(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best home audio products

Okay cool! I think a pair of neutral to warm speakers combined with a nice sub and receiver would be a great way to go.

I've got three speakers that I think would work well for you.

The first is a pair of HSU Bookshelf speakers. Unlike some other horn speakers, these are very neutral sounding. They do have a bit of fun dynamics as well, making them easy yet fun to listen to.

Next would be a pair of Ascend Acoustics CBM-170. These are neutral, but just a tad on the bright side in my opinion. However, they have a silk dome tweeter, so while they may be bright, they aren't fatiguing at all. Great all-around speaker.

Finally, the Elac Debut B6.2. These are super easy to listen to. They are just a tad laid back, but have tons of clarity somehow. They are really an impressive speaker. Everyone has done a review on them, so feel free to look around for more info. The HSUs and Ascends are harder to find a ton of info on since they're internet direct rather than just something you can get on amazon, but they're still great.

I said 'finally' with the Elacs, but I'll throw one more in just for good measure. Wharfedale Diamond 225. They retailed originally at $450 and now are $350, which is awesome. They're a very warm speaker, so I don't think they'll be what you're looking for since you said 'warm to neutral', but I just thought I'd throw them out there. They have an extremely sweet midrange though.

Anyways, you'll want to add a sub to those.

Disclaimer, I haven't heard this sub, but it gets rave reviews. The HSU subwoofers are supposed to be absolutely fantastic subwoofers. Clean tight bass that digs deep.

I really like Rythmik subs. The servo technology is really awesome. They can get low and sound great while doing it as well.

In addition, you'll need a way to power everything. Depending on what you spent on those, you'll have like $200-$300 left.

You don't want a chip amp. Something like a SMSL AD18 will work, but it won't sound the best. Chip amps distort a lot when you start to turn them up a little, which isn't what you want. They also struggle with dynamics and slam.

Something like a home receiver would be the best option for under $200. That range is kind of no-mans-land. Chip amps go up to about $150, and integrated amps don't start until $350. (Integrated amps are just amps made specifically for 2 channel music basically, rather than a receiver that does everything).

This Yamaha is the cheapest integrated amp you can get, and it will be better than a receiver or a chip amp.

And if you need speaker cable, just buy some in bulk, but I think you've already got some.

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If you don't think you'll want a sub (which is very possible, especially with these options) you will have a few more options.

You can get that integrated amp and a pair of Ascend Acoustic Sierras which are absolutely phenomenal speakers. They're just a tad on the warm side of neutral. They might even be just neutral. It's close, but they're good. All around just a fantastic speaker. They get down to 44hz, which is pretty low, so you'd probably be fine without a sub. I really like these speakers.

A pair of Wharfedale Dentons if you like the retro look. I haven't heard these, but they're supposed to have a very nice smooth presentation, a bit on the warm side. I'm not sure though.

Monitor Audio Bronze bookshelves. Again, I haven't heard these, but they're supposed to be pretty neutral. If you go up to the Silver series they apparently get better. Makes sense to me haha.

I'm a huge fan of these Wharfedale Reva towers. That being said, I haven't heard the bookshelf version of them, but I imagine they are fantastic. And, in my opinion, they're some of the prettiest speakers out there. Absolutely beautiful finishing on that wood. The towers are very neutral sounding. The bass is clean and tight. Vocals sound very natural.

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I threw a lot at you. Now, what would I get, personally.

I would go with a 2.0 setup for now, and save for a pair of subs in the future (yes, I said pair).

However, seeing as you currently already have a receiver, I might spend my whole budget on a pair of speakers and plan to buy a receiver in the near future when budget allows. If I did this, I would go with one of two things:

The Wharfedale Reva Towers would probably be my first choice.

Close to that would be a pair of Quad S-2 bookshelf speakers. Very close. The ribbon tweeter there is a lot of fun. It has the detail that a metal tweeter would have, but without the sharpness.

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Alright, let's say you want the whole system now. I would get the Yamaha Integrated, the HSU subwoofer, and a pair of HSU bookshelf speakers. They're just a lot of fun to listen to.

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If you wanted to go without the sub for now, it would be one of two options again.

The Yamaha integrated, of course with both.

For speakers, I would pick either the Ascend Sierras or the Wharfedale Reva 2 bookshelves. Like I said, I've only heard the tower Revas, but I can't imagine that the bookshelves would be bad after hearing the towers.

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Sorry for the wall of text.

How does this all look? Any questions?

Tl;dr at the bottom because wow I wrote a lot here.

I don't know if there's a way to specify on an app by app basis, but you could potentially get around that by essentially telling Alexa to switch a Music Mode on or off. As a note, I personally have NOT tested this to see if it works, but I see no reason it wouldn't.

First of all, you're gonna want to buy a Harmony Hub (Or at least something like it). It's basically a big IR blaster that shoots out signals to your devices to turn them on or off, change their inputs, and other such stuff. You can create "activities" where it will turn on or off the devices you specify and change them to their correct inputs all at once. It also has direct Alexa integration so you can say something like "Alexa, turn on my TV," which could prompt Alexa to tell your Harmony Hub to run your "turn on TV" activity to turn on your TV and AV receiver, and set them to the right inputs.

This next step depends on whether or not your AV reciever has bluetooth. If it does, cool, you're already done. You just have to make sure that you make an activity in the Harmony Hub that will turn on the necessary stuff for listening to music, and make sure that when it turns on your AV reciever, it also turns on its bluetooth. Then just make sure it's paired with Alexa. This way, whenever your reciever's bluetooth is turned on, even if you have speakers plugged into the AUX port on the Dot, Alexa will still automatically connect to it and play through it instead. When it's off, Alexa's audio will play through her internal speaker or whatever speaker that's plugged into her AUX port.

If you don't have bluetooth built into your AV receiever, it gets a little more complicated. First off, you're gonna want to get this. That is a bluetooth receiver that requires power to function. Plug it's audio output into your AV receiver, and BAM, now your AV receiver has bluetooth. You're also going to want to get a smart plug to plug its power cable into. Because this bluetooth receiver needs power to function, this will allow you to turn the bluetooth on and off whenever you want from a distance, simply by powering the smart plug on or off. Pair that, and Alexa should automatically connect to it when you turn it on with the smart plug, and use her internal speakers or AUX connected speakers when it's off.

The main downside to the above is that you're still going to have to power the bluetooth on separately from you powering on your music mode with the Harmony Hub. From my understanding, you can fix this, but it requires getting a Smart Things Hub and a Smart Things Plug it will connect to. You can apparently integrate Smart Things into your Harmony Hub activities, meaning that you can power the Smart Things plug on at the same time that you activate your music mode on your Harmony Hub, or power it off when you turn that mode off. Frankly, this is a decently expensive solution to a minor annoyance of a problem, so I'll leave that up to you to decide if you want to go this extra mile.

As a note, the Smart Things integration with Harmony Hub is the thing that I'm most unsure about how it works. I believe I've seen it mentioned that it worked that way, but I cannot confirm, and honestly haven't researched into that as much as I'd like to have. If you go this route, I'd definitely recommend looking into it more for yourself. Also of note is that this was a setup I was planning for my particular situation. It may be that there's much cheaper options and alternatives to this whole mess that I don't know about or just simply overlooked because it didn't work for me. I encourage you to do more research into this on your own if you really want the best results.

And finally, if ALL of this is way too much over your head, you could just do what I decided to do that was ultimately so much cheaper and easier: Just buy a Roku Streaming Stick/Amazon Fire TV Stick and use that as your dedicated music streaming device to your AV receiver. Then just use your Dot for everything else.

 

Tl;dr: Buy a Logitech Harmony Hub. Have bluetooth on your AV receiver? Pair it with Alexa, and then just add turning on its bluetooth to your Harmony Hub's turn on music activity. You're done.

Don't have bluetooth on your AV receiver? Buy this and a smart plug compatible with Alexa to plug it into. Pair the bluetooth receiver with Alexa. Turn the plug and the receiver on when you want to listen to music through it. Turn them off when you don't.

Want to be able to turn that smart plug on at the same time as your music mode? Make sure you buy a Smart Things smart plug and a Smart Things hub, then integrate turning your plug on into your Harmony Hub's music mode.

Or just buy a Roku Streaming Stick/Amazon Fire TV Stick for music instead if you're a cheapass

The Yamaha would need a separate 2ch amp ($100-$200) to be able to do 7.2.4, it can only do 5.2.4/7.2.2 on its own.

The Denon X6300 is a better reciever and can do 7.2.4 on its own, but it is $200 more.

The Denon X4300 is a better receiver and has the same speaker specs as the Yamaha, also a $100-$200 external amp is need, but it’s only $1500.

____

To answer your questions in the other thread:

> Is it worth it to go for martin logans motion40s or some real high quality front 2 speakers, subs, and center speaker, and then go average (~250) on rest of the 3.0.4?

That is a good route, surrounds and heights should be the cheapest part of your setup for home theater, the center and sub are way more important.

> Is 4k enhancement projector gimmick or worth the extra money?

It will give some reasonably noticeable boost in clarity. Not a must have, but welcomed.

> For 3k speaker budget (no receiver) what speakers would you recommend? I saw the buying guide from this subreddit, but was surprised to see so many unknown brands. I was wondering if PSA MT110 are really that good as they say? (even better than motion 40s and klipsch premium speakers?)

Can't help you compare to the MartinLogan, but they would be better than the RP one of Klipsch speakers.

Now, assuming you don't DIY your subs for under $1000 (or DIY speakers), here's what I'm thinking for $3K;

• Firstly, even if doing only an LCR of the PSA MT110/110C, that would be over $2K, not leaving a whole lot of room for great subs, so I don't know how I feel about this option.
  
  Main option:
  
  
• 3.1 package of HSU CCB-8's and VTF-2 MK5 for $1730 shipped.
  
  
• Second VTF-2 MK5. Gets well past 20Hz @ -3dB, and does so loud (over 100dB at 16Hz).
  
  
• Fluance Signature bookshelves, $400 for side and rear surrounds. Are you doing a raised second row of seating? If so, then you want dipole speakers for the side surrounds, in which I would get the FLuance XLBP, which is normally $200 but on sale for $120, so $340 total with the bookshelves as rears. If you don't want the mahogany color, just paint it.
  
  
• That leaves $265 for the heights on a $3K budget, but since the X4300 plus amp saves you a good amount, that bumps it up to over $500. Around $100 a speaker is what I recommend max for in-cielings used as heights. There are many options, but I like HTD as a company, so I would look to their 8" in-cielings for almost $400 shipped.
  
  If you DIY your subwoofers for say $800 max doing the VBSS like that other user, that would add about $200 to the budget (much less of a bundle deal with the HSU speakers). If you are worried about DIY'ing, just get the HSU 3.1 bundle plus second sub. THE VBSS sub is much better, but the HSU is already a great sub.
  
  I can put together other options, but unless I'm forgetting some options, those would likely be the best.
  
  ____
  
  Don't forget room treatment (even adding a rug to a non-carted floor can help a lot).
  
  The cheap way to go about it is to use foam panels. You can DIY panels made from Roxul, not sure the cost, but much cheaper than buying fiberglass panels or similar online. the roxul/fiberglass panels will be better, but more expensive. For foam, you can get 2 orders of 48pk of 12"x12"x3" wedge foam for about $200 and then a 4pk of corner bass traps for $50. This user spent about $300 (red is more expensive than black). The user who posted his setup hours ago used the GIK Gatsby Arches which look classy as hell, and ran him <$250 for the 4 pack of 2" narrow panels, I would consider looking the 4" ones though. SO that's actually not that bad of a price difference, but that is for 4 panels, you may want some foam behind the speaker like in the user photo I linked (mainly behind the port of the speakers). Their bass traps are expensive though, you could just use the foam ones for those, as the foam bass traps quite well.
  
  While it's a very echoey room to start with, here's a before/after sound test. No matter how good your speakers are, if the room has a noticeable echo, a treated room with cheaper speaker will sound better.

These have been getting some good user reviews lately and a nice price too, and a pretty small cabinet for a 6.5 inch woofer, 79.99 / pair: 2 Pack 6.5" Bookshelf Home Theater Speakers 100W RMS TP160S-CH DCM by MTX Audio

As for amp's I have two of these (on two different computer systems), Dayton Audio APA 150. This is a serious Class A/B design topology, but no frills, just a well built, serious, "old school" heavy amp. No remote, no DAC, no Bluetooth, but WOW, a really nice, serious, amp! Lots of good user reviews and recommendations all over the net.

A often recommended smaller digital amp S.M.S.L AD18. This one DOES have it all, remote, DAC, bluetooth, relatively small, great reviews all over the net.

If you are really on a budget, try something similar to Lepai LP-2020TI Digital Hi-Fi Audio Mini Class D Stereo Amplifier. Do some searches for tweaking this amp, a very simple way to improve this amp, is to buy a more powerful power brick. There are many versions of this type of amp, amazon, ebay, parts-express, look around.

