What are the best laptop speakers for <$150?

I'm looking to buy some speakers for my new Studio 14 for under $150. I'm not really looking to play any games but i do listen to a lot of music and watch a fairly decent amount of movies. I was leaning towards the Logitech Z-2300's because I've heard great things about them but thought I'd ask here before i make any final decisions.

Thanks.

 

I definitely recommend the Z-2300's...can't beat them at that price range for movies and games.

 

I agree the Z-2300's are definitely a good option..
you could also check out the Bose companion 2 series II: BOSE Companion 2 Series II Multimedia Speakers in Computer Speakers at JR.com

Klipsch - ProMedia 2.1

or the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40
just a few more options

 

i've been wondering, i always thought klipsch discontinued the promedia 2.1 a while back, why are they available again?

 

i believe they were just on backorder for a while..you can still get them from the klipsch site and best buy..though u can also find them on amazon..i know the 4.1's and 5.1's are discontinued though...

 

aw man, i should have gotten them earlier then! i've been waiting for over a year for a replacement from klipsch because i remember reading somewhere that they were discontinued, but i guess they werent! time to go speaker hunting!

 

I am borrowing a pair of the Klipsch Promedia 2.1s that my brother ordered on eBay atleast 8 or 9 years ago. They are absolutely fabulous speakers and they have lasted all those years and aren't blown out yet which is amazing because of all the high bass rap my brother used to play.

I am thinking of getting a pair for college, especially if they haven't changed much on them. Why change something when it isn't broken?

 

Apparently there is a new line coming soon, Logitech Next-Generation of Surround Sound Speakers.

 

Logitech speakers are rubbish for music. If you're a true audiophile, you'll know that the true value lies in a quality pair of headphones.

Otherwise, in terms of strict audio fidelity, M-Audio and Klipsch make some decent desktop monitors within that price range. Logitech speakers are good for making noise, not much else.

 

Agreed.

If you want real good audio quality, you're better off saving the money to go towards a good amplifier and some nice Sennheiser, Audio Technica, or other headphones.

 

those speakers are going for 99$?! does this mean the z2300's will drop in price?

 

i agree with all of these recommendations.

i just picked up a klipsch promedia 2.1 system about a little over a month ago, so i'm pretty sure they're bein distributed again. i also know that klipsch sells them through amazon as well.

i kind of agree with u, but wouldn't go as far as calling the z-2300's rubbish. also, in that price range, the swan 2.1 systems are supposed to be pretty nice as well. the z-2300's were geared more towards the gamer and bass lovers, not studio-quality sound or proper music production. they do a great job for the demographic they were geared towards.

me, personally, after over a month with my klipsch promedia 2.1's, i wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. i think the major difference that really helps the promedia's sound quality is that they come with a seperate tweeter and woofer set up in each speaker set up. the majority of other 2.1 systems, in this price range, usually have 1 tiny satellite tryin to produce highs and mids.

i really doubt they would really effect the z-2300's pricing cuz they look more like logitech's budget line of systems.

 

M-Audio's $200MSRP Studiophile AV 40 can be regularly found under $150.

It's a solid pair of entry-level powered monitors if you like your speakers biased towards quality than 'boom'.

Logitech speakers are great all-rounders though and usually excellent value, although personally I'd plump for a pair of monitors.

 

Agreed. The AV40s have their own amplification, are shielded against EMI, can accept multiple sound inputs at once and of course, produce very crisp and accurate sound. Bass lovers will probably want to pair them with a subwoofer, but they are very solid in their own right.

My only complain is that the volume knob tends to produce static interference while you turn it. Other than that, they're a rock solid recommendation.

 

Wharfedale 8.1 active can also easily be found for under 150$ now. Decent speakers for music if you have enough room on your desk.

 

It shouldn't. You might like to get that looked at - it's probably a bad pot.

 

Also agreed. I have the AV 40s and I love them A LOT. They sound awesome for music and fit nicely on a desk. I personally find no need for a sub as they give a really balanced sound with enough bass.

 

Klipsch Promedia 2.1s

I have a set. Did a ton of research between them and the Logitech ones when I was in the market. Finally choose the Klipsch and have absolutely no regrets.

 

:wink: Take a look to this speaker, it's only $79.99 and with freeshipping: JB-308 Black and White Fashionable Flash Screen Mini Speaker

 

looks like a kitchen stove! i wonder what the screen is for? and why are there play/pause/ff/rewind buttons?

 

Sonic T-amp and a pair of used 8-ohm bookshelf speakers i.e. paradigm atom or psb alpha. Exceedingly capable setup that performs nicely near-field as well as further back for well under $150.

 

What about logitech Z3? Are they good for movies? ( HD movies with 5.1 sound )

 

Which set is better for songs that are bass heavy? I like my woofers to be able to hit hard when I demand it of them. Klipsch 2.1's or z2300's?

