Recommend me a great-sounding 2.1 speaker system for PC?

I've put in an order for an Edifier s351db after a few days of submitting an offer of $350 CAD on Edifier's eBay listing, which had it on sale for $375 ($125 off regular price), and after a few days of Edifier ignoring my offer. But today they responded to it with a counter-offer of $373 ($275 USD), and I accepted. It pays to be persistent - $2, to be exact.

I should've offered them $351, maybe they'd have gone for that.
 
Delicieuxz said:
That does look pretty sweet. And it has a jack for an externally-powered subwoofer. It's still pretty expensive, though. I can find an older rack amp on Craigslist for half the price or less. But I'd like to find one that will feed the audio signal to a subwoofer.


I don't need bluetooth for speakers (though maybe I'll make use of it), but I think the blue tweeters and more-blue woofers of the BT model look sweet, and the Amazon Warehouse Deal pair I ordered cost the same as the non-bluetooth model.


View attachment 617798 - - - - View attachment 617799
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It depends on what you need I guess. A lot of cheap amps have a sub out but most are unmanaged meaning they don't high-pass the main speakers and the few that do have that usually just have a fixed frequency. The WiiM Amp gives you true bass management which means you can run speakers at their intended frequency range for enhanced clarity. It also has a ton of other features and connectivity options - I guess not everyone cares about a streamer or Chromecast/Airplay or ARC but this $300 amp includes everything that you get in their $150 streamer which is, in my opinion, one of the easiest to use and most functional streamers around.
 
Fender (which owns Presonus) told me that they're sending replacements for my Eris 4.5 BT monitors. I think I get to keep the defective set, which may be fixable. I might try swapping the speakers between the left and right monitors, seeing if the distortion follows the speaker. If it doesn't, the issue is probably electronic. If it does, it probably just needs a replacement speaker, which maybe Presonus can sell.

Presonus' website shows they have a new Eris 4.5 BT model (I think it's just a visual redesign). Old model vs new model:
1701931823426.png
Eris 4.5 Gen 2.jpg


The speakers on the set I have don't appear nearly as blue in person as they do in the photo. In less-than-very-bright lighting they appear about as black as the monitor housing - which is too bad, because the light-blue-on-black contrast was what I really liked about the look of them. Though, the hue of blue on mine resembles the new model's blue.

silentcircuit said:
https://www.martinlogan.com/en/product/forte

A nice two channel amp and streamer with room correction for $150. I'd get a cheap dedicated DAC, but you could run it off your sound card to start with.

Really don't need it but still tempted to grab one myself.
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I probably should've grabbed one of those while they were in stock. They ran out the day after you posted that. But I've been told they're going to have more stock in a few weeks, and the same discount will be applied to it. I'm still a bit unsure if mixing a 4ohm amp with 8ohm speakers will deliver the best sound - not because of volume but because of the impedance mismatch. At least with tube guitar amps, running into a higher impedance cab will affect the sound a little bit, with a lower impedance connection often being preferred. But I don't know exactly what the sound difference is, and maybe it's a different matter for solid-state gear and won't produce a difference in sound.

DoubleTap said:
It depends on what you need I guess. A lot of cheap amps have a sub out but most are unmanaged meaning they don't high-pass the main speakers and the few that do have that usually just have a fixed frequency. The WiiM Amp gives you true bass management which means you can run speakers at their intended frequency range for enhanced clarity. It also has a ton of other features and connectivity options - I guess not everyone cares about a streamer or Chromecast/Airplay or ARC but this $300 amp includes everything that you get in their $150 streamer which is, in my opinion, one of the easiest to use and most functional streamers around.
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Primarily, I just need something to power my monitors. But if I catch the one silentcircuit posted when it comes back in stock, and has the sale price it did before, I'll probably get it. It has ARC and AirPlay.
 
Delicieuxz said:
I probably should've grabbed one of those while they were in stock. They ran out the day after you posted that. But I've been told they're going to have more stock in a few weeks, and the same discount will be applied to it. I'm still a bit unsure if mixing a 4ohm amp with 8ohm speakers will deliver the best sound - not because of volume but because of the impedance mismatch. At least with tube guitar amps, running into a higher impedance cab will affect the sound a little bit, with a lower impedance connection often being preferred. But I don't know exactly what the sound difference is, and maybe it's a different matter for solid-state gear and won't produce a difference in sound.