The other two, often recommended, "great value" speakers that work well with a computer (but you will need an amp), are the Sony SSCS5 3-Way 3-Driver Bookshelf Speaker System (Pair). I have seen these on sale for well under 100/pair, from memory, in the 60's and 70's.

Another great value is the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Designed Bookshelf Loudspeakers(7-1/8” x 12-9/16” x 8-7/16” & weighs 9 lbs 2 oz). Again, search around, these do go on sale for well under 100.00.

I have both the Pioneer and the Sony, and I currently am using the Sony SSCS5 with the Dayton Audio Amp. Was temped to buy the DCM, but I have to stop buying "great value" speakers. If I ever want to upgrade my computer speakers, I should save up and buy the Ascend Audio Luna Reference Ribbon Mini-Monitor.

Good luck, have fun, and Enjoy!

So many points to hit on, I'll try and help with that I can. I'm in the US so I'm not really sure what the pricing and availability is in your area, so my help will be somewhat limited haha.

If you are wanting to do a 2.0 system with the option to upgrade to 5.1 in the future, much of your budget will be going towards a 5.1 receiver. The suggestions mentioned in question 1 are good suggestions, but you also need to take a look at your TV and see what audio out connections are available. Some TV's, like mine for instance, only offer an optical out for audio. If this is the case for you, then the SMSL SA-60 will not work without a DAC in between. Something like the Fiio D3 would suffice. Also, chances are if you go this route, you will lose the ability to control the volume with the TV remote. Getting something like the SMSL Q5 Pro instead might be a better option. It can accept multiple audio inputs (digital and
analog, so no need for a DAC), and also has a cheap remote for controlling volume and other stuff. You can also use the Q Acoustic Speakers with these amps as well. However, either of these amps would have to be replaced in the future if you decide to upgrade to 5.1. But they would be great for a 2.1 setup.

In the US, with that budget (300 euro = $335) and a future 5.1 in mind; I would get a Pioneer VSX-530 Receiver ($200), and the Micca MB42X Speakers ($90). Then I would start saving for a subwoofer like the Bic F12 or ML Dynamo 300 (depending on the size of the room). Once I had a sub, I would then save up for better bookshelfs (3 of them...something like empteks or elacs or who knows what), and relocate the Micca MB42X's to the rear. This would be a a respectable 5.1 setup that will blow away pretty much any home theater in a box.

Anyways, hope I was of at least some help. Best of luck with your setup!

1. I would look at the Orb Booster $160 or the SMSL Q5 Pro because of the optical inputs (can use with a TV later on) and the remote. I also think they have tone control and a bit more power.
   
   
2. If you really want powered speakers go for it but I'm not the guy to help with that. I'm not a fan of powered speakers. Also if you go down that route you won't need the amp upgrade as they have their own amp.
   
   
3. I would consider getting an AVR if you can fit in your space. Something like this Denon S510BT refurb $180 would be a good option. Not only would you be getting more power but you would also get all the benefits of an AVR. (Better speaker control, room correction, better bass management, more inputs...)
   
   Here is a sample system that I would look at
   
   AVR/Amp - I've already linked some options for you to look at.
   
   Sub - I would honestly keep what you have but get the sub cable that I linked above.
   
   Speakers - Here is where it gets fun. Lets say you spent $150-200 on an AVR/amp you'll have about $300 to play with. Lets look at some speakers in that range.
   
   

• Boston Acoustics A26 $120 ea - I think these are on sale so think quick This is a good price for the A series
  
  
• Boston Acoustics CS260 $160 ea - Towers that are in your budget. If you have space consider these.
  
  
• Polk RTi A1 $205 - The RTi's were decent Polk offerings
  
  
• Polk S20 $300 - New line they sounded decent in the store. Worth a look
  
  
• Cambridge Aero 2 $220 or SX60 $230 - These are on sale currently
  
  
• RBH R5Bi $225 - great sounding books at a reasonable price.
  
  
• Affordable Accuracy monitors $210+SH - another internet direct company with really good books at a fair price.
  
  If you don't have stands consider getting a pair. Having speakers at the right height will really help out the sound. Also getting them further apart can really help out too. stands help you accomplish this.

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

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

I looked it up and you have dome tweeters so don't get anything with a horns such as Klipsch. However they are from a home theater in a box which generally speaking aren't great. My suggestion is you should get the center now but plan on buying the matching left and right as soon as you can. The issues you could run into with running miss matched from stage (LCR) is timber imbalance where sounds don't have the same volume or pitch so sounds traveling across your front stage could sound like aaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaaaaa. My suggestion is listen to some bookshelf speakers and find ones you like then buy the center that matches them. Here are some options I found on Amazon but going to local shops to listen would be best:

• Fluance XL7C they are a Canadian company and make products that are great for what they cost this is $10 over budget though
  
  
• Sony Core Series center known to be a smidge bright I believe in store at best buy
  
  
• Pioneer SP-C22 Andrew Jones is a well regarded speaker designer and most of his products have a sound signature that's well liked
  
  
• Micca MB42X-C the cheapest you could go
  
  
• Polk CSR Polk is a good brand haven't heard anything about these however in store at best buy
  
  
• Paradigm Cinema 110 C heard good things about this brand don't know how their entry level stuff is
  
  I'd look up what the matching bookshelf speakers cost and factor that in as well.

First step: have you read noaudiophile's reviews? He does very thorough reviews on a lot of budget speakers, and has corrections for many of the popular options. His corrections for the Infinity P163s that I'm currently using made them sound like completely different speakers.

First let's start with powered options:

The Micca PB42X would be a good option. They are basically a powered version of the MB42X so you don't need to purchase a separate amp. Also in the similar realm that get recommended here a lot would be the Swans D1010 and the Edifier R1280T.

Personally I'm a bigger fan of passive speakers, as you get a lot more options to expand your system.

Pioneer BS22 bookshelf speakers are great and have gone on sale quite a bit lately for $70-80/pair.

Dayton B652 I am currently using as my surround speakers, but people rave about them as a budget desktop option

Micca MB42X also get great reviews.

You could also go used for your speakers, but sometimes it can be hard to parse through all the junk out there if you don't know what you're looking for.

Take any of those passive options and pair them up with an inexpensive amp like this SMSL or Lepai for a good budget setup.

I would also recommend checking your local Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for a used receiver, you could pick up a very decent one for just a few bucks and have a great starting setup. This will give you a lot more powerful amp, and the ability later to easily add a subwoofer or expand to surround sound. Personally I'm using an older Sony home theater receiver at my desk, it's old enough that it doesn't have HDMI or optical inputs, someone was just giving it away so I snagged it.

Velodyne is good stuff. Certainly well suited for HT applications. Music less so, but will do just fine even still.

I agree that it wouldn't be worth the effort, but still a fun project none the less. Just need to be cognizant of what those woofers are good at and what they aren't. They'll do home theater stuff to a degree, but they're better suited to thumpy music in a car or garage or otherwise non-critical music-listening focused environment.

Funny you mention couch shakers; I fully agree! I actually have a pair of inexpensive Aurasound tactile transducers bolted to my couch in my home theater specifically because my mains (30+ year-old electrostats) are not offering up any "impact", and my subwoofer is on a foam isolation pad, so it doesn't impart vibrations into my raised wooden sub-floored house; because of young children sleeping and WAF and all that...

The best thing you could hope to do to your HT bass or even 2ch HiFi bass in a given listening room is to have two separete/discrete subwoofers strategically placed in the room - even if they are not stellar subwoofers. This will reduce or eliminate "bass modes" in your listening area. That is to say: two subwoofers on your single "LFE" output from your HT AV/R unit. Having bass emanated from two separate sources in your listening area will help to negate these bass modes and provide you with more even distribution throughout your listening area, dramatically improving perceived bass response.

Just my two cents, you could do the Best Buy $300 on speakers and like you said get whatever 5.1+ receiver elsewhere. Best Buy will price match Amazon if it's "shipped and sold" by Amazon. So for example you could get the Pioneer towers and center channel for around $300:

Pioneer SP-FS52 Andrew Jones Tower each $110 Amazon (x2 for $220) / $125 Best Buy (x2 for $250)

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-5-1-4-floor-speaker-each-black/5086937.p?skuId=5086937

Pioneer SP-C22 Andrew Jones Center channel $85 Amazon / $95 Best Buy

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI/

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-dual-4-center-channel-speaker-black/5086891.p?skuId=5086891

Total if you Amazon price match = $305 before tax

EDIT: just be sure to factor in cables/speaker wire to total budget, and make sure everything will fit and has a proper place to be setup. and don't overlook a universal remote if that's an option/need. :)

EDIT 2: OK so this doesn't satisfy the need for surround. So you could throw in cheap surrounds for now as well. Top 100 Amazon satellite speakers, others on here may have cheap suggestions?:

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Electronics-Satellite-Speakers/zgbs/electronics/3236454011#1

EDIT 3: And here's the matching bookshelf speakers if you wanted to match them up for the surrounds, swap these in front as a cheaper alternative to the towers, or both... for pair $110 Amazon / $125 Best Buy:

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-4-bookshelf-speakers-pair-black/5086955.p?skuId=5086955

I ended up tightening my budget quite a bit on this new home theater, so some of my choices aren't as nice as what I had before, but I'm very happy with what I got in the end. I want to thank everyone who gave me advice in my last post here. It was all very helpful!

I went with a 65" Samsung 120Hz smart TV. I decided against getting the 240Hz because I couldn't see a difference between the two when looking at it, and the 3D makes my wife sick in any case. That saved me almost $500.

For the receiver, I took everyone's advice and opted away from the all-in-one set I'd been looking at. Instead, I got a great price on a Pioneer VSX-824 that I've been very happy with.

I know the Denon reciever is what everyone recommended, and it's what I bought at first, but strangely enough my PS3 didn't work with it. It worked just fine connected to the TV directly, and other devices worked with that HDMI cable and port, but the PS3 just told me to go fuck myself. A quick google search told me that it's a flaw in the way the HDMI handshake works with Denon receivers, so back it went.

I went with Pioneer speakers as well, hooking up a
pair of tower speakers for front left and right, a pair of matching bookshelf speakers for the rear, and the matching center speaker.

The subwoofer will have to wait, for now, but the plan is to purchase the matching subwoofer when we're ready.

Instead of the Harmony Ultimate, which didn't seem to get any good remarks, I opted for the much cheaper Harmony 650, which has made my wife very happy. No more frayed tempers about what button does what on which remote. I'm even buying my parents one for Christmas.

I'm hugely pleased with the upgrade over my previous setup, even if it's not everything it could have been. What do you all think?

the dayton sub has the "high level outputs" so you dont have to worry about a sub out on the dac/amp. you would just run the speaker wire from amp to the sub inputs, then another set of speaker wire from the sub output to the left and right speakers.

http://www.daytonaudio.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x800/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/u/sub-1000_photo_3_2.jpg

the audio engine b1 isnt what you need or want though, all that does is capture a digital data signal you are streaming via bluetooth and then send that digital signal to a dac/amp that would then convert and send it as an analog signal to your speakers. meaning it doesnt actually output any signal your speakers would recognize so you would still need a dac/amp to take that digital signal you streamed and turn it into an analog signal that would then run through speaker wires to your speakers. the b1 is basically a very expensive rca cable replacement that lets you go wireless.

what you want/need is more like this guy that does everything you ask for. it is currently at $230 but if 2 more people go in on the deal it will go down to $200 (if youre not familiar with massdrop they do group buys that can lead to some nice discounts on things). the downside to massdrop is shipping can suck if you live outside of the US and some things take a while to ship out, but you could get the thing for $200 when its $300 on amazon, which is a good savings.

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/ai-101da-integrated-amplifier-with-usb-dac?mode=guest_open


this would also do what you need and ticks all your boxes including price as it is only $145.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073F8Z565/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_2_w


this is a bit cheaper at $117 but lacks bluetooth
https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-Q5-Pro-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B017W12UCU/ref=sr_1_28


in my opinion the TEAC would be the best, as TEAC gear is very well built. my dac is the TEAC ud 501 and its a beast. i havent owned any SMSL gear but it does tend to get pretty good reviews and is recommended a lot. also, all 3 above have sub output so you dont need to worry about routing speaker wire through the sub, but the option would be there still of course.


that make sense? you just need to be mindful of digital signals vs analog signals. think of it as digital signals are just 1s and 0s that a computer reads and analog signals are the music that speakers can "read". digital signals run through rca cables, over bluetooth or optical cables and many other types where as analog signals run through plain ole speaker wire. with computer audio you will always need your source or output, aka the computer, that then sends to a dac (digital to analog converter) that does the converting, then that converted signal goes to an amp, then the amp to the speakers. your computer also has a built in dac on the motherboard but those usually arent very good, which is why a standalone dac is nearly always better. dacs and amps can also be totally separate pieces, but that usually runs the cost up and adds more complexity. honestly the whole thing gets fairly complex and can be super confusing with so many options! it is really easy to get deep into the weeds and spend a ton of money.

Doesn't like you've gotten a lot of help so I'll toss a few suggests out there, although getting a decent Bluetooth 2.1 system under $200 is no easy task.

