I think they look good without the grills.)

I'm looking into purchasing a new speaker system for my PC. I have a budget of $100 and really just looking for the best quality-per-dollar. I understand a $60-80 set of speakers isn't going to be as good as a $100, but at the same time I'd like to be convinced that a $40 difference is worth saving if it's not $40 worth of a quality increase.

Logitech has a sale on Amazon so was looking into their speakers a bit. Something like the Z523 is at $55 right now. I'm wondering if it'd be worth taking advantage of the sale and what speakers to get even if it means that I'm only getting a certain level of audio quality.

I've used these: Sennheiser PC350 for a number of years now and it's easily one of the best purchases I've made. I can wear these things all day and not even notice. They actually fit completely around my big monkey ears too, and are very comfortable. One review I read mentioned about them feeling like the loins of Jennifer Lopez, and while I don't know if its true, they are really comfortable.
As far as the ones you've listed, I've heard good things about those two Logitech headsets, and like most other people have said, I try to stay away from Razer.

Edit: Going to add that I've had these Sennheiser PC350's since October of 2008, and while working from home and extensive gaming (multiple hours a day easy - forever alone) they haven't failed on me yet. Comfortable as hell, and the wire connecting to the PC is actually a lot thicker than other wires. I've ran over it plenty of times on accident and haven't put a dent in it.

So: you need some headphones:

Sony MDR-XB700:
Decent phones, popular because they've got good bass punch, but they're unbalanced towards that range. Should be fine for gaming, but they wouldn't be my first suggestion. Suggested because those big over sized muffs are pretty comfy.

Sony MDR-SA1000: Hot damn I remember these. Great phones, comfy for long wear, easy to hear through, but easy to drown out the world by pumping up the volume a little bit. Fairly balance range response, decent sound stage, good pricing.

AKG K 701: I shit you not, these headphones have caused my girlfriend to have an orgasm. Quite possibly the finest piece of audio gear I've laid ears on, but there's a catch. You can't get orgasm-inducing sound out of them without an amp, they're just too power hungry. Though, an amp would help any of these phones. I would consult this review for a decent explanation of the amp situation.

For Microphones, I've had two of these: good audio quality, and while not good enough for audio sampling, they are great for voice comms. Personally I think that desk mics work better, since most players seem to have a hard time keeping their heatset mics from rubbing all over their faces.

Edit: Link's 'n shit.

Re: speakers. These are just above your budget (on Amazon at least) but I would highly recommend the Creative T-40 speakers.


Whist they do not have a separate sub-woofer, they have some nice tech in the speaker that means they do have a decent thump. The sound quality is excellent for the money. I ended up buying three sets for my house and then my brother asked for a set for his birthday. A decent set of shelf speakers would also do a great job :)

I can't help you with settings, but I can offer some microphone stuff.

I did a bunch of looking around and reading when I was picking a microphone and headphones. I started looking at gaming headsets, but then came to the conclusion that they're more of a "gimmick," which is to say that they're meh-quality products that sell well due to their "gamer" tag. I saw many instances where mics on them were awful or stopped working pretty fast, so I looked at desk mics. (Note: None of this is my own personal experience. Only the experiences and advice I've gathered from others).

If you really want headphones with a mic attached, I have no personal experience with it, I've seen the antlion modmic suggested on different occasions (which you attach to regular headphones to make a headset). But headset mics, while they can be good, are generally lower in quality than actual mics. (Again, not personal experience).

In the end, I picked up a pair of Sennheiser HD 558 headphones (irrelevant, but why not share) and bought a Blue Microphones: Snowflake USB Microphone.

The Snowflake seems to be a very good mic. Physically, it's small (folds down, and fits in your palm) and made mostly of metal with a little plastic. Function wise, I believe it's Unidirectional, so you need to worry less about surrounding sounds getting caught (unless loud). The only setup I had to do for my mic was plug it in and set it as my primary source for audio input (on the computer, not Overwatch).

I've used my mic in plenty of Overwatch matches and have heard no complaints from my teammates about quality. If I ask, I'm told I sound perfectly fine, and not too loud or quiet. I do not have to hunch over to speak into my mic and be heard clearly. I would definitely recommend it. If you're interested in it, feel free to ask me any more questions about it.

EDIT: I also strongly suggest you go into Overwatch and ask people how you sound while using your mic. Your post suggests you may not have used it yet, but I may be wrong.

This is a strange, but related question:

I need better headphones for gaming. I settled on getting these after basically taking a straight recommendation from a friend

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012XFDWO

The problem is that the reviews suggest that I need a sound card with amplifier in order for them to work? I'm not sure I understand. I am of reasonable technical skill, but I'm not sure I'm understanding what I need exactly. Particularly this review and the comments on it are somewhat troubling. They've essentially left me thinking that I need to get a new sound card (currently using onboard sound on an ASUS P6X58D Premium) but I'm not sure exactly what specification the new card would require. I'm just leaving this here as a means of passively collecting research if anyone else understands this topic better. I'll be a few tabs to the right in my browser doing more research on my own, so don't hassle me with the "LOOK IT UP, RETARD" if you don't mind. I'm trying.

Anyway, I appreciate it.

I've been enjoying your casts lately, also, TB. You help to fill my Saturdays in particular. I enjoy having a nice ladder on one monitor while I watch some tournaments on the other. Keep up the great work! I can't wait to hear how some crazy baller casting equipment helps things sound :)

I would reccommend these speakers: Creative GigaWorks T20 Series II 2.0 Speakers

I'm not very saavy on the audiophile front, I don't know if they are active speakers but they are good 2.0 speakers for their price range. Feel free to research further if you think they might meet your needs.

I used them for a few years and found them really good. Despite the lack of a subwoofer they have a nice bit of punch to them. In fact, I liked them so much that I have ended up getting another set for my return to desktop computing.

They're not bad, but they are purposefully tuned to boost treble to help you hear footsteps, and boost bass to help you feel immersed. and you're paying a lot more for the built in mic. :P

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-Collapsible-Headset-Control-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO

These would be a nice upgrade from the turtle beaches :)

I could be reading it wrong - but it looks like you have coaxial digital out (not optical). https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1212523/Element-Elefw328.html?page=11#manual

​

Wii can output analog video/audio (red/black/yellow looks like RCA) "out."

​

https://www.nintendo.com/wiiu/features/tech-specs/

​

Switch Dock has HDMI "out."

​

https://www.nintendo.com/switch/features/tech-specs/

​

SO - perhaps, connect Wii to TV with analog video/audio.

Connect Switch to TV with HDMI.

​

Use headphone port on TV to get all your audio back out. These will work - and I have had them before, pretty good for price: https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-R980T-Active-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B01LXDZ8WB/

​

Or the 1280DB's look good too and it looks like they will take coax optical.

​

That eBay deal looks good!!!!

​

Gamecom 780.
These are actually amazing for their price.

I use these when playing most FPS and games with a lot of action, like Arma, Battlefield, Warthunder etc.


Getting a setup with high quality headphones and an appropriate soundcard is the next best step but that gets extremely expensive.

I for one enjoy most games with the digital surround sound and don't care too much to use my DT990 or M-50s. (I like using these for music and when I play games like Transistor or Grid).


I've tried quite a few other headsets that offer "surround sound" and even Razer's surround software, in my opinion this is the only headset I've found that actually gives the proper effect.
The mic quality is fantastic too and surpasses a "blue snowball" mic which costs ~£65

Okay, that's wonderful news. I had a client who was looking at the GX pair, and I figured it was more of the looks than anything that got him hooked onto them. I ended up steering him towards the Creative Gigaworks T40's. Although they don't come with a sub, they're pretty damn good quality speakers for non-studio monitors. That would be my recommendation if you want to replace the speakers, and if you could keep the sub with the T40's, that would be even better. If you want to save a little money, even the T20's are great speakers. Highly recommend them to anyone.

I have the Creative Labs T20 speakers -- Creative Labs - GigaWorks T20. They're like $70 on amazon but sometimes go for cheaper and I absolutely love them. I had some Logitech speakers before these (not 2.1) and these blow the Logitech speakers away. Having individual bass and treble control is nice too, not to mention they look pretty good and have detachable speaker grilles.

I wouldn't go so far as to call them "really good"... just ok compared to other computer speakers they get a pass. The satellites are ok but the sub really sucks; for example, it has a strong peak around 60-70Hz meaning that overpowers other bass notes.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pc-speaker-2.1-channel-subwoofer,2835-9.html

I've heard it and it sounds like a fart box. Also the crossover to the satellites is (necessarily) too high.

I haven't looked into upgrade-ability but at first thought I'm not sure how it makes sense. The sub has a fixed crossover so you can't change that to something more reasonable (and the sub is in need of upgrading anyway), don't really know about the included amplifier....

If you want quality let's look at real speakers.

For simplicity (but lack of upgrade-ability), you can get studio monitors (essentially powered speakers like the klipsch) e.g:

M-Audio BX5 D2

Mackie CR4.

For flexibility, you'd want separate amplifier and passive speakers (that way you can upgrade either one whenever you want). Something like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/2OZ9RXCA6L2KS (note that I didn't search too hard for best deals/value on speaker wire, wire stripper, banana plugs)

Buy a Wii U and the original Splatoon, and play for 8-10 hours a day until Splatoon 2's release to make sure you're really prepared for the online scene!

jk, of course.
Well, sortof, I'm going to be playing Splatoon a little each day in preparation myself, so...

The only real thing I can recommend is buying an ethernet adapter, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CBD2X5E/. It can make the difference between an unplayable game and an amazing game, depending on how much the Switch likes your WiFi.

G933 for $130 on Amazon and you can get the white one on Logitech's site for the same price.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0148NPJ78/?tag=pcp0f-20

https://www.logitechg.com/en-ca/products/gaming-audio/g933-7-1-surround-sound-gaming-headset.html#981-000620

Corsair has the HS70 SE and Void for $100 at a bunch of places. Its weird that the regular coloured HS70's aren't on sale now but looks like they were on sale last week.

