Need opinions on new speakers

b1lk1

b1lk1

Tech Monkey
OK, my Logitech Z680's are going into duty for my TV :( so I need opinions on a good 2.0/2.1 set of speakers. I am SOOOOO tempted to jump on the Z5500's on tigerDirect.ca for $290 shipped, but after my latest purchase of the QX9650, the budget is ultra tight. Here's my short list in order of what I like the most:

M-Audio AV40 for $139 + tax/ship:

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12700AC5018

Edifier S330D 2.1 for $120 + tax/ship

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27404&vpn=S330D&manufacture=EDIFIER

Logitech Z-2300 - $130 + tax/ship

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12660AC1820&vpn=970118-0403&manufacture=LOGITECH

From the looks of the stock levels on the Edifier's, I don't know if they are actually still available. I love the power of the Logitechs, but the reviews I read about the M-Audio's are making me drool. I can live without the bass being strong enough to dislodge the drywall. What I am looking for is basically the best sub $150 2.0/2.1 speaker set.

Any ideas guys?
 
Rory Buszka

Rory Buszka

Partition Master
Hi, Bill.

I've had a chance to hear the M-Audio AV40 in the wild, and they really sound excellent. If you're looking for the purest midrange and treble of the options you mentioned, I'd actually go for the AV40.
 
b1lk1

b1lk1

Tech Monkey
They are definitely the front runner for now. I just had a wonderful PSU exlosion and I am not sure if I will have enough of my PC left to need speakers, but if I do I believe I am going with those.
 
b1lk1

b1lk1

Tech Monkey
Well, I am starting to believe that this is the price I needed to pay for not having a single part failure for almost 2 years. Luckily, I managed to shut it down after the first signs of major trouble. I heard it "grunting" and arcing so I ripped the power cord out of the wall. I pulled it out of my PC and put it on a bench and tried jump starting it (with nothing attached to it). That is when it exploded. I had a feeling it was going because I could hear it straining every now and then.

Oh well, it's only money (that I don't have any of)........
 
Rory Buszka

Rory Buszka

Partition Master
I honestly don't see how the Creative SBS240 speakers could deliver a satisfying audio experience, given their size, their configuration (single 2.5" or 3" paper full-range driver, most likely very cheap), and the fact that they belong to Creative's low-end product line.

If you've got up to $50 to spend, and are looking for a 2-piece speaker system (no subwoofer), I'd recommend checking out Creative's Inspire T10 speakers, which are two-way monitor-style speakers with a poly-cone woofer (or they might use coated paper cones; the net effect is better sound than from a typical dry paper cone) and a mylar balanced-dome tweeter. There's no subwoofer with this system, but if beefy low end doesn't top your list of priorities (and the Inspire T10's claimed low end limit of 80 Hz is plenty deep for most music), you won't miss the sub.

Inspire_T10_c.jpg


Addendum: You can also find the JBL Duet for $40 on Newegg. They're your garden-variety single-driver 2.0 system, but with JBL's expertise in design and tuning. Really, they sound good for what they are. Other Harman Multimedia designs have made me ask, "Why?" but not these -- their design is straightforward and simple.

So, what do I own in this product category? I've got a set of Bose MediaMate speakers (in black), which are an older 2.0 model that's the predecessor to the Companion 2 model. They've got strong bass response to 60 Hz, and back when I bought them several years ago, they sounded better than the JBL Duets that were sitting next to them on the shelf at Best Buy, though at almost twice the price. They also self-limit at high volumes, which prevents them from distorting horribly, which is a nice feature to have if you like to play things loud sometimes. Would I buy them again, given today's available choices? Probably not, unless I just wanted to have the Bose name sitting on my desk. I'm not dissatisfied with these speakers, but for half the price I paid for the Bose, I could have the aforementioned Creative Inspire T10 system, and much better sound overall.
 
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madmat

madmat

Soup Nazi
Go for the Logitech's. They feature a single source point satellite that won't blur the transition from upper midrange to the treble since there's no overlapping from separate drivers and no phase shift from the crossovers. There's also more power on tap and more bass thanks to the larger sub. You already know the sound quality of the Z-680's and the driver on the Z-2300's sats is an improved version of the driver found on the 680's. Plus I can verify first hand that the Logitech's sats are damn near indestructible having dropped mine from over 6 feet on more than one occasion.
 
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