Stereo advice wanted

[SMOKEU]

I'm looking at spending around $400-$500 on a sound system to hook up to my computer. I don't really care about surround sound or excellent sound quality, I just want the most amount of power possible so I was thinking of getting a 15" car sub or 2 12s and hooking them up to a home theatre or house stereo amp. I'm looking at running 2 speakers + the sub(s).

I'll be buying all the gear second hand.

[blackdog]

www.audioforums.com

why ask on a bike forum ffs

[Smifffy]

I'm looking at spending around $400-$500 on a sound system to hook up to my computer. I don't really care about surround sound or excellent sound quality, I just want the most amount of power possible so I was thinking of getting a 15" car sub or 2 12s and hooking them up to a home theatre or house stereo amp. I'm looking at running 2 speakers + the sub(s).

I'll be buying all the gear second hand.

For years I have run my puters thru a Yamaha RX-450 amp and some Wharfedale bookshelf speakers. :Punk:

[Teflon]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Amplifiers-tuners/auction-367237914.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Speakers-and-stands/Floor-speakers/auction-367873104.htm

(http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Speakers-and-stands/Floor-speakers/auction-367873104.htm)


My pick from whats on trade me at the moment.

With that set up you could add another power amp to drive a sub if you want.. But I don't think you'll need one

[Headbanger]

I'm looking at spending around $400-$500 on a sound system to hook up to my computer. I don't really care about surround sound or excellent sound quality, I just want the most amount of power possible so I was thinking of getting a 15" car sub or 2 12s and hooking them up to a home theatre or house stereo amp. I'm looking at running 2 speakers + the sub(s).

I'll be buying all the gear second hand.


LMFAO.

I want to smash your set up already.

Is that a piss take?, You want some shitty car speakers and a sub? Fuckin hilarious.

Even a semi-respectable set of speakers would kill that, A sub on a music system is like tassels on a Harley rider, Tossers buy em thinking its the real deal but they are good for fuck all but being gay.

[Headbanger]

I want these

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Speakers-and-stands/Floor-speakers/auction-367363390.htm

[neels]

I've just got an old yamaha a400 amp, and some 100w 100db denon speakers. Plenty loud enough, total cost $145 off trademe, amp even came with a free tape deck.

[Usarka]

Power at the expense of sounds quality is like buying a bike without handlebars.

[p.dath]

I think the Logitech systems are the best value for money for what you want.

[SMOKEU]

LMFAO.

I want to smash your set up already.

Is that a piss take?, You want some shitty car speakers and a sub? Fuckin hilarious.

Even a semi-respectable set of speakers would kill that, A sub on a music system is like tassels on a Harley rider, Tossers buy em thinking its the real deal but they are good for fuck all but being gay.

Obviously you have no idea what you're talking about. I've seen several sound systems in houses that use a car sub, some even with a car amp and they sound pretty damn good. It's all about bang for buck - you can buy a fancy home stereo, but it's very expensive in comparison to car audio to get the same amount of power.

Are you offering to pay for a stereo, or are you just talking shit?

[EJK]

I'm looking at spending around $400-$500 on a sound system to hook up to my computer. I don't really care about surround sound or excellent sound quality, I just want the most amount of power possible so I was thinking of getting a 15" car sub or 2 12s and hooking them up to a home theatre or house stereo amp. I'm looking at running 2 speakers + the sub(s).

I'll be buying all the gear second hand.

I got "only" a 220W Panasonic system (bought 6-7 years ago) something like this
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Full-systems/auction-366679493.htm (This one is nearly 3 times more powerful than mine)

I hooked it upto my laptop via AUX and it has enough power to blow my room 5 times over. Oh and yes, it's "only" 220W.

Just how much power do you actually need???

[Scuba_Steve]

I think the Logitech systems are the best value for money for what you want.

