Best Computer Speakers Available

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

'Ello,

I'm looking for suggestions on the best computer speakers available
today. I'm not a gamer and don't watch movies on my computer, so the
whole surround sound thang probably isn't necessary. Mainly listening
to music and want some good bass response and good tonality. Sad, but
most of the music listening I do is while I'm workin' at the computer,
as opposed to sitting in front of my nice stereo system in my living
room.

If it matters, I'm on a Mac running Tiger.

-Fleemo

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

fleemo17 wrote ...
> I'm looking for suggestions on the best computer
> speakers available today. I'm not a gamer and don't
> watch movies on my computer, so the whole surround
> sound thang probably isn't necessary. Mainly listening
> to music and want some good bass response and good
> tonality. Sad, but most of the music listening I do is
> while I'm workin' at the computer, as opposed to sitting
> in front of my nice stereo system in my living room.

The best computer speakers are NOT *COMPUTER*
speakers. There is nothing magic about computers that
require special speakers. If you really want decent music
reproduction, look at some of the compact, powered
monitors that are offered for the home-recording market.
For example, these kinds of things. Available many places...
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs [...] rch?c=4901

> If it matters, I'm on a Mac running Tiger.

Should make no difference as long as you have the
proper cable.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

<fleemo17@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1126327045.725855.131860@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> 'Ello,
>
> I'm looking for suggestions on the best computer speakers available
> today.

I think "computer speakers" implied magnetic shielding so they could be used
close to a CRT.

Since home cinema became popular, there are lots more shielded speakers
available. However, you might do better by buying a used hi-fi system that
meets your quality requirements, and spending the money saved on a TFT
monitor if you don;t already have one.

Tim

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Bob wrote:
> I'm sure you are going to get a lot of responses - well, here's my
> suggestion:
>
> http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com [...] =c1swzzzzz
>
> I've had the Cambridge Soundworks PC speakers for many years hooked up to
> the soundcard in my PC. When I purchased them, they were the most "musical"
> sounding of the speakers I listened to at the store, and I've been happy
> with them. Very good sounding with decent bass. No, they won't replace the
> high end system in my living room, but work well when I play music on my
> computer. Like you, I'm not a gamer and don't watch movies on the Pee-Cee.
>
> Haven't listened to the higher priced "Soundworks" speakers in the Cambridge
> Soundworks line, but at $79.99, these work well for me.
>
> Just my thoughts.
> Bob.
>
>
I 2nd that! Cambridge Soundworks make some really good sounding computer
speakers. I have a pair myself.

As for the other posters who recommend spending as much money/time on
speakers for the the computer as you would your stereo, I ask you this:

considering that wehn you're at your computer, your primary source of
most if not all of your attention is the computer. The music is in the
background, or as some would say, elevator music. True, you do want good
sound quality, but if you're attention will most likely be on CoolEdit,
Word, Excel or Firefox, why go to the extreme of getting hifi audio
speakers? When you listen to your home stereo, you get to fully indulge
your ears, unlike when you listen at the computer.

CD

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

On Sun, 11 Sep 2005 21:17:27 -0400, Codifus <codifus@optonline.net>
wrote:

>As for the other posters who recommend spending as much money/time on
>speakers for the the computer as you would your stereo, I ask you this:
>
>considering that wehn you're at your computer, your primary source of
>most if not all of your attention is the computer. The music is in the
>background, or as some would say, elevator music. True, you do want good
>sound quality, but if you're attention will most likely be on CoolEdit,
>Word, Excel or Firefox, why go to the extreme of getting hifi audio
>speakers? When you listen to your home stereo, you get to fully indulge
>your ears, unlike when you listen at the computer.

I'm intrigued why anyone working in Cool Edit, an audio editor, would
be listening to background music? :-)

But someone who DOES use Cool Edit will likely be interested in audio
quality even more than the average listener.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Richard Crowley wrote:
>
> "Codifus" <codifus@optonline.net> wrote in message
> news:IG4Ve.91$gE7.87@fe08.lga...
>
>> Bob wrote:
>>
>>> I'm sure you are going to get a lot of responses - well, here's my
>>> suggestion:
>>>
>>> http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com [...] =c1swzzzzz
>>>
>>>
>>> I've had the Cambridge Soundworks PC speakers for many years hooked
>>> up to the soundcard in my PC. When I purchased them, they were the
>>> most "musical" sounding of the speakers I listened to at the store,
>>> and I've been happy with them. Very good sounding with decent bass.
>>> No, they won't replace the high end system in my living room, but
>>> work well when I play music on my computer. Like you, I'm not a
>>> gamer and don't watch movies on the Pee-Cee.
>>>
>>> Haven't listened to the higher priced "Soundworks" speakers in the
>>> Cambridge Soundworks line, but at $79.99, these work well for me.
>>>
>>> Just my thoughts.
>>> Bob.
>>>
>>>
>> I 2nd that! Cambridge Soundworks make some really good sounding
>> computer speakers. I have a pair myself.
>
>
> And I had a pair myself. I dumped them because they had
> a huge hole in the middle of their frequency response.
> Those plastic comsumer "computer speakers" are tuned
> for maximum thump at the bottom and sizzle at the top to
> make them sound "better" than the competition sitting on
> the shelf at Frys. I was very disappointed when I brought
> them home. I gave them to a friend who just needed any
> old thing. YMMV.
Yeah, I've noticed that some bass is missing along where the satellites
transition to the bass module, but it's casual listening for me, and
they sound a whole lot better than other computer speakers I've tried,
like Altec Lansing, Creative, etc.

CD

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 08:02:28 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
<rcrowley@xpr7t.net> wrote:

>> I'm intrigued why anyone working in Cool Edit, an audio
>> editor, would be listening to background music? :-)
>
>Well, when you're editing hours and hours of speech (or
>even predictable music) where you are only trimming,
>normalizing, applying some sort of regular processing
>to many files, etc., you're not necessarily listening in
>rapt attention to every second of what you're editing.
>We can't all get paid for mixing down original tracks. :-)

Well wriggled! But not well enough :-)

When editing music or speech you will be listening to it, not to
something else. Surely?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Bob Wrote:
> I'm sure you are going to get a lot of responses - well, here's my
> suggestion:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/4jxkp
>
> I've had the Cambridge Soundworks PC speakers for many years hooked up
> to
> the soundcard in my PC. When I purchased them, they were the most
> "musical"
> sounding of the speakers I listened to at the store, and I've been
> happy
> with them. Very good sounding with decent bass. No, they won't
> replace the
> high end system in my living room, but work well when I play music on
> my
> computer. Like you, I'm not a gamer and don't watch movies on the
> Pee-Cee.
>
> Haven't listened to the higher priced "Soundworks" speakers in the
> Cambridge
> Soundworks line, but at $79.99, these work well for me.
>
> Just my thoughts.
> Bob.
I've been using the big brother Micro Works version for years and am
very satisfied with the accurate midrange. Don't think these are still
availible. Were talking home office audio here, not to be confused with
a dedicated high end system. Unfortunately for us audio folks, the trend
in computer speakers is for more stylish thin designs than the 4" x 4"
square cabinets in the Micro Works system. Good news is, with LCD
monitors becoming common, shielded speakers aren't much an issue any
more. This opens up many more speaker options.


--
Carver1200