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I bought a Creative Soundworks subwoofer and two small speakers for about $80--one set for home and one set for my office. I've been very happy with the awesome sound they put out. Twice, one of the speakers gave out and I simply took it to the Creative store downtown and they replaced it for me. They had very good customer service. But the store has closed now. I don't know whether Creative is going out of business or what. Now one of my speakers has gone out again. (I've had the set for close to 10 years). Waaahhh. I don't have a stereo.
I've been looking at replacement systems on amazon.com. I see that for less than $175, I can get a surround sound system with more speakers. Logitech seems to be a popular one, or one that amazon is featuring. Are they reputable in the sound arena? I've never heard of them or seen them in stores when considering sound systems (not that I shop around much). It appears that I'd have to buy an external sound card to handle the power of the bass, if I understand it correctly. I'm not capable of installing an internal sound card. The technical language that goes along with these items on amazon is beyond me--I'm having trouble figuring out just what I'd be buying.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Can you describe what you're using in layman's terms as to what might be a good system for under $150 or $175 at the most? Remember, I'm talking about a sound system for a computer. I'd appreciate any advice you can give me!
Cheers,
Lynne
I've been looking at replacement systems on amazon.com. I see that for less than $175, I can get a surround sound system with more speakers. Logitech seems to be a popular one, or one that amazon is featuring. Are they reputable in the sound arena? I've never heard of them or seen them in stores when considering sound systems (not that I shop around much). It appears that I'd have to buy an external sound card to handle the power of the bass, if I understand it correctly. I'm not capable of installing an internal sound card. The technical language that goes along with these items on amazon is beyond me--I'm having trouble figuring out just what I'd be buying.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Can you describe what you're using in layman's terms as to what might be a good system for under $150 or $175 at the most? Remember, I'm talking about a sound system for a computer. I'd appreciate any advice you can give me!
Cheers,
Lynne
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Sound equipment for listening on the computer??
Tue, January 30, 2007 - 9:48 AMHello Lynne...
In the world of 'multimedia' sound systems for computers, you are not going to find alot of difference in brands at the price range you are looking at. Customer service seems to be an issue for you, and I have had good experience with logitech devices, although I will admit to no experience with their audio equipment. In almost all cases, the company in question does not even manufacture the equipment, they are merely branding it, so company reputation is what you are shopping for, rather than big differences in technology.
I have seen "surround sound" systems at wal-mart for under 50$ that, very honestly, are going to give equal performance to any "computer marketed" brands. They simply aren't "audiophile" technology. Which suits any normal human just fine. ( there's lots of humor surrounding people who will spend $500 each on speaker *wires* ) What I am getting at here is that just about anything you buy is going to give performance equal to or better than the creative labs stuff that you enjoyed.
Logitech is a large company with great focus on customer service, brand loyalty. As this appears to be an issue for you, you'd want to choose a known name like theirs over the "$50 wal-mart" system.
Altec Lansing, Harman-Kardon are two names that come to my mind that offer sound quality slightly above average. Harman-Kardon also is the parent company of DOD/Digitech, a musical equipment company of excellent reputation.
Best of luck, I hope this babble-off helps you in some way! -
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Re: Sound equipment for listening on the computer??
Tue, January 30, 2007 - 12:33 PMWow! E.T., that is VERY helpful. Thank you! I don't want to get sucked into thinking that expensive equals better quality. It does seem strange that for so little money, one can get such a good sound system for a computer compared with a stereo which would cost much more. Alas, I won't shop at Wal-Mart for political reasons.
I was thinking more about this and decided that the questions I want to ask the group are:
1. What kind of sound system do you have, if you use one on your computer?
2. What did you pay for it?
3. Are you happy with the quality of the sound?
4. What problems or potential problems are there with it (including ease of installation)?
5. Have you experienced good customer service with it?
6. Did you have to buy extra parts to go with it, such as an upgraded sound card and/or cable extensions because they weren't long enough? -
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Re: Sound equipment for listening on the computer??
Tue, January 30, 2007 - 1:26 PM1 I hook my computer up to a Sony home theater system. ( STRK675P, if you like alphabet soup)
2. too much ( part of a package deal with an LCD TV so i really don't know what the individual components cost)
3. Overjoyed. I am a professional musician, and I actually use the thing as a reference monitor. ( *that* could start a flame war)
4. none. one single pair of 'rca' connectors hooks it up, because my soundcard has stereo 'rca' pairs in and out and not headphone jacks!
5. no problems, no reasons to call anyone
6. Nope.
Your mileage may vary.
I can understand your aversion to Wal Mart.
There are other retailers in the world, and they, too will have a variety of "home theater" systems available for less than or right around the budget you mention. If you buy something , keep all packaging and try it out... If the plastic of the speaker case buzzes from time to time, try something else...( that's the only bad manners I've really found in multimedia speakers , due to lack of care in design)
I had a set of Harman Kardon multimedia speakers that served me well until I broke the funny-looking connector that hooked the satellites to the subwoofer... Oh well. They were originally sold with a Dell computer, but I found them on sale at a Micro Center ( they sell on-line, google 'em!) for all of 29 dollars. I got 4 good years out of them, and would have gotten more if I hadn't broke the plug!
Happy Hunting!
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