(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best home audio speakers

Someone yesterday asked about $200 speakers. I'll just copy and paste that here, but I'll change one thing. I recommend the fluance signature series if you're spending that much money. Also, save up and get a Dayton sub 1000. Enjoy:

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I'll make a list of stuff you need. For the best "bang for your buck" in the $200ish price range.

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Speaker wire. Amazon Basics makes great stuff. If you want, you can get 100 feet of it for an extra $2 I think. You can get those monoprice banana plugs if you want. They just help if you're going to be switching speakers around a lot.

Simple wire stripper. Should work just fine.

Cable to plug it in. That'll just plug the amp into a computer. And that cable is amazing quality. For real. I don't know what it is about it, but the moment I touched that cable I knew it was special. This isn't a joke either. You'll understand when you get one. Trust me.

50 watt per channel amp. This thing will be more than enough. I just like it because it is open box, so cheap. The same one new on amazon is $65. If you want to order from amazon, you can just get the smsl sa-36a. Same amp, just 20 watts per channel. Which, again, is plenty.

[Here's that cheaper smsl amp] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017W13OR0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_U2NSBbTRHGFS5). I've got a few of them. They're great. This is what I'd go for if the other one is sold out.

Cheap but good little amp. I don't have one of these because I'm not a fan of the looks, but they get great reviews and a lot of people really like them.

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Speakers:

Miccas. These things are nice for that price. In this price range, you really won't be getting anything better unless you go DIY.

Fluance SX6. These guys are big, but they throw a good amount of sound and some pretty deep bass for a pair of bookshelf speakers. Careful, they're pretty big.

Pioneer. These things are decent, but I think the Fluances would be better for this price. The SX6s throw more bass, which is good if you're not getting a sub. However, these are smaller.

Fluance signature series. I know, you said your budget is only $200, but you said if you need to spend more, then you will. These will sound better than all of the other speakers linked, however, that's not why they're here. I put them here for two reasons. The first is that they're front ported. Most people that are new to speakers might put them up against a wall or close to it, not understanding that the port needs some room to breathe. These have front ports so that's not a problem. The second reason, just look at them. If you really care about looks, these ones are the ones. They're beautiful. (My opinion obviously).

Oof almost forgot. Pleaae don't place the speakers directly on your desk.

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That's a lot. I'll sum it up with my opinion and why.

Amp: smsl sa36a. For close range, you don't need anything with more power. This thing will do whatever you need for bookshelf speakers.

Speakers: micca mb42x. Why? Here's why: for this price range, you won't notice a huge difference in any speakers, unless you get some bad ones. So, get the cheapest ones you can. Later on, if you can afford to upgrade them, you'll probably want to do that. Then you'll have a pair of $80 speakers that you don't need rather than a pair of 130 speakers that you don't need. Another reason I would pick the miccas is because they punch above their price range. Most people say they sound more like a pair of $125 speakers rather than a pair of $80 speakers. So, for real, they're good. Also, they're the smallest of the bunch.

Or, build a pair of C Notes and get something way better than any of these.

Hope this helps!

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.

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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.

Need advice for a PC Setup
I’m a fan of great sounding music, but by no means would I consider myself an audiophile. I’m a bit out of the loop when it comes to making an informed decision about new gear to accompany a recent PC build I just put together. I have a budget of $500.00 but am willing to step that up to $1,000.00 if the improvement in sound quality is worth the extra money.

From what I’ve read, it looks like active monitors suit my needs best. I have found a set of KEF X300A for $550.00 which look pretty good to me and have been reviewed quite well; however it looks like I won’t be able to run a sub with them. I do listen to pretty bass heavy music but I live in a condo that requires I keep the thumping bass to a minimum. Do any of you have experience with the KEF X300A’s? Alternatives that look like they might also suit my needs are the Vanatoo T1’s and the Audioengine A5+ which both appear to be well reviewed and have outputs for a sub woofer.

Any help or product recommendations would be much appreciated.

My second question is in regards to speaker placement. I ‘m running a three monitor setup which makes speaker placement a bit awkward as two of the monitors are right in the ideal placement. Do any of you have experience with this issue? Again any recommendations would be appreciated.

Generally speaking, "all in one" packages (AKA, Home Theater in a Box) are less quality than buying the pieces yourself. The Phillips unit you linked seems to be a pretty low end package. with everything being powered by the all in one receiver/bluray player. I can promise you, this isn't pushing anywhere close to 1000 watts.

Don't concern yourself with the power rating. In most cases, its nothing more than an advertizing number for these All in one packages. They are likely quoting the max power handing of each speaker, and adding them together, which is unlikely to ever actually be hit.

My suggestion, check out a place like Accessories4less.com and buy a refurbished receiver (I highly recommend Denon, but if you like Yamaha, thats fine as well) you can save a decent amount by going with a refurb, and it carries the same warranty. I've had 2 refurb Denon's and they've been rock solid for me.

For speakers, you want to spend the bulk of your money on the front 3 (Left, Center and Right) as thats where the majority of your sound is coming from. You want to make sure all 3 speakers match.

If you get a good subwoofer, you usually don't need floorstanding speakers. You can save a dcent amount of money by going with bookshelf speakers for the fronts, and just getting cheap speaker stands on amazon for $50 or so.

