Looking for new speakers

Sorry, lumberbunny, I was in a hurry and looked at the wrong name when checking to see who had answered my question.

 

Z-10 looks really nice.

Why not get that?

 

http://www.ncix.com/products/index....015&manufacture=Creative Labs#CustomerReviews

What about this ? Is this compatable to a 9400.

 

the z2300s are nice, as everyone is saying. The bass isnt as tight as the klipsch but overall they're the better pick because if you wait long enough, you can get them for like $80 at buy.com, they do periodical sales. The x230s go on sale at buy.com, they were 27 the other day but theyre back up to 58 42 at zipzoomfly

You should check out GottaDeal its a great deals blog that is usually good about updating, and especially with black friday coming they have a separate site set up.

 

If I get and external sound card, can I run the X-530s onmy laptop?

 

That's a PCMCIA Card. The 9400 only has ExpressCard.

You bet. I think you're both probably looking for something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102174

 

right on the money there, lumberbunny.

 

>X-230
>X-530
>X-540
>Z-4
>Z-2300

In order from 1-5 with 1 being the highest rank the 5 sets of speakers listed above.

Based on the rankings to come I will be choosing which speakers I will buy.

 

x230 z4 z2300
i don't feel that you can compare 5.1's to 2.1 especially since in the case of the x530s they just add more speakers. that said, the x530s, if you can get them for a good price are nice even if you dont use the speakers in the back. it's just nice to have a center channel imo, if you have somewhere to put it.

specs wise the z4s are in between the x230 and z2300 BUT they are available in limited quantities, are not as mainstream and so you can much better deals on the x230s for lower or wait for the z2300s to come down to the normal z4 price as they do sometimes. I got my z2300s for $80 shipped at buy.com in late august early september.

it all comes down to what you need. yes i could do with x230s but i need the z2300s to crank so that the whole floor can hear them up and down the hall.

 

Right on; it's not a fair comparison. If anything, compare the X-230's to the Z-2300's.

It all comes down to what you are willing to spend. If don't mind spending ~$100 and want the best possible sound quality/loudness/bass you can get, then go for the Z-2300's. There is nothing that can match them.

Otherwise, the Z-230's are an awesome value. The bass is surprisingly potent and has some kick; the sound can also go very loud without distorting. The sound doesn't feel "unstoppable" like the Z-2300's, but it is still great. You can't go wrong with them.

If you plan on getting a 5.1 system, make sure you have room for it.

That's a good point there - shipping. Shipping such a large box costs a lot. I spent $15 to ship the X-230's, and over $20 for the Z-2300's. Shop around; some sites, such as ZipZoomFly, have free shipping on just about everything, but the price is slightly higher for certain items that weigh more (ex: the Z-2300's are $113.99 w/ free ship); other sites, such as Newegg, have a lower product price but tack on shipping (they charge $103.99 for the speakers and $21.82 for shipping). So, shop around. Or even better, find them in a local store and skip shipping (of course, that means paying tax in most states).

 

Those z-2300's are a good buy even when there at 100.00 or 80.00. For what they can do, such an amazing buy compared to the Z-4's or any other setup. I havent seen anything that can compare to the sub and the speakers in the price range. As many people have said; if you want power and the capability to shake the floor go with the 2300s. If not z4.

 

I've had the z2300's for about two months now. I'll tell you, even if I had paid $200 for them (I paid just over $85) I'd love these speakers!

I find myself cranking them every few days, simply to blow me away at how clear they sound, even cranked up! Oh, and by cranked up, I mean about 75%... I don't think I've ever had them above that level, and at that level, I'm waiting to hear banging on my door from my neighbors!

Amazing speakers! (Watching movings on them is incredible... try checking out the opening scene from Ice Age, at high volume.. your room will literally shake as the ice begins to break! It's awesome!!!)

 

Try hooking them up to your Xbox360 while playing Gears of War... I mean the game is already a little scary and gorie and all, but DAM# its awesome playing that game on the Z-2300. I absolutly love them, one of the best buys Ive ever made from a performance/price ratio.

 

So I take it the z2300's are the way to go for 2.1. I think I'm going to shop around for the z2300's. My suitmate has had the x-230's for about 6 months now and the acoustic tube(card board toiletpaper roll with one end dipped in rubber) was dislodged(by vibrations we assume). I am wondering if this is because he cranks them to nearly full to full blast at least three times a week or faulty manufacturing. Anyways I'm leaning toward the z2300's. I'll look around but if anybody has seen these latlely in stores such as office depot, bestbuy, circiutcity, ect., I will thank you in advance to let me know.

 

The Sub construction on the Z-2300's is phenomenol compared to your description of the x-230's it is so solidly constructed with an fantastic acoustic tube.

keep checking newegg.com zipzoomfly.com amazon.com for the best price I think, buy.com etc.

