Need Recommendations for 2.1 Speaker Setup for PC Mainly

edo101

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 16, 2018
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480
Hi I am looking to get a 2.1 speaker setup for my computer. I am not an audiophile but I appreciate decent sound. Especially if it has good bass.

I don't need high end but something thats got good value. Looking to spend ~250 USD max for the speakers no stretching it.

Hi I have a soundblaster Z-SE soundcard and that's all I'm gonna use to drive it.

Bluetooth connectivity is a good plus to have for my work laptop as I don't want to be fiddling with cables.

The speaker would be connected by wire to my main desktop of course.
 
Do you need/want bluetooth and budget?
I cannot go over 300 bucks. 250 is ideal.
And yeah I know BT is not as good as wired inputs but I'd like to have BT for my laptops. I don't want to fiddle with wires. I WFH for now so my laptop is right next to my Desktop. My plan was to hookup Desktop via wire but use the BT for my work and personal laptop and for my phone occassionally.

Not having BT seems like a slight inconvenience
 
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Tough to do better than this Klipsch Promedia 2.1 for $180. It has Bluetooth, too. Only 1 left in stock, so better move on it soon!
 
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Not 2.1 but I am a fan of my Mackie CR5BT speakers. https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR5BT-Multimedia-Monitors-Bluetooth/dp/B015U623MQ

little pricey but when you add bluetooth to your needs price goes up a lot. I bought my set used off ebay so well under retail price.

Alternatively you could get a bluetooth to rca for your regular powered speakers

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078J3GTRK/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A1YX4W46FS64NK&psc=1
Do you need/want bluetooth and budget?
THoughts on these:
https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-Comp...1645227960&sprefix=edifier+bl,aps,151&sr=8-18
 
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Have you thought about spending that much on good headphones instead? You'll likely get better sound than a speaker system at that price IMO.
 
If you could find a sale, or push abit, I would push up to the Edifier S350DB's.
 
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If you want to learn, build your own system from used components. You'll typically get much better results than the default box crap.
 
Have you thought about spending that much on good headphones instead? You'll likely get better sound than a speaker system at that price IMO.
I don't like using headphones much unless I need to.
I do not
Tough to do better than this Klipsch Promedia 2.1 for $180. It has Bluetooth, too. Only 1 left in stock, so better move on it soon!
People seem to have issues with the bluetooth adapter. In fact it seems most peopl's issue with that product is the crappy bluetooth adapter that the sometimes forget to include
 
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This. I’ve had the non-Bluetooth version for a decade and they still crap on everything else.
It's a great little audio package. I ran mine into the ground then made the wallet killing mistake of chasing better PC audio components for years. Finally, common sense prevailed and I found a good setup that sounds amazing... and still cost way too much. :ROFLMAO:
 
People seem to have issues with the bluetooth adapter. In fact it seems most peopl's issue with that product is the crappy bluetooth adapter that the sometimes forget to include
Well that sucks. I still have the non-Bluetooth version sitting on my desk. Still sounds amazing.
 
I went aheead and got the Pro Media 2.1 THX (The original one not the BT one) Just need to find a suitable Bluetooth reciever that doesn't like to hog the BT connection. I am using this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078J3GTRK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's great for low latency but when I pair it with my phone and I try to disconnect, it reestablishes the connection. You'd have to completely forget the device for it to let go

ts a little annoying to plug/unplug audio cable to the line in port to use the current BT reciever I have but it sounds incredible.

I would have gone with the Edifiers but my desk space is limited with the size of it's bookshelf. Maybe in the future when I have a bigger place, I'll get it.

One annoyance with the Pro Media.... the sound seems to be coming more from the right speaker as opposed to left. Even when I test it by shifting my position to be more in the center of the two speakers. It seems like the sound doesn't come from the center of the two speakers. But rather the right one.
 
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I went aheead and got the Pro Media 2.1 THX (The original one not the BT one) Just need to find a suitable Bluetooth reciever that doesn't like to hog the BT connection. I am using this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078J3GTRK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's great for low latency but when I pair it with my phone and I try to disconnect, it reestablishes the connection. You'd have to completely forget the device for it to let go

ts a little annoying to plug/unplug audio cable to the line in port to use the current BT reciever I have but it sounds incredible.