As an example, many people love the HTD level 3 speakers, the bookshelf version are $379 for the pair, the floorstanding version is $800 for the pair. (quite the difference!) I've listened to the Bookshelf versions, and they are plenty loud, and sound fantastic in my opinion.

For subwoofers, I like to reference the Subwoofer Guide from /r/Zeos Pick the best one your budget and space allow.

To put together a quick system.
$250 for this Denon refurb receiver
$379 for the HTD level 3 speakers
$229 for the HTD L3 matching center
$299 for and the Bic Subwoofer
Total price: $1157
Add in another $100 for speaker stands, a roll of speaker wire and HDMI cables, and you're around $1200 for a pretty decent home theater setup, that I guarantee will blow your current setup out of the water.

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.

Let me see if I can't point you in the right direction.

1. I would get passive speakers. I'm a big fan of that route and have admitted my bias many times. I like being able to change out the speakers or use them with another system. So that's what I'll go for.
   
   
2. You want smaller speakers and that's cool but just realize the smaller the speaker the more work the sub has to do. This also make the sub more localized and putting a sub (that's worth your time/money) on a desk may not be the best idea.
   
   
3. Since space is an issue it sounds like you're going to need a mini amp. While they make some that are good I still like going for either a receiver or an AVR. That's just my preference.
   
   Here is a sample system I would consider.
   
   Amp - PICK ONE
   
   

• SMSL Q5 $140 - Remote, sub out and digital inputs.
  
  
• ORB Booster $160 - Like the above these both have digital and analog inputs so you can use them with a variety of sources and they will allow you to plug in a TV at some point if you wanted a 2.1 for a living space down the road.
  
  
• SMSL SA50 $70 - Basic analog amplifier so you won't get any digital inputs but you do get to save money.
  
  Speakers - Pick one there are a bunch you could choose I picked a few that might work.
  
  
• Cambridge Audio SX50 $140 - currently on sale. These are smaller bookshelf speakers that I would seriously consider.
  
  
• Micca MB42X $90 - The old go to cheap and small speakers. These do sound good on a desk and with sub to boost the low end you should be in good shape.
  
  
• BIC DV32 $55 - Super small two way speakers. These don't sound bad they just need a sub to take care of the low stuff. If you need small speakers these should be what you need.
  
  Sub - I'm going smaller on the sub for space reasons
  
  
• Polk PSW111 $180 - Small but high powered this guy is compact but should do nicely for a music setup.
  
  
• Pioneer SW-8Mk2 $160 - small downfiring sub that was on sale for $99 not long ago so if you can wait and watch it you could save some money.
  
  
• BIC V80 $135 - Another down firing offering that is affordable.
  
  
• Dayton Sub 800 $100 - A normal go to smaller sub it's out of stock but if you can wait this is also a very good option.
  
  Notes and thoughts
  
  
• I've given you some stuff to chew on. There are some different combinations you can do. Pick one that fits your budget and size requirements. Particularly the speaker size. If you can fit the Cambridge those would be my choice.
  
  
• To hook up the computer you'll need a simple 3.5mm to rca or 3.5mm cable depending the amp you choose. If you get the ones with digital inputs you can use an optical cable if you have that as an option on your computer.
  
  
• Most of the subs can have speaker level inputs and outputs. To hook them up simply come out of the amp into the terminals labeled input. Then run a second set of speaker wires to the speakers using the output terminal.
  
  
• If you go with the Orb or Q5 you can use the sub output on the amp to go to the sub with a sub cable. Most will be able to use a subwoofer y cable $10 but I think the BIC need just a single sub cable $10.
  

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.

First of all, before I give suggestions, let me just say it's definitely possible to find something better than what I'm recommending for less money if you go vintage or scour craigslist. However I don't have the knowledge to really help you with vintage gear. I know it takes time, patience, possibly repairs & finding parts, etc. Plus you need to know what you're looking for. And if you don't live in a huge city with tons of quality vintage hi-fi stuff on craigslist or floating around in goodwill stores, it could be a while. So if you want to go that route, maybe somebody around here could take a look at your local craiglist or something and help you out.

So with that being said, if you want to go new/newish, this is the exact lineup I bought for my first setup recently. It's all going to fall into the category of entry level/minimum for "audiophile" so it won't absolutely blow your mind, then again looking at your current situation maybe it will lol:


Project Debut Carbon DC (usually a $400 table, available for $300) here

You will see a lot of people recommend Project, Rega and U-Turn as the best entry level "audiophile" style tables. I am not a man of means so it worked for me. The DC is the upgraded version of the Debut Carbon with a better, quieter power source. Comes with an adjustable counterweight and anti-skate, which your LP60 does not have and the absence of which can cause damage to your records. Furthermore you can upgrade the stylus, the platter, I think the tonearm (?) down the road if you wish, when more money becomes available. It comes with an Ortofon 2M Red which is a solid budget cartridge.

Audioengine A5+ - lightly used $319

Very good powered speakers for the money, so you wouldn't have to spend money on a receiver/amp at this time. I've been thoroughly impressed with them.

Project Phono Box S lightly used - $161.50

Phono stage. Could maybe find one for cheaper that would be just as good, I don't know a ton about phono stages. Remember to set the gain to match your TT when you get it.


Total: $780

I know you said your budget maxed at $600, maybe wait another paycheck or 2 or find a different cheaper phono stage and/or downgrade the A5+ speakers to A2's which are bookshelf speakers if you're ok with that.