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/QwGj4D/corsair-void-pro-rgb-71-channel-headset-ca-9011152-na

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/2P7v6h/corsair-hs70-se-71-channel-headset-ca-9011178-na

https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/rKNv6h/corsair-hs70-71-channel-headset-ca-9011177-na

I got the White G933's as a Christmas gift cause my cousin likes Logitech stuff but the HS70's are newer and have gotten good reviews. I like the HS70's build better than the G933's as they are similar to the HyperX Clouds that I have right now which uses less plastic and seems more durable. Be aware that the HS70's have a semi open ear cup I think so the audio will bleed a bit in exchange for a wider soundstage. I don't need the ear cups to swivel or anything so ya if I was buying for myself I would get the HS70's.

I have tried these out! But sad to say they are uncomfortable, I like the idea of the ski headband thing but they are straight up uncomfortable... like they didn't do a mass testing type thing or something. I adjusted, and readjusted and adjusted some more and they never fit quite right. They aren't light either so it makes them super weird to wear and they moved if you would do any big motions (like headbang once and they will fall off type thing). If you want a quality wireless headset that is comfortable I would look at the Logitech G533 or the G933 flagship headset. I also have experience with the G933 as they are one of the other headphones I did testing with during my headphone finding adventure lots of us go on.

• Link to G533 Product Page: LINK
  
  
• Link to G933 Product Page: LINK
  
  
• Link to G533 Purchase: LINK It's brand new release, it's the one I would choose if I was you.
  
  
• Link to G933 Purchase: LINK
  
  Any questions feel free to ask.

So, the consensus on "computer speakers" is that they are in general garbage. What is considered really good quality to buy is referred to as "bookshelf speakers." something like this or this.

Somethings to be aware of is that there are power and unpowered speakers, meaning that you need an amplifier to use unpowered speakers. In this case, both that I linked are powered, but you should do some research on what you want in a speaker.

The reason while I linked the Rosewill ones is because you sound like a basshead, and those are pretty bassy speakers, so look into those.

In my experience, 5.1 and 7.1 setups are just cheap gimmicks. Think of it like this: Two quality drivers is much better than 7 different mediocre/shitty ones. Unless you're spending like 500 bucks on them.

I do book reviews, but I also do visual book reviews on YouTube. I do this for fun, but I also do this to help me one day on a resume. I want to be a librarian. I have for a very long time. When I am able to get back in school, its what I will be studying for. This camera might help. It's not even a full 100, not even close.

It would also help boost my self confidence. I am a very shy person in real life, and doing BookTube reviews has actually helped me get out of my shell.

I know there is a lot more people who could use it a lot more than I could. I think I was more posting this not just for the contest, but to kind of keep pushing myself to keep doing it.


Thank you for the contest. :) And the unintentional boost.

For $250ish, assuming you want new gear, do the following:

• Turntable: U-Turn Orbit Basic - $179
  
  
• Phono Preamplifier: Pyle 999 - $14
  
  
• Speakers: Edifier R980T - $70
  
  It's just slightly above your budget, but worth the added cost. Absolutely do not skimp on the turntable! Can't stress that enough. That U-Turn is the cheapest turntable I'll ever recommend - it won't ruin your records, won't skip on dynamic passages, shouldn't have speed issues, etc; AND it will give you adequate sound.
  
  The Pyle phono-preamp is bare bones. About the cheapest you're going to find.
  
  You could just opt for cheaper computer speakers to get you under $250, but those Edifiers are okay for the price.
  
  
  But honestly, I'd encourage you to look for vintage/used equipment. A lot more bang for your buck in that arena at your price range.

headphones and separate mic is gonna be the recommendation from most these Sennheisers have given me better sound than any "gaming" headset I've owned (which has been a few...) and are super comfortable. If your budget is around $90 you can easily get a better pair of cans than that and pair it with a ModMic if you're willing to wait a bit for shipping or get the Snowflake from Blue Microphones which is well-reviewed and amazon has fantastic shipping times

If you're still dead-set on a headset I can offer a few recommendations as well

Fair enough - but a cursory glance at amazon, and if you're looking for 10'' woofers you're spending this guy's budget a least a couple of times over and that'll still only get you one speaker which I think we can all agree on is just silly. I said a subwoofer isn't optional because at the price point, the speakers you're going to be looking at just aren't going to have the size or power needed to get decent sub-bass. Honestly, if you want something super easy to set up and won't break your bank I was using these logitech speakers for years until I bought my stereo set up. Loads of volume, and it has a bass knob you can turn down if neighbours are getting pissy.

Here is my build list formated for reddit

Group | Name | Price | Quantity | Total | Link
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Pc | (Everything Inside the case) | | | |
$1,601.62 | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $347.00 | 1 | $347.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012M8LXQW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Cooler Master Hyper D92 54.8 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler | $44.80 | 1 | $44.80 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NXLYE4G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Gigabyte GA-Z170X-UD5 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $171.49 | 1 | $171.49 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012N6EW6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory | $129.99 | 1 | $129.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OTJZTZE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $97.99 | 1 | $97.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OAJ412U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Hitachi HD​S723020BLA​642 | $58.00 | 3 | $174.00 | EBay
| EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB FTW Gaming ACX 3.0 Video Card | $459.99 | 1 | $459.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I60OGUK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| EVGA 850W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $90.39 | 1 | $90.39 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KYK1CC6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| XFX AMD Radeon HD 5450 1GB | $29.99 | 2 | $59.98 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IUW7YE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| PWM Female to 4 x PWM Male Computer Case Fan Splitter | $6.50 | 2 | $13.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYQRFY6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Sabrent 2.5" SSD & SATA Hard Drive to Desktop 3.5" | $12.99 | 1 | $12.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UN550AC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 80MM 5000RPM Fan | $0.00 | 2 | $0.00 |
| 92MM 5000RPM Fan | $0.00 | 4 | $0.00 |
Monitors | | | | |
$744.66 | Seiki Pro SM28UTR 28-Inch 4K UHD 3840x2160 | $195.69 | 1 | $195.69 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013XWQF28/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| AOC e2460Sd 24-Inch Widescreen LED Monitor | $142.99 | 3 | $428.97 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C99MUHQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Dell 17" 5:4 | $30.00 | 4 | $120.00 | EBay
Cables | | | | |
$137.77 | Cable Matters Gold Plated DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable 10 Feet | $11.99 | 1 | $11.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005H3Q5E0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Cable Matters Active DisplayPort to DVI Male to Female Adapter | $19.99 | 2 | $39.98 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EDT01TO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| DVI Male to Female 90 Degree Adapter Connector | $4.43 | 3 | $13.29 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008X0ZJZ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 15ft 28AWG CL2 Dual Link DVI-D Cable - Black | $10.47 | 3 | $31.41 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10209&cs_id=1020902&p_id=2760&seq=1&format=2
| 15ft Super VGA M/M | $5.69 | 4 | $22.76 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10201&cs_id=1020101&p_id=3622&seq=1&format=2
| 15ft USB 2.0 A Male to A Female Extension | $1.87 | 5 | $9.35 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030304&p_id=5435&seq=1&format=2
| 25ft hdmi cable | $8.99 | 1 | $8.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SKVMHI4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Desk Accesseries | | | | |
$263.49 | Perixx PX-5200 Cherry MX Blue | $72.91 | 1 | $72.91 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NY45NCY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Logitech C310 Webcam | $31.93 | 1 | $31.93 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LVZO8S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Lapel Mics | $6.50 | 1 | $6.50 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DJOIHE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| FingerPrint Reader | $12.58 | 1 | $12.58 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HHHP7C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Mouse Pad | $8.99 | 1 | $8.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GB0IF50/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Headset Func HS260 | $79.99 | 1 | $79.99 | https://www.amazon.com/FUnc-FUNC-HS-260-1ST-fUnc-HS-260/dp/B00HH3H83U
| Altec ACS 54 - Speaker | $0.00 | 1 | $0.00 |
| Logitech G700S | $50.59 | 1 | $50.59 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BFOEY3Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Audio Accesseries | | | | |
$58.33 | BEHRINGER MICROAMP HA400 | $24.99 | 1 | $24.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIPT30/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 5-Pack 6.35mm Male to 3.5mm Female Adapter | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XAQD4YA/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3.5mm Male to 2 x 3.5mm Female Splitter Cable | $3.99 | 1 | $3.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0081ZBNI4/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Coupler 3.5 mm Female - 3.5 mm Female Stereo or Mono | $3.93 | 1 | $3.93 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068O4N/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3 feet Slim 3.5mm Stereo Audio Cable - M/M | $2.71 | 2 | $5.42 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G3UK5C/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3-Feet 3.5mm Stereo Male to Female Extension Cable, 5-Pack | $12.01 | 1 | $12.01 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SWOJLSS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lighting | | | | |
$86.88 | Studio Designs Swing Arm Lamp Black | $24.75 | 2 | $49.50 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2S7MHQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Lutron TT-300NLH-BL Credenza Lamp Dimmer Black | $14.83 | 1 | $14.83 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00024BJZE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Triple Outlet Swivel Adapter, White | $3.27 | 1 | $3.27 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HJBENG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Daylight LED Light Bulb 15W | $9.64 | 2 | $19.28 | https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-GVRLA1850ND-Great-Value-LED-15W-A19-Light-Bulb/38596922
Cable Managment | | | | |
$18.81 | 100 Velcro Ties | $5.00 | 2 | $10.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E1Y5O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 100 Releasable cable ties | $2.47 | 3 | $7.41 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=105&cp_id=10520&cs_id=1052012&p_id=5795&seq=1&format=2
| Cable Clip nais | $0.70 | 2 | $1.40 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=105&cp_id=10520&cs_id=1052006&p_id=5834&seq=1&format=2
Power | | | | |
$53.13 | Monster MP AV 750 Audio Video PowerCenter | $18.99 | 1 | $18.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ETIKH8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| AmazonBasics 6-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip 2-Pack | $12.99 | 1 | $12.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TP1BWMK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 3 Outlet Single-Tap Wall Tap | $4.00 | 2 | $8.00 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XQORTO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 15ft 16AWG Power Cord Cable | $5.20 | 1 | $5.20 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5287&seq=1&format=2
| 10ft 18AWG Right Angle Power Cord Cabl | $2.65 | 3 | $7.95 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022809&p_id=7677&seq=1&format=2
Network | | | | |
$33.98 | TP-LINK 8-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch | $22.99 | 1 | $22.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EVGIYG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| 5-Pack, Cat6 Ethernet Patch Cable in Blue 3 Feet | $10.99 | 1 | $10.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C2B81K6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Monitor Mount | | | | |
$215.27 | Arm wall mount | $17.54 | 3 | $52.62 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082821&p_id=12232&seq=1&format=2
| Top wall mount bracket | $4.80 | 4 | $19.20 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082821&p_id=3005&seq=1&format=2
| Center Monitor Mount | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082821&p_id=4564&seq=1&format=2
| 2x8 | $7.47 | 3 | $22.41 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/Top-Choice-Common-2-in-x-8-in-x-10-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-7-25-in-x-10-ft-Lumber/4082916
| 2x4 | 2.55 | 1 | $2.55 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-2-in-x-4-in-x-8-ft-Actual-1-5-in-x-3-5-in-x-8-ft-Stud/1000074211
| 3" clamp | $5.98 | 6 | $35.88 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-QUICK-GRIP-3-in-Clamp/50214643
| 4" Hinge | $2.81 | 2 | $5.62 | https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gatehouse-4-in-H-Oil-Rubbed-Bronze-Interior-Exterior-Mortise-Door-Hinge/4772785
| Wood Screws | $9.00 | 1 | $9.00 | Lowes
| Assorted brackets/hardware | $25.00 | 1 | $25.00 | Lowes
| Case Rack Mount | $35.00 | 1 | $35.00 | EBay
Misc | | | | |
$35.97 | Steam Link | $19.99 | 1 | $19.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XBGWAQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
| Bluetooth Adapter | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | GRANDCOW Bluetooth 4.0 USB Adapter Dongle for Windows 10/ 8.1 / 8/ 7 / Vista / XP
| 19 Key Numeric Keypad | $7.99 | 1 | $7.99 | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DJSAAU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