I'll start with the already suggested Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 Bluetooth. It's actually the one of these I've had the fortune of hearing personally. It's also the only that's a complete system in the box. It's not a bad system, but it does have a few drawbacks. First, the system is always in Bluetooth pairing mode. This has been a problem for people living in apartments who have pesky neighbors who connect to them and start playing music. Second, they do sound a little different than the original Klipsch ProMedia 2.1. I wouldn't say they are worse, but they don't have quite the charm in their sound signature that made the ProMedia so popular. Overall I would still the ProMedia 2.1 is a good system in box. But it really can't compete with a proper 2.1 system. By the way, Best Buy has run them on sale a few times now for $99.

On that note, I'll start trying to piece together a few more systems with separate speakers and subs. I'll start with suggesting the now discontinued PreSonus Ceres 3.5BT. They're pretty much the cheapest Bluetooth speakers I can find with a sub-out. They are running about $120 on Amazon right now. That leaves just enough to get this Monoprice sub. You'll also need a cable like this to connect the sub to the speakers. It's not a perfect system, but it's about the best I could piece together and keep it close to $200. I wish you could still get the larger Ceres 4.5BT for $120 but it appears to be sold out most places now. If you could jump up to either the this Monoprice sub or this Dayton one it would probably be worthwhile. You might also find open box stuff cheaper if you shop around.

Would be to get speakers without bluetooth or a subwoofer out like the Swan D1010 or Edifier R1280t. You could them get a sub like the Monoprice 9723 and a bluetooth adapter. You have to connect the bluetooth adapter to the sub and them feed the speakers from the sub. But the time you buy the speakers, sub, bluetooth adapters and cables you're going to be pushing the price into the range of better simpler systems.

There also a few 2.1 systems like the Edifier S350 that are little over budget but might be worth it. Unfortunately reviews on systems like these tend to be scarce.

Does everything need to be from Amazon? What is the Amazon gift card balance? What is your total budget?

Consider getting a new turntable and used passive bookshelf speakers with a used stereo or AV receiver which are easier to find used.

New Turntable:

The Audio-Technica AT-LP120 is discontinued but still available. The new replacement version Audio-Technica LP-120"X"USB is $50 less at $250. It removes a few pro features like reverse play that the home user probably doesn't need.

A few good and popular belt drive turntable options:

• Orbit Custom Cue lever, Basic platter, Ortofon OM 5E cart, $275 shipped.
  
• Fluance RT82 Reference Turntable with Ortofon Super OM10 $300 free shipping. It has auto stop and an optical sensor speed controlled motor for lower wow and flutter and speed variation specs than the Orbit. No extra charge for the walnut finish. Skip the 80 and 81 without the optical sensor.
  
  Either paired with a phono stage/preamp if you get a receiver without a phono input: U-Turn Pluto $100, Pro-Ject Audio - Phono Box DC $115, NAD Electronics PP 2e refurbished $120 or Schitt Mani B-Stock sale $120 with shipping and taxes.
  
  New passive speakers:
  
  The 4" Edifier powered speakers are ok to start off with for a smallish room.
  
  Another option is passive speakers with a receiver or mini amp. Then you can later upgrade one part at a time.
  
  
• Stereo Receiver: Pioneer SX-10AE $150.
  
• AV receiver if also using the speaekrs with a TV for HDMI switching, Denon AVRS540BT $175.
  
• Mini amp: SMSL SA50 $50.
  
  Low budget passive speakers:
  
  
• Dayton Audio B652-AIR $50.
  
• 4" Pioneer SP-BS22-LR $100.
  
• Sony SSCS5 $120.
  
• BIC America DV62si $120.
  
• Fluance SX6W $130.
  
• Big 8" Yamaha NS-6490 $130.
  
  Speaker wire: Pure Copper Oxygen Free 16 Gauge Speaker Wire 50 ft. and self adjusting wire strippers, optional banana plugs to add. Or already with banana plugs Micca.
  
  Home Audio Guides: Intro to home stereo systems • Zeos Tutorials, Diagrams and Videos • Guide to Home Audio • AverageJoeAudiophile's Guides • How to position your speakers for great sound – U-Turn Audio • Speaker Placement for Stereo Music Listening
  
  Also check out r/BudgetAudiophile.

Not really a "bad", because there some powered towers out there, but they tend to be of either really crappy quality, or REALLY expensive.

So, for $100 you are somewhat limited in your choices. You'll probably end up with something in a D or T class amp. Don't worry, those classes don't mean much outside of technical stuff. Nice thing is that both are digital amps, which are smaller and lighter.

Cheapest, and as far as I am concerned, best bang for the buck, is the Nobsound Mini BT. I like them because I have owned a couple. Chinese made itty bitty amps that deliver enough wattage to get pretty loud without breaking the bank at all.

https://www.amazon.com/Nobsound-Bluetooth-Amplifier-Wireless-Receiver/dp/B06Y67PZB1/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1517901026&sr=8-2&keywords=nobsound

They come with an internal DAC so you can connect straight to USB if using a computer. Also come with a 3.5 headphone jack to 3.5, or 3.5 to RCA so you can hook up a CD/BR player, a turntable if it's got it's own internal preamp, or most anything else like an Amazon Echo or Google Home. It has no remote, so if that's what you need you can get an add-on device.

https://www.amazon.com/MCM-CUSTOM-50-8394-CONTROL-IR/dp/B01CX82KH2

Or for nearly the same price you can get an all in one unit.

https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-SA-50-PLUS-Amplifier-TAS5766M/dp/B06XYKNRXJ

Another idea, if you have the room is a stereo receiver. Gives you more input and is pretty robust with a remote and all. This unit is higher quality than the mini-type amps and is about the cheapest full sized receiver you can get. I'd probably recommend this unless you are sure you want to go for surround sound in the future.

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDH130-Channel-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B006U1VH2S/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1517901570&sr=1-1&keywords=sony+stereo+receiver

It doesn't have BT, but you can easily add a dongle for that in the future for like $15. This would also work just fine;

https://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-RX4208-Stereo-Receiver-Black/dp/B00OZ5851M/ref=pd_sbs_23_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00OZ5851M&pd_rd_r=AZ2ADFGCZRZEZWCRGKA3&pd_rd_w=P4geq&pd_rd_wg=11Ok6&psc=1&refRID=AZ2ADFGCZRZEZWCRGKA3

After that all you need is some speaker wire and you're ready to rock...or game, or whatever.

If you want to go the passive route, a decent setup would probably be around $150-200. If you want something with a tuner, a receiver would be a good choice over an amp.

Right now, you can get this Yamaha R-S202BL Stereo Receiver on Amazon or Best Buy for $119 which is an excellent deal. Usually this receiver costs $149 or more and Yamaha makes some of the best budget stereo receivers. Sometimes you can find this Insignia Stereo Receiver for about $99, but right now it costs higher than the Yamaha and is not worth it. Those are probably your best deals on receivers right now that won't break the bank. Most other receivers will cost you about $150 to start.

You can find a lot of good speakers under $150 and a few under $100. What you need to do is sign up for Fry's Electronics newsletter. Just this last week they sent a coupon code in my email to get the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers for $58! Super good deal. Normally cost just over $100. They are sold out now, but this deal pops up quite often and they are well worth that price.

Here are more great speakers around $100 or less:

Micca MB42X speakers - $90.

Polk T15 - $100

Dayton Audio B652 - $30

Dayton Audio B652-AIR - $44

JBL Arena B15 - $79

Hello.

I have some questions regarding purchasing of speakers. This will be used for a TV and computer setup, I want to be able to switch between at least 3 inputs Computer, TV, Bluetooth (for phone)

I'm looking for a good set I want a hard-cap of about $400-500 (everything together) but if it's not to much more I might make some more exception

But generally aiming for the $200-250 range (At least on speakers alone), I looked at the recommended speaker sets in the post and I would like something more in-line with the $100 set but better quality.

I'm generally looking for a 2, 2.1 speaker setup (As I have a set of Logitech z506 5.1, but want better sound, not sure if I should go 2.1 or stick with 5.1) but this will be in my bed room as well

I was following this guide Which I found a couple months back but haven't bought anything yet (New PC build first then audio setup) and I liked the look of these speakers the best. but also thinking of possible wall mounting them as well, but I want to wait and see until everything is ordered and setup where Id like them to be.

Would this be a good guide to follow, or is there stuff you would change to make it a bit better, or just overall better, any ideas/recommendations for ease of convenience onto me? (I do want to have a clean setup so I'd prefer to have a slightly longer cable then a short cable.

Long story short, my front left tower has a damaged tweeter and my google skills cannot find the replacement available for sale.

1. What is your budget?

I am open to spending up to $1500.

2. What are you looking for?

I want a new LCR and I think I am leaning towards floor speakers sa I have kids and bookshelves on stands seem WAY more likely to get knocked over. I COULD mount some speakers on the wall, but again... they might be likely to hang on to them. (Kids. Not Even Once.) Also I am NOT interested in ATMOS at this time.

All in I think I prefer the ease of use with the towers but I dont know if they are the best bang for the buck for me as my subwoofer handles the bottom end pretty well.

3. How will you typically be using the gear?

I use it for home theater (Movies and Games) 50% and music the other 50%.

4. What gear do you own?

• Denon AVR‑X2100W
  
• Pioneer SP-FS52 Andrew Jones x2
  
• Pioneer SP-C22 Andrew Jones
  
• Pioneer (AJs) SP-BS52 Andrew Jones x2 (as rear surrounds)
  
• HSU VTF-15H Subwoofer
  
  5. What do you intend on using for a source?
  
  I stream Spotify Premium or use my PS4 for BlueRay, Games, Netflix and Youtube (mostly kids).
  
  6. What material will you be using your gear for?
  
  In order of importance I think I want movies, music and gaming. Lately I have been listening to a lot of
  
  7. Are you willing to buy used?
  
  Yes. My problem with used research is there are SOOOO many brands and models for me to lookup on a price/sound ratio that I quickly get inundated.
  
  All in I have been thinking about updating my setup for a while, and this tweeter issue is a perfect excuse.
  I have a buddy using the HSU 5.1 and it sounds great. Otherwise I don't have much exposure to a lot of other brands (and there seem to be a LOT of them).
  
  As of right now the following combinations have caught my attention:
  
  
• HSU CCB-8 x 3 (so matching center on its side) (also these are not out yet... so minimal reviews)
  
• ELAC B6 pair with C5 Center
  
• ELAC UB5 pair with UC5 Center
  
• ELAC F6 with C5 Center
  
• ELAC UF5 pair with UC5 Center
  
  What other speakers should I consider? Or is there a clear winner?
  

Alright I had a build all ready for you but decided I want to discuss some things out further

Is response time the most important thing to you about monitors? Because if you relax your limit to say 4/5 ms you can get an IPS panel which will give you much nicer colors and generally look better.

Do you want the monitors to match or do you care if they are different? Is there a size you want?

As for speakers, you can buy the standard computer speakers and they will emit sound, but as you will be using this for movies as well I recommend you go the amp/bookshelf route.

I'd get This Amp and These Speakers

Now you either can do sound over HDMI to the monitors, and then a simple Head-Phone to RCA and this would work for both the Xbox and the computer OR you pick up Optical to analog converter and then just run them straight into the amp. You'd have to get a splitter as it only has 1 input

I know this is more complicated and you're probably thinking (Fuck this I should just get all in one speakers) But I promise this will sound A LOT better

As for the build its going to look something like this

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor | $174.99 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H-A Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $60.88 @ OutletPC
Memory | Crucial Ballistix Sport XT 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $27.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $84.88 @ OutletPC
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.98 @ OutletPC
Video Card | XFX Radeon R9 380 4GB Double Dissipation Video Card | $169.99 @ Newegg
Case | Fractal Design Core 1500 MicroATX Mini Tower Case | $58.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | SeaSonic S12II 520W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | $55.99 @ SuperBiiz
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $703.69
| Mail-in rebates | -$20.00
| Total | $683.69
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-04 13:44 EST-0500 |

Amp

NAD 3020 V2 ($399) has:

• Phono pre-amp
  
• Optical-in for your movies
  
• Subwoofer out
  
  Turntable
  
  U-Turn Audio ($309) have gotten good reviews from the few people I know that have picked one up. They look nice and do their job.
  
  Speakers
  
  This is way trickier and way more personal, I personally have had very good luck with used gear from Swans, Canton, Mirage, Chario and JBL that I would have never been able to afford new and have been very happy with. The only speakers I've gotten brand new recently were the Elac B6 and I enjoyed them too.
  
  Some options with the rest of your budget ~$500
  
  Wharfedale Denton 80th (~$500) Absolutely beautiful, review well, I only had a brief listen in person so can't entirely vouch but I liked what I heard
  
  Elac UB5 (~$400) Very nice bookshelf, the concentric set up for the mid range and tweeter is nice and slick and fits a 3 way design into a bookshelf footprint nicely.
  