Primarily, I just need something to power my monitors. But if I catch the one silentcircuit posted when it comes back in stock, and has the sale price it did before, I'll probably get it. It has ARC and AirPlay.
Click to expand...
You won't have any issue with it - 8 ohm speakers on a "4 ohm" amp, fine. 4 ohm speakers on an "8 ohm" amp (often with conspicuously absent 4 ohm rating), may be in for a bad day as that's a heavy load for the amp. In this case all you're losing is some output power, and given you're using these near field that's a non-issue.
 
My main is a stereo configured 2003 set of Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 5.1 I've kept alive by sending them off for repair (more than once). My spare set is the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 BT that I use daily as a workout system BT with my phone. Not audiophile but they sound pretty decent especially the 2.1 at that price-point. I bought them when the other set was down. Henry fixed the 5.1s last time and added a fan.
 
I got the Edifier S351DB system today and tried it out. It sounds pretty good, and it was a bit challenging to compare them to the Presonus Eris 4.5s since the Presonus don't have their own subwoofer, but dialing their sounds in somewhat similarly gave me the impression that the S351SB speakers sound smaller and have less clarity than the Eris 4.5 monitors. I might've liked the S351DB speakers more in some situations, but overall I think the Presonus E4.5s will sound nicer when I get a subwoofer to go along with them. But I will miss the increased midrange growl from the S351DBs. It sounds really nice on thick, layered, distortion guitar.

The S351DB speakers have 3.5" woofers and 3/4" tweeters. The Presonus monitors are 4.5" and 1". I'm guessing that's where most of the difference in the the bigger sound of the Eris 4.5s comes from. The Eris 4.5s are also much brighter sounding. I had to crank the treble control of the S351DBs to max to get them similarly bright as the Eris 4.5s are at a slightly-raised treble level.

The S351DB's bass is pretty soft and lacking in punch / definition, like I'd read Edifier is known for. I didn't like it. I'll probably get the Presonus subwoofer Keljian mentioned in this thread to go with the Eris 4.5s. And I'm going to setup the KRK 7000s next to the Eris 4.5s, use them for mixing, and keep them covered-up when not using them so as to protect their Kevlar speakers from UV light and make them last longer.

When not in use, the white noise the S351DB speakers emit is significantly less than the Eris 4.5s white noise. The S351DB speakers are almost inaudibly silent when no audio is playing. That's another thing I'll miss from returning them.

20231214_153043.jpg
 
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I've added some more info to my previous post about the difference between the speakers, for anyone who's interested. The Edifier's very-soft bass sound is not preferrable to me, but the Edifier speakers emit significantly-less white noise while no audio is playing than the Eris 4.5s. I'm really going to miss the latter quality.
 
Delicieuxz said:
I've added some more info to my previous post about the difference between the speakers, for anyone who's interested. The Edifier's very-soft bass sound is not preferrable to me, but the Edifier speakers emit significantly-less white noise while no audio is playing than the Eris 4.5s. I'm really going to miss the latter quality.
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Great to hear you're liking the sound!

I wonder if you can eliminate the white noise issue if you use balanced inputs.
 
Keljian said:
Great to hear you're liking the sound!

I wonder if you can eliminate the white noise issue if you use balanced inputs.
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The Presonus E4.5s emit a relatively lot of white noise even when there's no input source connected to them, just so long as they're powered on, so it doesn't relate to noise in the cable or signal source. Maybe the replacements that are on their way will be different.
 
I'm still waiting for my replacement Presonus Eris 4.5 monitors to arrive. Fender says it's slow when shipping to Canada, and they don't have a tracking number until it's in the hands of the local carrier - which I guess hasn't happened yet, since they said they'd send me the tracking number once they had it.

I'm thinking about ordering a set of these Eris 5" monitors, which aren't the new revision. They're the same price as I paid for my 4.5" BT set, and are cheaper there than elsewhere that I've seen for the 5.25". Maybe the seller is clearing inventory of the previous model to make room for the new Presonus Eris model. The price for a set of the Eris 5 from Presonus is $250 USD / $322 CAD. I just wonder if it would be pointless if I'm planning to get a subwoofer for the 4.5" ones, or if I'll hear something better from the 5.25" ones aside from bigger bass response and louder output.