 

Yeah the Z-2300's are rock solid, I have no worries about it shaking its self apart, although it can do quite a bit of shaking. But yes they are definitly the way to go as far as 2.1 setups for under $100. I would get them if they cost $200, there that good.

 

I can't find the z-2300's for under $100 anywhere at the moment. I'm almost considering getting the X-540's simply because the bookstore down the street has them for about $80. The only reason I'm holding out for the z2300's is because it has 8ohms instead of 4ohms.

 

Yeah I just looked at Z-2300 prices online, they have definitly gone up from when I bought mine. But you really should get them over the X-540's. A guy down the hall from me has them and my 2300 blows them away in volume, bass, and sound quality, in spite of it being 5.1.

 

I'm looking for new speakers as well (in Canada). Can anyone offer any insight on purchasing refurbished? Is the savings worth it? Thanks.

Z-2300s:
New
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1068243&Sku=L23-6326
Refurbished
http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/product_spec.php?pcode=LO2300

X-230s:
New
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1068236&Sku=L23-6320
Refurbished
http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/product_spec.php?pcode=LO0230

 

Well, I found the Z-2300's new for $85 on Amazon about two or three months ago. However, I'd imagine that refurbished, they'll be like new. You can also purchase an extended warranty, but I'd figure that within the 90 day warranty they come with, you should know if something goes wrong or not.

Then again, you can purchase them now for about $100 new, so is it worth it to save $20?

If you simply can't spend over $80, get them refurbished, otherwise, find the best deal you can get online.

I'm not familiar with the other speakers, sorry.

 

Herm, once again my suggestion is you go to the stores and take a listen to the different ones before you go out and buy one.

You may be surprised, you may find one you may like more then the z-2300's. Or you may find the z-2300's the best. Either way, you shouldn't rush out based on everyone else's opinion. IT'S YOUR OPINION.

 

I have yet to find ones better than the z2300's for the price...though I'm open to suggestions. I've been to the only two stores in the area(bestbuy and circuitcity) BestBuy has the z5300's but they're available online only.
Basically it's down to this....I'm waitng for the price of the z2300's to drop or a better system for equal or cheaper than the z2300.

 

I'm gonna be crazy here...

You don't sit these near a crt do you?

Why not try a pair of these, and an amp?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7705307&type=product&id=1138085354138

They aren't magnetically shielded, so you can't sit them near a crt...

Those have more power then a z2300, and if you look into forums about them, you'll find they are actually $200 speakers with the tweeters put into a different position. People rave about these $47 speakers.

Hell, you could just go into a goodwill and buy a cheap receiver if you want... Just make sure it's a decent one :-X...

EDIT: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=690556

EDIT 2: Nevermind, expired.

EDIT 3: This receiver right here is normally $300, you save $155.

Now this system in total would be $200, alot more then you wanted to pay, but you could hook it up to anything you want. You could hook it up to your pc AND tv, or anything you prefer...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009E1YPW/ref=nosim/?tag=fatwalletcom&linkCode=as1

Part of the listening experience is a quality receiver. The better the receiver/amp, the better the sound.

Of course if you go the way of the speakers, you could get a cheap one like I said, or an amp which is usually cheaper, or visit fatwallet and wait for another deal on a receiver, it's your choice. But that is a HELL of a deal on a receiver.

 

Nah, I've already got a 1000watt home theater system at home....I just want to blow the brains out of my roommate(metaphorically speaking) when he plays a song I dispise....I want a set of speakers that will fit comfortably at my desk....not one that takes up half a room or more.

 

But they will sound excellent, much better then Z-2300's

And you haven't seen the amp of the Z-2300 yet, the thing is a monster

 

What do you mean a montster?
The other thing is that I don't want to spend $400 to get speakers....$150 is already pushing it. Shure, they'll sound great but I'll be worse that broke if I buy them...I'll be in debt.

 

The amplifier on the Z-2300's are HUGE. If you're looking to save desk space, you won't find it by buying the Z-2300's, unless you have good space.. on the floor.

And About the $50 speakers... You don't gotta buy a super expensive receiver, you can wait for a cheap one to go on sale, or get an amp, they will bring the costs down...

Or you could shop around... here is a receiver for $134...

With a coupon you enter, it's $114, and then with the speakers the total comes to around $160...

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-76MohrxRoqV/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=10420&I=158STR197B&search=receiver

crutchfield $20 off $150 code: PA413
crutchfield $20 off $100 PA166

Those coupons should work, got them off fatwallet.

The thing is, those speakers I linked you too fluctuate in price. They go up to $50, and as low as $30. I've seen kicking receivers go on sale for $80. I suppose you could get the Z2300, but for around the same price, or if you wait, for possibly lower, you could get far better sound... Of course you'd lose shelf space.