+1 for that.
Logitech Z-5500 would be my pick or the replacement Z906. These are 5.1 if you want 2.1 Logitech also do those but if this is for games they are MUCH more immersive with 5.1 and you can find these round brand new in the 300-400$ range

[Indiana_Jones]

Be sure to get a decent turntable to go with it

-Indy

[imdying]

I'd like a decent turntable to FLAC my LP collection... I've access to a nice Yamaha one with a decent head, but there's no way to do it quickly :-/

I've a Z680 set that died in the earthquake man, probably just what you want if you can find one. Bass over powers everything quite heavily (10" sub IIRC"), so sucks for musics, but epic for games with guns or engines.

Here's one: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Peripherals/Speakers/51-5-speakers-sub/auction-366837733.htm

They were about $330 NEW IIRC. Optical in from your PS2/PS3, and 3x 3.5mm jacks for full 5.1 from an analogue device like a PC.

[shrub]

Interesting comments on this thread, I have been meaning to get some decent speakers for my laptop but I have other ideas now. I upgraded a nice little Plinius integrated amp a couple of years ago and it has been sitting in the cupboard because I couldn't be arsed selling it, and i just noticed a pair of nice little Tannoys on Tardme. It will cost me about the same as a plastic chinese sound system to get real audio for my lappy.

[imdying]

You mean a lot of wank in this thread... it's pretty obvious to everyone what SmokeU uses his computer for, so telling him that a sub is wank for listening to music is a pretty retarded comment, more or less retarded than linking to $2k speakers (and boringly average at best ones at that), that's for you to decide.

[bogan]

I'm looking at spending around $400-$500 on a sound system to hook up to my computer. I don't really care about surround sound or excellent sound quality, I just want the most amount of power possible so I was thinking of getting a 15" car sub or 2 12s and hooking them up to a home theatre or house stereo amp. I'm looking at running 2 speakers + the sub(s).

I'll be buying all the gear second hand.

How much power are you actually talking about? there is always an upper limit, and if you don't care about quality, that limit is probably within easy reach! So whats the room setup/purpose etc, I got my 600W RMS system (sony 4.1 with 3way fronts and 2way rears + sub) a while ago for $500, but it is ridiculously loud for a bedroom, haven't been over 20% in years. Not surround sound though, and for gaming this is a downside.

[Usarka]

it's pretty obvious to everyone what SmokeU uses his computer for...

Unless the answer is pr0n then I have no idea what he uses it for!

[imdying]

Unless the answer is pr0n then I have no idea what he uses it for!How many gaming threads will he have to start or participate in before you get a clue?

[bogan]

Unless the answer is pr0n then I have no idea what he uses it for!


How many gaming threads will he have to start or participate in before you get a clue?

pr0n gaming? :weird:

[Usarka]

How many gaming threads will he have to start or participate in before you get a clue?

Why's that important? Plenty of people use their PC's as media centres too.


pr0n gaming? :weird:

Waaahhhhaaay! Where do i download? Bring back leisure suit larry!

[imdying]

pr0n gaming? :weird:RapeLay? :shrug:

Why's that important? Plenty of people use their PC's as media centres too.If he posts in a lot of gamer threads, and specifically asks for maximum power above all, its seems logical enough. Given your excellent answer in that calculation thread, I would've though such logic would have been your first port of call.

Bring back leisure suit larry!Word. But get the Japs to make it :laugh:

[avgas]

Altec Lansing ATP3

You can thank me later.
(I would love another set.....but don't have anywhere to put them)

[CookMySock]

For years I have run my puters thru a Yamaha RX-450 amp and some Wharfedale bookshelf speakers. :Punk:Yup. I got a set of Energy bookshelf speakers and a 300 watt sub and a HT amp. Packs plenty of punch.

For $500 you aren't going to get much though. Suggest you looked at some high-end 2.1 computer speakers + sub.

Much more sub that 150 watts RMS isn't really usable unless you live a long way from everyone else. :sunny:

[willytheekid]

I think the Logitech systems are the best value for money for what you want.


+1 for that.
Logitech Z-5500 would be my pick or the replacement Z906. These are 5.1 if you want 2.1 Logitech also do those but if this is for games they are MUCH more immersive with 5.1 and you can find these round brand new in the 300-400$ range

+2 for logitech SMOKEU, I bought some of those 5.1 z-5500's for my Girlfriends computer($80-trademe) and DAMN there good! great base and nice and loud.