One other thing I didn't really like about the Edifier S351DB is that it had a particular low resonant frequency. That also contributed to the lack of brightness in its sound compared to the Eris 4.5s.
 
The eris 5” are a little more rounded than the 4.5s but they have a volume control per speaker, so need to be calibrated (with a phone app or similar)

I enjoy my 4.5s with sub so much that I personally wouldn’t bother. But if I couldn’t use a sub, I would probably prefer the 5”
 
I've just ordered a couple more speaker sets to try out, since Edifier has them on a big sale. The S1000MKII sounds comparatively really good, very full to me in comparison demos. I think I like it almost as much or about as much as the S2000MKIII (and they sound very similar), which costs more, and I like it more than the S3000Pro, which costs a whole lot more. The S2000MKIII has a deeper, maybe wider sound, which is nice in some places, while the increased presence of the S1000MKII is nicer in others.

Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor Speakers, 4" Active Near-Field Monitor Speaker - White (Pair) - 38% off
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09FXG9BLR?smid=A23AS8PFN4IRUQ&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp&th=1

Edifier S1000MKII Audiophile Active Bookshelf 2.0 Speakers - 120w Speakers Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD - Optical Input - S1000MK2 Powered Near-Field Monitor Speaker with Class D Amp - 35% off
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07ZVPMR58?psc=1&smid=A23AS8PFN4IRUQ&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp


View: https://youtu.be/zc_Je8iAvLw
View: https://youtu.be/xizvCi0UAzM


View: https://youtu.be/tji_9d3gkZ4
View: https://youtu.be/DvEBODvCynY

Keljian said:
The eris 5” are a little more rounded than the 4.5s but they have a volume control per speaker, so need to be calibrated (with a phone app or similar)

I enjoy my 4.5s with sub so much that I personally wouldn’t bother. But if I couldn’t use a sub, I would probably prefer the 5”
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I think you're thinking of the ones with the bass slit on the front face, each speaker of which is powered and has its own volume control. The link with the cheap price is for the set that's sold as a pair, with a powered and a passive monitor. The naming of the various Eris series is a bit messy.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/304445532709
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/155944609984
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/355052396701
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/394940613886
 
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I still think you are better off with a sub for bass unless you need ultra tight bass.

Physics dictates that the bigger the driver, the harder it is to stop moving, and the smaller, the faster. So smaller drivers are better at higher frequencies. I think 4.5 with a sub is a nice compromise. Ymmv.

5/5.5 inch is good if you don’t have a sub
 
Delicieuxz said:
I've just ordered a couple more speaker sets to try out, since Edifier has them on a big sale. The S1000MKII sounds comparatively really good, very full to me in comparison demos. I think I like it almost as much or about as much as the S2000MKIII (and they sound very similar), which costs more, and I like it more than the S3000Pro, which costs a whole lot more. The S2000MKIII has a deeper, maybe wider sound, which is nice in some places, while the increased presence of the S1000MKII is nicer in others.

Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor Speakers, 4" Active Near-Field Monitor Speaker - White (Pair) - 38% off
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09FXG9BLR?smid=A23AS8PFN4IRUQ&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp&th=1

Edifier S1000MKII Audiophile Active Bookshelf 2.0 Speakers - 120w Speakers Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD - Optical Input - S1000MK2 Powered Near-Field Monitor Speaker with Class D Amp - 35% off
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07ZVPMR58?psc=1&smid=A23AS8PFN4IRUQ&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp


View: https://youtu.be/zc_Je8iAvLw
View: https://youtu.be/xizvCi0UAzM


View: https://youtu.be/tji_9d3gkZ4
View: https://youtu.be/DvEBODvCynY


I think you're thinking of the ones with the bass slit on the front face, each speaker of which is powered and has its own volume control. The link with the cheap price is for the set that's sold as a pair, with a powered and a passive monitor. The naming of the various Eris series is a bit messy.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/304445532709
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/155944609984
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/355052396701
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/394940613886
Click to expand...

That Edifier S3000 Pro is a badass pair of speakers!


View: https://youtu.be/lxuYSqCgqTY?si=Ontx0QwnoipwXcid
 
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Keljian said:
I still think you are better off with a sub for bass unless you need ultra tight bass.

Physics dictates that the bigger the driver, the harder it is to stop moving, and the smaller, the faster. So smaller drivers are better at higher frequencies. I think 4.5 with a sub is a nice compromise. Ymmv.