 

speakers+reciever/amp>z2300
I can fit the z2300 amp on the floor. I can't however put the reciever on the floor. I'm going to stick with speakers intended for computer use, not for an entertainment center.

 

Ever checked out the Klipsch iFi? Great set of 2.1 speakers.

 

Though the iFi looks very impressive, it's not worth the extra $50-60 to get an ipod dock when I don't even have an ipod. So, far the z2300's are the most economic option and I can't even afford a set($~150 at circuitcity). I'm trying not to have to order online to get what I want but it seems I don't have much of a choice.

 

You kinda have to get them online, its really not that big of a deal. I order stuff online all the time and nothing has ever gone wrong for me. But if you want to pay under $100 online is your only option. I also went to circut city and best buy to check prices, they were $150 like you said. I went online got them from zipzoomfly.com, with 5 day shipping and it was about $90 at the time, but it looks like prices have gone up since then.

 

I don't mind buying online normally....it's just that this time I kind of want to get the item being purchased in a hurry and ordering online with standard shipping usually takes at least two weeks(more often 4-6 weeks)...I would prefer to get these speakers before wednesday/thursday next week....plus my credit card bill is going to be high this month already, and I use a credit card to buy online which would add to the bill.

 

I don't know if this is the right place to post this but I figure it's a legitimate consideration.

I have the z2300s and as of late i've noticed that from around 9 to 11 on the volume knob, only when you're changing the volume, there's a slight crackle like the remote itself is shorting a bit. Once you stop changing the volume, the static disappears and it's not even much but i'm a bit concerned since i've only had these for a few months now. anyone else have any similar experience?

If the remote goes out, the speakers are worthless unless you can get a spare remote because the whole setup is proprietary.

 

This would only apply in a very specific circumstance, but I was in the same market a couple months ago and here is what I did. I looked around and realized that I might not be happy with any reasonably priced PC speakers out there. So, I then realized that I happened to have an extra pair of bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer laying around. I looked around and bought a simple receiver for about $60 that would pump 100 watts to each of the speakers and bam, a great sounding system that shakes the house when I crank it.

If you've got some extra pieces laying around, maybe it would be cheaper and more satisfactory to put together a system like that?

 

I have two 250watt speakers that I'm doing nothing with but there's a problem.....the boxes are huge.....we're talking ~14"X16"X32" here and there's two of them so I would need some serious space to use these and a reciever/amp. I have thought about this in the past but size always becomes an issue.

 

KidA:
are your speakers making the crackle only between 9 and 11?
Normally if a speaker starts to crackle this signals that there is a very brief electric disconnection and reconnection. the crackle is the sound produced when this happens. If it were occuring when you were plugging/unplugging one of the speakers then I would say that it's nothing to worry about....but since it is when adjusting the volume then I would wonder if it is wearing out. How often do you run the speakers at high volume and how long?
All I can suggest is lay off the high volume(9+ volume) for a week or two and then see if it still does it. The other thing is that it could be certain songs video, ect. that could cause this. I had a pair of speakers that would pop/crackle at high volume on one song but not on the other.

 

my fault in being vague. i meant from like 9-11 o clock on a watch on the volume knob so we're only looking at 30-40% of max volume. I believe that it is in fact the knob's contact but i don't really need to worry *knock on wood*. I've also been thinking of possibly adding some nice bookshelves to replace the normal satalites to get a fuller sound from some nice mid size drivers but yeah it's a solid system, we all know this.

 

sorry I couldn't be of more help....good luck in finding what you want.

 

Wow this thread is confusing, lol, so if anyone ever gets to this point, want to explain to me? so the z2300s are the clearest and give a decent amount of bass?

What would be really awesome if we could sorta make a guide, if you want this, get this, with prices and such and we could constantly update it.

This could definelty help out other buyers. And maybe we could sticky (if that is possible in these forums) something like that so we could all help out our fellow friends in need?

Whaddaya think?

 

GUIDE TO BUYING SPEAKERS FOR YOU COMPUTER:

STEP 1:
What are you looking for:
The biggest decision is in purchasing speakers is to determine what qualities you are looking for in speakers.
>>are you going for all out power?....portablility?.....space saving?....surround sound?.... looks?.....clarity?.....loudness?..... and so forth.

STEP 2:
Determine a price range:
>>How much are you willing to spend?....from there start looing for different speakers that meet you critieria and determine which give you the better deal.