if she will be gaming on a Wii u you will need a capture card or a capture device that plug in via usb.

I recommend a good webcam like a Logitech HD C310 or Logitec HD C920

for a mic I would recommend a good dedicated mic, something like this or if you want your kiddo to feel like a professional streamer without breaking the bank, then [this](https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Broadcasting-Microphone-Adjustable/dp/B00XOXRTX6/ref=sr_1_8?
ie=UTF8&qid=1494912402&sr=8-8&keywords=computer+microphone)

Other then that, I would suggest grabbing the open broadcasting software to use to record her videos.

I recommend these :
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-350-Collapsible-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO/ref=pd_cp_e_0

It's good for games, music, movies. The sound quality is awesome. The mic is good and the headphones are comfortable even after long time usage.

I see that many recommended Razer Tiamat 7.1. Good headphones but a lot more expensive. They cost more than 200$ if I converted currencies properly :)

So far I had only Sony and I've tried some Razer but these are the best in my opinion.

Two RAM sticks is still better than a single for that sweet sweet dual channel performance boost.... which isn't really that noticeable in day to day tasks or gaming.

For $50 speakers I recommend the [Logitech Z323.] (https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Speaker-System-Z323-Subwoofer/dp/B002FU5QM0/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504790455&sr=1-8&keywords=logitech+speakers) I use them in the bedroom for our HTPC. Great sound for the price.

Are you using a 1080p\60Hz monitor? I think budget may be better spent dropping the GTX 1080 and getting a GTX 1060 3GB (not overpriced) and adding an SSD. The SSD will help greatly with day to day tasks.

kind of important ? Comfort is very important for a good gaming headset.

At the risk of sounding corny (ok, maybe I don't care), for less than $200 you can ascend beyond traditional 'gaming' headsets into the arena of quality headphones and microphones. Here is my typical shortlist of recommendations:

Open-backed:

• SHP-9500s + VModa BoomPro
  
  
• Fidelio L2 + VModa BoomPro
  
  
• Sennheiser 598 + Microphone
  
  Closed-back:
  
  
• ATH-M40x + Comfy Pads + Microphone
  
  
• Brainwavz HM9 + VModa BoomPro
  
  
• VModa Crossfade + VModa BoomPro
  
  This list is obviously not exhaustive, but does well to take comfort, ease of use, build quality, and fidelity into consideration. If you have additional questions, feel free to ask. Otherwise, /r/headphones can provide similar feedback and suggestions from within their daily Purchase Help Thread.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Speaker-System-Z523-Subwoofer/dp/B002FU5QMK/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1342545729&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+z523+with+subwoofer

Probably the best bet under $100. If you were willing to spend more, I would definitely have different recommendations for you! :) Hope this helps, let me know if you don't like those or want something different.

EDIT: Link with Prime; added some more links.


Also, these (for a little bit more money) would be MUCH more solid.

http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-ProMedia-Certified-Computer-Speaker/dp/B000062VUO/ref=sr_1_1_m?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1342545791&sr=1-1&keywords=klipsch+2.1


And if you want a 5.1 under $100 (I prefer 2.1 for PC speakers)... here is the best one.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Surround-Sound-Speakers-980-000430/dp/B003VAK1FA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342545925&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+z506

Two options for you, I recommend both to many people and use the extender cable myself:
 
When you say "Mic Cable" I am assuming you mean a 4 pole 3.5mm audio cable with a built in mic, either inline such as a cell phone earbud cable or a boom mic like the VMODA BoomPro. I use the BoomPro at my home desk, and have this cable:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RXNUXGS
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058DOWH6
Run the cable from back of computer onboard audio, up the back of you desk, and route it through the cable management area of your monitor. you now have a dual jack right under your screen to put your headset on whenever you need to call and cant use the FiiO

Alternatively, leave your headphone as is, forget the mic cable, and get a USB mic. alot of people recommend the Blue Snowball and it is a great mic but also rather large for a usual office desk. I rather like the Blue Snowflake, its almost as good sound quality, perfectly adequate for conference calls and other non recording production needs, and much much smaller:
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Snowflake-Ultra-portable-High-fidelity-USB/dp/B0012AUHXW

Save up and get these headphones:

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Professional/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277957376&sr=8-1-spell

This microphone:

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-981-000246-USB-Desktop-Microphone/dp/B002RL84OY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1277957418&sr=1-2

I know that you are generally supposed to stay away from usb mics, but I have used this one for a year and the quality is excellent. I recored myself talking so you can see what it sounds like. If you hear any noise in the background that is from my air conditioning. Good luck with your purchase!

http://www.mediafire.com/?jdegmeim3ym

Unfortunately it's not as simple as buying a USB to HDMI converter.

^(However it might be in which case someone please correct me but it seems unlikely)

While it may seem like an easy solution the usb on that camera is very likely only meant to be a data port i.e only meant for transferring files from one to the other, meaning it cannot transfer a live feed purely from converting to HDMI because it would be like trying to open a word document with a DVD player, it's just incompatible. You may however be able to plug into your PC with the USB cable and view a live feed if you right click the icon in My Computer, I have no idea of this specific cameras capabilities however but in general this is how it works.

For Skype this is likely something you wouldn't have much success with but vlogging should be fine if you just transfer the video files via the USB cable to the computer.

As far as Skype goes something like this should suffice for what it seems you want it to do (but for vlogging I'd assume you'd get a more pleasant image from the camera rather than the webcam)

I have these & love them:: http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-BX5-D2-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B005F3H6Q8 but pretty much any of those listed will do just fine, if you get the 8s though you'll hear more lows, which would be good if you're making bass heavy music. The rokit5 that I tested seem to have boosted bass which I didn't like personally, but a lot of people love those monitors.

Probably going to get buried in here, but what the hell. I bought my first turntable a year or so ago, that being the very stopgap budget buy of an AT-LP60 Fully Automatic Stereo Turntable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYTPAE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

A short while ago, probably around its year anniversary it started to play at funky speeds and after buying a replacement belt and trying the manual speed adjustment it became apparent it was never going to play my records at the right speed again.

I've started a new job and am a couple paychecks in and I am now searching for a new turntable in the region of $400. I've been drawn to the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC and was wondering if that would be a purchase that I'd be happy with for a decent amount of time. I won't call myself an audiophile, but I have started a modest collection of records and want to be able to play them on a quality and aesthetically pleasing turntable. Basically I'm asking if this turntable is worth the buy, or if I should think about a different one in the same price range (or even splurge and buy the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit DC at around $600).

I'm open to hearing anyone's experience about these Pro-Ject record players (turntables?) as well as any further counsel on a different option.

Also, I bought these Bose powered speakers with the Audio Technica record player (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CD1PTF0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and wanted to know if they would pair well with a record player in the $400 price range.

Thanks to anyone who reads this and gives me a response, I didn't expect for it to be this long when I started typing.

Honestly any Amazon cheap ass speaker is gonna sound way better than projector speaker audio, even "cheap" speakers will sound way better. Look at these Logitech Speaker System Z323 with Subwoofer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FU5QM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_U8FVBb9D3FSS0

It's 45 bucks, stereo speaker and a sub, you can plug an auxiliary cord in to play music or a Chromecast audio and boom. This was just a quick Amazon search and I'm sure there's better options for powered speakers as these really are made for a computer but just showing g you that you really can get a cheap setup and it won't destroy your bulb life when you just want to listen

To answer your question no there is no way to get just audio out of the projector, best bet is to just throw something on the screen to enjoy, but honestly just splurge for a cheap powered stereo setup.

Well these are red but idk the brand or quality 4 star rating

I know that this Logitech set definitely sounds great. My friend has em and they’re real good with the sub (that can double as a foot rest!)

I currently have the DT770s at work and love them. I also have the Logitech G930 wireless gaming headset, but I'm beginning to hate it. Beyond the constant random disconnects from the wireless, the sound just isn't that impressive.

I'm looking to spend <$250 for headphones + mic. I plan on buying the Micca Orgien+ separately as I buy some new desktop speakers (currently planning on the MB42x, but that's a separate discussion).

I'm not super experienced in all of this, so I'm unsure if there's anything else I need to buy. I really like the DT990s, and then I'll need a mic to hook up, too. On the other hand, it seems like it would be easier to just get an HD598 and the mic that attaches in-line.