There are a lot of options out there, this is just what I ended up going with recently and I'm very satisfied. I've already upgraded the platter on the TT to an acrylic one, and will prob upgrade the cartridge next christmas as a gift to myself, thinking maybe the 2M Bronze. But this will absolutely serve and give you a huge increase in performance from day 1.

So since I did a lot of searching prior to purchase but couldn't find anything - to anyone else considering using the Ikea Fredde desk and the X34 together, the the monitor stand just barely doesn't fit on the raised shelf and so I had to screw a small metal plate to the back to accommodate the rear foot of the stand. It's a fine solution and I can't see the plate during regular use so it's seamless.

I'm super happy with the monitor besides some minor bleed in the corners but UNF I just can't get over that colour accuracy and encompassing view! With this addition to my setup I feel like I'm at max level, i.e. can't "level up" (at least not very far), with regards to my audio/video setup.

Anyone with a nice ultrawide monitor shouldn't skimp out on audio too! I see a lot of ascension posts featuring $100 Logitech speakers, which are fine but you can improve on audio as much as video! To anyone looking for an excellent performance to value ratio mid-fi 2.1 audio solution to complement their ultrawide I can't recommend this combo highly enough: Audioengine A5+ bookshelf speakers + S8 subwoofer.

EDIT: Forgot about headphones! My point still stands, don't be afraid to spend more for a better experience! I love my Philips Fidelio X2 for both gaming and movies. If you're in the market for some cans head on over to /r/headphones and ask for purchasing advice in the sticky.

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?

You have many many options! I would lurk around the sub for a while to get some ideas. The suggestions that come to mind:

For speakers, going from lowest to highest price, I'd check out the Micca MB42x's, the Fluance SX6's, and the ELAC B5's.

The SMSL SA50 is a nice budget amp but (if you have the space for it) a used receiver is the best bang for your buck and will likely be more powerful.

I have the MB42x's. They're quite capable and will do just fine for me for some time. Just remember that there are so many options out there. Do your best to find the right setup for you.

Just to get started, I'd check out Zoes' 2.0 Desktop Suggestions list from his suggestions sub. His influence as a youtuber is a bit of a controversial topic on this sub but I'd say he has some good suggestions. Good luck and have fun!

Edit: I should also mention that it's always useful to demo equipment if you can. Hit up a local audio shops and demo some gear if you have the time.

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.

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.

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

Well basically a set up is puzzle you can build up over time. Planar 2 is a solid table that you wouldn't need to upgrade for years, don't know if it comes with a cover though. It is a solid table built around delivering the best sound from the cartridge to the amp. Now one big part of how your records will sound is the cart, the one the planar 2 comes with is totally fine for start but you will want to upgrade it pretty soon. I would recommend you to take a look at this Pro-ject Debut Carbon Esprit. Mainly because it is more bang for the buck imo (electronic speed switch and speed control, carbon arm, acrylic platter and a way better cartridge), but that is totally an opinion.

Now for the rest of the set up I would suggest buying the preamp separate. For example this Cambridge phono preamp is a solid starting point. There are two reasons for this, you can easily switch it to a new one down the line and you can get some money back for it.

The second one is that you can start by getting powered speakers, for example these Audio engine A5+ and down the line upgrade to an amp and bookshelf speakers. Powered speakers are a totally valid option nowadays and these will give a detailed sound with the table. They are also way easier to get your cash back when moving forward.

What I linked up there is a pretty solid setup focusing in sound for a pretty rough 1000 when done trough amazon.

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

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.

If you'd like to commit to a stereo setup, I'd recommend this:

Yamaha R-S300 Stereo Receiver = $279

• Built-in phono stage, so you can retire the Art DJPRE II.
  
• More powerful amplifier--ignore that 200W nonsense posted for the JVC, this will play louder and cleaner
  
• All black, in fact I think it's super stylish
  
  You'll use the Klipsch towers for your TV and vinyl. You get rid of the sound bar entirely. Be aware, the Yamaha doesn't take any digital input. Most TVs these days only have a digital output, in lieu of any analog (RCA) audio outputs. Check your TV, but if that's the case, then you'll just need something like a Fiio D3 DAC to convert your digital out to an analog signal you can plug in to the Yamaha.
  
  As the Yamaha is a stereo receiver, you'll be a bit constrained by it in the future. You won't be able to do surround sound with it, and you won't be able to easily add a subwoofer with it. I know it says it has a subwoofer out, but it doesn't have a crossover, which makes it hard to properly integrate a sub if you want one in the future. If you do replace this unit in the future, in order to get surround sound or a proper subwoofer, then the Yamaha could easily be used for a dedicated vinyl setup someplace in the house--so that's not all bad.
  
  If you're ok with the constraints of a system like this, I bet the Yamaha would be a big upgrade for you. If you'd like something with more flexibility, look in to a standard AVR (AV Receiver). You'll probably give up some amplifier power in an AVR (because it will have 5-7 smaller amps to support surround sound) and you'll give up a built-in phono stage (but you own a halfway decent external unit already). There's plenty of decent entry-level AVRs to be found for $300.

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.