STEP 3:
Do you want 2.0, 2.1, or 5.1?
>>2.0
>>>typically smaller and less powerful speakers
>>> tend to have decent volume and bass for personal video watching and music listening but lacks high volume performance.
>>>can be anywhere between inexpensive to midrange in price($15-75)
>>>does not have a subwoofer for bass output.
>>>example of a decent 2.0system is the Philips Multimedia 2.0 speakers (Claims 80w output but doesn't perform like an 80w system...though decent for a 2.0sytem
>>2.1
>>>these systems have a standalone subwoofer and two satelite speakers
>>> this setup is ecellent for most laptop users who have a desk to put them on.
>>>range in power out put between ~20w-200w RMS (basically RMS means what the speakers will put out at a constant rate)
>>>prices are between $20-$400
>>>these speakers are idea for those users who want ample power with available room shaking bass and good clarity with high volume performance and don't have the space for a surround (5.1) system.
>>> a popular and powerfull system are the Logitech z2300's (usually about $150 in stores like circuitcity but have been sited for as low as $80 through online stores).
>>5.1
>>>in other words a surround sound system
>>>power output ranges ~70w-1000w RMS
>>>prices range ~$200-you don't want to know
>>> a system that is relatively decent in price and a good performer is the logitech z5300's (there are much more powerful systems but they will cost a lot more than the z5300's{$200 for the logitech's} (often $500 or more for other makes and models)
These are ideal for those who have no need for portability or saving space and what theater quality video watching experiences.
>>>in addition to needing money, and lots of space, one will also, more than likely, be required to purchase an external soundcard to support 5.1 sound output.
>>> M-audio is an exelent brand choice but it you need something cheaper Creative will do.

STEP 4 WINDOW SHOPPING:
>>go to you local stores and see if they offer the speakers that you are looking to purchase.
>>>Testdrive them
>>>>trying something before you buy them is a good way to determine if the system you think you want is really the one you want before unnecesary spending of money.
>>once you verify that you have found the system you want look around, check for sales, compare one store's price to another, check online.
>>by doing some homework on the prices you will be less likely to spend more that necesary. Online store tend to be cheaper but occasionally local stores have a deal you just can't pass up...plus you don't have to wait for you speakers to be delivered if you buy locally.

Step 5:
>>Making shure it's all there and it's all working.
>>>try them out when you get them...run them at differnt volume settings for extended periods of time for at least a day or to to make shure nothing is broken or malfuntioning.
>>>if in the event a part is missing or something is not working or if you just aren't satisfied with the speakers you do have the option to return them.
>>>most of the time there is a 30-90 day return policy
>>>make shure you are aware of you warranties time frame and if you should need to send it to the factory or return it for any reason return it within that time frame to avoid unwanted fees.

Hope this helps those in the new speakers market and feel free to PM me or post about any errors I have made or info I have left out or need to update.

I will try to update this Guide from time to time as I get new info....and as somebody previously posted....if the mods deem it worthy....stickying this Guide/Thread would most likely be benificial.

 

I put the guide at the begining of this thread just in case someone actually wants to look at it, they won't have to search through the thread to find it.

 

Awesomeness

 

thanks....

 

For the money, there is no better speaker than the z2300. Take it from me, they friggin rock. I've never even turned up past 50% volume or I'd probably get evicted Even at that they rattle the floor, but most impressively, they remain distortion-free. I'm no audiophile but I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with these babies...

 

yes they are very impressive speakers.....though there was that one occurance where a fellow z2300 owner experienced some trouble when adjusting the volume....but overall, they are a rockin set of speakers.

 

I have had the Z2300 speakers for over two years ($150) and have had many compliments and some complaints (from a neighbor). I currently have them connected to my Audigy2 sound card on my desktop but they will be connected to my laptop soon. These speakers are excellent! They replaced a set of Altec Lansings.
You won't be disappointed.

 

Too badI can't find them at a non online store for less than $150.....I really don't want to buy online...creditcard bill is very high.

 

I was in best buy today and I came across the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 Multimedia Speakers.
My question is this:
Are they better/about equal/worse than the logitech z2300's?
I know that they both have the 200RMS watts and that the only big difference that I can see is that the Klipsch are running at 4ohms and the logitech's have 8ohms.
I know that in most cases.....at least when dealing with home theater speakers you can get the same loudness of a high wattage low ohms set with a higher ohms lower watts set......(example....my dad's 16 ohm 40watt X 4 speaker system totally owns our 750watt 8ohm 5.1 home theater system....but that may not be the case with all systems....it's just based on my experience).
So I guess what I'm wondering is whether I would be happy with getting a set of 2.1 Klipsch Pro media so that I can have a set of speakers in my room and in the game room(where my z2300's currently are) or should I just get another set of z2300's and forget about the Klipsch.
The prices are basically the same.

 

Does anyone know of any good USB speakers? I'm looking at the B-flex one, and they seem pretty good and you don't have to worry about finding a space to put the speakers since they're on a bendable stalk. Does anyone know about them? Here's a URL.

http://www.amazon.com/Laptop-Speake...r_2/105-0713010-6156402?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

 

Yeah, anything that has a THX sticker on it works. Their simply tat good. Y dun u try out the Klipsch and let us know exactly which sounds better.