  Monitor Audio Bronze 2 (~$500) Again, lovely design, enjoyed them when I auditioned them but ended up going with some used Cantons that time.

At that price range the quality differential is negligible if you ask me, as none of those are going to sound spectacular. We've had the Z625 hooked up to a Chromecast TV in our apartment and it works just fine, sounds decent in a pretty large room but performance dips once you go beyond the 60-70% volume mark. The bass is surprisingly sufficient as well, although, again, not the best at higher volumes. It's actually a pretty solid all-round performer for the price.

My suggestion would be to go with your gut, as they're all going to perform similarly. Pick something with the right form factor for your setup or just what you think looks best, honestly, especially after looking at a couple reviews. If you want better quality I'd recommend spending a bit more and picking up some nice monitors like these ones for a better experience. But that's entirely dependent on you, just thought I'd give you options.

A couple years back I bought a bunch of speakers when I was living in a house and had freedom, hooked them up to some junky receivers from the thrift shop and was happy enough.

I'd like to give them a bit better treatment and see just how much I like them after giving them a fair shot though and could really use some advice on the best solution to power them adequately enough for a fair trial, here's what I have, a bunch of Polk stuff:

Monitor 70:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B00631YX62/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1517939899&sr=8-3&keywords=monitor+70

Monitor 40:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-AM4095-Monitor-Bookshelf/dp/B0071MSYEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517939826&sr=8-1&keywords=Polk+Monitor+40

PSW505:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-12-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B000092TT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517940032&sr=8-1&keywords=psw505

I was thinking maybe something like this?:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MXUCN0A/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

My source is 99% high quality digital files straight from my PC (2011 MacBook Pro 15").

I'm not in any big rush so would be happy to hunt for smarter used prices, etc. just really looking for guidance. Does it make sense to connect both sets of speakers to the same amp?

Is a subwoofer redundant/unnecessary/harmful for music listening with this set up?

Side question: the Monitor 70s come prepared for bi-amping with little removable metal connectors between the two sets of connectors on the back of each speaker. Am I in any trouble if I remove these connectors and DON'T bi-amp?

Thanks a lot for any help.

Great question! So many options.

Used:
I think I would see if I could score an SL-1200, a pair of Yamaha NS-1000s or Pioneer HPM-100s, and spend whatever's left on the best receiver I could find.

New:
TT--Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Esprit. Or, perhaps better yet (if you're willing to go over budget), a base Debut Carbon DC and upgrade the needle to 2M Blue--no cartridge swap required!

Speakers--SVS Prime Towers from the SVS outlet. These consistently appear on "best speakers under $x" lists and they sound phenomenal for the price. They can be used without a subwoofer, and the trial period + warranty that SVS offers makes it risk-free to audition them in the room where you'll actually be using them.

Receiver--Assuming you've gone the Esprit route, you'd have $50 to play with on a $1,500 budget, which means you're still going to have to go used on the amp. I'd hit up as many Goodwills as often as possible in search of a good receiver. I've found several really solid units for $20-80 at Goodwill and other thrift shops. If you get the base Debut Carbon DC but decide to upgrade to Blue down the road, for about $200 I like the Yamaha RX-V line. Affordable, decent power, sounds nice, digital friendly, and would allow you to expand your setup to home theater at some point if you wish. Of course, that will necessitate the use of a phono pre-amp, but the ART DJpre II can be had for under $50 and it's great.

Excellent point...and pretty much why I decided on trying to get an AV installer...I'm completed baffled where to put them.

• I was considering the Polk Aurdio OWM3 in white or the Micca COVO-S compact bookshelves after seeing Zeo's review of them...they seemed like they would potentially could be slipped into an arm of some sort, mounted at G0 or L0, and angled down towards the main viewing area without being too obvious.
  
  
• Then I learned how important it was to be at ear level from a prior post. At the time I was so desperate that I was considering trying to do wireless surrounds as bookshelves that I could just move into place on movie night at positioned marked "Gx and Lx (near the middle of the wall)" since "G0 or L0 (Mounted on the upper wall)" didn't seem very reasonable since it was so off of ear level. I figured that on movie night I could just use a rocketfish setup to slide a surround into position @ Gx or Lx and plug one of them in for a few hours...and maybe keep one on a windowsill (@ Gx) ready to go to make it even easier.
  
  
  
• Completely confused, I had a local AV installer stop out and they suggested that perhaps mounting at G0-2 or L0-1 may actually be possible. They even thought that a bipole (or even a monopole) would be possible. Ultimately they suggested the Paradigms bipoles listed above.
  
  
• Honestly bipoles or monopoles (Eg Polk Aurdio OWM3 or Micca COVO-S) don't matter too much to me...as unobtrusive as possible would be preferred. Bipoles sound like perhaps they may be better for non-standard seating at a love seat, at the kitchen table watching TV, or just playing some music for the holidays...but I'm certainly open to suggestions!
  
  
• I was considering asking for an alternate surround from what the AV installer, but quite honestly, I don't know how to best compare them with my current layout, equipment and future plans. Could a ceiling speaker be added in or sliding a wireless speaker into Gx or Lx in the next 5-10 years? I have no idea...it sounds great in theory, but I have no clue what would be recommended or most flexible. But if there is an installer that can help out and provide guidance, Im more than willing to go with whatever they recommend

Depends on the type of setup you're looking for, the most common of which are 2.0, 2.1, or 5.1 (or more).

For simple stereo music listening, you'd need a 2 channel amplifier, (such as a the small and very inexpensive but decentish Lepai, or better the SMSL SA-50, or a full size receiver such as this Pioneer) and a way to play and input your music.

For that you could use your computer and an Aux cable, or you could use your phone and an inexpensive bluetooth receiver. This would be a 2.0 system (2 main speakers only, no sub).

You may wish to add a subwoofer for better reproduction of low frequencies. As the subs usually come with their own amplification, but accept high level (already amplified) inputs, you can just wire them together from the amplifier. This would be a 2.1 system.

Plus you need speaker wires and maybe wires for input (like Aux) depending on your setup.

For Home Theater plus music, you'd want a Home Theater receiver such as this Denon, that plays at least 5.1 channels (the .1 is for the subwoofer. This will give you a setup to power Left and Right front speakers, a Center Channel, plus 2 surround speakers. You still need a way to play your source, such as a CD player.

As u/smackdaddies pointed out, you could get four of these Pioneer speakers, plus the related center channel and a sub, plus the receiver, for under $500. It would be a pretty great sounding (budget) 5.1 system.

Once you decide on the type of setup you're interested, we can help you choose items here on r/BudgetAudiophile.

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

Yep. Which is why they are mostly used in a desk setup. The smsl Q5 (only 50 watts) has a remote, but for $140 I would just look for a receiver. Many more options like digital connections and room correction software. Upgrading to a receiver was the best audio upgrade I've done. Hardcore audiophiles might scoff at receivers for no good reason, but for someone starting out, they are awesome.

I scored a refurbished yamaha 375 for like $130 on amazon. Crazy good deal. The 377 is $170 from amazon warehouse.

The yamaha stereo receiver is also another option with a remote at just $150. Two pairs of 2 channel. Also much easier to connect a sub to a receiver than a 2 channel amp.

Hit up accessories4less for other refurb deals too. Yamaha, denon, onkyo are what I would look out for. Usually good amazon deals on those too.

You might want to consider Sonos Play 1. A pair would sound amazing, not as good as your KEF's, but then again, the KEF's aren't powered speakers either and you can't play music directly from your smart phone into them. The sound quality from the Play 1's is decidedly laid back (as opposed to being bright). You'd save some money, make your wife happy and would be able to enjoy the latest technologies in wireless audios. Plus, the Play 1's don't have to be on a stand, they are just as happy on the wall/ceiling.

On that tip, (saving money that is) consider Fluance bookshelves: https://www.amazon.com/Fluance-Signature-Bookshelf-Surround-HFS/dp/B01A5UB4JU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527368481&sr=8-1&keywords=fluance+bookshelf&dpID=51uK8zZE4vL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Again, maybe not as fancy as the KEF's but Fluance is a Canadian speaker company. Support your local economy mate! KEF is part of a Chinese conglomerate.

sorry i forgot to add, im canadian so getting deals from canada is pretty hard /:

i don't really have a budget, but i would prefer to not spend too much money. im looking for value, and i don't want to spend any more than 400 bucks(canadian), but preferable i would like to spend less than that. if you think value lies somewhere above 400, then i don't mind getting it if the sound quality is improved by a huge amount

i'm gonna be using this for a playstation 4 pro, so i kinda want the hdmi input rather than optical or whatever

i also don't want to wait until black friday, as i have alot of free time now and i wanna set it up now.

when i look at all of these on canadian amazon, its just below 1000 bucks

https://www.amazon.ca/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG
https://www.amazon.ca/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI
https://www.amazon.ca/Dayton-Audio-B652-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B002RMPHMU
https://www.amazon.ca/Dayton-Audio-SUB-1000-10-Inch-Subwoofer/dp/B0063NU3AA
https://www.amazon.ca/Yamaha-RX-V377-5-1-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B00HZE2WW8

again, thanks for your help, its the first time in this sub, and my first time posting things on reddit haha (:

No worries, this just means a 2.1 or 3.1 is perfect for now, and then you can add on later.

Option 1:

2x RSL CG3 Bookshelf @ $135 = $270

1x RSL Speedwoofer 10s (sold out until Oct) @ $400

1x Denon AVR-X3500H 7.2-Ch x 105 Watts A/V Receiver from Accessories4Less @ $500

Total: $1170

Less of a budget stretcher, giving up a bit of performance. That receiver is realistically future proof (supports 7.2, 4k) and wouldn't need to upgrade for quite some time. More clear upgrade path however. In this scenario, when you want to upgrade, you get 3x RSL CG23s to be your new front speakers and move the CG3 you already own to the sides as your surrounds.

Option 2:

2x ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers @ $300 (comes in a pair)

1x Bic Acoustech PL-200 II Subwoofer @ $300

1x Denon AVR-X3500H 7.2-Ch x 105 Watts A/V Receiver from Accessories4Less @ $500

Total: $1100

About the same as option 1, and would come down to preference to RSL vs Elac (if you can demo Elac at a store, please do, RSL is internet direct only but does have in home trail). Similarly easy upgrade path, you'd just fill it out with the rest of the Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 lineup (ie center, they even have some on walls for surrounds).

Option 3:

2x RSL CG23 @ $200 = $400

1x RSL Speedwoofer 10s (sold out until Oct) @ $400

1x Denon AVR-X3500H 7.2-Ch x 105 Watts A/V Receiver from Accessories4Less @ $500

Total: $1300

This requires a budget stretch, but gets you great stereo performance with a clear upgrade path. For speaker upgrade, you add the 3rd RSL CG23 for your center (these can be used horizontally or vertically FYI), and then whatever you want for surrounds (either the RSL CG3 or an on wall, ect)

Based on these numbers you can see you have about $300 for the speakers, so any speakers you can get for $150 each would work here. Other options are Fluance Signature Series HiFi ($200 for pair), Jamo S 803 ($160 for pair), or Q Acoustics 3020i Bookshelf ($300 for pair). I haven't heard any of these, but they get good reviews (particularly the Q Acoustics).

You could always go less on the receiver, but then you might have to buy a new one later. Would be nearly impossible to go lower on the subwoofer, the BIC and the RSL Speedwoofer are about as good as it gets for that price.

Finally, since you are primarily music focused, you could always axe the subwoofer altogether (add it later) and spend ~$600 on 2 kickass (maybe tower) speakers as music doesn't need as much super low bass as movies do. Let me know if you want to see what that looks like.

Disclaimer: I've read through the sidebar threads, but I have probably missed something. I also know NOTHING about electronics.

I have purchased the following things:

turntable: Audio Technica AT-LP60 Fully Automatic Belt Driven Turntable

soundsticks: Harman Kardon Soundsticks III 2.1 Channel Multimedia Speaker System with Subwoofer

It seemed like if I hooked the soundsticks to the turntable I wouldn't be able to get stereo? I got this because it seemed like an easy setup. The turntable has a built-in preamp. I couldn't figure out how to connect these though.

So then I got:

receiver: Sony STRDH130 2 Channel Stereo Receiver

Here's the user manual for the Sony receiver.

Still couldn't figure out how to connect the soundsticks.

So. Sigh. I got these:

bookshelf speakers: Fluance AV5 Powerful & Dynamic Two-way Bookshelf Speakers for Home Theater & Music Systems

And now it looks like I need wires??! And "banana plugs"?? And why do the banana plugs come with so many pairs?? Do I need 12-pair? Why?

I am obviously not an audiophile, but I like the sound of vinyl, and I just want to listen to some records (jazz, classical, pop, folk, etc.).

What sound I do? Should I return some of these things? What do I need next to connect these things and play music?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Sorry for the delay.. I forgot to reply.