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

I always push for seperates, as you can expand and repurpose old gear as you swap things out. With that in mind, my suggestions for your setup would be either;

A. An integrated system. Edifier R1850DB. These are decent in their own right, but also have a sub out. Front ported so you can run them right up against the wall.

https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-R1850DB-Bookshelf-Speakers-Bluetooth/dp/B073W1R4XQ/ref=sr_1_36?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1524992954&sr=1-36&keywords=bookshelf+speakers

A Dayton Sub-1200. I honestly don't much care for the Dayton line of subs, but if this is for a PC setup it should do the job you want it to without breaking the bank. I strongly recommend going a little over the top of your budget and getting a BIC F12 for $212 from amazon. It's just a MUCH better sub overall.

B. A seperates system, which I would favor more. A pair of Fluance Signature bookshelves. You can actually get a set of the walnut finish for $170 with tax, used, from Amazon Warehouse.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01A5UI5V0/ref=olp_twister_child?ie=UTF8&mv_color_name=1

Add a Nobsound BT Mini amp for $30. These are tiny amps that would honestly make you question if they are junk. They are not junk. They are comparable to the same SMSL SA-50 that is widely recommended on this sub, except for being smaller, having an internal DAC, having Bluetooth, and being half the price.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y67PZB1/ref=psdc_537344_t2_B01MS739KX

Add one of the aforementioned subwoofer using the high pass input/outputs, and you have a VERY capable little system for right around $400 or less.

Here's the problem $500 is a tight budget to start with and Dell doesn't have a great way to view their site (had a $200 gift card with my TV) nor are the prices great. For example we usually recommended refurbished receivers for people on a budget and in order to get Atmos an Atmos receiver from Dell you need to get this for $500 whereas the v583 (older model) is $250 and the exact same model is $330 so not being able to take use of a massive discount doesn't help. The other issue is the only passive bookshelf speakers that aren't crappy computer speakers is the Sony core bookshelfSony core bookshelf $120 and tower speakers or subwoofer (which is it? Idk) then they also sell the subwoofer (so maybe the other is the towers?). The core bookshelf speakers are actually pretty good however the subwoofer is worse than others in it's price bracket. However I still think it's your best bet and it's probably a lot better than any of the sound bar subs in your price range since Dell doesn't sell a better sub for the money.

This is my recommendation:

• Sony core bookshelf (ss-cs5) $120 @ Dell
  
  
• Sony core subwoofer (sa-cs9) $158 @ Dell
  
  
• Denon s730h (2017 model year) $220 @ accessories4less
  
  
• Speaker wire 16awg oxygen free pure copper or prebuilt speaker wire with banana plugs @ anywhere
  
  
• subwoofer cable @ anywhere
  
  
• Optionally: speaker stands or wall mounts @ anywhere
  
  Future upgrades:
  
  
• Sony core center channel $120
  
  
• Atmos speakers which can be either: in ceiling speaker like this or slim speakers mounted on the ceiling like this or Sony's matching core Atmos speakers that will sound significantly worse than the other 2 options
  
  
• Side speakers which don't need to be anything special and Micca MB42X or the Polk owm3 are popular options. Don't do wireless for these and your best bet is getting flat speaker wire and either wiring it around or behind your mouldings, under a rug to behind the couch or running the wires in the walls or the floor (what I did). Side speakers are 90-110 degrees from your center channel from your main listening position.
  
  If you have any other questions let me know.
  
  Edit: Also If you're doubting that a 2.1 is a better experience than the others you listed go to Best buy and some of the stores will allow you to demo speakers (or sound bars). It should be immediately obvious that those Sony speakers are in a different league seeing as though the main woofer on the Sony bookshelf is 5" and the Vizio subwoofer is 6" and the Sony subwoofer is 10" and the Vizio doesn't have a single tweeter so are going to be dull and harder to hear dialog in movies.

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 would love to!
 
For the amp I am using the SMSL Q5 Pro as linked by /u/Hercusleaze and I am very happy with it. I bought it especially for the optical input and remote control to use with my xbox alongside my PC. A very good feature is a dedicated sub out, really makes adding a sub simple.
 
If you dont need all the fancy DAC built in I would highly recommend the SMSL SA36A, SA50, or SA98 depending on the power you want (this depends on how loud you want to get and what your speakers need).
 
For speakers I am using a pair of Micca MB42X-C in 2.0, although I got them for half off. Most people recommend Micca MB42X, a very solid all rounder at a good entry price. I set my brother with the Fluance SX-6 speakers, and he is really happy with them although they are bass heavy.
 
These options are solid entry level gear, and for myself I havent needed/felt like upgrading further. If you are looking for something a bit higher end I would suggest checking out the /r/Zeos guide lists or make a dedicated thread!

Ok, I know this isn't what you're looking for, but...

Have you considered a good set of headphones? You can get some nice cans in that price range.

That said, speakers:

I recently picked up the newer Micca MB42x, and was really surprised by how good they sound given their price and size, in particular with their bass output. I found the midrange to be smooth and not lacking, and that the speakers had nice detail. Not Klipsch horn style detail (so if you're into that the Micca's may disappoint.) I'm not, and I like the Miccas. I find them a little laid back and easy to listen to.

To sound best, they do need some breathing room behind them to allow the port to work for bass output. It doesn't seem like you have space for that though. So pairing with a sub would be good.

The recommendation elsewhere in the comments for the 12" Dayton Audio sub is a good one, but it's a 12-incher. Fairly compact for a 12" sub, but still a decent size box. If you don't have room for that box, you may like something like the Dayton Audio SUB-800 or the Pioneer SW-8. Both have pretty decent extension for all but the deepest music, and would be fun with movies if not necessarily house-shaking.