 

woofer to woofer, the z-2300's unit will win. the 8" woofer actually moves some air quite well. a great sub for the bass heads. that's not to say that the klipsch promedia 2.1's smaller 6.5" woofer is bad though. it's a very capable unit as well, and sounds great with the speakers that are paired with it.

i just prefer the klipschs all around sound stage cuz of the indepent tweeter set up. there's really no 1 tiny satellite that can produce the same amounts of quality highs and lows like a tweeter + speaker set up. at least not for this price.

 

I'd say the Klipsch 2.1 have an overall more balanced sound for music, while the Z-2300 wins at bass.

 

I heard that the Klipsch 2.1 are very good. However I live in Canada and don't know where to buy them.

 

Snagged some 2-2300's from HP for 106$ shipped taxed and at my door. Can't wait for them to ship!

 

For laptop speakers, I highly recommended this one: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-V20-Notebook-Speakers-Black/dp/B0009WKBGC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280474381&sr=8-2

 

the shrooms knows his headphones and speakers.

i've actually had some personal experience with those and they're actually not bad for what they are. they don't have very good sound quality or clarity, but they do get pretty loud. wouldn't be a bad choice if all u are lookin for is just more volume than what yur laptop could provide.

 

you could always do what i did. Denon 100 x 2 watt home amplifier, Polk Lsi-7 bookshelfs and a 12" 400 watt rms powered infinity subwoofer

ahh nevmind forgot u want under 150 dollars this will set you back well over 1000 dollars though but the audio quality will bring tears to your eyes

For 150 dollars really the only option for good qudio quality would be headphones. Claro soundcards makes a soundcard with a built in headphone amp its a rly nice card to pair with some headphones.

 

Will also bring tear to his pocket...

 

I would disagree with that. Something like the monitors I pointed out earlier would be a nice choice for the money - and IMO better than headphones from a static listening perspective.

 

I agree with Vogelbung on the speakers vs headphones evaluation. Even good headphones have trouble replicating the sound quality of speaker setups, and those that are capable of it i.e. Beyerdynamic DT880, AKG K701, Sennheiser HD600 to name a few of the cheaper ones, require a quality amplifier to provide ample, clean power.

I differ with Vogelbung on powered vs. unpowered speakers. I feel that a quality entry level Tripath amplifier i.e. Sonic Impact T-amp, paired with 8-ohm bookshelf speakers, provides better sound quality with the additional benefit of a better upgrade path.

Honestly, this is a fail attempt at bragging. The Polk Lsi-7 are very nice indeed, but have an overemphasized midbass. Why do you feel the need to pair them with a subwoofer? They already have good bass extension by themselves.

Compared to, say, the Paradigm Atoms that I mentioned earlier, the Polk Lsi-7 improves very little, or arguably is even a step back when it comes to near-field listening with a computer setup. The Polks have great high level dynamics, aka sound great at loud levels, but in a small room without any sound conditioning, there's really no point to it.

As with notebooks, there is no on size fits all when it comes to audio setups. If you are realistic with your demands and choose appropriate gear to match them, you can get listening to some great music without spending all that much money.

 

Not really in practical terms - the chances are if you're upgrading, you'll end up changing your system up anyway.


EDIT: Just a comment to the larger crowd, but I think, looking at the comments, that some of the reasons behind why the 'non-expert experts' tend to steer people towards headphones and get involved with head-fi, etc is that when they buy a speaker, they tend to go for the ones with the most watts. These tend to kick up the most 'boom' - which in a regular dorm or domestic situation, especially if you are the kid of the house, tends to limit their window of deployment as it were, because they have to pretty much be played loud all the time to get any kind of usable performance out of them. Buying a headphone in this situation tends to be revelatory in terms of their usefulness.

TL;DR - many headphone afficionados get into headphones for non-portable use because they didn't know enough to buy the right kind of speakers for their use.

I'm not saying headphones have no use - I do use phones with PC's a lot, and I have a pair of the world's most expensive production phones in my living room but I am saying that with a properly chosen set of speakers - and yes, even for the same money - your headphone will most likely end up becoming your backup for late-night listening, etc.

Nearfield monitors are designed for, well you guessed it, near field monitoring - i.e. direct, line-of-ear exposure to the speaker sound over a short distance. As such they are relatively small and are ideal companions to a DTR - not hulking beasts with huge, cheap and nasty subwoofers. And it is usually the case that they're a more satisfying listening experience than a headphone.

 

Vogelbung, your posts need a stickied thread of their own. D:

I agree with your characterization of headphone recommenders. Ummm... I don't have anything to add.

 

deal update: for those of u that were interested in the logitech z-2300 2.1 system, fry's B&M locations have it on sale again for only $80 after rebate.

here's a link to the actual deal discussion. just follow the link's instructions.

remember that the $80 price is after rebate and IN STORE ONLY. if u want to order online, i believe u will have to add about $22 dollars to the deal.

 

if youre still looking for speakers, i have audioengines a2 which i got off ebay for around $100.