I'm sure you already got the adapter and cable. The adapter is perfect and the cable might be OK. I would look for one that is only for audio (red and white connectors only, not the yellow video cable.) This one would be good - https://www.amazon.com/Choseal-3-5mm-Audio-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00A7J1ANA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1483627337&sr=8-4&keywords=rca+audio+to+3.5mm

With your budget in mind I highly recommend the $180 U-Turn Orbit Basic turntable. I have one that I got with an upgraded cartridge (Grado Black) and it is a superb table. https://uturnaudio.com/collections/all

Speakers... hmmm... That's tougher. Used ones on Craiglist can be great. Just be sure that the foam surrounds are in good shape (this is the foam ring around each driver) and check some online reviews. For new speakers, I think these look like a great option for the price - https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-R-14M-Reference-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00MGQAH2M/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1483627753&sr=1-1&keywords=bookshelf+speakers&refinements=p_89%3AKlipsch

If you want something you can add to later, honestly, Id go with something that needs a receiver. Ive herad really good things about these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NOA58RS/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A385A0XNQBW8HY

Youll have to drop about a hundred dollars on a receiver but honestly, thats not much mroe in total than the edifiers. And, when you want to open up that bass, youll be able to add a sub. I cant personally speak to those speakers, but they look solid, and a 6.5" driver is fucking monster in a pair of bookshelves. That said, I wouldnt be surprised if the mids were muddy in those. The ribbon tweeter combined with such a large driver, I would think the bass and the highs would be super clean but the mids might be lacking. I think theres a 4.5" version of that same speaker. If you intend to buy a sub in the future, taht might be your goldilocks version.

All the best, though. Good luck.

I'm looking to get a pair of speakers to use with my pc/XBone

I'm interested in the KEF Q100s ($300), but I'm having a difficult time trying to find a nice-looking desktop-size amp with multiple inputs that wont cost my right kidney.
____
So far this is what I've found:

NuForce DDA120 $300

I like the amount of optical inputs and the addition of a Bluetooth dongle, but it doesn't have a woofer output for future upgrades and is a bit pricey for my taste.

SMSL Q5 Pro $140

Seems like a good fit, but lacks Bluetooth.

OSD AMP60 $73

Very minimalist, but includes preamp controls and is pretty cheap.
__
I'm very new to audio so I don't really know if either of these are a good fit for the KEF Q100s

Any help would be appreciated

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'd take a look at these - not that some combinations of amps/speakers will go over $1K by a little bit, so if it's a hard limit keep that in mind (one will limit the other). Equally, I'm assuming you already have a phono preamp or that your TT has one built in.

Focals (Guy also has bookshelf and sub from Focal too as an alternative option for a similar price)

PSB

Monitor Audio

NHT

For amplifier I'd say Yamaha but if you have to save money and don't need digital in this pioneer should work pretty well also, but you may want an extended warranty based on possible QA issues.

If you want to look cheaper you'll need to surrender the remote.

This Audiosource offers pretty good value. It's worth noting that it may have some slight bass roll-off based on the prior version (roughly 1dB at 20hz), but it will be difficult finding something that even touches it in that price range specifically.

If you go used and up the price you get a bit better performance from this Emotiva. If going this route confirm they have the original purchase paperwork - Emotiva has a transferable 5-year warranty on this which definitely eases anxiety on a $200 used electronic device purchase IME. If not I'm not sure I would buy it, but that's me.

What is your experience with speakers? Cuz if you been driving a prius and immediately want to go to a bugatti veryon, without knowing why it is better than a ferrari or lamborghini, you are really wasting a lot of money. And audiophile realm is bullshit. Audiophile requires experience not a billfold. Sorry for the mini rant, but alot of inexperienced people buy equipment that is wasted on them lol.

I have not heard the Buchardt in person yet. But i believe zeos said the larger ones werent that good on a desk but the larger ones are fucking huge so it makes sense. Im guessing after shipping they are going to be a little north of $1000. Right now I would pick up the unviersally acclaimed ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 currently on sale for $400.https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Uni-fi-Bookshelf-Speaker-Black/dp/B01CRYWVG2/ref=pd_lutyp_simh_2_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01CRYWVG2&pd_rd_r=B9XH2J9NAFSN6TV2SD5J&pd_rd_w=QW0KL&pd_rd_wg=Ydd70&psc=1&refRID=B9XH2J9NAFSN6TV2SD5J

or the jbl 530 while you can still get them for $600. I believe they are discontinued the the price will sky rocket to 800 easy. https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-530-5-25-Inch-Bookshelf/dp/B00622STI0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1479984218&sr=1-1&keywords=jbl+530

I have the jbl 530 and the SVS Ultras ($1000) and on a desk i prefer the jbl 530. They have amazing imaging on a desk.

Behringer a500 will power anything you through at it so not much to say on that.

I am gonna say schiit stuff is good (but i am having trouble with my modi 2 uber having usb error which is currently pissing me off) but you are paying a premium to being made in the USA. The magni 2 is a fine amplifier, it has served me well to power my my hifiman he-400 and mad dog pros.

For a preamp I would just go with a SCHIIT SYS i believe.

Then i just realized, what sound to you prefer? Netural, bright or bass? lol

But if you get the elacs or jbls with the rest of that equipment, i believe you would have a fantastic starting kit to become a proper audiophile. Down the road you can upgrade any piece of the kit and you will know why it is better.

And what is this desktop setup for? gaming station or workstation? cuz with the money you save if you go with cheaper speakers, i reccomend picking up a sweet 4k monitor/tv too lol.

But why? Those are great if you don't have an amp or receiver but you have a perfectly good amp in that old Denon. Your $150 will go further if you buy the best passive speaker possible.

At $150 there are some good passive speaker options.

Polk Audio Monitor 40 Series II are a good choice and shouldn't sound thin without a subwoofer. $104 on Newegg right now. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290202

JBL Arena B17 https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Arena-B17-Black-Bookshelf/dp/B072MYY7KD/

BIC DV62si https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-DV62si-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00006JPDI/

You don't gain that much from having those extra side speakers unless the room is extremely large and the speakers reasonably far away from your listening position, and the ceiling speakers more than make up for having the two extra side speakers. The reason 5.1.4 is the sweet spot is because receivers that do it are still reasonably affordable... if you wanted to do 7.1.4, the receivers to do this get more expensive... a good $1000 price jump, from spending $600-1000 for a receiver to spending $1750-2500.

The last number is the number of ceiling speakers you use. Some people have 5.1.2 systems, others have 7.1.2.. you'd be better off with 4 ceiling speakers in 5.1.4 configuration than a 7.1.2 configuration. The ceiling speakers don't have to be super expensive.. these are mine...

https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Wall-Speaker-Black/dp/B0018QNYVM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1542558117&sr=8-7&keywords=polk+wall++speaker

you do want to (except for the subwoofer) try to have the same brand of speakers throughout the whole setup. I have a Polk CS2 center, Monitor 70 fronts, and Monitor 60 rears. (These used to go on sale at newegg from time to time.) These speakers have gotten some criticism by some people because of the tweeters, but they work fine as long as you get a receiver powerful enough to give them the juice they need... if you get an underpowered receiver that generates any clipping, it can blow the tweeters out.


Might as well throw in what receiver I got.. I didn't pay $900, I got it on sale for $700 I believe. And yes, it does pass through 4K HDR @ 60FPS.. that one star review is wrong.

https://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVRX4400H-Channel-Network-Receiver/dp/B072Z6VT1C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542558660&sr=8-2&keywords=x4300h

I'd call this a "bang for the buck" setup.. it's not audiophile quality (but sounds like it to my ears) but it doesn't cost $5,000-10,000 either... total cost is around $2000 (when everything's on sale)... most people here could assemble a 5.1.2 setup for around $1000 (when shit's on sale) they'd be perfectly happy with. The most expensive components are the receiver and subwoofer. The least expensive components.. ceiling speakers. As a MGTOW you don't have to spend extra that the audiophiles spend getting more powerful speakers to accommodate large numbers of people. If you just have 1-4 people in your setup, it will cost a lot less than if you make a setup designed for 5-10 or more people. As distance from the speakers increases, required power goes up.

At some point I might end up moving this whole system so it's flush with the back wall.. my initial goal was to avoid glare from these massive windows but I think I can mitigate that with light blocking curtains. This would allow me to expand the soundstage more and make room for guests.

They are just ok but adequate for most people...

You'll find that buying what i have listed below would sound much better but obviously wouldn't have the same form factor...

Fronts (2x): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2S4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Rears (Sold as pair): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2LG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Center: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2EI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Sub: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063NU3AA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A385A0XNQBW8HY

Total around $600. If you wanted, you could invest a bit more into the front L/R channel speakers (or the subwoofer)

If you are looking for minimal trouble and just want a home theatre as easy as possible, you obviously would be giving up sound quality for something easier to work with. so the bose would work. Just go off your instinct :D Like the other mentions if you are happy with how the bose system sounds, then it would be a great deal.

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

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

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

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

I do, I use my old AV receiver with passive speakers. You have options on that though.

• Passive speakers and a small AMP: micca MB42 for $59.95 and a small amp like this Lepai 2020 for $24.38.
  
• powered speakers that won't need an amp: edifiers for just over your budget at $109. There are a lot of options for powered speakers some with Bluetooth builtin, but the good ones of those start around $130.
  
  That eats up all your budget with speakers and amp. Checking Craigslist or Facebook marketplace you might find deals, particularly on a nicer stereo amp or AV receiver to use with some passive speakers. If you are interested in running Volumio on a Pi, that's going to add a bit more. For the pi you need, the Pi ~$35, DAC $20+, case $15, SD card $15+, and power supply $10. The pi is pretty nice with Volumio though, it has a good mobile webpage plus iOS and android apps for a few bucks. Volumio has plugins that allow for it to be an airplay receiver or to use Spotify.

EDIT: I am dumb I just saw you wanted closed back.

​

open back or closed back? Open back is better for gaming but others will be able to hear what you hear. If it doesn't matter then open back for gaming.

OPEN Headphones:

ATH-AD700X - ~95 - 100 new https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Open-Air-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=ATH-AD700x&qid=1563901733&s=gateway&sr=8-2

ATH-AD900x - ~135 new https://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATH-AD900X-Open-Back-Audiophile-Headphones/dp/B009S331VU/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ATH-AD700x&qid=1563901733&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

HE4XX - $180 new https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-hifiman-he4xx-planar-magnetic-headphones

​

Sennheiser HD 58X - 160 new - https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-x-sennheiser-hd-58x-jubilee-headphones

​

Closed headphones:

ATH m40x - $100 new https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ATH+m40x&qid=1563902298&s=gateway&sr=8-3

These are deemed better than the m50x's

​

DT770 80 ohm - 135 new https://www.amazon.com/beyerdynamic-770-PRO-Studio-Headphone/dp/B0016MNAAI/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=DT770+80+ohm&qid=1563902448&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

ATH-MSR7 - 175 new https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-MSR7BK-SonicPro-High-Resolution-Headphones/dp/B00PEUBIKM/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ATH%2Bmsr7&qid=1563902327&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=1

I owned these and played CSGO and I had no issues hearing anyone. I made it to LEM (if that matters to you) Very clear audio. I also never used an amp with these so they can only get better. if you have more questions on these just message me, I can compare them to the HE4xx's as I now own those.

​

AMP & Dac:

FX Audio DAC X6 - ~54.99 new https://www.amazon.com/FX-Audio-Optical-Coaxial-Amplifier/dp/B072JJT7SF/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=FX+Audio+DAC+X6&qid=1563901865&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

Schiit Fulla 2 - ~120 new https://www.amazon.com/Schiit-Fulla-Converter-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B07KWG13Q4/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Schiit+Fulla+2&qid=1563902076&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

Basically I am no expert as I am just getting into the DAC/AMP world but from my research and this subreddits wiki and other sources, it seems better to put your money into better headphones and then into a better DAC/AMP. I would look for a used pair of headphones from

/r/AVexchange or /r/hardwareswap if you are wanting something better, I picked up a pair of HE4xx for 110 shipped.

​

Just my two cents. I could be wrong and anyone please feel free to correct me as I am still learning all this.

For at home use I really like my HD6xx's. (See my edited comment above) But with most $200+ desktop focused headset an amp is important to make use of it's full potential. Even a relatively cheap amp/DAC combo can make a big difference. This amp/DAC for example is $65 and would be a big improvement over built in audio from most laptops/desktops.

But if you want something less power hungry Sennheiser HD1's are also a great choice and will work great with a phone. (Also see edited comment above) Or V-Moda M100 are pretty easy to drive if you are looking for something more base focused. Also I've heard really good things about ath m60x's although I haven't tried them myself.

I'd recommend getting a good set of studio monitors, though your budget should allow for some pretty good passive options as well.

> Studio Monitors

• Behringer Truth B2031A - $400
  
• LSR305 - $280
  
• Airmotiv 5S - $400
  
  I linked to noaudiophiles review for the top two in case you wanted a comparison, both prices are taken from amazon. Emotiva pretty much only sells direct so off their site is the only option.
  