5/5.5 inch is good if you don’t have a sub
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I still plan to get a sub regardless of which monitors I stick with.
 
Delicieuxz said:
I'm looking for a replacement due to unwanted hum and buzz noise in my old Cambridge Soundworks system that I don't know how to troubleshoot. I replaced all the caps in it recently.

I think this system otherwise still sounds amazing. And the only other PC speakers I've tried didn't sound nearly as good.

View attachment 617406

I'm looking for a 2.1 system that sounds great, has good clarity and isn't muddy. Can someone recommend me one?
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Klipsch> https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipsch-promedia-2-1-thx-certified-computer-speaker?source=googleshopping&locale=en-US&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAp5qsBhAPEiwAP0qeJpK5XKF6FI-UB6CPSFOjH6nuGDtgBlBpIvIOT97ORsxgNSAx7fNTYRoC8TYQAvD_BwE


They sound incredible and you can often find them on sale and Best Buy for just 99 dollars. They are worth double that.
 
jacuzz1 said:
Klipsch> https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipsch-promedia-2-1-thx-certified-computer-speaker?source=googleshopping&locale=en-US&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAp5qsBhAPEiwAP0qeJpK5XKF6FI-UB6CPSFOjH6nuGDtgBlBpIvIOT97ORsxgNSAx7fNTYRoC8TYQAvD_BwE


They sound incredible and you can often find them on sale and Best Buy for just 99 dollars. They are worth double that.
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Damn, $104 - $10 (happyholidays discount code) + free shipping is a steal!! Gonna buy a set for my MB Air right now. Thanks for the tip, mate!
 
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Mad Maxx said:
Damn, $104 - $10 (happyholidays discount code) + free shipping is a steal!! Gonna buy a set for my MB Air right now. Thanks for the tip, mate!
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Your welcome.
I run them myself. Back in the day, they were 299.00 They have been around for a very long time so since RD is long paid for , they lowered the price over the years. They have a 5.1 package too. They are very efficient , the woofer hits real hard for its size and the range of the speakers is breathtaking for the price.
 
I've been comparing white Edifier MR4s to the Presonus Eris 4.5s. The MR4 power / volume knob is a push-switch that also toggles between Monitor (for mixing) and Music (for entertainment) modes. The Music mode has a pretty-flat EQ setting, while the Music mode significantly enhances the sound for pleasure and has bigger and more prominent bass and highs. It sounds really good.

Like the Presonus Eris 4.5s, the MR4s also have a 1" tweeter, but a 4" woofer, compared to the Eris 4.5's 4.5" woofer, and their housing is smaller than the E4.5's. In terms of sound, the MR4s have some more midrange detail than the Eris 4.5s, and have a more flattering sound while in its Music mode. The MR4's white noise level when no audio is playing increases with the volume knob setting. But at halfway up, which gives enough volume at my desk for almost all scenarios, it's basically inaudible. The Eris 4.5s give a consistent amount of white noise at all volume-knob settings, and it's significant, to the point that I often hear it even while audio is playing. I like the bass sound of the MR4s in its Music mode over the Eris 4.5s. And like the Eris 4.5s, the MR4s have headphone and aux jacks on their front.

So far, the Edifier MR4s are my pick for what I'd keep for the purpose of entertainment. I'm extremely drawn to their low white noise, good midrange, convenient front controls, listening / mixing modes with a flattering listening mode, and its white-and-black appearance.

I still have S1000MKIIs coming. And given their regular price-range, 5.5" driver, and the demos I've listened to of it, I won't be surprised if they blow away the MR4s. But even if the S1000MKIIs do blow them away in sound, I'll find it hard to let go of the other things I like about of the MR4s, and the overall accommodating package I find them to be.

20231224_040626~2.jpg



Auraka said:
Too bad they don't have a sub out...
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That's the situation with all the monitors I've been trying out. Just need to get a subwoofer with audio-out jacks to feed the monitors, instead. The Presonus Sub8 and some others have that.

jacuzz1 said:
Klipsch> https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipsch-promedia-2-1-thx-certified-computer-speaker?source=googleshopping&locale=en-US&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAp5qsBhAPEiwAP0qeJpK5XKF6FI-UB6CPSFOjH6nuGDtgBlBpIvIOT97ORsxgNSAx7fNTYRoC8TYQAvD_BwE


They sound incredible and you can often find them on sale and Best Buy for just 99 dollars. They are worth double that.
Click to expand...
Cool price. They're one of the systems I've ordered and tried out. I decided to go with a larger monitor set before trying them out too much, and so I can't give a very informed opinion on their sound.
 