I love bassy "fun" sounds, which is why I think I would like the DT990 better, but my biggest worry is that it may be annoying hooking the headphones into the Origen+ and stringing a mic along separately to plug directly into the computer. What do you think would work better for me?

Thursday was my last day. It wasn't the worst thing ever, but goddamn I am so sick of fucking drive thru.

In other news, I'm finally moving to Duluth next Wednesday. I think I'm pretty comfortable with job stuff, but if anybody knows of anything good I'd love to hear about it.

Also, I got some money from amazon for sending in textbooks and I think I'm going to get a new monitor and possibly some speakers for when I'm not using my headphones. After doing a bit of research, I've landed on the AOC G2460PF and Logitech Z323. Anybody familiar with either of those?

I've seen Bose called overrated on this subreddit many times before but something like this seems nice.

https://www.amazon.com/Bose-Companion-III-Multimedia-Speakers/dp/B00CD1PTF0/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=bose+speakers&qid=1562110048&s=electronics&sr=1-5

It's pretty small which is what I'm looking for. Do you have a better recommendation than something like this? Keep in mind my range is like $50-$200 and I don't plan on using these a ton.

I have been really impressed with my:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Speakers-Previous/dp/B000MUXJCO

I didn't really have room for a subwoofer or receiver at the time, but I think they work pretty well for standalone.

I really want a full 5.1 setup with receiver, etc... but just don't think I have the area currently. Average size desk and not much room behind me. Ntm emulated surrouned is pretty good on headphones.

Here you go.

I just got them today as a gift from the girlfriend and I love them so far. I was borrowing a cheap 2.1 system from my friend, but these surprisingly have better bass, even without a sub woofer. The sound quality is fantastic for the price range. If your interested in buying them I would check out camelcamelcamel.com and wait for the price to drop. I noticed it's $90 now. I think they were $60 when she bought them.

If you are really willing to make an investment, I will recommend the Sennheiser PC 350 http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-350-Collapsible-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO

Amazon has them listed at $149 down from $229.95

I've had mine for about 6 months now and they are a dream. They extremely comfortable. I forget I am wearing them. They also have excellent noise cancellation [CAUTION: I have missed phone calls while wearing these]. The audio and voice quality are also excellent.

Good luck on your search!

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor | $184.96 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | MSI H97 Guard-Pro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $102.07 @ Mwave
Memory | PNY XLR8 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $68.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $69.93 @ Amazon
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $53.68 @ Amazon
Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB Superclocked ACX 2.0 Video Card | $349.99 @ Amazon
Case | Corsair SPEC-01 RED ATX Mid Tower Case | $49.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | Rosewill Capstone 450W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $59.99 @ Amazon
Monitor | Acer G247HL bid 60Hz 24.0" Monitor | $119.99 @ Newegg
Speakers | Logitech Z313 25W 2.1ch Speakers | $34.99 @ Best Buy
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $1094.58
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-12 04:07 EST-0500 |

Things I changed:

- RAM:
Cheaper RAM kit. You won't be able to use dual channel, although 8GB of 1600mhz RAM won't benefit too much from it.

- Case:
That case looks epic, but is kind of expensive. this is a decent and cheaper alternative. I liked working with this case.

- Power supply:
higher quality power supply that has been 80+ Gold rating and is semi-modular.

I'll update this post with new speakers as well, as these aren't the best you can get for the price.

update:

The Microlab M850 is a bit more expensive setup, but has a built in amplifier, which will give you clearer sound and usually less interference with the pc. It's overall specs are quite a bit better than the Logitech Z313 (better frequency response, higher volume and a decent SNR ratio.

For a bit more money you can ge the Gigaworks T20 II set. This isn't a 2.1 setup, has a fairly decent frequency response, but does have a good SNR ratio.

A friend of mine uses these, and they sound pretty good for the cost. Obviously not studio monitors or anything, but Logitech seems to do a good job of having pretty well balanced and not-too-tinny sounding speakers in this price range. There are a few other 2.1's from Logitech at varying price points, these are just the only ones I've heard personally. Obviously there are tons of non-Logitech 2.1's, but they seem to be good all around speakers, without getting into super high audio quality price points.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FU5QM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_zOvQwb14298P6

Under $100 there's a lot of options from what I've seen. Among open-backed ones (generally better sound, but lacking noise isolation) the commonly backed ones are the Philips SHP9500s, Sennheiser 5x8 series on sale (I personally use the 558, great value), Audio-Technica AD500X (mind the wings, some people like or dislike them), etc.


Obligatory /r/headphones plug. But the SHP and 5x8 are both compatible with some boom mic cables as well for about $30 extra (V-Moda BoomPro and generic for the SHP/5x8 respectively).


EDIT: Besides some comfort complaints (can be modded to a degree), it looks like people enjoy the 668B though. If you're strapped for cash go for it.

If you can tolerate the monitor speakers long enough to save another $50, the Audioengine A2s are fantastic. I've got a pair and they are great, a lot of power in a very compact space. Plus they look really nice (I think so anyway).

If $150 is a hard limit, I've seen the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40s on a few people's setups and they seem to be well liked. Plus they're on sale at the moment. I can't speak for how they perform though.

Bought these for a 16 hour flight. I needed good quality cans that could tune out babies and flight attendants.

Also replacing my shitty pseudo-5.1 Triton's for streaming/recording. With MXL 550 as my new mic.

The sound so far is excellent. I hooked it up to my Denon AVR1612 receiver and watched the first part of a Game of Thrones episode and listened to some music. For entertainment, they sound great. I have yet to test them as reference cans with video and sound editing, but will soon. I'd like to see how they compare the my M-AUDIO BX5 D2 reference monitors, as having cans similar to monitors is important.

The only negative I've found so far is that they're a little more flexible than I'd like. When I first saw them I thought they'd be nice and rigid, but they do not seem poorly built. I suppose their flexibility (about 1" give in either direction) is meant for consumers who may toss them in a laptop case. I did buy a rigid case for travel so I'm not worried about damage.

Anyone else own these? Thoughts?

Mac Mini (2018 model), named NOSTROMO

• 3.2 GHz Hexa-Core Core i7 CPU
  
• 32 GB of RAM
  
• 256 GB PCIe boot volume
  
• 2 TB external rotating drive for Time Machine Backups, connected via Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C
  
• Dual 8 TB Western Digital Elements USB 3.0 drives for content, VOL1 and VOL2. VOL1 is replicated to VOL2, both are connected via Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C. These handy adapter cables allow you to connect a traditional USB 3.0 device into a Thunderbolt 3 port.
  
• Single 4 TB SeaGate Plus USB 3.0 drive which contains the majority of my media content, VOL5. It is a "floater" drive which I always carry in my backpack to have the majority of my content with me at all times.
  
• Running Mac OS 10.14.6 Server
  
• Dual 27” Apple Thunderbolt Displays connected to the Mac Mini, daisy-chained off a single Thunderbolt 3 port using a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter.
  
• This Mac Mini is what I use to host all of my iTunes content to the three Apple TVs in my home
  
  
  

  Mac Mini (2010 model), named SPUNKMEYER
  

  
  

• 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU
  
• 16 GB of RAM
  
• 100 GB SSD boot volume
  
• 500 GB traditional drive for Time Machine Backups
  
• Running Mac OS 10.13.6 Server
  
  
  

  MacBook Pro Retina 15” (2015 model), named SULACO
  

  
  

• 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Core i7 CPU
  
• 16 GB of RAM
  
• 256 GB SSD
  
• Running Mac OS 10.14.6 Client
  
• Time Machine Backups are being taken both on the 2018 Mac Mini as well as the 2010 Mac Mini
  
  
  

  Mac Mini (2012 model), named FERRO
  

  
  

• This Mac is located at Mom & Dad’s about 1,000 miles away. It is a complete offsite backup of all of my content, it is also used for Time Machine backups of my mother’s Mac Mini and my niece’s MacBook Pro. I have both Remote Desktop and SSH access via the magic of port forwarding. Whenever I add a new movie, I place it is my Shared Dropbox folder, then about 30 minutes later it is available on the backup Mac Mini. I then move it over to VOL3, and all of my content is always in sync.
  
• 2.5 GHz Dual-Core Core i5 CPU
  
• 16 GB of RAM
  
• 120 GB SSD boot volume
  
• 500 GB traditional drive for Time Machine Backups
  
• Single 8 TB Western Digital Elements USB 3.0 drive for storing and hosting content, VOL3. It is a complete duplicate of VOL1/VOL2.
  
• Running Mac OS 10.14.6 Server
  
  
  

  Mac Mini (2012 model), named AURIGA
  

  
  

• This Mac is located at my sister's house about 1,000 miles away. It is a complete offsite backup of all of my movies and TV shows, it is also used for Time Machine backups of my sister's MacBook Pro and my other niece’s MacBook. I have both Remote Desktop and SSH access via the magic of port forwarding. Whenever I add a new movie, I place it is my Shared Dropbox folder, then about 30 minutes later it is available on the backup Mac Mini. I then move it over to VOL4, and all of my content is always in sync.
  
• 2.5 GHz Dual-Core Core i5 CPU
  
• 16 GB of RAM
  
• 256 GB SSD boot volume
  
• 500 GB traditional drive for Time Machine Backups
  
• Single 4 TB Seagate Backup Plus USB 3.0 drive (VOL4) for storing and hosting content, VOL4. As it is only a 4 TB volumes, it contains only the moves and television shows which are on VOL1, VOL2, and VOL3.
  
• Running Mac OS 10.14.6 Server
  
  
  Both the 2012 Minis and the 2010 Mini are completely headless. Unfortunately, this means that accessing them via remote desktop gives you a measly 800x600 resolution. I use this handy little gadget on both of them to replicate a 1920x1080 display being connected. So, when I connect via Screen Sharing I get a nice big display.
  