  > Passives
  
  
• Philharmonic AA Monitor - $210 + Shipping
  
• HTD Level 3 - $320 / $350 (Depends on color)
  
• KEF Q100 - $300
  
• Elac B6 - $280
  
• Emotiva B1 - $300
  
  If you choose to go passive, you'll also need an amp. How much space do you have to work with? If you don't have the space for a full sized receiver, the SMSL Q5 is the best amp I can think of off the top of my head for a desk setup.

Oh oh. I have an idea. Toss in a little amplifier and an Aura tactile transducer or even a more powerful model. These little things are kickass for putting under a reclining chair and watching movies, but it would basically turn the whole thing into a penetrative sybian. You might be able to find something that doesn't need an audio input and just works through an on/off, or even wire up a constant voltage source at the peak input voltage if you're handy enough (which it looks like you are). Either way, it looks great!

edit: I did a bit of digging/calculating. The aura transducer is rated for 50W RMS @ 4 ohm impedance. This works out to an RMS voltage/current supply of 14.2VAC and 3.5A. You could pick up this laptop charger, wire it up with a properly rated switch (before the power supply box) and an LED/resistor in parallel with the output and boom, you got yourself a sybian.

edit2: For redoing the vinyl, use a heat gun in those weird corners. Don't let the vinyl get so hot that it starts to bubble, but just enough to make it more pliable and easily stretched. Cutting some reliefs along the bottom when you are pulling the sides will help make it taut. I'm curious: what did you salvage the gear motor/piston assy from? I'd love to try my hand at building something like this in the future too, but I've never just had a gear motor/linkages laying around. It's not the kinematics that troubles me, it's the cost/unavailability of ready-made components.

Yeah so don't even go by digital vs vinyl. Not a straight comparison since they're mastered differently.

Now, if the record playing through your KLH speakers isn't much better than a bluetooth speaker, then I'd say it's time for new speakers. I know JBL can make great stuff but a pair of bookshelf speakers shouldn't be worse than a BT speaker. Since you've already got a receiver, going with some new passive bookshelf speakers will be a bit more affordable. Something like Klipsch's R-14M's for $150 or the bigger R-15M's for about $172 would sound pretty good. Or you can go with the powered version (it's usually around $350 so wait for a better price) and ditch the receiver for a more compact rig. The powered R-15PM's have a built-in phono preamp, optical input, bluetooth, and AUX input with a remote for volume and source switching. It also has a port for a sub in case you feel like adding one in the future.

Also, have you considered using a headphone amp for personal listening? Grab a Schiit Magni for $99 and pair it with a nice set of ATHM50's or DT 770's.

Used market is probably the best way to approach this at this price point.

Buy a SMSL amplifier, and a pair of used bookshelf speakers (spend as much here as you can afford, a little bit of research into the brand and model will give you a decent idea of what they sound like). You'll most likely need a 3.5mm to RCA adapter to make this work, if you're planning on using the headphone jack as the primary output. If you have a motherboard with a digital output, you'll need a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) as well (FiiO D3 works great for the price).

When you want to add a sub later on, there are plenty of powered subwoofers that have a speaker terminal input. They usually have a low pass filter as well.

Your audio chain would then look like this:

Analog: PC Analog 3.5mm output -> SMSL Amplifier -> Powered Subwoofer -> Speakers

Digital: PC Digital -> FiiO D3 DAC -> SMSL Amplifier -> Powered Subwoofer -> Speakers

Link below to a Pioneer powered subwoofer with high level input speaker terminals (as an example. This sub is not great, but does the trick at the price point)

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SW-8MK2-Designed-100-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B008NCD2PC

If you must have new or plug and play: I also see the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 being touted as a good all-in-one system for the money (can be had for under $200 new). But I imagine that for similar cash in the used market, you could blow the Klipsch system out of the water. However, I have never heard the Klipsch system, so I cannot say for certain. But instinct tells me it would be fairly easy to beat with decent used equipment.

Hope that helps, good luck with the new setup!

I'm sorry, life picked up real fast and I have been too busy to do the research. I did check your Craigslist after originally planning on some extreme floorstanders, a dedicated amplifier with receiver, until I realized in your situation it would likely be better to get bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer.

So, with that in mind, here are some ideas (I'm recommending new b/c it is the easiest, but this could also give you some ideas/a general perspective on price per component and etc.):

Speakers: Elac UB5 - some great sounding, resonably priced bookshelves. They have the neat feature of having a co-axial tweeter, meaning the tweeter is mounted inside the midrange's cone, which helps blend the frequencies together (particularly important for vocals)

Subwoofer: SVS SB-1000 - This thing is both crazy enough to supply some serious low end, while still refined enough for a small room. You certainly won't need any more bass with an option like this :)

Amplifier/reciever: There are many suitable options here, and for your price range being able to hook up your TV for home theater should easily be possible. A really nice Denon can run you $500 but comes with many features. The only one I see missing is "pre-outs" which are used to hook up bigger and badder amplifiers, which you probably won't need.

That's just one part-ed out system, that would sound excellent and last you many years. Typically the only thing that becomes obsolete is the receiver when new standards (like HDMI) become available.

EDIT: You'll also want a USB DAC for your laptop, such as this Schiit Audio DAC which will sound leagues better than the headphone jack on the laptop.

That's a pretty good budget actually. Personally, I'd recommend these speakers (unless you can find a nice old set at a tag sale or something):

Fluance SX6 High Definition Two-way Bookshelf Loudspeakers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00067OS0A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1RDgub0W483CF

I have the black ones and love them. Great for a stereo setup, enough bass for me although a subwoofer wouldn't hurt it's not needed IMO.

Receiver wise, there's plenty of options on eBay, Craigslist or amazon. I recently picked up an old Marantz for $120 that just needed new feet and some cleaning up, runs perfectly. I used to have an old pioneer sx too that I ended up giving to my girlfriend, cost me $70 and worked great. Realistically a really nice system can definitely be had for the amount you want to spend. My .02 is to get something that's going to sound good to you for as little as possible and then spend the rest getting records you'll enjoy listening to.

The sidebar has great information too if you haven't looked at it but ultimately everyone is different and prefers certain brands, etc.

If you like Sennheiser then the 660S are pretty good. Only 150ohms so they are much easier to drive. (compared to other 600 series that are 250ohm)
660S

I would still recommend getting a dac/amp because that will usually make a difference over a direct plug to the motherboard. Something cheap like the FX Audio Dac X6 would be a good starting point.


The Beyerdynamic DT1990 get very good reviews for open sound stage:
DT1990

These are all around the $500 mark and will be a huge improvement over your old ones. These are also open back.

Im sure others can list some other options.

Well, nice is a relative term when spending $300 on speakers and a subwoofer. Its alot to ask for on that budget IMO, but it can certainly be done if it just plugs into a computer. /r/zeos has lots of good info, using his guide, I'd pick the Polk On-Walls for $100, Martin Logan 8" Subwoofer for $130 and an SMSL SA50 for an amp. You'll need banana connectors, speaker wire and a 3.5mm to stereo RCA for connectivity. That should be a good balance of sound. Don't get this setup without the subwoofer though, those speakers are designed presuming you have a sub, and will fit nicely on your desk, and the sub is small enough to fit comfortably underneath.

The Onkyo is nice, I've had one for a while, and I like it, but it doesn't have a remote. I would consider the SMSL Q5 Pro if you can deal with the inputs, but if you're looking for something higher end, I've enjoyed listening to the Teac AI-301DA.

If you're fine without the remote, the Onkyo has been a solid performer for me. As for subs, I've heard and enjoyed a friend's Hsu Research VTF-1. I have a Klipsch R-12SW that has served me fine, but I got it for a song new, and if you're paying full price, the Hsu is a much better value.

Also, if you go with the Hsu, it has speaker-level pass throughs, so that opens up the avenue for 2ch amps without discrete sub outs, and I'm always quick to recommend the Emotiva A-100.

Quick update. Speakers are all set, and they sound pretty good. I'm not an expert, and have nothing to compare them to, but I'd say that I got a good deal for $120. Dialogue in movies is nice and crisp, and the mids are quite nice too. I'm very pleased with my first foray into home theater.

Most definitely not returning them!

Thanks again for your help. I'm now looking for a decent sub and a center.

What are your thoughts on the Panasonics Pioneers?

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI/

and for the sub
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SW-8MK2-Designed-100-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B008NCD2PC/

Edit: Pioneer, not Panasonic

I would forego a subwoofer, because I still live in a shitty apartment. Plus, I should add that I am cheating a bit in my list because I would actually buy used even if I had a $1000. OK, Here we go :)

Speakers Nubert nuBox 383 or Dali Zensor 3 Although I doubt they would be able to beat my current MB Quarts, they are still great speakers that go deep enough to keep me happy without a sub. I would need about 2 meters of basic 2.5mm² cables for the wiring ~$550

Amp Yamaha S-301 Because my current amp is a Yamaha AX-500 from the 80s and it is still going strong. Plus, a stereo amp is more than enough for my needs because of my source (below) and there is room for adding a sub later if I want to ~$300

Source Raspberry Pi 3 + iQAudio DAC Pro Great little device that can run debian and play music via mpd. I use the same setup right now for my source (except I have the older RPi2 with OSMC) and it works great for movies as well as music. Kodi + Webinterface makes it easy to play remotely. I had KODI+mpd before but ditched mpd when I figured out how to send video to TV via HDMI, and audio to amp via RCA. Now Kodi handles music as well ~$150

Total $1000 And I hit the sweet spot, but as I said earlier this is only a hypothetical game for me as I would only buy used in real life. I am pretty sure I can get a similar sounding setup including the source for about $150-$250.

well to start, those are crap speakers either way. two 3.5" woofers means they will have zero bass, which completely defeats the purpose of tower speakers

second, you screwed up by not doing proper research. most speakers (aka passive speakers) have wire terminals where you connect them to an amplifier

you can buy a cheap amp on Amazon for $20 which will work. but my honest recommendation is to sell those speakers for whatever you can get and getting these Dayton bookshelf speakers and this Lepai amp. it'll sound better than those 'towers' and take up less room. yes, it'll cost a bit more (depending on what you can sell the Monster towers for), but if you plan on listening to anything bass heavy, you'll appreciate the better quality speakers (note: yes I know the B652s don't measure anywhere near flat, but for a layman, they're a good first step)

>thanks for your answer and yes money is a lil tight.
that being said you mentioned that the HTIB speakers are trash and won't work but you didn't mention if the other two big speakers from the LBT-ZX66i would work...would they?? i am willing to upgrade everything (over some 5 months time) but do you think i could start with just a receiver and the 2 big speakers? if so, what would you recommend?

Not the one who gave you that answer but I did some checking on that system and the speakers are 6 ohm and use bare speaker wire so yes you could use them until something better comes along. if your budget for a receiver is in that $268 range here's a Denon S510 5.1 receiver from an authorized online seller for $259 with free shipping. No Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi , Bluetooth or ARC but it has Audyssey room correction and is a good entry level receiver.

You could also go factory refurbished through AC4less and get a bit more featured receiver for the money and have a 1 year factory warranty instead of the new S series 2 year. Again I'd recommend the Denon, Marantz or Yamaha receivers for their room correction software.

Denon AVR S510BT 5 2 AV Receiver HDCP 2 2 Full 4K Ultra HD Bluetooth AVRS510BT 883795003674 | eBay
http://m.ebay.com/itm/DENON-AVR-S510BT-5-2-AV-Receiver-HDCP-2-2-FULL-4k-Ultra-HD-Bluetooth-AVRS510BT-/281739265239?nav=SEARCH

EDIT: and a comparable Yamaha receiver.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00V5VJ3TM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467359090&sr=8-1&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=yamaha+rx-v379







>sorry for so many questions.

Nothing to be sorry about. Questions to me mean a willingness to learn and that's always a good thing.

Sony Muteki LBT-ZX66i Specs - CNET
http://www.cnet.com/products/sony-muteki-lbt-zx66i/specs/

First of all.... Your a saint!! I never expected someone to actually go on craigslist for me!!! Just one question though. The reason I spent so long on craigslist before was that I kept finding deals i thought were good, but finding the same product cheaper online. For example I found the wharfedale for 125$
https://www.ebay.com/p/Wharfedale-Sapphire-Sp-87-Floor-Standing-Speakers/1576240027

kEF for 111$
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEF-Q35-FLOOR-STANDING-SPEAKERS-MAHOGANY-FINISH-VERY-GOOD-ORDER-/273044768350

Is ebay still generally cheaper than craigslist? Or is there a reason I should use craigslist instead of ebay. BTW I think the klipsch look like best bang for buck I think....

Edit:
Also I have narrowed it down to between the Sony and Yamaha receiver. Both have used options for 78$ for sony
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B006U1VH2S/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

and also 125$ for yamaha.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01EMQI2CU/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

In your infinite wisdom is yamaha worth the extra 45$? Once again thanks for your first response.

I live in an apartment building and have a 2.1 system with bookshelf speakers and an 8" sub (I could go bigger but my place is pretty small, I literally don't have room) and have never once gotten a complaint in my current apartment. The only thing that would generate a complaint is a subwoofer, and if you don't have complaints about the subwoofer your soundbar came with, you won't have complaints about this subwoofer.

