Looking for Gaming Speakers

Hey ime looking for a pair of awesome gaming speakers.

Looking to spend around €120 on it.

Preff 2.1 but 5.1 is good to

Thanks In advance.

 

Sorry, but inb4 Z-5500.

 

they are like €230

 

klipsch pro media 2.1!

 

Logitech Z-2300.

 

I'll also recommend that. For the price it is selling for, the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 is very good. Good luck in the search.

 

Klipsch ProMedia is good, (Promedia Ultras are Great)

But if your going to go that far and spend that much may as well finish what you started and just get home theater speakers and an amp.

You can probably actually do this CHEAPER than the PC spec speakers because you can get a great amp used online or in a pawn shop and then look around for speakers.

I have Klipsch Quintet III's that I got for 1/2 off on black friday a few years back + a Klipsch Synergy 10 sub for less than the cost of the Pro Media Ultra's and it blows any PC speaker setup away completely.

There are a lot of advantages in going this route, amp & speaker are separate so you can upgrade them independently (and they can fail independently if that ever happens) you get all the functions and inputs of a home theater amplifier, and the quality is generally higher and value per dollar better.


Speakers are good as new and had them for years now, also used the same ones for my TV, Wii, and other stuff so it was a good investment. I already threw away a pair of Creative Labs 5.1's that cost me $100. In hindsite wish I had gone the home theater route FIRST to save that $100 and the whole time I could have had a nicer setup.

Electronics like this are a investment, so it pays off to get better stuff and keep it for a while rather than get smaller/cheaper stuff and toss it down the road.

I guess my logic may not apply to everybody since some people wont really want all the power and sound I have but I know there are a great many that wish they would have done what I did if they heard my setup or if they have gone thru numerous sets of "pc speakers" already.

 

I agree with ViciousXUSMC in principle that going with real speakers is ultimately the way to go, though my execution is going to be quite different. I currently have a pair of old Altec Lansing ACS500 towers and subwoofer that I bought for $50 a few years ago, but these things were $400 back in 1995. These were revolutionary for PC speakers in their day and the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 was the ACS500's primary competition, but these speakers were never worth their original retail price. Even though I still think they're good for PC speakers after all these years (and they looked cool until I bought a 27" LCD monitor to replace a beige 21" Sony CRT), they're not good speakers in general. $400 in 1995 money is more expensive than my forthcoming speaker setup.

My new setup will be a 2.1 system driven by the Tweak City Audio Gizmo 1.0M desktop amplifier powering a pair of Mordaunt-Short bookshelf speakers and outputting to a Yamaha YST-SW225 subwoofer. I'm primarily getting this for music, but this speaker setup will spank any PC speaker system for gaming as well because I'll have a real subwoofer with a proper low-pass filter and crossover point instead of forcing the components to play frequencies out of their native range to distortion like most PC speaker systems. I will have a natural soundstage instead of one achieved through artificial enhancement via a bevy of software filters and effects.

Anyway, I would recommend the Edifier S330D or the Swan M12 for gaming if you don't want the complication of setting up a home audio system. Either the Edifiers or the Swans will put all other 2.1 PC speaker systems you've ever heard of in your price range to shame, probably even including the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1.

 

Well the thing is i already have a great sony theater system.

Just looking for some decent gaming speakers that i will only use for my computer.

Snakecharmed. Those Edifier s330D indeed sound good, ime kinda doubting if i should get the the z2300 or that one

 

Between those two, I'd say the Edifier S330D is a better choice. Logitech speakers are notorious for being weak in the midrange and having loud but sloppy bass. The Z-2300 is probably the worst offender of them all. The S330D is cleaner throughout the frequency range, but the bass isn't quite as strong as the Z-2300.

 

Begging your pardon, but the Z-2300 sounds great. Mids are fantastic, and contrary to popular belief, not everyone has the bass cranked to 100% all the time. If you know how to equalize, they sound amazing, especially in movies and games where that THX certification really shines.