  
  

  MacBook Pro (2018 model), named APLC02XV5W1JGH5
  

  
  

• 2.2 GHz Six-Core Intel Core i7 CPU
  
• 16 GB of RAM
  
• 500 GB SSD
  
• Running Mac OS 10.14.5 Client
  
• This is my work-provided laptop, mostly used for remote access. It is pretty locked down, I am not a local administrator so I cannot even rename it to fit my naming scheme
  
  
  

  iPad Pro 10.5", named APONE
  

  
  

• 2.38 GHz Apple A10X CPU
  
• 4 GB of RAM
  
• 256 GB of storage
  
• Running iOS 13.0 Public Beta
  
  
  

  iPhone X, named RIPLEY
  

  
  

• 2.4 GHz Apple A11 Bionic CPU
  
• 3 GB of RAM
  
• 256 GB of storage
  
• Running iOS 12.4
  
  
  LG Blu-Ray reader/writer in connected to NOSTROMO via USB 3.0, used for ripping Blu-Rays and DVDs
  
  Sabrent USB 3.0 Dual-Bay Hard Drive Dock, also connected to NOSTROMO via USB 3.0
  
  The microphone is a Yeti Blue with a Nady Pop Filter, coupled with a Logitech HD C310, used for Google Hangouts and FaceTime calls with the fam, and the occasional podcast. It is mounted on a RODE PSA1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm and a RADIUS II Microphone Shock Mount.
  
  The mousepad is an XTracPads Ripper XXL mousepad
  
  The chair is a Raynor Ergohuman ME7ERG desk chair
  
  I use Dropbox to expertly keep my content in sync. Due to the amount of content I keep in there, it is well worth the $100 per year for a Dropbox Pro subscription.
  
  
  Additionally throughout the house, I have...
  3 Eeros for my Mesh Wireless Network WiFi System
  2 Apple TVs (4K), named ASH and CALL
  1 Apple TV (4th Generation), named BISHOP
  1 Apple HomePod, named DIETRICH
  1 Nest Hello Video Doorbell, named HELLO
  1 Nest Learning Thermostat, named NEST (yeah, original af, I know)
  2 WyzeCam Pans, named WYZE-Kitchen and WYZE-LivingRoom
  4 WeMo Smart Plugs, named WEMO-Foyer, WEMO-SpareBedroom, WEMO-MasterBedroom, and WEMO-LivingRoom
  1 Amazon Echo Plus, named ECHO-LivingRoom
  2 Amazon Echoes (First-Generation), named ECHO-MasterBedroom and ECHO-Kitchen
  2 Amazon Echo Dots, named DOT-Office, and DOT-SpareBedroom
  4 Google Home Minis
  1 Brother HL-L2395DW Wireless Laser Printer, named LV426
  1 PlayStation 3 Slim 120 GB, named HICKS
  
  I have a total of 31 IP reservations according to my Eero app. This makes it a lot easier to manage my network, set up port forwarding, etc.

Hello, fairly new to reddit. still trying to navigate my way around.

I am looking for a new pc speakers for my computer setup. Budget is $60-80. I have looked at Edifiers (980T) and Creative Labs.

Creative Labs:
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Wireless-Bluetooth-Computer-Communication/dp/B00EVWX8R0?ref_=ast_sto_dp

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-51MF1610AA002-GigaWorks-Multimedia-Technology/dp/B001RNOHDU?ref_=ast_sto_dp

Any other suggestions would help and should I get an AMP/DAC. Not a streamer (not yet), just an art student who watches youtube (hate my monitor speakers), listens to music (no preference, any), and does gaming.


Would really appreciate the help in deciding. :)

Ok thanks a bunch I'll get that all, but one last thing....
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001S14DYO/ref=psdcmw_172471_t3_B001RNOHDU

Is that something that might be good? Like really loud and heavy? My friend had one a few years ago and I remember it being really nice but idk

I wouldnt get either. I would go for something with better, more accurate sound like....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Audio-BX5-D2-Production-Pair/dp/B005F3H6Q8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1496239879&sr=8-5&keywords=studio+monitors

or
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Presonus-Eris-E4-5-active-monitor/dp/B00GP56OYA/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1496239879&sr=8-10&keywords=studio+monitors

Or better yet stretch your budget to 250 and pick up something like....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Audio-BX8-D2-Professional-Production/dp/B005F3H6MC/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1496240238&sr=1-1&keywords=studio+monitors

These will definitely play low and sound a lot better than the mackies listed. You have to get into their true studio lines before they really sound good.

meh(scroll down to the UPDATE: area to see the relevant section).

Before even seeing that review, I was going to recommend Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, which can usually be found for less than a hundred dollars on your local Craigslist(I got a perfectly working set from 2009 for $70). Yes, they're old, but yes, they're still the king of awesome/cheap, for the most part.

Don't bother with the wireless ones unless you find them at a comparable price (which you probably won't).

Otherwise, there's always the M-Audio AV40 (mark I, not II) if you're more into accurate reproduction of sound.

If neither of these is expensive enough for your tastes, I shall bow and take my leave, as you will need to find another product specialist to help in your higher-end range. I've never felt the need to spend $400+ on computer speakers, but perhaps when I own a home I'll get something along those lines. The z5500 is still an excellent set, though, so I'm not sure what you're looking for...

That said, do it. You can get a wired USB LAN Adapter for like 10 bucks off of Amazon. I got This one, and it works perfectly. Or, you could buy the Wii U version and play in glorious HD with my favorite controller, the Wii U Pro Controller.

3.5mm extension cord for headphones or speakers.

Yes, the Luna are more compact and look better, however the other Edifiers may sound just as good for $100 less.

Yes connect the speakers to the computer with the 3.5mm cable. Or digital optical connection if you computer has it to the 1280s. Or add a USB DAC. No reason to use Bluetooth for desktop use.

The 1700 have a bit better drivers or amp than the 1280. The 1700 are angled back to aim at your ears. The 1280 add a digital optical input. With the 1280 it is best to get stands to raise them up to ear level or aim them back with a speaker wedge. The Edifiers are also available on Amazon.

Another basic model is Edifier R980T $69.

Headsets lose out to head phones every time, I recommend getting a pair of good headphones and a mic.

I would go with [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004FEEY9A/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1479683905&sr=8-1&keywords=hd+558&condition=new) and this this


or [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00ENMK1DW/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1479684063&sr=8-1&keywords=shp9500&condition=new) with this

they sound pretty good and the best bang for your buck. Hope this helps

edit: actual mic

Do yourselves a favor and invest in a good pair of wireless headphones, you won't regret it.

I have the Logitech G933 and it works really well for me. Never falls off my head and it doesn't interefere with the Vive at all. The sound is really good and the battery will last you about 11 hours if you turn the LED's to a more reasonable setting.

For real though, scrap the earbuds as soon as you're able to. It's way better this way.

E. Why is this so negative? Was intended to be helpful.

You could just buy a cheap amp if the speakers are actually any good?

But on the issue of powered monitors, I'm using a pair of M-Audio BX5d2 Monitors that I really enjoy as great value for money.

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-BX5-D2-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B005F3H6Q8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417295700&sr=8-1&keywords=bx5d2

I notice the 8"BX8's are almost the same price at the moment as the 5" BX5's - making them probably the better choice for added bass.

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-8-Inch-Active-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B005F3H6MC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417295700&sr=8-2&keywords=bx5d2

The Samson Go is better and cheaper than both the Snowball and the Modmic. It's also tiny, so desk space shouldn't be an issue. Just throwing it out there as another option.

Also, if you just straight up don't want a desktop mic, no matter how tiny, then you may want to look into this BoomPro clone that has a 2.5mm connector to work with the HD598, M50X etc. I personally haven't used it, but people seem to be pretty satisfied with it. I have an actual V-Moda BoomPro (which you could use with the HD598 if you use an adapter) and it sounds better than the Modmic in my opinion and is also more convenient. Not to mention the BoomPro route is also cheaper. Just another option for ya.

The Modmic is fine, but it's also overpriced and bit of a bother. I personally think the Samson Go or the BoomPro/clone option is the better way to go, unless specifically want a noise cancelling microphone. Neither the Go nor the BoomPro would pick up the sound of your keyboard more than your voice, but they'd still pick up the sound of the keyboard more than the unidirectional Modmic would.

To be honest i dont. :S I use a really generic one i got at walmart for something like $20 and my friends say it sounds good. But people on reddit love the "Blue" mics . For example this is $40 http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowflake-USB-Microphone/dp/B0012AUHXW/ref=sr_1_4?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1420333153&sr=1-4&keywords=blue+yeti

I have been addicted to this subreddit trying to set up the same thing at my place. Basically creating a Sonos system but with Chromecast audio. Living room 2.1 (Fluance SX6 bookshelf's, Dayton powered sub, and I still need help with my amplifier) and speakers in the kitchen, bed room and bathroom.

I think I've decided to only worry about a proper system in the living room. I think i just might slowly pick up a few of these Bose multimedia speakers.

I feel like the point of this subreddit is to get people to steer away from these type of speakers (Bose, Logitech, etc) setting up good audio makes sense in a living room, listening room or desktop but for multi room audio I don't think it makes sense. The returns aren't there for the investment. How much better are the powered Micca MB42s gonna sound vs a nice multimedia speaker setup?

Creative GigaWorks T40 Series II 2.0 Multimedia Speaker System with BasXPort Technology https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001S14DYO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_hINGxbGB2SG4M

I have these in my set up. They sound amazing coming out of my Soundblaster Z. Clean sound, great bass and they don't distort when you crank them up. However I got them on sale for $89. But there are worth a look.

I don't personally have experience, but a few years ago I did a ridiculous amount of research into computer speakers - Came up with these as the most interesting: http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-AV-Powered-Speakers/dp/B000MUXJCO

Everyone seems to love them (check Amazon's user reviews)

Hope that helps

If you are looking to spend 100 dollars, you will not get quality regardless of what you choose.

If i 100% needed best bang for buck for both mic and headphones, I'd buy this combo:

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Snowflake-USB-Microphone/dp/B0012AUHXW/

http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-429-Headphones-Black/dp/B0065VKQ34/

If you don't care about the microphone, buy the cheapest ass desk mic you can find (probably about 15-20 dollars) and spend some more on the headphones, but they will still not be good headphones even if you add in another 20 bucks.

Personally I run a Blue Yeti which is practically the best USB mic money can buy, with Audio Technica M50:s. The headphones are monitor ones, which means they have very little sound bias (this can be good or bad, if you do even the slightest sound production like I do, you want monitor phones and they work great for gaming and listening to music too so it's not a problem for me that I can't squeeze more bass out for example).