If you can afford more space for the main speakers, I'd suggest you also consider the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR. I haven't heard them but they seem to be a slight step up in audio quality versus the Miccas because they're larger. But then, well, they're larger.

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.

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.

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.

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.

For a small, but nice setup I'd look for a nice pair of vintage bookshelf speakers or invest in a new pair of bookshelf speakers. Something like these Polks. Polks generally excel at mid range and high range definition. They would be very portable and not so bassy or large as to draw a lot of attention. Then, when you get space for a bigger system you could add a sub, some bigger fronts, and use these for rear surrounds. If that's too much money, Pioneer is my second goto for small, clear, cheap bookshelf speakers. They haven't changed what they do in decades, but they haven't needed to either! Good luck!

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.

Agree with areodeck, start with a good 5.1 system. If you decide you want 7.1, you can always add speakers later.

I have the GT1080, you're going to love it.

As for audio, $500 might be pushing it for separates. You're on the right track though, either of those receivers will be good it's just going to depend on if you want to expand to 7.x later on.

These Fluance bipole surrounds are a good value and highly recommended- http://www.amazon.com/Fluance-AVBP2-Surround-Satellite-Speakers/dp/B00067OLOS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

You can also check out the guides at https://www.reddit.com/r/Zeos/ for more recommendations.

Good luck!

> not very interested in super quality sound
>
> i do want really clear dialogue
>
> casual movie fan who wants clear dialogue
>
> I'd be willing to buy speakers

It's not so much about being 'enough'. Dialog is probably the most important aspect of sound. Our ears are tuned to human speech more than any other sound, and therefore our ears can detect distortion and poor sound the easiest. If you want good dialog, get good speakers. Typical soundbars are usually not good speakers. They're made to be small, simple, 'cute', and make the manufacturers lots of money (cheap to build and stamp out, easy to sell for much more than they're worth). They only need to be a step up from crappy tv speakers to be noticed, which is easy.

What does your tv use for audio output? A set of powered bookshelves is really easy to set up with only one more wire to connect compared to a soundbar.

Something like these Klipsch or these Edifier are a good ideas. There are many more options, so don't get hung up on those two.

​

Hello fellow LP120 owner!

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

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

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

Have fun!

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.

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

Awesome! That would be perfect. Thank you again for your help. It seems like I might not be able to get the Polk S20 speakers because the buyer isn't responding yet. So just in case, I think I found another really nice deal. All for just $200 he's selling...

Pioneer VSX-521-K
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-VSX-521-K-Receiver-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B004M8RPAY

Pair of Pioneer FS51 Floorstanding Speakers
https://www.amazon.com/pioneer-sp-fs51-lr-floorstanding-loudspeakers-discontinued/dp/b004h1m4no

Pair of Pioneer BS21 Bookshelf Speakers
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS21-LR-80-Watts-2-Way-Speakers/dp/B004MEWZE4

Pioneer SP-C21 Center-Channel Speaker
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C21-Speaker-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B004MF4S0M/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

That also leaves me enough money to buy a subwoofer like the Dayton SUB-1200. But the receiver is a different model then the one you suggested. I'm not sure if it's still good. Would that be enough to drive all those speakers adequately?

In your opinion, do you think that would be a nice sounding setup for movies and music?

I personally use the Sony MDR7506 as they're pretty much a standard for basic monitoring. Crisp, detailed high end, tight punchy base. Comfortable for hours on end and if you take decent care of them they should last years with the only wear and tear being the earcup material flaking off a bit. They're definitely made for desk-use as they have a very long coiled non-detachable cable.:

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E

There's also the Sony MDRV6, which are very similar, but apparently have a little more low-end.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRV6-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00001WRSJ
__

As far as speakers go, I've been using the Audioengine A5+ for a few years now and have been very satisfied. Great sound and more power than I'll ever be able to use in my small apartment. They look nice too (I got a good deal on the white ones). They are powered speakers (opposed to the A5) and thus don't require a separate amp. They also come with a small remote for volume/mute:

http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-Active-2-Way-Speakers-Black/dp/B005OA3BSY

For a DAC I use the Audioengine D1 plugged in through USB, which gives me higher quality audio and a convenient headphone out and volume knob:

http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-D1-24-bit-Digital-to-Analog-Converter/dp/B006IPH5H2/

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.

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


Denon S500BT


BIC America F12


Micca MB42X Center


Micca MB42X BookShelf


Fluance AVBP2 Surround


A few questions I have:

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

I 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!

Loudspeakers come in two forms, active (or powered) speakers, which have an amplifier built in, and passive, which needs an external amplifier.

I'm suggesting a passive speaker, because it provides a clear update path.

Either way, here is what I found:

NAD 304 and C444 tuner, $100. This is an absolute steal!. I have owned that amp, and it stands its ground well against modern amps and its contemporaries up to double its original price amps up to twice the new price (I paid something like $420 in 1994).

I've also owned a different NAD tuner, and they too perform solidly, and make radio a pleasurable experience, provided you give it a decent antenna. If you don't plan on listening to radio, I'm pretty sure you can craigslist the radio itself for $25-35.

