Good 2.1 setup with $240 budget.

[DoomD]

Well the title basicly says it all.I am in need of a 2.1 speaker setup and i honestly dont want to pay more than $240.I will be using it for i would say 60% music 30%movies and only about 10% gaming since i have some good headphones for that.I want not only clear sound but good deep pounding bass.So if there is any setups that can delivery that at my price range then let me know.

[DoomD]

ok maybe i should go into more details about what i have looked at and what i want.I have looked at the swan m10s but i have heard they dont have a ton of bass.So i was thinking about maybe getting those but getting a hometheater subwoofer to go with it.As far as that goes thats really where i am lost.I dont know whats good or what to expect or anything.I would be hooking all this up to the built in sound on my DFI DK p35 T2RS mobo.So if anyone could please help me out i would appreciate it.

[DoomD]

M-Audio Studiophile AV30 speaker set, Yamaha YST-FSW100 subwoofer Would this setup be good?

[magnetik]

fwiw, if you can live w/out actual pc speakers... you can get a pair of powered Alesis monitors for less if you look around. I own a set of non-powered m1's and bass was never an issue. They will also probably kill any "pc+sub" setup you could get at that price point esp for music.

Alesis M1 Active 520 - $199 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M1Active520/)

also.. for some reason.. I don't think your going to get much bass at all with those M-Audio's.. you will definitely need a sub esp. with only 3" drivers.

[DoomD]

oh yeah i dont need actual pc speakers i just need self amplified speakers.Oh and i know the m-audio wasnt going to be enough bass so thats why i was going to pair them with a yamaha sub.But those alesis m1s look nice.Is there any other good self amplified speakers around that price or lower?Just cause i like to look around and not buy the first product that i see.

[magnetik]

if you have a reciever lying around .. I just saw a set of Alesis Monitor Ones on ebay for $85+ shipping.

[DoomD]

unfortunately i dont.Kind of sucks since i am limited to my selection since i need active speakers.If there are any ok receiver and passive speaker combos for around $240 i would get that.I just dont want to clog up my computer area so thats the main reason i was trying to get active speakers.But I cant be picky if i can get something better the same amount.

[spaceman]

If it does not have to be desktop, try this:

Sherwood 6500

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882177003&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Receivers-_-SHERWOOD-_-82177003

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1216347943

Add a sub when you can. Do not short on the front end. Low Bass is an add-on. If your front two and source/amp suck, it will all suck.

The Sherwood is THE bang for the buck AUDIO centered digital receiver. No frills, but 100 watt stereo sound with Dolby whatever and some decent speakers with at least a 6.5 mid driver = yes!

[DoomD]

wow that sherwood looks really nice.But what about speakers to go along with it?I would like something with a warm sound and good bass without being bloated.Definitely tame highs.Is there anything you can recomend me in the $100-150 catagory?It doesnt have to be the best just something to start out on.Remember I am a noob and dont have any experience with good quality speakers so anything will probably be a huge step up from what i am used to.

[astrallite]

Well if an analog receiver claims 100W/channel under $400 I'd be more than a little skeptical of the claim power output. Sony and Onkyo's bottom ends do about 30W/channel and 40W/channel respectively while claiming to be 90 or 100WPC.

[spaceman]

dude, the second link was a good example of what type, size of speaker to look for.

[DoomD]

Yeah i know what to look for but that could mean nothing if its doesnt have the sound i want.I am trying to find something thats less accurate and more "fun" sounding.This is going to be used for different types of music and movies so something well rounded is what i need.So thats where i am stuck at now.

[spaceman]

Um, that infinity fits your needs to a T. Others to look for in that price range include Polk, PSB, Klipsch(bookshelves not PC speakers), Paradigm.

Basically, you want at least a 6.5" Driver that hits 50 hz. Anything less will not do.

Listen to me. I have been around this block several times. If I find a new speaker deal for ya I will post it. The sherwood 6500 I am getting thursday or friday. I expect it to do well with my X-LS Ninja Elite bookshelves. Oh, there might still be a pair of X-LS on the av123 forum FS for under $200. That would CERTAINLY fit your needs big time. They are close to full range speakers in a bookshelf size lol.