[Headbanger]

Obviously you have no idea what you're talking about. I've seen several sound systems in houses that use a car sub, some even with a car amp and they sound pretty damn good. It's all about bang for buck - you can buy a fancy home stereo, but it's very expensive in comparison to car audio to get the same amount of power.

Are you offering to pay for a stereo, or are you just talking shit?

Glad I don't have your ears then, A sub and some shitty satellites is an affront to music.

Buy some second hand mid-range tower speakers off trademe, hook em up to a mid-range amp, sit back and bathe in the glory.

[Headbanger]

You mean a lot of wank in this thread... it's pretty obvious to everyone what SmokeU uses his computer for, so telling him that a sub is wank for listening to music is a pretty retarded comment, more or less retarded than linking to $2k speakers (and boringly average at best ones at that), that's for you to decide.

I love a good wank.

That aside, I must have missed the part where everyone learned what the man uses his PC for. Was that in the physic part of the thread?

And a little research into those 2k speakers shows stunning reviews from multiple sources, So I'll go along with the informed view....Though I'd be interested if you have actually heard em.

[Headbanger]

Buying those Logitech Z-5500's would be like visiting a whore house, paying your coin, then having a wank onto a blow up doll.

[SMOKEU]

How much power are you actually talking about? there is always an upper limit, and if you don't care about quality, that limit is probably within easy reach! So whats the room setup/purpose etc, I got my 600W RMS system (sony 4.1 with 3way fronts and 2way rears + sub) a while ago for $500, but it is ridiculously loud for a bedroom, haven't been over 20% in years. Not surround sound though, and for gaming this is a downside.

The more the merrier.


RapeLay? :shrug:
If he posts in a lot of gamer threads, and specifically asks for maximum power above all, its seems logical enough. Given your excellent answer in that calculation thread, I would've though such logic would have been your first port of call.
Word. But get the Japs to make it :laugh:

You're right, I do a lot of gaming. First person shooters mainly such as Call of Duty, Crysis 2, Battlefield etc. All I need now is a good enough sound system to compliment my i7 and 6970.

Gaming is always so much better when you can actually feel each gun shot and explosion.

[Teflon]

Glad I don't have your ears then, A sub and some shitty satellites is an affront to music.

Buy some second hand mid-range tower speakers off trademe, hook em up to a mid-range amp, sit back and bathe in the glory.

Yeah I agree.

I would spend a little more and go components.

Cerwins are high efficiency speakers.. They go loud ( sound like shit to me thou )

Rotel rate their amps conservatively.. so its a real 50w pc.. unlike the bullshit receivers I see these days.

[Usarka]

I spent some time recently playing Dead Space 2 on the PS3 and reckon high (cough cough) quality surround sound sealed the deal so to speak.

Bass included obviously.

[bogan]

The more the merrier.



You're right, I do a lot of gaming. First person shooters mainly such as Call of Duty, Crysis 2, Battlefield etc. All I need now is a good enough sound system to compliment my i7 and 6970.

Gaming is always so much better when you can actually feel each gun shot and explosion.

at about 200W the 50cal sniper in counterstrike source will shake everything in a room, this is merry, at about 600W headaches to those in the room will be almost instantaneous, those in other rooms may take a bit longer, they will also likely wish to cause you harm. I see no merriness in the later.

However, if you want feel over noise, get a speaker with a bolt instead of a cone, and bolt it to your chair, a mate had a couch like that and it was pretty impressive, not sure the correct name of it though.

[bogan]

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/E7Bkrypxzs4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

thats what you need bro!

[SMOKEU]

If I got a 6 channel amp, then is it possible to connect only 3 speakers to it and get the full rated RMS power from the amp to the 3 speakers?

[Blackshear]

What the fuck is going on in this thread.

Car subwoofers to home theater amp without correct impedance, wattage and filters?

No. No, no, no, no.

I understand bang for buck, but goddamnit.

[Blackshear]

If I got a 6 channel amp, then is it possible to connect only 3 speakers to it and get the full rated RMS power from the amp to the 3 speakers?

