Best speaker bang for the buck?

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I'll get a MBP17" (eventually). What is the best value in speakers, sound verses price?

I was looking at the Harman Kardon SoundSticks II, but I'm not sold on anything yet.

Thoughts?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    glossgloss Posts: 506member
    See if you can get a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 at a decent price.
  • Reply 2 of 18
    baygbmbaygbm Posts: 147member
    I have Altec Lansing speakers and love them. The sound and sound quality is absolutely amazing! They no longer sell the particular model I have but if I were buying right now I would go here



    http://www.alteclansing.com/product_cat_stereo.asp



    and I would probably buy these

    http://www.alteclansing.com/product_...asp?pID=VS3121



    That said, what you really need to do is go to a store that has a bank of speakers set up from different manufacturers and listen to each set of speakers one by one... that's how I chose my Altec Lansing speakers. They still sound increadible! An excellent value for the price. 8)
  • Reply 3 of 18
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    My advice:

    Buy a stereo of 2.1 setup and not a surround sound setup.



    Klipsch ProMedia 2.1

    Creative (Cambridge Soundworks) MegaWorks 2.1

    Altec Lansing (forgot which models are good)
  • Reply 4 of 18
    squiremsquirem Posts: 29member
    They will be bought through work and they have to be bought off the apple website. With those limitations, what do you think? $150 give or take...
  • Reply 5 of 18
    baygbmbaygbm Posts: 147member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SquireM

    They will be bought through work and they have to be bought off the apple website. With those limitations, what do you think? $150 give or take...



    This model is sold on the apple website.



    http://www.alteclansing.com/product_...MX5021_OOS.asp



    Note: I have never heard the sound from these speakers but based on the Altec Lansing speakers I DO have I would feel comfortable buying them "sight unseen" or recommending them.

  • Reply 6 of 18
    baygbmbaygbm Posts: 147member
    .
  • Reply 7 of 18
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by baygbm

    This model is sold on the apple website.



    http://www.alteclansing.com/product_...MX5021_OOS.asp



    Note: I have never heard the sound from these speakers but based on the Altec Lansing speakers I DO have I would feel comfortable buying them "sight unseen" or recommending them.




    Those speakers are quite nice. In fact, I like their sound better than my cambridge soundworks 2.1 and klipsch promedia 2.1.



    I chose another set over these due to their shape. However, I still think the ones at that link sound better even though they're analog only.
  • Reply 8 of 18
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    It is a little expensive, but THIS is probably your best bet using the bang/buck model.



    Sounds like carp though. 8)
  • Reply 9 of 18
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    These are excellent but don't expect the link to stay open forever



    (if the link goes down, Bose Companion 3 Speakers)
  • Reply 10 of 18
    This is admittedly more than a computer audio setup, but Logitech's Z-5500 Digital is a ridiculous bargain for the money. I've had one in my house for a year and it's serious stuff.



    I've seen them go on dealmac for around $250.
  • Reply 11 of 18
    glossgloss Posts: 506member
    When I worked at a computer store I found (after a lot of experimentation) that only the high-end Logitechs were even CLOSE to the Promedias in terms of overall sound quality. The Altecs had a very depressed midrange and artificially sharp tweeters.



    Get a pair of Klipschs, let them break in for about 8 hours, and enjoy.
  • Reply 12 of 18
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ireland

    These are excellent but don't expect the link to stay open forever



    (if the link goes down, Bose Companion 3 Speakers)




    ...a bit, well, ... sorta gay though...
  • Reply 13 of 18
    ajayajay Posts: 117member
    when i first got my G3 ibook in 03, i decided to go for a JBL Creature setup.



    three years down the line, i'm pretty happy with my investment...



    BTW, this is an interesting link where they have shown the innards of the Creature... reminds me of the (in)famous "Area51 Alien Autopsy" pages that was a craze a few years back...
  • Reply 14 of 18
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ebby

    Sounds like carp though.



    Sounds fishy to me.



    For speakers, you don't have to get expensive ones. My Mac Mini sound output is practically non-existant. I bought a cheap 2.1 setup and it sounds awesome. The sub really makes all the difference.
  • Reply 15 of 18
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Chris_here

    ...a bit, well, ... sorta gay though...



    You are confused, if you think a speaker is gay
  • Reply 16 of 18
    g_warreng_warren Posts: 713member
    Another vote for the JBL Creatures here. I got some after deciding that the Harmon Kardons Soundsticks were too pricey. They are half the price, and whilst not quite as good sounding, are still excellent. I have them in white, but you can also get them in silver etc now too. I believe, incidentally, that Harmon Kardon own JBL.
  • Reply 17 of 18
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ireland

    You are confused, if you think a speaker is gay





    Uhmm, well, o.k. - so they're not I guess, great, that's good news. I just got me a pair of them and my girlfriend keeps saying they look gayish.



    They do sound good, but whenever someone in our house turns on a light, turns off a tv you can hear some bad noise coming out of these speakers. And the on/off-switch is located on the backside of the sub, and a subwoofer usually stands on the floor, close to a wall even, so have fun turning it on and off twice a day, or leave it on, but then you - and the rest of your family - have got to get used to these bangs!
  • Reply 18 of 18
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ebby

    It is a little expensive, but THIS is probably your best bet using the bang/buck model.



    Sounds like carp though. 8)




    That is enough power to kill a person. 155dB is enough to simulate the sound wave pushed out by a space shuttle launch, and even that is enough to kill you - 188dB is seriously loud (1000x the energy level of a space shuttle launch, since dB is a logarethmic scale).
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