[wildfire99]

A 6.5" driver won't hit 50hz unless you have some kind of long-throw abnormality like Adire's last mid-woofers. The box can be ported however and tuned to well below that, though you lose some volume and control past that point. Even a 50hz tune will probably be rare for a 6.5"-based system unless the manufacturer is over-reaching or it's a 2.5-way system.

The X-CS b-stock sale continues at av123. They would definitely be a good buy for the price (depending on shipping), though I still think they overdid it with the BSC, it's boomy. It isn't ported of course, so you won't get those thumping lows, but then even a ported 6.5" system isn't going to absolve you of the need for a subwoofer if you're really looking for bass "slam."

[spaceman]

The X-LS I have gets 55 sorry. Jeez. Anyway I am just saying spend the $$ on the receiver speakers now and get a sub later. That setup would sound sweet and still get lower than most pc 2.1 setups. That is specifically what I am trying to communicate.

[spaceman]

oh yeah, X-Sub or what is that other one, the dayton? on parts express I think is cheap.

[DoomD]

well i will see what type of budget i have to work with at the time i get some speakers.I would have liked to get a 2.0 speaker setup without the receiver but oh well.Now are there any volume adusters that you guys use that would also have a headphone out?Cause changing the volume on the back just sounds annoying.

[astrallite]

Yeah you need a fairly large enclosure to hit 50hz on a 6.5" driver, but you could do it with a 5.25" long throw in a standard sized bookshelf. Of course speaker sensitivity would be well below 90db in that case.

[spaceman]

Use the headphone jack on the receiver.

[DoomD]

well i will eventually get a sub so I'm not to worried about the amount of bass that the speakers produce.What i mainly want is speakers that have good bass for the size and be within my budget.(like i said before i really dont want to spend more than $150 if i can help it)What about either the polk R150 or Polk Monitor 30 speakers?Are either one a decent choice for a 2.1 music/movie setup?

[wildfire99]

The X-LS I have gets 55 sorry. Jeez.
Sokay. I wasn't trying to be a know-it-all or anything. :)

I simply meant to say (as astrallite noted) that a 6.5" system that reaches to 55hz (-3db) is doing so because of design considerations, one that has performance impacts and design requirements that at least personally I would not make, especially at this price point. It's far better for the system if a proper subwoofer does the 'heavy lifting' where possible.

That said, I totally agree the X-LS do an admirable job of bass for their size and cost.

@ the OP: For $150 you may as well buy whatever is on sale and leave it at that. Polks aren't that awful for the price. Do you mean 2.1 as in $150 for the 2 and then $100 for the .1? If it's $150 for the whole lot, why not just get a Z-5500 or similar and be done with it. You're never going to shoehorn a receiver and two bookshelf speakers in for under that, and even at $250 it's going to be such a compromise in quality you may as well just save the $100 and relax with a computer-speaker setup in the interim. That's my opinion, anyway.

[DoomD]

well it was originaly meant for the whole thing to cost $250 but as time went on it seemed more likely that the $250 would only come to include the receiver and speakers.But i might just do like you said and buy a premade system and be done with it.Maybe later on when i have more cash to work with i will get a nicer system.But i definitly appreciate all the advice that you guys gave me.

[spaceman]

Yeah. For strictly gaming the Z-5500 is an easy to use and satisfactorily LOUD and BOOMIN system.

The Sherwood 6500 + the best speakers you can buy used locally for as much as you can spend = what I did for now.

I just got the Sherwood 6500. Love the simplicity of it. Very basic but heavy duty and stereo focused sound. $112-$130 shipped online.

Speakers? av123 5500 MKII Rockets in Ebony. I have to drive 3 hours each way but got a pair of $1400 shipped with risers speakers for $450. Do that math lol.

these
http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=33391

Remember, Spaceman talks the talk AND walks the walk. I base my opinions on actual experience, not guesswork.

[LucasLessardis]

One of the best 2.1 are the logitec Z-2300