Are you referring to bridging?

No offense, but you need to lrn2google and do a little bit of homework.
Maybe if it was a 6 channel monoblock amp or.. Some other kind of monstrosity.

[SMOKEU]

What the fuck is going on in this thread.

Car subwoofers to home theater amp without correct impedance, wattage and filters?

No. No, no, no, no.

I understand bang for buck, but goddamnit.

I'm running a pair of 6X9s and a 12" car sub on a home theatre amp, but the amp is a little small for what I'm after. It works fine and sounds pretty good, and I haven't had any problems with it for the year or so that I've had this setup.

A mate of mine hacked up an ATX PSU and used that to power a car sub and amp. That sounds pretty good!

[Blackshear]

I'm running a pair of 6X9s and a 12" car sub on a home theatre amp, but the amp is a little small for what I'm after. It works fine and sounds pretty good, and I haven't had any problems with it for the year or so that I've had this setup.

A mate of mine hacked up an ATX PSU and used that to power a car sub and amp. That sounds pretty good!

+1 for making the most of it...

Car speakers are designed (With appropriate enclosures, not generic one-size-fits-all chipboard ones) with cabin gain to their benefit, i.e they are made for rather small spaces.

You could probably pick up a cheap Sony/technics/yamaha amp off trademe, generally the older the better. Try to find one with a THD of less than 0.5%, and of course lots of watts...

Alternatively, would you be so far inclined as hunting down a used set of logitech Z5500s?
Highly rated for the price, and the sub is rather boomy - perhaps your forte.

[SMOKEU]

+1 for making the most of it...

Car speakers are designed (With appropriate enclosures, not generic one-size-fits-all chipboard ones) with cabin gain to their benefit, i.e they are made for rather small spaces.

You could probably pick up a cheap Sony/technics/yamaha amp off trademe, generally the older the better. Try to find one with a THD of less than 0.5%, and of course lots of watts...

Alternatively, would you be so far inclined as hunting down a used set of logitech Z5500s?
Highly rated for the price, and the sub is rather boomy - perhaps your forte.

I know that car speakers generally don't have anywhere near the sound quality of a house stereo system, but I was thinking I could either get the Logitech system that was recommended or an old amp like you mentioned, mated to a pair of 12" car subs I have lying around at home and some cheapish second hand house stereo speakers.

I don't watch DVDs and most of my sound is either drum and bass or gaming so that's why I don't want to spend a whole lot of money to get good quality sound.

I was thinking something like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Amplifiers-tuners/auction-366748312.htm

or

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Amplifiers-tuners/auction-367174933.htm

[Teflon]

I know that car speakers generally don't have anywhere near the sound quality of a house stereo system, but I was thinking I could either get the Logitech system that was recommended or an old amp like you mentioned, mated to a pair of 12" car subs I have lying around at home and some cheapish second hand house stereo speakers.

I don't watch DVDs and most of my sound is either drum and bass or gaming so that's why I don't want to spend a whole lot of money to get good quality sound.

I was thinking something like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Amplifiers-tuners/auction-366748312.htm

or

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Home-audio/Amplifiers-tuners/auction-367174933.htm

Both are around the same weight as my DVD player.

Weak power supplies.. good for movies thou

[davebullet]

I picked up some JVC 3 way speakers for $40. They had 12" woofers where someone had replaced the foam surround (and done a reasoable job at voice coil alignment).

I put these front to front (isobaric) in a 70L box (sealed) and bought a 2nd hand cheap plate amp off trademe (for about $70 from memory). About 150w into 4ohms. It plays ok in the garage.

Are you a DIYer? This dude knows his stuff:
www.zaphaudio.com

You could build some nice mini-monitors that will wipe the floor with anything else (and assuming you don't go all fancy in the cabinet finishing) and cost between 1/3rd to 1/2 of commercial offerings.

[imdying]

http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/4da3973c00c77262273fc0a87f3b06f7/Product/View/XH5313

Cheap enough till you decide on a bigger plan. Personally I'm a big fan of good headphones as a budget option, wireless ideally.

Blackshear's right, the Z5500 are probably perfect for your needs.