The selection of speakers in your area was relatively poor (meaning that among what I found in your price bracket, I wouldn't want to own any of them), so I'm going to suggest new speakers

• Pioneer BS-21, 62 USD
  
• Dayton B652's, as also suggested by ZeosPantera
  
  For future upgrades, the speakers would be the natural place to look, when I owned the NAD 304, it was quite happy driving floor standing speakers then priced at 4500 NOK (with the exchange rate at the time, that was 650 USD).
  
  

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
  

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 have these speakers hooked up to my 55" 4k TV. They're very good for the price. Very clear mids and highs, bluetooth connectivity so you can swap to bluetooth mode and play songs from your phone or Google Home when you want, and a subwoofer out so you can upgrade the system with a sub when you find a good deal on a good one. I bought a $250 12" sub to go with the system a few months after getting it and the combo of a good sub with a good sound system, as my father described it, "sounds like a theatre".

They're normally $250, I bought a set for $130 used on Kijiji, so $175 new is a rather good deal.

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.

Yamaha R-S300 or, if you're ok buying refurbished, the R-S500 is just $50 more

+

Emotiva T1s. I know these are $700 but they are worth it. If you must absolutely spend less, Elac F5s are around $550 but even if you prefer ELACs, I would recommend the larger F6s. I strongly recommend against polk or klipsch.

If you can't stretch the budget for more expensive speakers, get the less expensive but still great Onkyo 8020 receiver. Money spent on speakers is money well spent. Always skew your budget for speakers at the cost of a slightly less powerful amp, you don't have to turn your home in a club and 50W are more than enough for 90% of rooms.

>Budget $150/$250
Size of the room, unsure, This is silly, but its a house we are purchasing, Ive only walked through twice. Its roughly the size of a 2 car garage if that helps as its the space directly above. Double set of doors open into the hall.

That's fine. Ok, that's not too horribly big , lol and it's sealed so for the top end of that budget would be the BIC PL-200 at $249 currently on sale ( I've owned 2 of these in the past myself.) Better to put that money in a jar though and pull it back out when it's $400 -$600 and get either a ported HSU , Rythmik, SVS or Emp-tek but if that's the budget the BIC is the upper budget recommend and the Dayton 1200 at $135 shipped is my lower end recommend.

If you want to stick to powered speakers, I can vouch for Airmotiv 6S. They've come up in price since I bought them, but the AMT is great and the bass is more than enough for a smaller room. With the exception of movies, I think these are fine without a sub (I did add one later regardless, but still). Remaining budget can go towards a DAC.

Definitely don't rule out passive speakers though, I'm an idiot and I got everything working great. Just watch some videos on how to strip wires and setup speakers. If you're down to give it a shot, take a look at:

• Elac UB5 - $500
  
• SVS Primes - $500
  
• SVS Ultras (B-Stock) - $800
  
  Leftover budget goes towards an amplifier, wire, and possibly stands. The Onkyo A-9050 is a pretty nice piece of kit that should last you even if you ever choose to upgrade.
  
  

I'm not terribly familiar with the Canadian market being a yank and all but based on what I can find with a quick search I'd do this:

Receiver $330: https://www.amazon.ca/Yamaha-RX-V379BL-5-1-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B00XL2702K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463418043&sr=8-1&keywords=surround+receiver

L/R speakers $179: https://www.amazon.ca/Fluance-SX6-BK-Definition-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B00IEDL8EM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1463418420&sr=8-4&keywords=fluance+speakers

Center channel $105: https://www.amazon.ca/Fluance-Definition-Two-way-Surround-Systems-Black/dp/B00Y34U4D2/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1463418420&sr=8-21&keywords=fluance+speakers

Subwoofer $170: https://www.amazon.ca/Polk-Audio-10-Inch-Monitor-Subwoofer/dp/B0002KVQBA/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1463418520&sr=1-3&keywords=subwoofer

Normally I don't recommend Polk subwoofers but your pricing up there is so mangled this would appear to be the best budget option. You might be able to save a few bucks by going directly to Fluance since they are a Canadian company, either way they come with a lifetime warranty and are excellent budget options - better than the Pioneer Andrew Jones lineup.

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.

Here is what I would go for. I plan to upgrade to this sub and this 5.1 setup. I'll probably use my micca mb42x for rears though. They are currently my fronts. But the dipoles I listed look awesome. You can use most bookshelves for rears so you can easily adjust your budget accordingly. Some just mount on the wall easier than others.

Receiver $200-$250 new or refurb Denon

Fluance sx6 $130 (also in black)

Fluance center $80

Fluance bipole rears $120

Bic America Sub $180 or Dayton 1000 for $109

EDIT: So you can easily get this under $700 or even $600 depending on what kind of rears you want, or the sub. Even a cheaper receiver can be found depending on what you want. Also amazon has a great return policy so I almost always go with used in good condition. They give heavy discounts on refurbs just for an item that gets opened and returned.

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'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

Great turntable! I'd also recommend getting one of these, which is super handy in keeping the dust off your records once you get started!

RE Amps:

You don't really need that pre-amp if you buy an amplifier with a "Phono" input. This serves the same purpose as a pre-amp, namely, converting the turntable's signal into something the amp can work with.

Something like This, for example. Many modern amps also have multiple inputs for your iPod, CD player, and whatever else you need, which is great! :D


Those pre-amps are useful if you already have an amplifier which does NOT have this phono input, which is often the case with modern stereos.

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.