 

Meh, if I was watching movies and playing games, I would really prefer the Z-5500's. Surround sound adds so much to the overall experience.

 

/sighs/

Z-2300s are terrible and don't hold a candle to the Swan M12s (or heck, even the M10s for music) which can be had for $100. Sound reproduction is significantly better.

THX certification...just a marketing gimmick by paying licensing fees to THX for slapping on a sticker. What an absurd argument for the Z-2300. If the Z-2300 shines in movies and games that are THX certified, then the many BETTER speaker setups would shine even more then (you can put together a quality setup and not have a THX certified sticker, would it mean that the speakers wouldn't perform as well as one that has the sticker?).

Snakecharmed actually knows what he's talking about. You don't need bass cranked at 100% or hell even 25%, the Z-2300 is sloppy, its bass is just fairly boomy (if you're into that then whatever), and is inaccurate.

If you were to post this in even moderately frequented audio forums (maybe hardforum in their audio section), you're just baiting for attacks.

To the OP, I haven't experienced the Edifiers so I can't say anything about it, but the Swan M12s previously mentioned are a good choice if you can't find the Edifiers.

 

They're not terrible or sloppy. Stop acting like you have the ultimate say in what sounds good and what doesn't. Sure, they're not the best of the best, but for that budget they're damn good.

CZX58: I'd love the Z-5500 too, but they cost twice as much.

 

I don't want to get into a long, drawn-out argument, nor do I want to tell anyone that what they hear isn't that great, because if you like it, you like it, and that's ultimately the end of the story. I've been through that already in the past month here and I don't feel like going through it again. Even if I did, I'd rather do that at [H]ard|Forum or AVSForum than here.

For the record, I don't crank my subwoofer. In fact, I typically don't care that much for bass and decided not to bother with one in my car because getting a separate class D amp or a five-channel amp plus a subwoofer enclosure is more space and wiring hassle than I'm willing to commit in my trunk. Also, none of the audio equipment in my house is THX certified and you know what? It doesn't matter worth a damn because many high-end audio companies have decided that they have better uses for their money than paying Lucas the fee to get their equipment certified.

I understand that the statements weren't directed at me personally and I don't have any bones to pick with anyone, but from personal experience, I'm simply not impressed with any of the speakers that Logitech makes. If you are, that's fine, but the gulf between "good" mainstream PC speakers (i.e. Logitech, Altec Lansing, Creative) and even the most mainstream of home audio speakers you find in Best Buy is still wide. I've already mentioned my current and forthcoming speaker setups for my desktop computer, so don't think anyone is going to convince me otherwise about Logitech when companies in the PC speaker market that put more effort into accurate sound reproduction such as Swan and M-Audio have made significant inroads among PC audio enthusiasts. I like Logitech's mice, but that's about it.

Based on the speaker requirements and budget listed by neviu, I believe the Edifier S330D and Swan M12 would be excellent choices and the Swan M10 would be acceptable if you don't want the bass, but most gamers rightfully do. A double-blind test of any one of the above against a Logitech system is quite unfair to be honest, and they are all in the same price range as the Z-2300. I would also recommend the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 over the Z-2300 without question.

 

so which is the best of the 3 ?

Edifier S330D
Swan M12 (looks like the volume thingys are on the subwoofer... though...)
Klipsch ProMedia 2.1

Which one of the 3 is the best in the gaming department?

 

The Swan M12's subwoofer isn't meant to go on the floor, which hurts the strength of the bass. That also explains why the volume controls are on the subwoofer. That said, the Swan M12 is probably the best sounding system out of the three because it has the cleanest and most detailed output; it just so happens that it's also the least convenient. If that doesn't bother you though, I'd go for the Swan M12.

I don't think most people will be able to find too much to fault between the S330D and the ProMedia 2.1. The subwoofer on the ProMedia 2.1 sounds fuller, which can be good or bad depending on how you like your bass coming from the subwoofer. Personally, If I had to choose between these two, I would get the S330D because I listen to a lot of music and because the S330D looks a lot nicer. The S330D is more balanced whereas if you're only interested in gaming, you might favor the ProMedia 2.1.