I would avoid Platronics, although the Corsair 1500 is a decent headset if you absolutely need the microphone attached to the headset. As far as wireless ones go, I have the Logitech G930, and they're good. Although they have an annoying perk; the audio quality is absolutely horrible until you open the driver software, manually adjust the sliders to any value, close the program (the sliders will then randomize), and then set them again. It isn't really worth the hassle.

I know that your budget is under $100, but you should at least consider this:

Audio Technica AD700

Logitech Desktop Mic

The total would be $120, but the AD700 is considered to have the best soundstage out of any headphone for its price range. I have the 900's, and they're absolutely perfect for games like BF3.

Pretty much stay away from anything that is a 2.1 system, such as the Klipsch you mentioned. Also, definitely stay away from Logitech.

Let me make that Micca setup 'plug n play' for you.

Going from your computer, use this cable to plug into this amplifier. Then, use these cables to plug the amp into the speakers. In the long run, you're pluging two more things in than you would if you were plugging in just a pair of powered speakers.

Basically, a speaker that you want doesn't exist. Something the same size as your Logitechs, has a subwoofer, has a headphone output, and sounds good, all for under $140 just isn't a thing. The setup I mentioned is the closest you'll get. You can add a subwoofer if you need to in the future.

I'll list a few options that do fit everything you want, except for budget:

Micca OoO - They're small and will fit. Topping MX3 - Amplifier with a headphone out. Dayton SUB-800 - the cheapest subwoofer you can buy.

Audioengine A2+ - Small speakers. The problem, however, is that speakers don't have headphone outputs. So, you'd need to do that manually. Schiit SYS - output switcher. Send one signal to the speakers and the other to an amp for your headphones.

What I'm trying to get at here is that you don't really have a 'perfect' solution to your problem. The first one I linked to with the Miccas is probably your best bet.

I've had this stick mic for almost 6 years now. Works like a charm. It's awesome because you can buy a nice pair of headphones and not have to worry about getting a headset. It sorta picks up a little more than I'd like though, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have someone loud that's near you when you're on the computer.

I have a pair of Audioengine A2+ which I'm very happy with. You can certainly get better sound for less money, but I valued the size, form, and built in DAC, as I have a minimalist looking rig, and try and have as few items on my desk as possible.

It's certainly worth doing a bunch of research before going for it. Good audio equipment should far outlast your rig.

I see you copping that END action 😎

Absolutely love the aesthetics of your room. If you're ever planning on getting new speakers, I'd highly recommend the white Audioengines, I think they'd go great with your setup.

My friend had a pair of M-Audio AV 40s and the Dayton sub 1000. I ended up getting the sub as well because of clean the bass is. Inside the room it would feel like a hurricane and outside you could only hear the doorknob rattling. Perfect for the dorms. As for the monitors something from Audiengine or KRK would do well even without the sub.

I suggest you buy a microphone and headphones separately. I have this microphone and it works perfectly for gaming voice chats. Get good quality headphones and you will be good to go. These should do the job.

The advantage is that you will get much better sound quality because gaming headsets tend to overlook that aspect, especially in that price range.

The LP60 comes with a built in preamp, which is a great feature, but do you have a receiver, or power amp? If not, make sure you get active aka powered speakers. It can't power passive speakers on its own. If [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FU5QM0/ref=as_at?creativeASIN=B002FU5QM0&linkCode=w61&imprToken=7hyEk2zpE.-O.OYL5z58HQ&slotNum=1&tag=musehelix-20) are the Logitech speakers you were thinking of, I actually think those would do very well for you right now. They're powered, under budget, and it looks like they accept multiple input sources, meaning you'd be able to use an aux cord (or BT if you pay extra) to use them for your phone or computer as well. Just don't expect them to be shaking the walls down--they're 9 inches high and 20 Watts.

Here you go

This is 95 cents over your budget, but I can vouch for these. The microphone sounds amazing, the sound quality is really good and the surround is a nice add-on.

My friend had those didn't last very long I own these for the price awesome sound :-) Full base (without being completely overpowering ) and great tone http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001RNOHDU/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1419292718&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Monitor: LG 34UC87C

Tower:

• Corsair Air 240
  
  
• EVGA GTX 770 (Upgrading to 1080 when non-reference cards are more available)
  
  
• i7-4770k
  
  
• Corsair H100i
  
  
• 16 GB Ram / XFX 750W PSU
  
  Keyboard: Ducky One w/ Cherry MX Browns
  
  Mouse: Logitech MX Wireless mouse
  
  Speakers: Bose Companion 2
  
  Headset: Corsair Vengeance 2100
  
  Disclaimer The links added are not affiliate links, but I included them to show where each of the items from my battlestation was purchased. Since I live on Guam (a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean near Japan) it is much harder to find inexpensive hardware unless found online and much harder to find items that don't cost $50+ to ship.
  
  Any questions feel free to ask! Thank you :)
  
  
  

Those adapters are fine for mic input, I was just saying that particular one is a bit overpriced, but that's Antlion for you...

Lapel mics can be quite good, eg. Sony ECMCS3 or Zalman ZM-Mic1.

There are cheaper desktop mics that are still quite nice, like Blue Snowball.

You can get a headset but ofc that would mean giving up the HD598, and usually gaming headsets are not particularly great for music. For the sake of completion I will note though that Sennheiser PC360 is not bad (on par with HD558 actually).

There's also the V-Moda BoomPro, which plugs into 3.5mm, so you can try to use a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter. But be careful what you get, not sure if it's the adapters or the HD598 plug/locking ring, but lots of people report connectivity cuts out from time to time.

Last but not least there's this mic which is similar to the BoomPro but with 2.5mm and iffy reviews.

There's a cheap set of Logitechs with a sub and dial for like 55 that I use but ideally I would like the razer cylindrical ones for the aesthetic.

I got these because they look simple and undistracting, function well at the volume I like to listen at, and included a dial.

This is what I would get if I had money to throw away

Sorry. I see now that this comment is completely unhelpful

For passive speakers you have the Wharfedale Diamond 220, and stretching your budget you have the Q Acoustics 3020. For a small amp that'll work there's the Gemtune (SMSL) SA-50.

For active speakers with an amp built-in the M-Audio BX5 DA on sale for £150. Seems like a pretty good deal tbh.

I would go one of two ways:

If you want a more accurate reproduction of sound for your personal listening environment, look into studio monitors. They will be more focused on clarity and use better components, like active crossovers. If you will ever be into any type of audio/video editing or really enjoy the finner detais, this is the ideal road.

This for example:
https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484435931&sr=8-2&keywords=studio+monitor

If you just want something good, but louder and with more low end, look into a 2.1 setup. more consumer based. ~50-100 would be enough to satisfy you since it seems you primarily use headphones.

Random example:
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Watts-Multimedia-Speakers-980-001203/dp/B0151K2AB0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1484436731&sr=8-5&keywords=logitech+2.1

I don't think they're studio monitors. They look like Audio Engine A2+'s.

If you want some good monitors with good looks I recommend the Yamaha HS5's.

)

Ok, here is a list only with the non-core components:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) | £69.59 @ Aria PC
Monitor | ViewSonic VX2753mh-LED 27.0" Monitor | £197.12 @ Scan.co.uk
Keyboard | Microsoft Sidewinder X4 (UK Layout) Wired Standard Keyboard | £32.99 @ Novatech
Other| Mouse: SteelSeries Sensei Raw | £33.00
Other| Headset: Plantronics GameCom 780 | £42.60
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | £375.30
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-07-04 16:27 BST+0100 |

What do you think? Do you prefer speakers over headphones? The monitor is 27" should be great for gaming as it has 1ms response time. It is not 1440p, but those are fucking expensive.

On the topic of Windows 8: While 7 is still a great OS, when you are buying new, might as well get the new OS. As a newer OS, Win8 is going to get better/more driver (and software) support. The only problem some people have with it is the new START menu, which you quickly get used to or use one of the million programs that bring the old one back. In that case, why get something that is older?

I will have to recommend these as well. This thing has a great microphone which hardly ever picks up background noise. You'll be doing everyone a favor by allowing everyone to hear your delicious voice.

The only problem I've had with this model is that it sits on top of your ear. Marathon gaming sessions gave me red ears which burned. We're talking 5+ hrs.

Those lasted me 2.5 years. The cushion that goes over your air I'm using these now. Over the ear, very light, it even manages to block out noise.

Update this post and let us know what you decided to go with. :)

I have the Logitech Z523. If you love bass, it's a great system. If you like a more balanced sound, pick something else. They do fit your criteria though.

I cannot recommend these enough. Fit nicely in your budget and around your ears, great 7:1 sound, and, best of all, the mic isn't one of those flimsy ones that break after a month.

Thanks! And those are the Series 2 T40’s and I highly recommend them. Awesome sound.

Creative GigaWorks T40 Series II 2.0 Multimedia Speaker System with BasXPort Technology https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001S14DYO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.GAyCbDZZHV3X

Is this a decent initial set up? Thank you!!!

I want to get a decent first set up, without spending a crazy amount of money...
I am just making sure that if I get these 3 things I will be able to play my vinyl and have decent quality for the price...


So this...


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IIMXATU/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3246W54Y4SBMM&colid=3RSI9NNRYK0DO


+


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H2BC4E/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=IE1PHW0H4C9SL&colid=3RSI9NNRYK0DO


+


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FE9XGVM/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2C490J3KGTKYG&colid=3RSI9NNRYK0DO


equals good listening? Let me know if I'm missing something or need to add something... or any other recommendations.


Thank you!!

I would advise against those "home theater systems." They are nice and compact, but "nice and compact" isn't usually a good thing for speakers.

If I were you, I would pick up some nice powered monitors with a >5" cone, and no sub woofer. The sub that comes with those packages probably has a 6", maybe 8" driver, and often is turned up too much, which is why a lot of cheap systems sound kind of "farty." If you get a nice monitor you will have much clearer sound. Powered monitors usually have 1 RCA connector, which would probably go to the TV's sound output. Then if you have a DVD player hooked up to your tv over HDMI, you can also get sound from that.

I use some bookshelf speakers (dm-602's from ebay) and a reconditioned denon reciever from ecost (you can get one of these for >$150). I've heard good things about these as well.

