How to know what is good?

[Froger]

Im planning on getting some new speakers for my PC, iv already got some and they are fine, good quality, but i feel they lack the bass, so im looking for some new ones, can anyone advise me on what to look for and so on, so what to look for to get bassy ones that also ahve good quality for music and some gaming (but will get a headset for gaming)
what to look for in the specs and all that.
thanks for the help,
note: needs to be under 100 pounds
not to massive but im fine with big (if they are taller than from tip of hand to elbow then they are to big)
they dont need to go to far with range, il mostly be within 1-2 meters (normaly 1)

 

[mrapoc]

Under £100 without a dedicated amp hmm

You will probably be best getting something with a sub for that money. My bookshelf speakers are just over £100 but I have a seperate amp for them and they do indeed produce enough bass.

But under £100 I'd go for a 2.1 system, with a dedicated sub. Go for something with a decent name (not genius) and look at RMS figures (peak don't mean shizz)

Logitech probably make something in your price range with decent enough quality I'm more of an audio snob now though so I don't keep up with lower end stuff

 

[jamesriley94]

If you want to save a bit of money, look on ebay for an old amp, or hifi system with a phono in.
I use something similar to this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-CMT-..._Separates_Systems_Combos&hash=item51ab893bdf

Then throw away those speakers and look on ebay for some speakers locally.
£10/15 for the hifi, then if you can find a decent deal on speakers (can normally get some for around a fiver if you pick them up), but something like:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TECHNICS-...omeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item4d0be7244f

I bought a pair of speakers pretty much identical to those for £3.50 on ebay, so just have a look around.

IMO, you get far better audio quality and volume capabilities for the price than you do with any dedicated speaker set under around £100, and if you're lucky, you could have it all for about £20.

 

[mrapoc]

Actually 2nd hand is also a good idea as James says. My mate picked up some old wharfedale speakers and an amp for thirty quid. Sounded pretty damn good till he blew them trying to keep up with my xtz setup.

Check on avforums for used speakers / amp or locally on eBay

 

[Chris230291]

"Bassy" is bad.
You want an accurate representation of what the artist/developer intended the sound to errrr...sound like.

At the end of the day though it's gotta sound good to you.

Personally i would look at some second hand studio monitors. Anything new for £100 will be a pile of wank

 

[mrapoc]

There is a difference between being "bassy" or what i'd describe as "muddy" and being able to produce the bass when/where required.

I'd say bass response is a good indication of system power as I prefer my music to have plenty of bass (balanced, not muddy) but exactly where it needs to be.

Many genres I listen to just wouldn't work without bass. If you can only get new for £100 then you will need a sub for any bass imo. I don't like having a seperate sub personally for music as I can feel the bass is represented seperately as usually there is no crossover setting and just the positioning is too out of place for the overall soundstage.

Whereas my bookshelf speakers aren't the best in the world but the soundstage is so much more balanced.

With exception to the car where I have a badboy subwoofer in the boot so I can drive around like a tit with the windows rattling

 

[SuB]

Damnit james, those Technics look lush. I wants now Now I'm gunna have to spend more money!!

 

[jamesriley94]

Damnit james, those Technics look lush. I wants now Now I'm gunna have to spend more money!!

Heh,
I have these ones myself:

£3.80 iirc - bought off ebay, and collected from a guy who lived half a mile away.

Ebay's awesome for bigger things like that that nobody wants to post, but wants to get rid of

 

[SuB]

I hate you right now...

 

[Josh Weston]

After a while you learn to hate him all the time.

 

[SuB]

He cost me £400 in sound card and cans... I can see the speakers being yet another excercise in 'resistance is futile'

 

[paulstung]

I think you would be better off with a set of active monitors. They have a built in amp. I use a set of Bheringer MS 20's and they are awesome. Tom reviewed the Microlab solo 7c's and he gave them a great review and they are just over budget by £10. He did say they are better not being on your desk next to your monitor, because they throw out so much sound, but they do a full range . My mate has a set of Alesis, they're pretty good too. A lot of people recommend the Edifer R1600T they are on offer over at Overclockers for £57 a saving of £20. Personally I wouldn't go for a 2.1 with a seperate sub, I like the sound coming from one source.

 

[Froger]

the problem i have with 2.1 is that with the one i have now that the subwoofer isnt giving enough bass but when i tried replacing the tweeters of the 2.1 with bookshelf speakers and kept the subwoofer, it sounded with music like it didnt have live, there was not really enough bass, it like i can hear the bass, but its the type when you hear it though the tweeter not the drivers?

 

[Froger]

How about these bookshelf speakers.
http://www.ebuyer.com/293275-microlab-solo-6c-bookshelf-2-0-speakers-100w-rms-microlabsolo6c
i watched tom's vid about the 7c's and when looking at prices a 6c came up and im think, what is having one less driver per speaker goin got o take away from the sound, plus the others are to big for desk use.
opinions on the speakers would be apriciated

 

[Mark3Max]

I don't know anything about them but the MicroLab 6c's do seem pretty nice .
I have a set of Klipsch 2.1 that I really like , but I don't listen to loud music very often.