I don't know about robust, but I'm using one of these under $15 board only amps right now, on a 12VDC power supply:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0PXEN4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm feeding an Aurasound transducer with it, from the dedicated center channel output on my motherboard, so I didn't need a separate crossover: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ZPTBI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Turned up to about 6/10 it seems to give me pretty good feedback. I don't know about how "crisp" it is TBH. [That's highly dependent on how you have a transducer mounted to transfer impulses to some other structure, which might have some resonance or flex/absorption, depending.] The amp is rated 100W into 8ohms, but it would deliver better output into a 4ohm transducer if I had it on a higher voltage supply (input can be up to 24V and they recommend 19V e.g. laptop type chargers).

Anyway, it's an option at least. So far been functioning for about 6 months of irregular use.

If you truly want to upgrade to decent speakers, youre going to want speakers that are connected via speaker wire, meaning you need a receiver. Since you only want 2.1, I suggest this receiver: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0044779H2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i6wlzbDVMV147

I dont have it myself, but a buddy of mine has it. I may get one too because it has physical tone controls. As for the speakers, you may be better off asking someone else, as I really only listen to music and Im not sure if youd be better off with other speakers for gaming. However if I had to pick, with your budget, Id go with the Andrew Jones Pioneer bookshelf speakers. Those things are AMAZING for what you pay. If you could bump your budget up a little higher, Id recommend getting the Andrew Jones floorstanding speakers, but the bookshelf will do just fine.

Studio monitors, or powered monitors in general can work great in a 2.0 or 2.1 system. Broadly, they will be much more "hi-fi" than the Pro Media's will be; but also more expensive, especially when you factor in adding subwoofer.

The Klipsch's run ~$140 retail, and at that price you can begin to build a solid budget 2.1 set up.

There a few good solutions at this point, my personal favorite would be:

• Infinity Primus p143 bookshelf's Sold individually, but when they go on sale on amazon you can get them for 35-40 each ~$80
  
  
• SMSL SA-50 amp ~$70
  
  This puts you @ $150
  
  Adding this sub would get you up to $230 but also complete a system that would be world better than the Klipsch or anyother 2.1 system commonly used for computers.
  
  
• Dayton Sub-800 ~$80
  
  
  

Hey /u/ZeosPantera,

I first wanted to say you are the fucking man. This subreddit has been so incredibly helpful in figuring out my audio system. Additionally, I was wondering if you could provide your expertise for me.

My fraternity is currently getting our house back in a few weeks, and we have money to spend on home improvement (in this case, an audio system for the large common room). I'm looking for a system that can double as both a home theater sound system as well as speakers for a large, loud party. I assembled a list of components and was hoping you can recommend any changes. This is the list so far:

Receiver - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B7X2OV2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Center - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015A8Y3E/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Front speakers (tower) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ISZEV2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Rear speakers - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CRMKJTQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1WPEQCN6WJKZG

Subwoofer - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015A8Y5M/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

These are the ones you listed as being loud enough to play music on as well. Will these products fit the bill for my needs (home theater, large frat party)? Also, these extras to set up the system:

Banana plugs - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0090CVJZ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

RCA cable - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FVX9FO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1DCPNQKKEISZB

Copper wire - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00APEG9MO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Is there anything I'm missing in order to set up the system? Thank you so much!!

If your budget is really $1500 then by the time you buy the TV, furniture, cables, etc. you'll only have around $500 left for audio. At that price range a proper 5.1 setup is definitely out. Here is what I would consider:

• Entry-level refurbished Denon receiver for $180 and some decent bookshelf speakers like the $300 KEF Q100 for a decent 2.0 setup. You could add a subwoofer later for more bass and/or buy a center & surrounds to get 5.1.
  
• Forget the receiver entirely and get a pair of good powered speakers like the $400 Audioengine A5+. These speakers have their own built-in amplifier so you don't need any more equipment (can just plug them into the TV) but the downside is there isn't really any way to expand the setup if you decide you want something better in a year or two, you have to start over.
  
• You could also look into a sound bar, they are not at all liked on this sub but they honestly are not that bad. The advantage of a soundbar is you get a proper center channel so for TV and movies the dialog might be a little better, and some of them have decent "virtual" surround sound. E.g. something like this $420 Vizio which actually includes wireless rear speakers. Soundbars have the same problem as a powered 2.0 setup in that they are not expandable.

They're pretty cheap speakers. You don't have to be an audiophile to hear the difference between cheap computer speakers and proper home audio equipment.
Computer speakers may be all you can afford, as high quality speakers are usually over $100, but at the $200 price range, there are much better choices than computer brand speakers.

If you want simple plug-and-play speakers, these Audioengine A2s are pretty good.

If you want better sound at this price, you can go with a separate amp, speakers, and subwoofer. Dayton Audio is the most cost effective brand at this price point.
Speakers: Dayton Audio B652 ($51.99)
Subwoofer: Dayton Audio SUB-800 ($79.00)
Amplifier: Dayton Audio DTA-1 ($46.95)

This combo will blow away any multimedia speaker set, both in quality and simply how loud it can get. and at $177.94, it's $30 cheaper than the Corsair speakers.

If you're spending more than $100 on speakers, you'd be stupid to get computer/multimedia speakers.