Also, speaker stands. If you do go the monitor/bookshelf route (and you should), get some speaker stands.

Yeah, I have a cheap Logitech 2.1 circa 2004. I mean, it's better than the cheapest Logitech speakers you can get (which in turn were better than my iPhone). It actually has a little bass and treble extension. I brought it into work for playing Netflix in the background when working overtime :). I also bought the Creative Gigaworks T40 (for a lot less than that price... Wow) and they were surprisingly good for computer speakers under $100. I needed something slim, and no one on headfi had any ideas at the time.

I missed the bookshelf systems, myself. Over the course of several early '90s birthdays and Christmases, my parents helped me assemble a component system. I bought my Onkyo receiver at Circuit City :). My dad even donated his old Fisher speakers and helped me rebuild them. I'm not sure he's ever been prouder than when I asked for a multimeter for Christmas ;)

>do I just need a pre-amp and then powered speakers and I'm good to go?

Yes

>When will I need a receiver?

If you ever wish to use unpowered speakers

>How will I know if speakers are "powered?"

Do they plug into an electrical outlet? If so, they are powered.

>Does anybody have any recommendations?

For powered speakers in a small room, I recommend M-Audio AV-40's. They will do quite well in any room under 200 ft^2. or so. Bigger than that, and you should really look at full size unpowered cabinet speakers with an appropriate receiver.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/by6TJ8
I built one for around 2100 USD, you can use the rest to make your own adjustments, I've put a 1070ti, because thats my favorite graphics card, but feel free to change that to a 1080 or 1080ti. You can use the extra money to get a new headset, I use this: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G933-Artemis-Spectrum-Compatible/dp/B0148NPJ78/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1525600459&sr=1-3&keywords=g933

The case may a little pricey, but it's great for beginners.

Please for the love of god don't get those over priced knowledge take advantage of's.

If you want a really good pair of cheap speakers, get a pair of [these.] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B005F3H6Q8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491911392&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=m+audio+bx5+d2&dpPl=1&dpID=41HtDPIa19L&ref=plSrch)

Hi!!

Super noob question but if I buy the Micca PB42X and 3.5 TRS to RCA am I all set to go? No need for an external DAC or amp?

Also my current set up (which I'm giving away) is a cheap 2.1 (amazon link) so I don't know if I should look for a 2.1 system again or if these MIccas are good enough!

Thanks!

I'm looking for a solid set of speakers (2.0 or 2.1 setup, I'm flexible) for my room at college. I'm in a single-person dorm room, so pretty small, hard surfaces if people factor that in. I like really neutral sound reproduction (I have Shure SRH 840s, and I love the way they sound), especially considering that my music tastes go all over the place. I listen to mostly rock and metal (everything from Zeppelin and Floyd to Dream Theater to Fear Factory to Animals as Leaders, etc. etc.), but also some punk, electronic, pop, rap, folk, and country. I also probably will end up watching TV or movies with these, so that's a factor. I'm gonna be driving these from my custom PC build (no discrete sound card, but I'm willing to add one if it's going to make a huge difference). Only having a wired connection works, but something with Bluetooth would be nice so I can stream music from my tablet or laptop, but it's not a necessity.

So far, thing's I've looked at are:

[Edifier Exclaim e10] (http://www.amazon.com/Edifier-Exclaim-Bi-Amped-Speaker-e10/dp/B009XGH2HG)

[Harman Kardon Soundsticks III] (http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Speakers-Previous/dp/B000MUXJCO)

[Audioengine A2+] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQMJE7E/ref=twister_B00KVM3HNO?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)

[M-Audio Studiophile AV-40] (http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-Soundsticks-III-Multimedia/dp/B0042F3K9W)

Anything I'm missing, or is one of these a solid option?

Thanks all!

Without knowing where you are located, Amazon UK is your best bet.

These 3 would be good starting points.

M-Audio-BX5-D2 £138.00

M-Audio AV 40 £89.00

Presonus Ceres 4.5 £119.00

if you can stretch the budget a little bit these JBL's will be great.

JBL-LSR305 £116.63 each

I loved the idea of ModMic / Antlion but hated the idea of 2 cords coming down from the headset. Luckily I found a good combo with:


Senheiser 558s

This microphone / cord replacement


So those headphones along with many higher end sets have a swappable cord. The mic replaces the cord, and has a boom coming out of it. Also got a shorty cord to use with my phone when I just want to use my head phones and head phones. The sound quality and comfort are waaaaaay better than any gaming headset I've owned.

• Reporting back. I love the Sennheiser HD 598 SE's. A lot lighter, comfier, and more open than the ATH-M50x. Returning them the next time an Amazon box is open nearby. It's my personal preference, but I love the HD 598's far more. I can also hear everything in my room as if I wasn't even wearing them. Don't be fooled either they have a good amount of bass themselves. The two downsides are that because it's so light it feels more flimsy than the solid as a rock M50x's and also I can't wear them in public without blanketing my surroundings in the quiet sound of whatever music I'm playing. If you plan on gaming with them then grab a pair of these as well as the 3 foot sleeved extension cable by the same company. The cord on those is painfully short.

I've had THESE headphones, the Plantronics GameCom 780's since September 2013.

I've worn them all day. They are comfortable. The sound quality is really good. The mic quality is great. The price is good!

You can check out my past broadcasts on twitch to judge mic quality for yourself. I'm Zcotticus there too!

This is the one I'm currently using, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CBD2X5E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 firsthand it's been great. Super stable and it connects very easily. I can't help you with that particular one you're eying but in general I can say they're an awesome investment.

Thanks man! She's my pride and joy haha here are the speakers:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXDZ8WB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The quality of those Turtle Beaches isn't all that great. My personal recommendation is a pair of Audio Technica ATH-AD700 headphones and a decent mic. The sound quality will be much much better. If you just want cheap, these headphones and a decent mic would be the way to go, though I'm not sure how great they are for gaming. They're amazing for the price though.

If you really want a good gaming headset, pony up a bit more and grab the Sennheiser PC360 or settle for the PC350. The only other one that gets recommended frequently is the Astro A40, but it's because of the Mixamp that comes with it. The headphones are meh, but the amp is solid. Of course, you could get a good DAC/amp like the Fiio E7 or some of the other Fiio DACs and amps.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Speaker-System-Z523-Subwoofer/dp/B002FU5QMK

These are gonna be your best bet. I have them and they are great. The sub woofer is very powerful and is never shy of power.

[Creative Gigaworks] (http://www.amazon.com/Creative-GigaWorks-Multimedia-BasXPort-Technology/dp/B001RNOHDU/ref=pd_cp_147_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=06S5CCPBW9MKNKM5NF7Y)

I have the T40 and I love the way they sound for a 2.0 setup. They aren't overly loud, they won't blow you away with quality if you're an audiophile, but for 99% of people they will sound fantastic. The T40s do take up a decent amount of space, but the T20s are a little smaller. I like their look, which isn't over the top and flashy, but subtle and blends in well.

This exactly. The WiFi is spotty at best, honestly I'm starting to hate WiFi in general. This is what I use and it works great. Hopefully you find a solution.

This mic on amazon seems like a good option if you don't want to shell out for the modmic nor mod your cans. I can't speak on the quality of the mic (I use a modmic) but it's likely a better solution than the inline cable mics on ebay.

On another note, I hope you are using some kind of amp for the Xbox as connecting directly to the controller will have a low volume output, not to mention poor quality

You could look into the Antlion Mod Mic. They're a little pricey (~ $50 USD) but sound quality is good and it attaches to any set of headphones.


Alternatively, I have a Blue Yeti Snowflake. It uses a usb connection, so I'm not sure how or if it's compatible with console play, but the sound quality is fantastic all the way across the room.

For the sound quality your Crosley is capable of producing and the small space you have these would pair just fine:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RNOHDU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_NsD8wbPTEYVEY

Most people here, including myself would recommend a different path altogether. Save your money and buy quality components. Your Crosley will skip, they all do. They also tend to be harsh on records. You'll soon find yourself frustrated with it.

If you just don't have the means to buy higher quality gear, then what I recommended is about as far as your crosley can take you in terms of improving the sound.

Regardless, spin and enjoy those records. Check the sidebar too, lots of good info for people new to the hobby.

A couple years ago, I purchased a pair of Bose Companion II powered speakers on sale. These babies are on the small side, so my expectations were low. But they honestly blew me away. Deep, rich bass, crystal clear sound... I was very impressed. So much so, that I now use them exclusively with my turntable and couldn't be happier.

I eventually want to upgrade to a receiver so I can have greater equalization controls, but for small powered speakers, they sound amazing.

I have provided the links to the products I use.

​

If you think you're going to be sweating quite a bit (perhaps because of beat saber) I recommend a different facepad by VR Cover.

https://www.amazon.com/Oculus-Facial-Interface-Replacement-Hygiene/dp/B01MQZVF6K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541091609&sr=8-2&keywords=oculus+face+pad

​

Like TOO_FUTURE said before me, definitely set up a ceiling rig so you dont have to worry about cables running around the floor.

https://www.amazon.com/MIDWEC-Packs-Management-Oculus-Headset/dp/B06XY5WKXW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1541091631&sr=8-10&keywords=oculus+accessories

​

Lastly, you might want to think about investing in a 3rd Oculus sensor. Having that 360 degree coverage and not having to worry about facing forward all the time will make your VR experience that much better.

https://www.amazon.com/Oculus-Sensor-16ft-Repeater-Cable-pc/dp/B0727WDPX6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541091677&sr=8-3&keywords=oculus+sensor

Logitech Z523s

They have great sound. I mean, they're not studio monitors or anything but for day to day music listening. They're fantastic. :)

The sub sits under my desk.

Macbook Pro Touch Bar, fully specced out, in clamshell mode on a BookArc. Two Thunderbolt displays mounted onto pneumatic monitor arms connected to a UPLIFT standing desk (72" x 30", 4 power plugs). 4 extra drive bays at Thunderbolt speeds thanks to ThunderBay 4.

Two AudioEngine speakers and a Polk Audio Subwoofer always playing the many study/programming Spotify playlists available. Apogee Duet 2 & Pioneer HDJ-2000 when I really need to get into the zone.

