What speakers are you using with your VAIO??

Hi, I was speaker shopping for my Z and wanted something a bit high-end that would match the Z in performance, but not too much in the sens of a 5.1 unit as I already have one of those in my living room. That's why I decided to keep to 2.1 systems.
I came across great deal, the Cambridge Sound Works Extreme 2: http://store.cambridgesoundworks.co...xtreme-2.1-Multimedia-System/M/B0036UU14G.htm

LOTS and Lots of power, but great price. I think I will order these this week.
I did have the 5.1 version of this in the past, so highly recommended.

So, I was wondering, what speakers do you use with your VAIO?

 

M-Audio Studiophile BX5a DL bi-amped speakers.
Hooked up through a Mark of the Unicorn UltraLite Firewire mixer using balanced outputs.

I wouldn't recommend Cambridge Soundworks -- it's really Creative.
Consumer, not prosumer.

 

I had the Gigaworks from creative....which is the 5/1/7.1 version of that and it sounded amazing.

Btw the M-audio is nice, what sound card are you using to power that?

 

When using Windows, I use the MOTU UltraLite as an actual sound card.
When using Linux, I use the built-in sound card, and the MOTU works as a pre-amp.

And when I sit in the living room and want to play music, I hook up a HDMI cable to the Sony ES receiver and use a pair of large Pioneer speakers.

Again, that uses the internal sound card, but with WASAPI instead of DirectSound, and 24-bit instead of 16-bit, it's not too shabby at all.
What sucks about the internal audio (apart from the internal speakers) is the amp. It can't even drive most decent headphones. But the D/A part isn't bad at all.

However, I'm contemplating getting one of these. Linux support can't possibly be worse than MOTU's.

 

Logitech Z-2300

 

Some infinity Speakers

 

For travel, Bose MusicMonitors. Not great speakers but best nonetheless for the size by a fair margin compared to anything else on the planet of this size.

UL

 

I didnt know about that sound card, looks amazing, might have to do some research on it.

Those can get extremely loud,

$399 WOW, for that price the Cambridge sound works would beat the crap out of those and half the price.

 

try xmini, max 2

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...Froogle-_-Speakers-_-Creative+Labs-_-36116044

I use these for my Z

and modified Z-5500's for the desktop and of cource, a receiver & floor speakers for the TV/living room.

 

im using a pair of sony SRS-ZX1 which have a really rich sound to them...as well as looking ultra cool

 

For the Z owners, especially those with the Signature wanting audiophile grade stuff, these Swans should be on your list of options:




Not cheap though at 900+ dollars, but you can get them online around 600.

Or these:

 

With Bose Companion 5 you'll get USB connection instead of front lineout.

 

M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 >>> Bang for the buck. Quite impressive.

I had z-5500 before. What a bust. They sucked. Keep away.

 

Sorry to say, but the Bose sucks for the $399.95 price.

That "subwoofer" uses I think a 4 or 6 inch cone....can hardly be called a sub. But it does sound good....but for that price you could get the
Cambridge SoundWorks Extreme 2.1 that will win hands down:
http://store.cambridgesoundworks.co...xtreme-2.1-Multimedia-System/M/B0036UU14G.htm

The Cambridge even beats the previous $900 Swans in the base department with its 8" sub.

 

I have Harman Kardon SoundSticks II and love them.

 

I think everyone taste is different.

For my i used to have Proac Response 1sc, Usher S520, Monitor Audio BR2, Klipsch RF62, Bose AM6, Jamo i300, Creative Gigaworks S750, Gigaworks G500, Microlabs X3 5.1, Bose Music Monitor, Bose Companion C3S1 all along with many soundcard, many DAC, many Amp, many AVR.

But my seaching is over. Now i only have Klipsh RF62-RC62-RS42-RW12D for my home theater and Bose Companion 5 + Audio-GD Dac Compass for my notebook.

For Bose, Because i love how simple it is and feel relax more than other brands when listen to it.

 

I just bought a cheapo altec lansing soundblade
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013N3T7O/?tag=prolost-20

not for audiophiles at all.

 

Ok cool. I had the Giga S750....very neutral sound.
Untill it died on me.

About the Bose, I never said they sound bad. Actually they sound good for such tiny speakers and they are sexy. But the price could lower.

 

What speakers to recommend should depend on what the user wants to use them for.

Someone watching movies might want 5.1 or even 7.1 -- definitely a subwoofer, and probably a center speaker. And a single volume control would be good. Being able to play loud is likely a must.

Someone playing games might want close-set 4.0 or 4.1 speakers (since many games are EAX and 4.0), but definitely good positional audio, and probably headphone outputs.

Someone listening to music will probably be best served by large 2.0 speakers that are far apart, and most likely speakers with a "warm" sound (depending on the music, of course), and that can play very loud without distortion.

And someone who produces or mixes music will definitely want 2.0 speakers that are as "honest" as possible, and where the sound quality doesn't change much depending on the volume; it's pumped up to hear more details, not more punch.

 

Genelec 8020

 

How are you getting firewire out of your z?

 

My Sony Xplod has a line out for this. You know a getto blaster.

 

logitech z-2300

 

Old Zs come with it as standard. New Zs, you have to make sure you get one with 2x USB + 1x i-Link (what Sony calls 1394), and not one with 3x USB. Which is good advice anyhow -- you can always use a hub to expand the number of USB ports, but you can't add Firewire later.