nice thing thnx for share it.
I think it is best for expand-ability and upgrade-ability to get passive speakers. I am having difficulty choosing the speakers. Do I save money and get entry level or go all in which I normally do with my tech/electronics. So that way I get quality and never have to replace it(or at least last a long time until it needs to be replaced). I am leaning towards higher quality/lasting longer, but I do not know what to choose. I feel like the budget/entry level probably is good enough for me because I was going to get a cheap 2.1 setup in the first place and I currently have cheap stereo speakers.
I currently use klipsch r-14pm connected to a sound blaster soundcard on my pc and couldn’t be more happy!
1 Like
thanks ill check em out
1 Like
I agree with spending a little more
At least something that has a decent midrange
Most information in music is in the midrange and 2 speakers can easily have much different voices
If your desk can handle the space, a soundbar is an option
If you can spend $500 for DAC/amp/speakers/cables/accessories, you will be in some pretty good equipment
At under $200, things get trickier
There’s always used, if you can find it
I think passive speakers clutter your desk, you really should reconsider the active speakers, IMO
But certainly the hardest choice is the speakers, just take your time and pick them first is my advice
Make sure you get a good subwoofer. It makes a world of difference for drums an bass. I have both bookshelf and desktop with a subwoofer and the subwoofer makes the base pop out more. The bookshelf monitors make vocals a lot more clear. For rap on the desktop speakers the vocals get mixed with the vocals.
I wrote about it before and compared it to my desktop speakers
Bookshelf monitors are much more flexible as you can add more speakers to a setup and have modular connectors (definitely recommend bananna plugs). I’ve heard some people who use bookshelf speakers as a center channel in home theater setups. For desktop speakers, if you want more, you need to buy a new set.
If you have a small desk and a big monitor, make sure to take the dimensions of bookshelf speakers into account as they may not fit on your desk/setup.
The final setup is looking like ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers($259usd), AIYIMA A07 TPA3255($60usd), Dayton Audio SUB-1200-12"($180) Total= $499.
What do you think of that?
what sound card / audio interface do you plan on using (how are you breaking the signal between speakers and sub)?
Are you aware it will sound awful, other than making a lot of noise? And the T-Amp will not be able to go very high without distorting - a lot?
Please ignore if a one stop solution is an absolute no go.
Just wanted to mention that my Edifier S350DB sound pretty good.
2 Likes
Rock on!!
Have you seen Daphile?
Can even run off a USB flash drive, so the machine can still run the other OS
And you can put your music on the network or a USB/internal drive…loads of choices, but I highly recommend it
1 Like
Never heard of it. I will check it out. This is my first entry to hifi audio.
You can use it on one box, or 2
Multiroom or not
control it with Squeezer on Android (don’t use IOS, but it’s available there too)
plugins for DLNA, numerous internet radios, wireless or wired, lyrics & band info
based on Logitech Media Server (up to date with huge community activity)
Yep…must have
1 Like
Looks like their plan is to use the amp to do that. Tho looking at the amp you might need one that can have a breakout for the sub
This one looks like it can with the aux out
Though I didn’t research too much so make sure to check reviews or yoitube
This one if you went for a passive sub. I use this for my setup
If you have additional budget, a dac/audio interface will help. Otherwise if your phone or laptop has a good dac you can use that until you can save up for one
1 Like
The builtin dac in a modern machine is likely 24/192
for now, a simple 3.5mm cable will give him sound
as he grows into it, a desktop usb dac from say, Schitt Audio or many alternatives will up the game
First thing to work with is the software, I’d say
Then the DAC
1 Like
My mobo is Asrock z390 Taichi and I have a dac/amp FiiO K5PRO. If those can help at all.
What setup are you coming from? Even a Klipsch Promedia 2.1 setup would make 99% of people extremely happy. I’d recommend this option if you’re trying to save money.
I also really like the JBL 305P MkII.
1 Like
+1 on a Klipsch Promedia 2.1 for inexpensive setups. I moved off of it to an audioengine hd3 (2.0, didn’t get the sub cause it’d take a $350 setup to a $700 setup) and regret it – a $30 MS lifechat headset sounds better than the HD3’s do when you don’t have the sub to fill out the rest of the sound.
The Promedias do take some time to break in though, and IME they were quite bright (and harshly, almost painfully so) until they did. Took a couple of weeks for them to mellow out. But I was listening to more things with brass sections or EDM at the time. Probably fine for OP’s listening preferences.
1 Like
This helps 
Man it is turning out to be much more difficult than the ‘what linux distro should I choose’ question.
Please keep in mind that what you want to achieve (good sounding audio output for a given set of audio sources) is one of the most subjective and open to interpretation tasks you night ask.
Everyone’s ear has a different sensitivity, everyone has its own meter for what ‘good quality of an audio signal’ and to complicate things every speaker/amp combo has a sweet spot of voulme and quality that might or might not be your sweet spot in term of listening volume.
Also, the more you add cables/splitters/legs to your audio chain the more you will risk something not sounding right, let alone good …
So, out of all the options mentioned so far if my budget was around 500USD and given your very good DAC, I’d spring for a pair of Klipsch R-51PM.
They will be above all the 2.1 crap that logitech and all other companies sell in term of power and quality, and you might be satisfied about how they sound without needing a sub.
In case you are not satisfied and you do need a sub they do have a sub out that will already provide the right signal for it
They also have an internal dac (that will probably be less good than the one you already have)
If you can order from Amazon or a place that accepts free returns, try it out, see if you like it, and if not at least you have a reference for what to try next
This is what I would do
For Reference, I have a pair of Iloud MTM Monitors as my pc speakers,
I have a pair of Klipsch RP-600M and a pair of JBL control 28 in my home theather (powered by a denon amp) and a pair of JBL 4411 powered by a NAD amp or a Carver amp depending on my mood … so I can vouch for the need to try things out to see if they meet your needs.
Klipsch
JBL 4411
Previous desktop monitors were a logitech 2.1 setup (trash),
a pair of M-Audio Bx5a (not bad),
a pair of pioneer S-DJ108 (very good, too big as desktop speakers)
5 Likes
Crappy old dell stereo speakers lol
This is one of the updated models to the pair I have
Can confirm this is true! Haven’t needed to get the sub personally but that’s just my choice!
1 Like