 

wow this has educated me a lot. i was originally decided on the logitech z cinema (psst...Snakecharmed...ur the expert here), but i see there are better speakers out there.

so its either

1. logitech z cinema
2. edifier S330D
3. klipsch promedia 2.1
4. swan M12

note that is order of preference, and M12 is the bottom cuz i like the sub on the floor. actually M12 is prolly not gonna happen. what do u guys honestly think of the z cinema? they look sexy, and use a USB? what difference does that make? is that like the creative virtual surround sound thing?

so i really like teh edifiers, the look nice, at 150bucks as well. edifier vs logitech z cinema?

 

IMHO, the question of which speakers are the best is something only you can answer.

I'll highly recommend that if possible, listen to them (or try them out) yourself so that you yourself can decide for sure which are the best set of speakers. What you like & prefer when you listened to the speakers are what ultimately matters, like a previous post (by another forum member) has mentioned.

Good luck.

 

you know if your going for a mobile speakers, i would recommend the chill pill.
here is a link to amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Small-Dog-Chill-Mobile-Speakers/dp/B001K33QSO

the main web site
http://www.chillpillaudio.com/
just watch the youtube video reviews about them. not the best in the world but good enough and mobile. ps. has its own internal battery for 6 hrs of play time thru them

 

Those don't even come close to even thinking about the possibility of being anywhere near the same category.

 

My personal preference again says that I wouldn't recommend Logitech most of the time, but I don't know much about the Z Cinema. They could (and should) be better than other Logitech speakers that I've heard, but the thing with speaker manufacturers is that they tend to have a certain sound quality throughout their entire product line. Overall, I think Logitech's speakers tend to be bass-heavy at the expense of midrange presence and clarity, and I don't like that at all. The Z Cinema does seem to offer far more tuning options to counterbalance that compared to other Logitech speakers, but I don't know how effective those settings are. Just don't lose the remote control or you're screwed! Anyway, if you were still able to get them for cheap like in that deal you found on TigerDirect before it expired, then they would have been worth a shot because you would have saved something like $30-50.

If we are operating under the following assumptions:

1. Powered 2.1 PC speaker system
2. Priced at or under $150 USD
3. Floor-standing subwoofer

Then I would suggest the Edifier S330D for music and Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 for gaming. Neither set of speakers is perfect and both actually have several flaws that I haven't discussed because you won't find perfection at $150.

Yes, when it all comes down to putting the money on the counter (or the credit card number to the SSL form), it's your ears and your personal preference that matter the most because you will have to live with your selection. Anybody reading this should definitely keep that in mind regardless of what I or anybody else will recommend. Now, speaking for myself, I'll at least try to elaborate on my suggestions rather than simply tell someone to buy what I own or would get given a particular set of criteria.

While you don't always have to audition speakers if you have numerous reviews to draw from and a solid understanding of your own listening preferences (and frankly, I bet most people out there don't even have listening preferences), auditioning helps fill in the gaps. The difficulty with PC speakers though is that it's very difficult to properly audition them compared to home theater speakers.

 

Well everyone thanks for all the input and all.

Ive ordered the edifier S530.

 

Congrats on your purchase & good luck.

 

Seems like a good choice, congratulations.

 

That looks like a nice system. Hope you like it.

 

^A little late there, buddy.

 

LOL 30-50$?? it costs 300USD MSRP, and Tigerdirect had em for 80bucks...220USD (~75%) off. WHY IN THE HELL did not pick that deal up!!!! now im sitting here trying to decide which speaker to get. on the downside, they've discontinued the z cinema, it doesnt appear on logitech's revamped site. i personally dont like their site update, it was easier scrolling downwards than scrolling side to side. anyone know why? i hope that it is because they will release a new, better one. but yea i love bass so i guess if i can snag the cinema at <120usd i'll get it.

the S330D, followed by the klipsch if i cant get the logitechs tho.