Just because you have good speakers doesn't mean you have to blast them. Even at regular volume, the clarity and tonality will be light-years ahead of a soundbar, at likely the same price. My TV setup is my secondary audio setup, and I got the speaker and subs together for just over $200 thanks to waiting for sales. Including stands, cables, and the receiver, the whole setup was under $500. And you could go used on the AV receiver or use a stereo receiver instead to save money.

EDIT: I'm not trying to diss you. To each his own. Just saying that you could have done better for the price.

Lots of stuff here.

First and foremost, no one is going to be able to tell the difference between 320 kbps MP3 and flac. If they say they can, they're lying. The difference is just so small that it's not even perceivable. Maybe in a very specific circumstance, with a very specific sound, would someone with a very well trained air be able to tell the difference, but 99% of the time, no.

When you say 24 Khz, I think your referring to sample rate. Sample rate and bitrate (the 320 kbps part in a 320 kbps MP3) are the resolution of the audio. Sample rate is the number of samples in a given time and bitrate is the quality of the stream. The best place for sample rate is going to be 44.1khz (ideally you want double the original frequency to reproduce the sound perfectly, so 20khz multiplied by 2 is 40khz, then 44.1khz is the actual setting). 192khz is a waste of space.

Human hearing range is from 20hz to 20khz, and even at that, most people struggle to hear anything after about 17khz anyway.

Onboard audio (on mobos) is normally pretty poor (why your Samsung sounds better, they have pretty high quality DACs iirc), so I'd recommend getting at least a cheap DAC/AMP, I recommend this one as I've personally used it and it's great.

I recently purchased a town house, after renting a room for several years. Didn't have any furniture other than the bedroom essentials, so I had a pretty blank slate to work with.

I realize the layout isn't ideal, given the lighting and open floor layout (opens up to the dining room and kitchen), but I was more concerned with having a good hangout environment than having the prefect viewing experience. The only other option was an above ground basement, which would have had the same lighting issue, though better acoustics.

The lighting isn't as bad as it appears in the picture, imo. I've never really had a problem with it, though I do spend most of my time relaxing in the evenings when there is no direct sunlight coming from those windows. Even then, the Samsung seems to handle it well.


EDIT:
Additional pictures of the cable management.

https://i.imgur.com/iPxbpNz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/6pkdjpH.jpg

For the wall I used some 1/4" shaped wiremold from Home Depot. Sanded and spray painted it to match the existing 1/4" Round. For the rest of the power cables and such, I modified the middle drawer of an Ikea cabinet to hide them away and give me easy access. I'm still not quite sure what to do about the remaining outlet wires, but other than that there aren't any other visible cables.


EDIT 2:
Since I've been asked about pretty much every piece short of the coffee table, I figured I would update this post to consolidate that info. Most of these items I bought used or on sale.

TV - Samsung KS8500 65"

Reciever - Denon AVR-S720W

Speakers - ELAC UB5/UC5/UB5, Surrounds - B4

Subwoofer - Bic Acoustech PL-200 12"

Entertainment Center - Modified BESTÅ from Ikea

Speaker Stands - Sanus SF30 Steel Series

Couch - Corey Sectional from Havertys

Art - Patent Collections from Displate

Rug - [Safavieh Glacier from Overstock](https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Glacier-Contemporary-Abstract-Blue-Multi-
Area-Rug-6-7-x-9-67-x-9/14248766/product.html)

Bookshelves - Parthenia Etagere Bookcase from Wayfair

Coffee Table - Baxton Studio Wood/Metal End Table

Ive never in my life heard anyone refer to Yamaha HS5's as not clear. Theyre a very forward sounding speaker on the bright side of neutral.

Presonus are decent to good for the price. Mackie MR series and Adam T5V's are my picks for powered monitors. CR series Mackies are junk and not even worth considering.


Now, on to your actual question. $200 Euros is tight for anything much better. The main benefit of going passives + amp is ease of upgrade. There is no upgrade path for powered speakers.

I would look at something from Q Acoustics QA3010's, 3010's, etc or the Klipsch R14M's if you like clear, bright sound with a good soundstage. Plus these will play loud with ease.

For an amp you could go with a cheap SMSL SA-50 for now.

I'm looking to build a semi-affordable home audio system this year. I'm gonna start buying components with my tax money, so it's time to seek some quick suggestions. I am pretty much set on the turntable and receiver. And I have narrowed my speaker options down to 3 final contenders. Basically I need help deciding which of these 3 speaker setups will sound the best for my personal taste (music only, no movies. Mostly stoner rock, doom, classic rock, hard rock, blues, reggae, funk... you know, mostly bass heavy rock).

The turntable I chose is the U-Turn Orbit Custom with acrylic platter and Ortofon 2M Red cartridge.

The receiver I chose to go with this turntable is the Onkyo A-9050. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009JBZFVK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RsWMybSP4ZYZR

Now onto the speakers. My budget is $500 but I can go over a little bit. This setup will be in my living room which is smallish to regular in size. Also, I have hardwood floors if that matters. Sooooo... Which of these 3 setups will sound best with this turntable/receiver???

1. ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 Bookshelf Speakers ($499 a pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CRYWVG2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8EWMyb1SZ3EMZ
   
   
2. Klipsch R-26F Floorstanding Speakers ($279 each, $558 a pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMDYM6W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sFWMybEGZCMSZ
   
   
3. ELAC Debut F5 Tower Speakers ($279 each, $558 a pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014GSEPY8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rGWMybR17AP0S
   
   Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!
   

I see lots of commenters recommending high-end stuff which is understandable since you are building your own house and having a large dedicated space for a banging HT. A good 7 channel receiver plus a subwoofer powerful enough for your large room will add up to $1000 pretty quick. Heck, I'd reccomend two subwoofers for a space that large. I will probably get downvoted, but let me help you find some more budget friendly choices.

Receiver $300 - DENON
AVR-X1400H

Subwoofer $300 - Bic Acoustech PL-200 II

Front LR $200 - Fluance Signature Series

* Matching Center - $150

Surround and Rear Surrounds - Micca MB42X 2x$80

This puts you just slightly over budget. also factor in speaker mounts / shelves / stands, cables, etc.... There's obviously lots of options and everyone has their own opinions. Have fun researching, I hope this helps!

Hey yo, I've been doing my fair share of research these past couple of days and this sub as well as /r/Zeos have been a huge help. That budget can definitely get you started with something nice.


These suggestions are all from reading this sub, avsforums, amazon reviews, you name it.. I really have no on-hand experience as I'm saving up for a build myself. (Here is my post in case you're interested)

• Pioneer SP-FS52 - These puppies seem to be a huge favorite everywhere. I did see someone post they were cheaper a couple of weeks back so it's up to you if you want to wait. They are also Pioneer as you mentioned you wanted to stick with that.
  
  
  
• Denon S500 - This brand is very reputable here, as well as the site. Don't be discouraged by the "Refurbished". I'm planning on getting a receiver from this brand and site and jumping on maybe 1 or 2 years of Extended Warranty just for giggles. It has integrated bluetooth as you mentioned that was important. Like someone above mentioned, you can always go a different route and purchase a receiver without bluetooth technology and get a Google Chromecast (~$25-$30) or Bluetooth dongle. (Be aware you will loose quality when you go wireless)
  
  
  
• As for a sub, someone needs to chime in, but these two are held in nice regard: Martin Logan Dynamo 300 and Dayton 1000
  
  
  That should keep you around your budget and have some spare for cables and any other expenses that might come up along the way. Maybe some cable management or whatever.
  
  
  Good luck
  

Soundbars are better than TV speakers, but dedicated speakers and receiver will always be better at any price point.

At $300 I would suggest getting better towers, and maybe squeeze in a centre channel for improved dialogue clarity.

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI

The technology to create soundbars has existed forever, but companies didn't realize how much the average person will compromise on quality if they just lie to them a bit.

I'm wondering if I can get some help/advise in regards to speakers for my Fluance RT81 that is currently on order. I have narrowed it down to these two sets: Fluance Signature Series Bookshelf Speakers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A5UB4JU/ref=twister_B01BKWQW3A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Klipsch R-15M Bookshelf Speakers: https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-R-15M-Bookshelf-Speaker-Pair/dp/B00LMF41IY/

Both seem to be passive speakers so I would need an amp as well apparently. I don't plan to connect them to a AV receiver - just the turntable and speakers. Can anyone recommend a good amp for this setup? I found this one on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/ART-DJPREII-Audio-Turntable-Preamplifier/dp/B000AJR482/) which seems to get decent reviews.

I am new to vinyl but I want speakers that have some good bass to them (without a sub) since I won't be connecting to a receiver. Which of these speakers will provide the best highs and enough bass?

Any recommendations would be helpful - thank you!

I just picked up this simple pioneer since it dropped 30 bucks recently, though it looks like it's back up as of today or yesterday. Still good at ~$100 though. I have some old ass but good bigass bookshelf Polks as my fronts, Klipsch bookshelf as my rears and a Yamaha sub so i didn't really give a shit trying to match, lol.

More to the point it had lots of good reviews, so I pulled the trigger when it was 66 bones. Happy I did. I too can now hear dialogue when I'm sitting in center of couch, lol.

For some reason he has a good sound card but crappy speakers. That makes me think he likes music/sound? If so, maybe consider new speakers. I would recommend the Micca PB42x speakers with an aux cable, then either buy or make some stands. If he would like a subwoofer too the Dayton Sub-800 with an aux to rca cable can pack some good punch without pissing off the neighbors too much. This setup would be more than enough for the average gamer/music enthusiast. It will be worlds above what he has now. However, if he does any music recording/mixing, maybe head to /r/audiophile or /r/budgetaudiophile for more specific recommendations.

Quick note: surround sound usually doesn't make sense at a desk, but you can certainly add more speakers to what I have listed here if you'd like.

Edit: oh yeah, you'll also want a speaker cable or some speaker wire (if he has wire strippers) to connect the two speakers to eachother.

1. Maybe I misunderstood you (or I wasn't clear); the effect I desire, is that there is one place I raise/lower volume (be it a knob or a remote control), which causes the volume of both the bookshelf speakers and the sub to be raised/lowered accordingly.
   
   
2. @ better to manage bass w/ receiver: Even if the sub is powered? OK, good to know.
   
3. That is a good suggestion; thanks.
   
4. OK; I'll check out used towers; if I find them dirt-cheap, I'll grab them instead of doing a bookshelf+sub combo. And that 100Hz bit is great piece of info; thanks for that.
   
5. I'm finding it difficult to find used receivers / preamps that have TOSLINK / SPDIF input (the manufacturers only advertise their newest products); is there a convenient list of products-by-manufacturer somewhere I can browse to find a receiver / preamp that is new enough to have this?
   
   Assuming I find no cheap used amps that fit the bill, would these do the job? (or are they too weak?)
   
   

• SMSL Q5 Pro
  
• FXAudio D802

Speakers: Edifier R1280DB.

Go with 2.0 bookshelf speakers, not 2.1 computer speakers. These have Bluetooth, optical, and coax. Oh, and they sound amazing.

Headphones are tricker. Will you also be using them with a console or a phone at any point? Want to keep them on while running to get a cup of tea or take a leak? Do you play FPS's?

You have few different options:

Convenience be damned you want awesome audio quality above all else.

• Get a DAC. Sennheiser GSX 1000. Modern, slick gaming features, solid DAC. Little Dot MKII. Because toooobs.
  
  
• Open back headphones. There are a million suggestions at dozens of different price points. I recommend prioritizing comfort, spatial positioning, and a warm sound that won't cause listening fatigue.
  
  
• Modular attachable boom mic. Antlion Audio ModMic 5 or Minimic. Don't underestimate these mics. They sound amazing, you have little-to-no background noise, don't need any additional acoustic treatment, and you don't have to worry about boom arms and the like.
  
  
• Blue Yeti. You just couldn't imagine not having a huge mic like you see streamers using. It's the defacto go-to mic for a reason. Keep in mind everyone will hear your mouse and keyboard and that guy diving by and your dog sneezing and...
  
  Wireless PC and PS4.
  
  
• SteelSeries Arctis 7. Wireless for PC and PS4, wired for Xbox (blame Microsoft).
  
  
  
  
  
  Gaming headphones.
  
  
• Wired. HyperX Cloud Alpha or HyperX II
  
  
• Wireless. Corsair Void
  

Others have mentioned it but it bears repeating. Those are low quality speakers. It is NOT worth investing in the equipment that you would need to drive them. Don't throw good money after bad. Start from scratch and get something significantly better.

• AVR: DENON
  AVR-S510BT - $169. Entry level receiver from one of the best brands available. A good and very affordable starting point.
  
• Front Speakers: Pioneer SP-FS52 ($129 each) & Pioneer SP-C22 ($99). Since you seem to like the look of floor standing speakers, these are good quality entry level speakers with a matching center. Total $357.
  
