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active monitors 2.0, please help me

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white_dove

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
198
Hello everybody.
I want to replace my Logitech 5.1 x530 with some 2.0 active monitors.
They will be connected to my soundcard Creative SB X-FI Xtreme Gamer. Sometime i use the headphones ( Sennheiser 429 HD ) for gaming, movies, music.
What would you recommend me for about 400 US $ ?
It would be nice if the monitors have headphones slot on the front / side, not in the back.
Is that possible at all, to use the headphones with this monitors, for example ?
http://www.netmusic.ro/product/420/6810/M-AUDIO-BX5-D2
As you can see in the picture, there is no headphones ...
Please advice me, guys.
Thank you
 
You could get MUCH better sounding speakers if you buy a new or used receiver or even a t-amp plus passive bookshelf speakers. But if you absolutely want active speakers check out the AudioEngine A5 speakers. I was just in this situation and decided to buy a used 5.1 channel receiver and a pair of pioneer bs22 bookshelf speakers. Hooked it up via optical to my pc and it sounds way better then any powered pc speakers I have heard
 
I will check what you said, but please remember : whatever i go for, i want to use the headphones, too
Thank you
 
Could get the Audioengine A5+ for $399 and then add in the Audioengine D1 DAC for $169. This would effectively override your sound card as it is a USB DAC, but it would give you the option of plugging your headphones in the D1 which would sit on your desk, making for an easier connection.

You'll be hard pressed to find active monitors with headphone inputs, I can't think of many off the top of my head (in fact, I can't really think of any). You'll mostly find headphone jacks on sets that are considered computer speakers.

The Edifier S730 is an excellent 2.1 PC speaker set. Blows away pretty much anything else listed as a dedicated computer speaker system, and it has a control module with a headphone in. They have it on NCIX for less than $400.

Quite honestly I've never been a huge fan of monitors like M-Audio makes for COMPUTER speakers. They are really meant for recording purposes and are mostly very neutral sounding and lack the thump and bass that you'd probably want playing games and watching movies.
 
white_dove said:
I will check what you said, but please remember : whatever i go for, i want to use the headphones, too
Thank you
Click to expand...

You can still use headphones with passive speakers and a receiver or t-amp. Simply plug them into you t-amp or receiver or your sound card.
 
Thanks but i don't want 2.1 speakers.
What about passive bookshelf speakers + DAC / amplifier ?
1 - Which have better quality, between active - passive speakers, generally speaking ?
2 - If i go for passive speakers + DAC / amplifier could i use the headphones ?
I couldn't find some decent active speakers with the option for headphones.
3 - Where is the advantage between DAC + amplifier / passive speakers vs. active speakers ?
Sorry for so many questions, guys, but i'm really confused.
A friend of mine is using the headphones with M-Audio BX5A
http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOBX5ADX
He has Sennheiser 215 HD
http://www.trustedreviews.com/Sennheiser-HD-215-headphones_Peripheral_review
I never asked him about this, and i never had a chance to listen / test his speakers, he is living in Canada, i'm in Europe :D
So, i wonder how did he manage to connect the headphones to the speakers, because those ones are active speakers.
Did he use some splitter - cable, maybe ? I will have to ask him when i talk to him next time, but i hope someone can help me here.
Thanks again
 
Scheibler1 said:
You can still use headphones with passive speakers and a receiver or t-amp. Simply plug them into you t-amp or receiver or your sound card.
Click to expand...

Yes, i forgot to ask : could i plugin the headphones into the receiver ?
I mean, whatever i do, i don't want to plug - unplug them, everytime when i want to use the speaker.
Is there no way to leave the headphones plugged in ( soundcard / t-amp / receiver ) and just to use some button when i want to switch from headphones to speakers and vice versa ?
 
If you have a receiver or amp that has a headphone jack you can simply switch b/w the two.

Or the Creative Z sound card has a headphone out and another out for just speakers. So you could buy the Z, a pair of headphones and a pair of speakers and switch bw the two in windows. Easiest solution is that one.
 
Could you give me an example of receiver / amp with headphone option, please ?
 
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I feel like an integrated amp with a decent headphone jack is going to blow your whole budget, to be completely honest. (Depending on how powerful the speakers you are looking to get are)
 
The more i read the more i'm confused :D
What should be : active speakers / passive speakers +amp / active speakers + external soundcard ? etc
 
What would you recommend between those :
Magnat Monitor Supreme 200
Wharfedale Diamond 10.1
With an amp Yamaha AX 530 would that be fine ?
 
spaceman said:
If you have a receiver or amp that has a headphone jack you can simply switch b/w the two.

Or the Creative Z sound card has a headphone out and another out for just speakers. So you could buy the Z, a pair of headphones and a pair of speakers and switch bw the two in windows. Easiest solution is that one.
Click to expand...

Being able to switch between headphones/speakers in the SB control panel has to be one of the best features as of late for me. Especially because you have the built in headphone amp. No clutter!
 
Scheibler1 said:
You could get MUCH better sounding speakers if you buy a new or used receiver or even a t-amp plus passive bookshelf speakers. But if you absolutely want active speakers check out the AudioEngine A5 speakers. I was just in this situation and decided to buy a used 5.1 channel receiver and a pair of pioneer bs22 bookshelf speakers. Hooked it up via optical to my pc and it sounds way better then any powered pc speakers I have heard
Click to expand...

I really think using a receiver with a set of active speakers is a waste of money maybe that's just me. Especially when you're hooking this up to a computer anyway (unless you already have a receiver lying around). I would just get a DAC and hook it up to w/e 2.0 speakers you choose. Audioengine makes a DAC called the D1 which would work fine with any of their speakers or others.
 
white_dove said:
What would you recommend between those :
Magnat Monitor Supreme 200
Wharfedale Diamond 10.1
With an amp Yamaha AX 530 would that be fine ?
Click to expand...

Do you already own this amp? It is in fact 85 wpc, which is more than enough for a set of bookshelves. here's a link to the manual...
http://www.manualowl.com/m/Yamaha/AX-530/Manual/150861

It is, though from what I can see a purely analog amp, there is no digital to analog convertor in it like new ones. This is not a problem really though. You can use the DAC on your motherboard although after a while you may wish to add a standalone soundcard for improved. I wouldn't get caught up in expensive DACs... I spent this morning reading some of the science behind it and I'm not convinced there are any benefits. A good 100-200 soundcard is probably all you want, but you can manage fine for a while without one.

This amp will be fine for your use It has a headphone jack, so that is not a problem. The wharfedales by all accounts are nice speakers, never heard of the Magnat Monitors.
 
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