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Delicieuxz said:
I've been comparing white Edifier MR4s to the Presonus Eris 4.5s. The MR4 power / volume knob is a push-switch that also toggles between Monitor (for mixing) and Music (for entertainment) modes. The Music mode has a pretty-flat EQ setting, while the Music mode significantly enhances the sound for pleasure and has bigger and more prominent bass and highs. It sounds really good.

Like the Presonus Eris 4.5s, the MR4s also have a 1" tweeter, but a 4" woofer, compared to the Eris 4.5's 4.5" woofer, and their housing is smaller than the E4.5's. In terms of sound, the MR4s have some more midrange detail than the Eris 4.5s, and have a more flattering sound while in its Music mode. The MR4's white noise level when no audio is playing increases with the volume knob setting. But at halfway up, which gives enough volume at my desk for almost all scenarios, it's basically inaudible. The Eris 4.5s give a consistent amount of white noise at all volume-knob settings, and it's significant, to the point that I often hear it even while audio is playing. I like the bass sound of the MR4s in its Music mode over the Eris 4.5s. And like the Eris 4.5s, the MR4s have headphone and aux jacks on their front.

So far, the Edifier MR4s are my pick for what I'd keep for the purpose of entertainment. I'm extremely drawn to their low white noise, good midrange, convenient front controls, listening / mixing modes with a flattering listening mode, and its white-and-black appearance.

I still have S1000MKIIs coming. And given their regular price-range, 5.5" driver, and the demos I've listened to of it, I won't be surprised if they blow away the MR4s. But even if the S1000MKIIs do blow them away in sound, I'll find it hard to let go of the other things I like about of the MR4s, and the overall accommodating package I find them to be.

View attachment 622270



That's the situation with all the monitors I've been trying out. Just need to get a subwoofer with audio-out jacks to feed the monitors, instead. The Presonus Sub8 and some others have that.


Cool price. They're one of the systems I've ordered and tried out. I decided to go with a larger monitor set because trying them out too much, and so I can't give a big opinion on their sound.
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Yes, I am much less of an audio file these days. I do not even have them positioned properly due to a lack of room. The are just fine for a movie or YouTube and gaming. I use my Steel Series head phones when I am in a competitive atmosphere when gaming.
20231224_105655.jpg
 
Delicieuxz said:
I'm looking for a replacement due to unwanted hum and buzz noise in my old Cambridge Soundworks system that I don't know how to troubleshoot. I replaced all the caps in it recently.

I think this system otherwise still sounds amazing. And the only other PC speakers I've tried didn't sound nearly as good.

View attachment 617406

I'm looking for a 2.1 system that sounds great, has good clarity and isn't muddy. Can someone recommend me one?
Click to expand...
Lol holy shit i had those growing up. That was like 20 years ago
 
jacuzz1 said:
Yes, I am much less of an audio file these days. I do not even have them positioned properly due to a lack of room. The are just fine for a movie or YouTube and gaming. I use my Steel Series head phones when I am in a competitive atmosphere when gaming.
View attachment 622304
Click to expand...
I edited my previous post due to a typo. I didn't really try out the Klipsch Promedia before choosing to go with a larger monitor set. So, I don't have a very informed opinion on their sound. They get great reviews, though, and could be a best in the price-range option.

Rev. Night said:
Lol holy shit i had those growing up. That was like 20 years ago
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They still sound fantastic! I listened to my old set at a friends house, after I gave it to them, and for a moment I wondered if I would regret giving them up. But I've remembered that I had the 4.1 version, and still have two of its speakers that I can hook up to another subwoofer, if I ever want to. I don't think I'll have a big desire to anymore, though.
 
The Klipsch Promedia 2.1 was my first foray into better computer audio many, many years ago. You could say they were my gateway drug into higher end computer audio. I've spent way too much $$ through the years chasing better audio. I finally reached my end game with my current setup. Wish I had looked into powered/active speakers a long time ago. They sound amazing and need a whole lot less desk space than passive setups.

PXL_20231222_023335019.jpg
 
Mad Maxx said:
That Edifier S3000 Pro is a badass pair of speakers!