A 3D printed capture of my girlfriend as my rubber ducky debugging tool. HiRise iPhone/iPad stand for easier on-device debugging. Das Keyboard Ultimate 4 for the blank keycap street-cred and so I can be heard typing anywhere in the house. Magic Trackpad 2, Griffin PowerMate for assigning to tasks like stepping over/in, relaunching a single test case, etc. TUL pen and Post-Its for fast note taking. Wall calendar, whiteboard, and cork board for keeping track of projects, putting up notes, and the good feeling that comes from having a physical Kanban board. Desk plant because I've heard having plants in your office increases productivity.

I have two different full head phones

I have the Sennheiser HD 555 and I really do enjoy them a lot with listening to music and pen pointing certain sounds but when I am gaming I use my Sennheiser PC 350.

If you are looking for a brilliant headset then I would certainly suggest the HD 555!

Drat!

These are great webcams for the money:

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Portable-1080p-Webcam-Autofocus/dp/B004YW7WCY

If you're interested, they can be had for 25-35 bucks used on ebay! Do let me know if you decide to spring for it.

edit: I sound like a Logitech shill, but this is also pretty good, and even cheaper. (1080p resolution is by no means necessary!):

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-960-000585-HD-Webcam-C310/dp/B003LVZO8S

In all honesty, the Cam and Mic that I use in my setup is probably the best "budget" equipment.

Webcam:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LVZO8S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Mic:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K72ENKE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But to be honest, the mic isn't the best for streaming. It has a good sound for recording YouTube videos especially since you can edit the mic quality, but the mic does have a weird static background noise. It's barely audible, especially when streaming a louder game, but the mic does sound great, especially if you're just starting out (which I'm assuming you are).

Edit: Kinda forgot to mention, but I also had to buy a scissor arm.

Take a look at this thread that covers this topic in great detail:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Zeos/comments/79ioie/%C4%B1l%C4%B1guide%C4%B1l%C4%B1_musicgaming_speakers_amps

However most of those suggestions are US focused. I looked on amazon.ca and can’t recommend Micca because they’re stupid expensive.

Instead I would go with something comparable like these: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B016P9HJIA/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This version has less features but is all black and should sound similar https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01LXDZ8WB/ref=sspa_mw_detail_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope that helps.

i use these. They are slightly above what you want to spend but the sound quality is amazing and they are extremely comfortable.

Here’s a speaker. The small driver is a tweeter and the larger one is a woofer (more accurately a mid/woofer).

Driver size determines at what frequencies it works best at. High frequencies (treble) are small and low frequencies (bass) are large, and best handled by small and larger drivers (respectively).

From small (high frequency) to large (low frequency):
• Super tweeter
• tweeter
• midrange
• woofer
• subwoofer

Bass below 20Hz is called sub-bass, so that’s where the name subwoofer comes from. Most subwoofers are 8” to 18” in diameter, and are almost always a separate unit, detached from the main speakers.

This is one of the most popular computer speaker kits, under $50 and includes a subwoofer (it of course is a toy compared to “actual” subwoofers that cost anywhere from $100-$3000, that’s not including ones for stupid rich people, there are subwoofers costing >$10,000).

If you have >$150 to spend, then it gets interesting, $500-$700 is end-game for most (say a Kanto YU6 and a Dayton sub-1200), a lot of the people here are not part of the “most”, so they spend more money, but it for sure is diminishing returns.

I'd recommend in that price range that you get both headphones, speakers and an external DAC and AMP.

You can get DAC and amp: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/monoprice-desktop-amp-dac for €67 and shipping

Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro for €152: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyerdynamic-DT990-PRO-Headset-250/dp/B0011UB9CQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406576575&sr=8-1&keywords=dt+990+pro

And a good pair of speakers in m-audio b5x d2 for €161: http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Audio-BX5-D2-Powered-Monitor/dp/B005F3H6Q8/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406576687&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=m-audio+b5x+d2

No reason to limit yourself, when you can get the best of both worlds :)

I have the plantronics gamecom 780, its a great headset and i have not had any issues with it so far and its nearly been two years.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-GameCom-Gaming-Headset-Surround/dp/B0079G2Y52/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427381877&sr=8-1&keywords=game+com+780

its a very good headset, and I really enjoy it.

I'm working on a small budget audio system, and I recently got a monoprice amp which takes RCA for the preamp and I plan on getting the m-audio bx5-d2's for a speakers which takes TRS or XLR. Since the amp takes a single rca for preamp and I need two TRS or XLR cables to set up each monitor I was wondering what would be the best way to go about setting it up. I saw TRS splitters and things like 2 TSR going to 2 RCA cables or RCA splitting into 2, but I don't know what's the best way of going about this while retaining quality. Keep in mind I don't know a lot about general sound equipment.

Amp:
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=16154&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9afOBRDWARIsAJW4nvzPMhp8HPOuiD52v4bgSou3Wy01F_P6e8aPBCc28Zg32rzu89_jh2EaAo8GEALw_wcB

Speakers:
https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-BX5-D2-Speakers-Pair/dp/B005F3H6Q8

Cable Example
http://www.zzounds.com/item--HOSHPRX2?siid=134234

C920 Webcam https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JH8T3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_D.LMzbNQDJJZ1

Definitely the one of the best webcams out there, mostly positive reviews. But if you're trying to get one for 30,

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LVZO8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_MaMMzb5F8KM3F

This would be a decent pick. 720p cam.

I'm looking at that one or this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CBD2X5E/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1QTGXAMH2TVVP
I figure my link is probably "newer" technology, but that could be false. I just want to get the best one I can. Like I said, the wifi here is beyond bogus.

These Logitechs are what I use and they sound pretty great. Obviously they'd save you some coin to be spent elsewhere.

Just to get going, you need powered speakers. Could be something cheap like this or something more high dollar like this.

After you've had it a while, there's plenty of upgrades and DIY improvements you can make, see this blog. But those aren't needed for starting. Enjoy!

really really love my sennheiser pc350s. yes they are a bit pricey, but they provide everything i need, and sound great. same drivers as the hd555s (i believe, don't quote me on that one) http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-PC-350-Collapsible-Microphone/dp/B0012XFDWO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301726025&sr=8-1

I'm looking for some speakers that aren't awful. I don't need "audiophile grade" or anything, I just don't want some cheap garbage. And I don't have space for a subwoofer or anything wider than 4 inches (100 millimetres) My current speakers are some 15$ Logitech ones (Z130). I haven't really experienced sound quality better than that. I've been thinking about getting the Creative GigaWorks T20 Series II. Are they any good? Or would something like the Logitech Z200 be alright?

EDIT: Also, I won't be turning to volume very high. On my current speakers, I usually don't ever have the volume any higher than 20% (with the windows volume control).

What's the matter with surround/gaming headsets? I'm not much of an audiophile but I like things to sound semi-decent. I have a Plantronics Gamecom 780 headset and I'm really happy with it for gaming audio and communication.

FWIW, currently Wirecutter.com's top pick for wireless gaming headset.

All-time low according to Camelcamelcamel and PC Part Picker, though it has been $149.99 in the past as well.

Also currently the same price at MemoryExpress, Bestbuy, and probably many other places.

Obviously only a good deal if you want a wireless gaming headset - if you don't absolutely need wireless (or aren't willing to sacrifice quality to get it), or if you don't need a microphone, then you'd be far better served by many other options out there.

But if you do want a wireless gaming headset, this one is a good bang for your buck, especially at this price.

Edit: Steelseries Arctis 7 and Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum are also highly rated picks for wireless gaming headphones. The Logitech is also on for a fairly decent price right now ($250 - $120 = $130).

Edifier R980T 4" Active Bookshelf Speakers. No amp needed, lots of great reviews, and it's literally the top of your budget.

The Micca suggestion from /u/5thvoice is also excellent.

I adore my Sennheiser PC 350 headphones. They are 3 times what you wanted to spend, but built like a tank and VERY comfortable.

They are these Audioengine ones they are pretty nice, but I really just loved how sleek they look!

I've used a bunch of different speakers with my PVMs and I prefer desktop computer speakers because a) they're compact, b) since they're compact, the speaker magnets are smaller and can be placed closer to my monitors without causing issues, and c) I think the frequency range of a smaller speaker better suits the games I play while still sounding way better than the speakers on any TV I've owned. I currently use a set of Bose Companion IIs that I bought cheap from from someone on Craigslist, and before that I used a pair of Creative Gigaworks T20 speakers which I also liked quite a bit.

Ryzen stock cooler is good enough for most of their chips, but with the 2700X being 105W, I'd suggest a 280mm AIO.

1080Ti is also standard for 4k, and understand that you will not get 60FPS with everything maxed on that card. Ampere, Turing, whatever the new Nvidia cards will be called will most likely make that achievable.

That PSU also seems close to the minimum you'd want, maybe shoot for 800 or 850 to be safe.

Also, if you're looking for sound equipment suggestions, stepping up to the $50-$80 range will get you some far better speakers. Logitech Z337 speakers are running for about $75 [on Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Z333-2-1-Speakers-Easy-access/dp/B0151K2AB0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1513880992&sr=8-1&keywords=z333&linkCode=sl1&tag=tecdea0f-20&linkId=39478b6b0a22e0ceeb9908677cb2e028) right now. The previous iteration, the Z333 speakers, are going for about $50.

Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers - for PC (with 3.5mm AUX & PC input) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CD1PTF0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1h5QDb73CVSQP

I have had them for 5+ years no problems.

Recommended to a friend and he loves them as well.

Edit: idk why downvote. These are great speakers if you want high quality sound.

I had these Logitech Speakers while I stayed in an apartment. If I played it at max volume, pretty much everyone in the complex would have heard them. Definitely would recommend.

Steelseries mousepad $15 (its huge and amazing) https://www.amazon.com/SteelSeries-QcK-Gaming-Mouse-Black/dp/B000UVRU6G
Logitech speakers $59.99 (there are cheaper ones around $30 but I got these 2 years ago and I am biased) https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Speaker-System-Z523-Subwoofer/dp/B002FU5QMK/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482326653&sr=1-15&keywords=logitech+speakers
Good luck !