Time for a speaker upgrade...to go Razer Mako?

M

Master Blaster

[H]ard|Gawd
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Nov 23, 2006
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I've got some MX700 Monsoons that I've had since 2000. They've been very reliable and sound great, but one of the speakers is starting to act up. I've been eyeing the Razer Mako given it's great reviews. Does anyone think it'd be a decent upgrade, or would you recommend anything else? Looking for a good 2.1.

Thoughts?
 
They are very expensive for a pair of 2.1 speakers, and require a lot of deskspace. Since they project sound in all directions they require a certain amount of clearance from any wall, so you pretty much have to stick them in the middle of your desk.

I've been looking for a decent 2.1 speaker upgrade right now, too. Haven't found anything great yet, though.
 
ive heard these at i33 in england and man they are the best 2.1s out there the price can be abit OTT but what you get is what you buy, they are high quality and they thought about a razer touch pad its sick
 
Personally, for the price of those Razer speakers (or less), I'd much rather have a nice 2.0 setup like the Audioengine A5 or Swan M200... 'Course I use my PC speakers more for music listening while working/surfing than I use them for gaming, so I don't need an overbearing amount of bass. Those Razer Mako are overpriced either way if you ask me.
 
Razer isn't exactly known for their quality sound parts... People DO seem amazed with their sound card and headphones... until they hear some decent audio. So I would definitely give these a listen before dropping $400 on them.
 
I picked some up on Newegg the weekend that Razer had that Facebook competition thing because obviously I wasn't go to win them. I originally planned to get them a year ago when they were supposed to come out.

Pros:
  • Fantastic stereo field which seems to hover around 6" above the speakers. Really nice positioning without any emphasis on the speaker positions, if that makes sense.
  • Nice, controlled bass unlike my previous blow-the-roof-off Logitechs
  • Look great (I think)
  • Dual inputs (3 if you include the one on the remote), which I use to share them between 2 PCs

Cons:
  • Look horrible (some people think)
  • About twice the price they ought to be
  • Quite bright-sounding, better (superb) for films, not so much for music, although obviously that might change in time
  • Volume control is fiddly (even when you figure out where you're supposed to press)
  • You're supposed to have 6" clear all around them, which is a lot of desk space. Doesn't seem to be too critical in practice.

I'm very happy with them, since I tend to use headphones for music anyway. I'm sure audiophiles would hate them, but they tend to hate everything.
 
<insert obligatory 'Buy the Swans M10/M12s they are the best speakers ever and you won't be disappointed' comment here>
 
Also if you can find a used set, the Altec MX5021's are a fantastic set of 2.1 speakers. Not know for load bass, but smooth sound with tight bass is how I would describe my pair.
 
I ended up grabbing a pair of Audioengine 5's, and I'll add a subwoofer later. The Mako's just seem too expensive for what you get.
 
defy said:
I ended up grabbing a pair of Audioengine 5's, and I'll add a subwoofer later. The Mako's just seem too expensive for what you get.
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Congrats!

Razer + Bose = baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarf.


baaaaaaaaaaarf

barf

eck

poop

please kill me.....my ears!!!

lol

in other words, they suck for the $$. so does bose. both are overpriced products which sell only due to marketing to people who are ignorant (not stupid, just do not know better).
 
I wouldn't lump Razer with Bose together, I bet the Mako is a mile ahead of the $400 MusicMonitor, which has a single 2" driver in a tiny cube. It also has the benefit of an aluminum enclosure for extra cabinet resonance.
 
Oh I don't know, "to regard with extreme dislike and hostility", seems quite apposite considering spaceman's posts.
Audiophiles only ever like things they own, or things you don't own.
 
I'd like to add audiophiles also love things they don't own, since it's hard to be an audiophile if you are already satisfied with what you have.

Seems like a lot of people are audiophiles.
 
I only hate bose and other companies that put marketing ahead of actually building a product that does the job right for a decent price. creative too.

trick is this. I buy used gear that I know I can sell for about the same price after I try it. That way, I can experience more of what is out there.

It is a learning process for me. A hobby that allows me to try several different flavors for the price of one ice cream....

I share because I care. Despite the attacks. Calling me an infomercial etc. Find a post where someone tried a product I "endorsed" and hated it. lol

Please trust your own ears. What I like may not be what you do. However, if you buy used, quality gear like I do, then you can try until you buy what sounds right.

Unfortunately, I know what I really think will work for me includes a bigger house, 9' speakers, and several cars worth of electronics and sound treatments............sigh. Maybe in a few years.

Until then, I will just keep learning. Next for me is diy-ing for fun and shocks!
 
I don't think bose is terrible as a retail brand, basically its sold as an "upscale" htib. Its competition being microsatellite htibs. Htibs are all over the place and theres no consistency in what is in stock at stores like best buy or costco or frys, whereas bose is consistent in their product availability and ease of setup.

Basically think of it as a low end Alienware setup--something that would cost you $600 to put together by yourself would probably cost $1700 at Alienware.

There are high quality bose-sized microsatellites available, sure, that would exceed them performance wise such as mirage nanosats, roughly around $1100/6 satellites and a $200 sub would match the price of a bose system. It would sound better, certainly, but this boils down to Logitech vs Klipsch. How much better does a 0.75 tweeter, 2.75" mid sound than a 2" full-range in a tiny enclosure? I don't really think the difference here would be mindblowing. I don't think from 8 feet away on a couch I would be able to tell a big difference either way, the main thing I would notice is they are, and sound, small.

Sure, mirage and bose are pretty much sitting next to each other in Magnolia HT rooms but thats the difference of brand recognition. Kind of like people who buy more expensive water bottles--the content might be the same but they aren't sure so they go with the recognized name.
 
Yeah the Mirage are better but still tiny. I use mine for the tv upstairs only b/c my wife does not mind them. Reason is b/c you can't see them. Voices and details are much better than the tc speakers but I would not use them over my bookshelf speakers with 7" drivers. The difference in the mid range and bass is significant.
 
defy said:
I ended up grabbing a pair of Audioengine 5's, and I'll add a subwoofer later. The Mako's just seem too expensive for what you get.
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How are ya liking 'em?

astrallite said:
I don't think bose is terrible as a retail brand, basically its sold as an "upscale" htib. Its competition being microsatellite htibs. Htibs are all over the place and theres no consistency in what is in stock at stores like best buy or costco or frys, whereas bose is consistent in their product availability and ease of setup.

Basically think of it as a low end Alienware setup--something that would cost you $600 to put together by yourself would probably cost $1700 at Alienware.
Click to expand...

That's probably accurate imo, though not for the reasons you may have intended... Just like Bose, right now Alienware is probably one of the last boutique vendors I'd recommend to someone that absolutely doesn't want to build their own system but is still looking for a decent value.

Alienware's prices have just kept rising w/o an equivalent bump in choice, innovation or exclusive stuff (a-la-Voodoo/HP); compared to some of the other "boutique" vendors. My 2c.

Likewise, even if you absolutely don't wanna piece together your own sound system, chances are with minimal shopping/research you can get a much better HTIB than most of Bose system's, for a better price, from someone like Onkyo, etc. If nothing else, it'll be an easier system to build upon further down the road.

Oh, and there's plenty more choices out there than Logitech/Klipsch for a small/PC setup.
 
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