View: https://youtu.be/lxuYSqCgqTY?si=Ontx0QwnoipwXcid
Click to expand...

Listening many times to the comparison demos in the post I made before yours that I've quoted, the Edifier S1000MKII, S2000MKIII, and S3000Pro sound like they're all playing in the same ballpark, and the phrase "splitting hairs" keeps coming to my mind when I try to discern a "better" among them. They each sound better and worse with specific pieces of music that their frequency spectrums compliment differently. And each of those systems sound a league or two better (fuller, deeper, wider, bigger) than everything that I've heard them compared to in demos.

For example, the electric guitar and snare hits sound better to me coming through the S1000MKII than the S2000MKIII in the Metal Head clip (timestamped):


View: https://youtu.be/tji_9d3gkZ4?t=90

The S2000MKIII is a bit gutted in the low-mids and 3K - 8K range, and the guitar and snare elements come across sounding muffled and darker by comparison to the S1000MKII. While the S2000MKIII's more subdued response in those detail-pushing frequencies can make the sound seem very-slightly wider and more spacious, such as during the Mortals clip.

While the S3000Pro has some more subdued low frequencies than the S2000MKIII, but also some increased high frequencies, and can sound very-slightly tinny in comparison, like during the Man on Fire clip:


View: https://youtu.be/DvEBODvCynY?t=131

And when it switches back to the S2000MKII again on other clips, there's again an impression of muffled and darkened low-mid and high frequencies.

But it's not like that when demos switch between any of these 3 speakers and other speakers, in the demos I've listened to: the SX000 speaker always sounds major step above what it's being compared to - except in this comparison of Edifier S2000Pro to Swans M200 MKIII+:


View: https://youtu.be/ExgS_CDhqRQ

But the S2000Pro also sounds different than the S2000MKIII, which is what the previous demo videos I posted compare the S1000MKII and S3000Pro to:


View: https://youtu.be/VSPnthY11GY?t=265

I think that with any of these speakers, a threshold has been crossed, compared to the other speakers I've looked at, and that the differences between these speakers are more subtle and taste-oriented, and seem a more dramatic in direct A/B comparisons than they would in real use.

Of the Edifier demos I've posted, the S1000MKII comes across as sounding the most appealing, to me. But the Swans M200 MKIII+ also sounds very intriguing compared to the S2000Pro. It's too bad Amazon Canada doesn't carry Swans, as I'd be interesting in A/Bing them in person with the S1000MKII.
 
The Edifier S1000MKII arrived tonight, a few days ahead of the scheduled delivery date. These things are huge, heavy, and they don't sound as good as the MR4s. Their sound is smoothed-over, lacking sizzle, grit, and definition in guitar fuzz, lacking the attack of notes and chords, and lacking punch in the drums. And the S1000MKII treble control doesn't adjust where I'd like it to, and doesn't let me fill-in what I hear is missing. I hear more individual details, and the guitar sounds fuller in the MR4s. I'm disappointed by that. But at the same time, the set I paid $110 for being better than the set I paid $325 for means I can save a bunch of money, and valuable desk space. The MR4s do suffer a bit in comparison from being 4" speakers instead of the S1000MKII's 5.5", but overall they let me notice and thus enjoy more in music.

The one big improvement the S1000MKII have over the MR4s is that they have nearly no (but still a faint bit) audible white noise when not playing anything. While the MR4's white noise is much less than the Eris 4.5's, and I previously called it basically inaudible, after sitting in the otherwise-quiet room for a while, my hearing becomes more sensitive to the quieter atmosphere, and then the quieter white noise is noticed. And when I power the speakers off, then the difference is really noticed. The MR4s are much quieter than the Eris 4.5s. And the S1000MKIIs are like 27% of the difference between the Eris 4.5s and MR4s quieter than the MR4s.

If there were MR5s, with the same sound coming from 5" drivers, and preferably less white noise, I'd be all over it.

None of these speakers I've demoed are perfect. But I think the MR4s are the best offering for me. I can't trade the increased detail and punch of the MR4s, as well as the additional desk space, for the slightly-less white noise of the S1000MKII. I'll probably spend some of the money I save from returning the S1000MKII to buy speaker stands for the MR4s, and put the rest towards a subwoofer. I'm looking at the Presonus Sub8.