I would have gone with the Edifiers but my desk space is limited with the size of it's bookshelf. Maybe in the future when I have a bigger place, I'll get it.

One annoyance with the Pro Media.... the sound seems to be coming more from the right speaker as opposed to left. Even when I test it by shifting my position to be more in the center of the two speakers. It seems like the sound doesn't come from the center of the two speakers. But rather the right one.
You would need to do some testing. Try wiring audio direct to the speakers. Try streaming audio from a different source. See if you can narrow it down, i would bet the bluetooth device is goofy, but i have nothing to back that hunch up.

Could even try simply changing the L/R plug from the bluetooth to the speakers input and see if the audio imbalance follows the switch.
 
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You would need to do some testing. Try wiring audio direct to the speakers. Try streaming audio from a different source. See if you can narrow it down, i would bet the bluetooth device is goofy, but i have nothing to back that hunch up.

Could even try simply changing the L/R plug from the bluetooth to the speakers input and see if the audio imbalance follows the switch.
Same thing with direct audio from SB Z-SE to speakers. Its a bit annoying actually. As if the left side is not really talking. I have to move my ear close to the left speaker to make sure audio is coming from it
 
Same thing with direct audio from SB Z-SE to speakers. Its a bit annoying actually. As if the left side is not really talking. I have to move my ear close to the left speaker to make sure audio is coming from it
Hmm yea maybe reach out to Klipsch support. That is for sure not how it should behave.
 
Hmm yea maybe reach out to Klipsch support. That is for sure not how it should behave.
I'm gonna swap the speakers position and see if it persists. I have a feeling it has to do with the physical objects around the left Speaker. I pressed both speakers to my ear at the same time and they both have the same loudness level. however the right speaker is slightly closer to me and has a solid wall around it. THe left is in front fo my window and has a couple of objects around it
 
Yep. Its an acoustic problem with where my desk is. I swapped the left and right speakers without changing their connection. The sound is shifted to the right where the left speaker is. Had no idea how much walls and windows and objects can affect sound balance
 
Oh they for sure will affect it. I always try to keep my equidistant from me for best sound.
 
Sound waves can be a tricky beast! Sound reflection/redirection/absorption can easily distort volume and other sound attributes. I have battled similar situations and foam panels on the wall have helped (also look kind of neat)
Let us know if you are able to find a way to fix/live with the situation :)
 
Yep. Its an acoustic problem with where my desk is. I swapped the left and right speakers without changing their connection. The sound is shifted to the right where the left speaker is. Had no idea how much walls and windows and objects can affect sound balance
Yes you probably 1/4 space loaded them. Don't jam em in corners or next to walls, 50cm gap minimum. Also same with sitting flat on a desk.
Next you'll figure out how bad reflections and resonance with desk, materials etc is. Tip: isolate speakers with heavy stand or spikes etc.

Also have you set equilateral triangle to listening point?

All these reasons and more are why I suggested to DIY/build your own rig together, you'll learn more researching than using prebuilt.
 
Oh they for sure will affect it. I always try to keep my equidistant from me for best sound.
Sound waves can be a tricky beast! Sound reflection/redirection/absorption can easily distort volume and other sound attributes. I have battled similar situations and foam panels on the wall have helped (also look kind of neat)
Let us know if you are able to find a way to fix/live with the situation :)
Yes you probably 1/4 space loaded them. Don't jam em in corners or next to walls, 50cm gap minimum. Also same with sitting flat on a desk.
Next you'll figure out how bad reflections and resonance with desk, materials etc is. Tip: isolate speakers with heavy stand or spikes etc.

Also have you set equilateral triangle to listening point?

All these reasons and more are why I suggested to DIY/build your own rig together, you'll learn more researching than using prebuilt.

I will keep those in mind. If I had time I'd do a DIY.

Right now I am trying to find a good BT reciever. I might have to return the Polks for a Logitech: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Pow...06Y1734MB/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

The bluetooth thing is important to me and I've gone through two recievers now with issues
 
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Hope you find something, ive never been happy with bluetooth as a means of audio for anything other than a workshop speaker or some headphones at work.
 
how come?
It comes down to the module that these companies use. The added compression that the audio stream goes through i don't care for. Some speakers or headphones i use can go all the way across a room some it gets glitchy after 10ft. And how EM noisy the environment is plays into it as well. The BT part of speakers always seems half-assed to me.
 
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