A different strategy would be to get an additional set of 8 ohm speakers and wire them in parallel so that you are running 4 ohms on each side. Just use a 12 volt (high amp) power supply. It seems counter-intuitive that Hifiberry is recommending lower voltage for lower ohms. I think they don't want it to overheat or something.

​

I have these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00MGQAH2M - I got mine for $85, but you can still get them for around $100.

​

They are fairly efficient too.

​

The idea here is to have speakers near each of your listening positions. There may be a font-back balance issue - but I am guessing that wiring a pot on each side could solve that. Left/right you fix via DSP (like volume too).

​

Question: once (and if) the Hifiberry amp dies, how are you going to get audio out of your Raspberry? Do you have a headphone jack or preouts somewhere already? There's a better way to do this if you have those, BTW.

​

If you just want a beater amp that will likely never die - get this - I have one and it seems pretty good: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076P2VS9H/

Alright, so I'm just starting to get into speakers/audiophile type stuff and I'm a complete novice to the whole thing, so hang with me. I just want to get a decent setup for a decent price so I found these BIC America dv62si's on Amazon for around $75 (including shipping!) so I was pretty psyched on that.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006JPDI/ref=gp_aw_ybh_l_1?pi=SL500_SR419%2C500&refRID=0GR9EGR0QVEKMW5PNBHN

It said they recommend an amp that pushes 10-150 watts, so I just bought a cheap Lepai lP-2020A+ but people say that they really only push like 10w per channel because of they power adapter? I think they fixed it though because mine looks different than all the old reviews that say this, but then again i'm really not sure and I don't really know. I just don't want to underpower the speakers just because I'm on a budget. Here's a pic of the one that came with mine - http://imgur.com/QaddeUp

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0049P6OTI/ref=gp_aw_ybh_l_7?pi=SL500_SR500%2C208&refRID=0GR9EGR0QVEKMW5PNBHN

Also I have a 2 Sony SA-W2500 sub woofers given to me. I was wondering if there was anyway to include one into this setup? It plugs into the wall and I think that I can just wire it through its in-out ports on the back and it would power itself? Would this sound any good in this setup? Also my room size is 12x9 ft

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OL3QTW/ref=gp_aw_ybh_l_2?pi=SL500_SR200%2C200&refRID=0GR9EGR0QVEKMW5PNBHN

Thanks a lot :)

I need help...(scroll down for TL:DR) My turntable needs to get louder and have more low end. My receiver is usually blaring when gaming or watching TV at "-10 db" however when I play my turn table at the same setting it is quieter. Not silent or really low mind you, but not quite as loud. When I turn up my receiver higher to compensate it will eventually go into protection mode and turn itself off (no bueno, I know).

Here is my setup:

Turntable: Technics SL-1300
Cartridge: Shure M97xE
Receiver: Denon AVR-391
Pre-Amp: Behringer PP400

Speakers:

Front Bookshelf Speakers: Panasonic SP-BS22-LR
Rear Speakers: Polk TL1
Center Speaker: Polk TL1 Center
Woofer: Pioneer SW-8MK


So, as you can see, for speakers I have a 5.1 speaker set up. I can run my turntable in Pro Logic, Multi-Channel Stereo, Stereo, Direct (whatever that means), Virtual, and DTS Neo. I am not really sure what would be best but I would like to use a setting that also uses my subwoofer as it is it's own powered speaker. Is that ok for the receiver to split it into Pro Logic or something else from the analog signal or not? As far as my connection I have the RCA cord coming from my pre-amp and connected to my "Dock" RCA input which is 1 of 3 RCA inputs on my receiver (Dock, Sat, DVD). Also my turntable is grounded to my preamp.

I am at a loss of what to do as it's never quite loud enough for my liking. I don't need it to be breaking windows but I would like to be able to rock out once and awhile.


TL:DR I guess what I'm asking is what setting should my Receiver be on and would a new pre-amp increase my volume?

Romanion thnx a mil, i found an awesome guide on building a custom home theater system, much easier than i first tought it would be.

Anyway i decided for:

receiver: Denon AVR-E300 - http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-E300-Channel-Networking-Receiver/dp/B00B7X2OV2

Subwoofer: BIC AMERICA F12 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015A8Y5M/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0015A8Y5M&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwpuresimula-20


speakers front/rear: Micca MB42X
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E7H8GG2/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00E7H8GG2&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwpuresimula-20

center : Micca MB42X-C
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HHFBEK6/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?
ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00HHFBEK6&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwpuresimula-20&linkId=ADIW5VIJE4AGEDOK


Does anyone knows best places where i can buy those in EU? I googled for the receiver the past hour with no luck

PS: suggestions of how to make the text more readable in reddit are also welcomed :)

I'm looking for a small subwoofer (10" or less) to go with my PC setup. I've had a good experience with Audioengine's products so far, so I'm naturally eyeing their S8 8" subwoofer, but I'd like to hear opinions of that sub and some alternative recommendations if possible.

Here's my current audio chain: PC USB -> Fiio E10K DAC -> Audioengine N22 desktop amplifier -> Audioengine P4 bookshelf speakers. The room is roughly 12'x10', but I'll be sitting within a few feet of the sub since it will be placed under my desk.

Thanks in advance for your help!

*Oops! Forgot to include that my budget is <$400, preferably <$300.

Edit: It looks like I can get Pioneer's Andrew Jones-designed 8" subwoofer for $100 plus tax. That value seems tough to beat. Anybody have experience with this sub?