20231224_191626.jpg
 
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With how picky you are about your PC sound quality I'm surprised you are looking into powered speakers still. You would definitely get more clarity and sound control with a 2.1 receiver (HK and Yamaha make beautiful ones) or even a simple 2.1 amp and a pair of nearfield bookshelf speakers + whatever sub you want. I've been rocking an HK 3490, Arx A1 speakers, and a Jamo J-10-DA for a long ass time and have no intention of ever changing it unless something breaks. It looks like you have a sound card already so you're good there already. Cost is much different obviously, but you would be happier imo.
 
HeavensCloud said:
With how picky you are about your PC sound quality I'm surprised you are looking into powered speakers still. You would definitely get more clarity and sound control with a 2.1 receiver (HK and Yamaha make beautiful ones) or even a simple 2.1 amp and a pair of nearfield bookshelf speakers + whatever sub you want. I've been rocking an HK 3490, Arx A1 speakers, and a Jamo J-10-DA for a long ass time and have no intention of ever changing it unless something breaks. It looks like you have a sound card already so you're good there already. Cost is much different obviously, but you would be happier imo.
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I've been using the same speaker system for the previous 25 years, so I'm crash-coursing myself on what home-stereo speaker systems even are, lol. Haven't started looking into a receiver setup, but I might do that. Does a receiver setup = no white noise? The MR4s were so cheap ($110ca, regularly $180) that I don't mind keeping them while trying other things out. And I could possibly resell them for what I paid.
 
Delicieuxz said:
I've been using the same speaker system for the previous 25 years, so I'm crash-coursing myself on what home-stereo speaker systems even are, lol. Haven't started looking into a receiver setup, but I might do that. Does a receiver setup = no white noise? The MR4s were so cheap ($110ca, regularly $180) that I don't mind keeping them while trying other things out. And I could possibly resell them for what I paid.
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i have zero noise with my setup but going this route youre looking at $4-600 for receiver, speakers and a sub. my super basic 5.1 setup was 6-700...
 
Mad Maxx said:
The Klipsch Promedia 2.1 was my first foray into better computer audio many, many years ago. You could say they were my gateway drug into higher end computer audio. I've spent way too much $$ through the years chasing better audio. I finally reached my end game with my current setup. Wish I had looked into powered/active speakers a long time ago. They sound amazing and need a whole lot less desk space than passive setups.

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What exactly did you end up with?
 
Delicieuxz said:
I've been using the same speaker system for the previous 25 years, so I'm crash-coursing myself on what home-stereo speaker systems even are, lol. Haven't started looking into a receiver setup, but I might do that. Does a receiver setup = no white noise? The MR4s were so cheap ($110ca, regularly $180) that I don't mind keeping them while trying other things out. And I could possibly resell them for what I paid.
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I wonder if the noise is your source
 
Delicieuxz said:
I've been using the same speaker system for the previous 25 years, so I'm crash-coursing myself on what home-stereo speaker systems even are, lol. Haven't started looking into a receiver setup, but I might do that. Does a receiver setup = no white noise? The MR4s were so cheap ($110ca, regularly $180) that I don't mind keeping them while trying other things out. And I could possibly resell them for what I paid.
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I mean, generally they are higher quality. I run RCA out of my Xonar to avoid 3.5mm buzz. Even running optical can help.
 
Keljian said:
I wonder if the noise is your source
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HeavensCloud said:
I was just starting to wonder if OP is running all this off a bad 3.5mm jack or cable as well. I hate 3.5mm for anything except mobile headphone use.
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I'm running RCA out from my sound card. The white noise level is different with each speaker system I've tried:

Cambridge SoundWorks - medium amount of white noise
Eris 4.5 - high amount of white noise
Edifier MR4 - very-low amount of white noise until the volume knob is >55%, then the white noise increases incrementally
Edifier S1000MKII - extremely-low amount of white noise, practically inaudible
 
Do any of your speakers accept balanced inputs? You’d probably do yourself a favor by going USB or Toslink out to a preamp and then balanced to the speakers. Apologies if this has already been suggested upthread.
 
Algrim said:
Do any of your speakers accept balanced inputs? You’d probably do yourself a favor by going USB or Toslink out to a preamp and then balanced to the speakers. Apologies if this has already been suggested upthread.
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The presonus do have xlr balanced inputs. It’s on my to do list to get a balanced source at some point to support them
 
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