• Surround Speakers Micca MB42 - $69. Small bookshelf speakers that will get you to 5.0. I would consider these optional at this point, since you're on a budget.
  
  That's a good entry level 5.0 setup for around $600. If you're on a budget, consider just getting the AVR and front left and right speakers for now. Add the center, surrounds, and a subwoofer of your choice, as your budget allows in whatever order you prefer. I can guarantee you it will sound better than any possible set up with you existing Sony speakers.

That player should have a preamp if I remember correctly. So all you would really need from there is a receiver and speakers. If you get a receiver with a phono input, turn the preamp off on the record player and make sure to use that input in the back. If it doesn't, you'll need to turn the preamp on.

Here's what I mean, this receiver has a phono input while this one doesn't (at least it doesn't list one and the back inputs don't say). I'm not saying buy either of these or that they're great cause I really don't know, I'm just using them as examples.

You'll hear from a lot of people around here to look for vintage equipment. I would agree with that. In that case you'll want to scour craigslist, ebay, garage sales, etc.. You can probably get a great vintage receiver for ~$50 (not sure what that is in pounds) if you do some looking. Just don't expect HDMI inputs and the like.

For speakers there are a lot of options. Don't cheap out and use crappy speakers. Buy some nice bookshelf speakers; I say bookshelf speakers instead of floorstanding speakers because those seem to be the most used for a 2 speaker set up. I'm not sure what brand most people use around here. I have some Yamaha's from the 90's that I absolutely love. Vintage speakers can also be found for less than new speakers.

But what receiver and speakers you should buy really comes down to what sound and usage YOU want. A 2/3/4/5 speaker set up? Subwoofer? Do you also want to use your receiver for your computer's and/or TV's sound?

Hey guys,

So I'm getting into vinyls and everything for my apartment and need advice with purchasing equipment. So I already but the LP60 (bluetooth model), and the Edifier R1280DB. However I'm thinking of exchanging to the AT LP3 because I want something automatic. Now here is where I need some advice. At times I want to switch from speakers to my headphones (Bose QC35) to for late night study sessions and not wanting to bother roommates. Right now through the LP60 I can easily switch from speakers to Bluetooth but I do realize how much quality is being lost from playing vinyl over bluetooth . So I was thinking to exchange my player to the Lp3 and get a headphone amplifier (such as the magni 3). Now here is my question would there be a loss of quality if I use like this Aux switcher to be able to easily switch between my headphones and speaker? Now if there is any other way someone who has insight in another way I can go I can easily exchange any of the stuff I have already bought.

Thanks appreciate the help

In-wall and in-ceiling are compromises in terms of audio quality. For the best sound quality for your money, I'd recommend discrete speakers out in the open. If you go this route, here is one possible build:

• Denon AVR with Audyssey, $200: http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavre300/denon-avr-e300-5.1-3d-networking-receiver-airplay/1.html
  
  
• 2 Pairs of Pioneer BS22 (one pair for the fronts and one pair for surrounds), $254 total: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG
  
  
• Matching center, $97: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI
  
  
• Subwoofer, SVS PB1000, $500: http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/ported-box/pb-1000
  
  Total: $1053 for a great value in sound quality, doing justice to both movies and music. The Pioneer speakers go on sale pretty often (the bookshelf speakers go for less than $100 a pair on sale and the center sometimes dips to $60) so you can definitely get it under $1000 if you're patient.

With your budget, if you don't want to go modular and add the pieces as you go along and get a 5.1 right away, think this seems like a decent package that you'll be very happy with for a good couple of years:

These Pionneer towers x2

And the surrounds

And center that go with the set

This sub seems very well liked around here

The amp you mentionned (I have had RX-V657 for years, very good) is also very good an will be plenty

rest on cables and stuff if you need, go to http://www.monoprice.com

All that should come in around your budget!

Cheers and have fun!

Someone lit the TSR signal, and thus I am here :P

I bought the Aura bass shakers and a Lepai LP-168HA 2.1 2 x 40-Watt Amplifier. My Bass shaker is rated for 50W, where the Lepai amp only comes with a 3A PSU, so I picked up a 6A PSU on the recommendation of someone in this subreddit, and it's been working fine (hasn't burned up or anything). I'm currently attaching it to a ford cobra seat, but just from the limited test use I've done so far, it works great. Definitely shakes my entire apartment when I turn it up.

The entire kit came out to about $90 after shipping, which I figured was a great price. I've seen someone recommend getting 4 amps and 4 transducers and mounting them on the corners of my seat, then running SimVibe to simulate each wheel independently, but I haven't tried that personally. Nor have I tried the actual brandname buttkicker, so I can't say how this solution compares. But I will say it adds a huge amount of immersion to Assetto Corsa.

EDIT: Oops, forgot the parts list:


AuraSound AST-2B-4 Pro Bass Shaker Tactile Transducer by Aura Sound - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ZPTBI/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_VjzVtb1MV70BA

Lepai LP-168HA 2.1 2 x 40-Watt Amplifier and 1x68W Sub Output by Lepai - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0070Z87YO/ref=asc_df_B0070Z87YO3169620?smid=A385A0XNQBW8HY&tag=pgmp-401-100-20&linkCode=df0&creative=395109&creativeASIN=B0070Z87YO

12v 6a Adapter Power Supply for LCD Monitor with Power Cord by LCD AC Power Adapter - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TUMDWG/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_tlzVtb1TKD73K?tag=viglink20241-20

Truthfully, it'd be better to save up for a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, which often goes on sale for $100 throughout the year. Great for either a PC or TV, also I love the subwoofer. I've personally never liked soundbars that much, because I do not find the quality as good.

I've heard good things about these Klipsch R-14M Bookself Speakers and Klipsch Icon KB-15 Bookshelf Speakers too. Both are $100 for a pair, I haven't heard them in person before though, so I can't really provide a personally opinion.

That receiver is Golden, never replace it for stereo! I use a VSX-D1S from the same era right now in my setup!

>My questions are: can I hook up a sub to this, and if so how?

Like this http://i.imgur.com/Z8FMJ.png Your amp is just bigger. You can probably even use the "B" channel.

> And on the side next to the volume knob there are some buttons, currently I'm using the "simulated" option running the "Acoustic" preset. What is Dolby 3CH Logic? Does that setting mean I can use a left and right satellite along with the "center" speaker that came w/ my 5.1 set from years ago? Can I obtain true 5.1 sound coming from twin RCA cables? What are the "A" and "B" options on the back of the receiver for the right and left speaker hookups?

Try to run in plain Jane stereo mode. (probably just press the simulated button again and shut it off.) Not sure if the unit has a "DIRECT" mode but if it does enable it. You want to go through and make sure there aren't any tone adjustments (Bass, Treble) set it all to 0's as I can see the indicators on the right showing a big bass boost and a small treble boost.

3ch means what you think. It will fake in a center channel based on what sounds are present in the left and right equally. Movies this is good, Music it is bad. You will get 5.1 to play but nothing close to a digital signal via SPDIF or HDMI. This unit is best left as a Very good stereo receiver. A+B channels if you have two different speakers you want to use. In your case you would likely hook the sub up to the B channel and leave both on.

As for speakers (proper speakers) I would get the monster Fluance SX6's if you think you can fit them. After that some Micca's or ... Polk OWM3's^(shhh haven't reviewed them yet) would work with a sub.

I'm a noobie. The only speaker system I've had before is a [Logitech z623 Computer speakers] (https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/speaker-system-z623?crid=47) which was satisfactory until the subwoofer started rattling at high volumes and one of the speakers stopped working. I want to get a full set-up so I've been learning everything I can. I want a good set up for house parties, generally playing rap and electronic music. My budget is $250-500.
Willing to buy used, just always paranoid I'll buy something in bad shape.

These are the parts that I am currently contemplating buying:

Speakers -- I can't decide between tower or bookshelf. I have read that bookshelf speakers can be a better bang for your buck, so I would love some suggestions. Speakers are suppose to be the most important part of the set up so I've tried to pick out decent options, but very willing to go cheap if there are any good deals.

Bookshelf option:

• Fluance SX6W High Definition Two-Way Bookshelf Loudspeakers $150
  
  
• Yamaha NS-6490 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers $130
  
  Craigslist for Bookshelf
  
  Tower options:
  
  
• Polk Audio Monitor70 Series II Floorstanding Loudspeaker (Black) Single $276 for pair
  
  or the cheaper version
  
  
• Polk Audio Monitor 60 Series II Floorstanding $190 for pair
  
  or dirt cheap option
  
  
• Dayton Audio T652 Dual 6-1/2" 2-Way Tower Speaker Pair $119 pair
  
  Craiglist for Towers
  
  
• Someone is currently offering B&W (Bower & Wilkins) DM-630 Large Tower Speakers for $275 -- Worth?
  
  Subwoofer:
  
  
  
• Polk Audio PSW10 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer Found this for $73, usually $110.
  This product seemed to be at a great price for its quality, so for now I think this is what I'm gonna get but very open to suggestions.
  
  
• Martin Logan Dynamo 300 $200. This is probably too pricey for me, but is suppose to be the best in its class.
  
  
• Dayton Audio SUB-1200 12" 120 Watt Powered Subwoofer $150. I've thought about going with a 12" considering I listen to a lot of rap and electronic.
  
  Craigslist for Subwoofers
  
  
  Still doing research on DAC's, Amps and Receivers, probably just gonna go with a receiver for simplicity's sake.
  
  EDIT: Wait can I just get these JBL LSR305 Professional Studio Monitor with the built in amps and then just have to buy a DAC? or would I still need a receiver if I wanted to add a subwoofer?

I don't have personal experience with too many amps. I have the Yamaha A-S301 and it's an amazing amp, great, clean and dynamic sound, and terrific build quality. It's $350 new, however. Generally Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, and used Marantz products provide a lot of bang for the buck. You'll be pretty safe going with a product from those companies. Honestly it's hard to go wrong with a modern amp, even the cheap ones -- they just might not last as long. When you upgrade to 5.1, you can always use that 2.1 amp for another room system.

I'm posting to let everyone know of a piece of gear they didn't even know they needed. But trust me, you need it...

It's called a bass shaker, or tactile transducer. It connects to your seat and pushes sub-bass frequencies directly to your body instead of through the air and to your ears. It works exactly like a normal subwoofer except has it's cone replaced with a with a mass.

Bass frequencies are notoriously difficult to tune and hear, but these pucks remove the room from the equation and let you feel the exact frequencies directly from the track. It seriously feels like you can count the transients all the way to 10hz

I have the AuraSound AST-2B-4 on my sofa and the Dayton Audio TT25-8 on my chair at work. The Dayton audio is totally sufficient for casual listening and rounds out headphones, but the Aura is so powerful and clean.

So much fun to crank the living room setup, feels like a live show. Movies are so much more dramatic and engaging- startles you sometimes at suspenseful parts.

Music producing is a whole different game now that you can see exactly what's going on at the bottom of your track.

So in conclusion, you need this haha. Here are the two I bought:


AuraSound AST-2B-4 Pro Bass Shaker Tactile Transducer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ZPTBI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dKgXzbY2P9R12


Dayton Audio TT25-8 PUCK Tactile Transducer Mini Bass Shaker 8 Ohm (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009RGJ47S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4AgXzb1Q77JXY

Okay, curious about your tips! I'm quite the noob to these custom setups so I have no experience with either.

What's a better suggestion for going by my feet under a PC desk (very up close field)? I don't need thundering bass, just want to backup where the Micca's can't quite finish the job and make my sound whole!

EDIT: Man, this Dayton 8" looks great and has great reviews. The description mentions an amplifier, I assume this has an amp built in too? Do all "powered" subwoofers have an amp, hence the powered? Thus, I can just use RCA's from my left and right RCA output of my audio card to the RCA line in option on the sub and it would be fine and dandy, the sub's built-in amp still works fine and everything that way?

Sorry for the noob questions guys, haha.

So I don't necessarily have a budget but I'm not trying to break the bank.

I am looking for a DAC and Amp that will work well with my Sennheiser 6XX's as well as a set of speakers all hooked up to my computer.

I was looking at these speakers because they give me the option to use my phone via bluetooth and seem to have pretty good reviews for the price.

As for my DAC / Amp, i have been looking at the Schiit Modi 2 Uber and the Schiit Magni 3.

Maybe need a sub woofer but i am unsure.

Will all of this work together well, any upgrades or alternatives? Leave thoughts please and thanks!

I use an AmazonBasics Bluetooth adapter with a nice set of 2.1 Creative PC speakers.

The adapter has the quirk of always reconnected to Echo Dot's Bluetooth if it's turned on. The speakers never go to sleep. The sound is excellent, and there's a subwoofer with adjustable bass so that my Amazon Music Unlimited account is put to good use.

It's about $45 for a set of those speakers used, and $20 for the Bluetooth Adapter. Alternately, Creative updated that model of speakers with Bluetooth built in, so you could go for that-- But I already had the previous model, and I can't vouch for how the Bluetooth works in the newer model.

Either way, the $20 adapter is great if you already have good speakers that you know don't go to sleep.