OOOO tell me how it goes, i really like the looks, but the name edifier doesnt strike me. they used to sell em in all the chinese markets (i moved from shanghai) and always thought they were a local chinese brand.

WAIT what system is that? looks like a 2.1 version of the z-5500 lol. its not the S330D since the S330D doesnt come with that LCD volume control, or is that an optional attachment?

 

It's the edifier S 530, not S330.

 

Edifier is a Chinese brand, as is HiVi, which makes Swan(s) "We can't decide if our brand name is pluralized or not" Speaker Systems. Edifier's North American offices and distribution network are based in Vancouver, BC. They're better known in Canada than in the US.

 

hmm...thought they were chinese. you still think they are as good, if not better than a lot of logitech ones? for example ive heard the z-2300, and i was blown away by them. by that comparison would the edifier/klipsch blow me away "more"?

 

Define being blown away. I look for tonal fidelity and balanced or smooth treble when I listen to a set of speakers or a pair of headphones. The presence of bass, while necessary, doesn't blow me away. I've been around enough loud and crappy subwoofer installations in cars. I'm impressed when someone actually takes the effort to cleanly integrate the bass with the rest of the sound.

I've already said that I think both the Edifier and Klipsch sets produce a richer sound than the Z-2300. If you turned off or disabled the subwoofer on all three of those sets, the Z-2300 will sound the worst.

 

hmm well im a bass heavy guy, listen to rap/hip-hop + heavy metal. so in that department (bass), how does the klipsch or edifier perform?

 

The Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's subwoofer extends deeper into the low frequencies than the Edifier S330D's.

I hadn't even known about the Edifier S530 that neviu ended up buying, but that has an 8" subwoofer combined with what I presume to be good satellites that should sound better than everything we've kicked around in this thread other than maybe the Swans. Problem is, I have no idea how much it costs or where to get it in the US.

All things considered, I think you'd be better off with the ProMedia 2.1.

 

Theres a Edifier S730 set to.
And a surround set of the S530 The S550.


Check here http://www.edifier-international.com/.

I got the S530 for €140

 

umm...where do i get the Edifier from? S530D/S550D/S730D...i dun live in china anymore

srsly tho? ur in europe rite? anyone know US availability? the promedia 2.1 is looking REALLY REALLY promising rite now.

 

looks like promedia 2.1 will be my choice, 150bucks at bestbuy unless someone else has a better price?

 

I'll suggest that you wait for Best Buy to have a sale going on for the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers, if possible. The last time BB have a sale was not too long ago & they were selling these speakers for $119.99. Info ink to BB's last ProMedia 2.1 sale:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=415700

Good luck.

By the way, for the USA market, the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers are available NEW only at the Klipsch online store & "exclusively" at Best Buy.

 

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_trkpar...&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=15&_sc=1

I completely trust these speakers, and I've had some very good experience with their customer support. Plus, these speakers offer the most bang-for-the-buck of any of the options mentioned above.

The subwoofer is out of this world, and I've been very happy with these speakers for a good year or so. I'm a music addict, and I have to make do with my budget, so this is definitely worth it.

Mr. Mysterious

 

Care to substantiate that statement?

 

I didn't mean to say that "these speakers are the best in the whole world" or anything like that. I've just tried a lot of the aforementioned speakers, and I've had the best experience with Logitech products, as a whole, that's all...

Mr. Mysterious

 

For the same price, you can get yourself a good over the head headphones.

I don't see why would you want to game on 2.1 when you get surround sound with headphones.

I just want to clear something up. There is no such thing as gaming speakers or gaming headphones. Please don't buy into those "Gaming" accessories. A pair of normal can headphones is the same or even better than those 5.1 surround sound gimmick headphones.

That being said, gaming mice and keyboard... that is totally necessary!

 

As mentioned by a lot of other posters ( I know the OP already bought speakers) the promedia 2.1 sound way better than the z2300s imo. My roomate has the logitechs, I have the promedias and side by side, the klipsch speakers win.

 

lol yea klipsch look awesome as well. i think ima get them from bestbuy...or maybe ebay.