What's a good pair of computer speakers?

[Stealth3si]

Recently, my faithful pair of SONY SRS-PC50 rear speakers stopped working after 10 years of use.

Now, I was going to get the Logitech S220 2.1 Speaker System because of the Amazon/Newegg reviews and that it meets my needs for the kind of performance I am expecting out of such a sound system. HOWEVER, I discovered through other people's comments online that the speakers are hardwired together by a very short audio cord. This means the speakers are not "extendable." Since I need the speakers to be 7-8 feet apart in my room, I want to be able to conveniently extend their range with the stereo extension cables I already have. I don't want to manually cut the wires because I'm afraid I may cross over the wrong wires in the wrong way and decrease the sound quality.

This means I have to look for another set of speakers that are minimally "decent" (to meet my needs) like the Logitech S220 2.1 but where the speakers are "extendable" if you get my drift. The problem is that I have looked everywhere on the internet and I could not find any 2.0 or 2.1 speaker system setup that allows me to place the speakers 7-8 feet apart due to the fact that they are HARDWIRED!!!! UGGGH!!!!

Can someone please help me find another 2.0 or 2.1 speaker system that is in the same price range? I wouldn't mind paying $10 or $15 more for a better performing set, though.

[jagabo]

All the Logitech and Creative speakers I've heard sound pretty bad. I have a pair of M-Audio Studiopro 3 speakers:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-StudioPro-Desktop-Audio-Monitors/dp/B000BN7CRU/

The audio inputs are standard red/white RCA. The left and right speakers connect to each other with a ~5 foot, 1/8 inch, male-male, mono pinplug cable. You should be able to buy a longer cable. This one is stereo but should work:

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Unlimited-AUD-1100-25-3-5mm-Stereo/dp/B000V6R2OK/

[classfour]

I always read the reviews on newegg: Newegg has always treated me right - sent me a replacement set of DVD-R media because they read a review that I had written - which means they pay attention to the reviews also.

Not certain if I like the failure rate on those Logitechs. I have a set of Altec Lansing (USB - laptop) speakers that have always sounded great: But they were $100 for two little speakers five years ago.

[Stealth3si]

All the Logitech and Creative speakers I've heard sound pretty bad.

Which ones if I may ask?

I have a pair of M-Audio Studiopro 3 speakers:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-StudioPro-Desktop-Audio-Monitors/dp/B000BN7CRU/

The audio inputs are standard red/white RCA. The left and right speakers connect to each other with a ~5 foot, 1/8 inch, male-male, mono pinplug cable.

These are too expensive for me. Are there any, if at all, systems down to my price range that is like what you described?

You should be able to buy a longer cable. This one is stereo but should work:

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Unlimited-AUD-1100-25-3-5mm-Stereo/dp/B000V6R2OK/

I already have these ready to extend "extendable" speakers.

[Stealth3si]

I always read the reviews on newegg: Newegg has always treated me right - sent me a replacement set of DVD-R media because they read a review that I had written - which means they pay attention to the reviews also.

Not certain if I like the failure rate on those Logitechs. I have a set of Altec Lansing (USB - laptop) speakers that have always sounded great: But they were $100 for two little speakers five years ago.

I have read them too but the ones that fit my situation seem to have hardwired speakers.

[jagabo]

Splicing into a speaker cable wire isn't hard. There are only two wires and they are usually thick enough (unlike headphone wires which are very thin) to handle easily. You don't have to solder them, just twist them together and wrap them in insulating tape.

One of the Creative speakers I've use in the last few years are the Gigaworks T20. They have very uneven frequency response. Not just at the extremes (you expect small speakers to roll off at the low end) but a 10 decibel peak at ~3000 Hz that turns the soft breathy tones of Diana Krall into something like a full blast Shirley Bassey (think "Goldfinger"). Very uneven frequency response like this is very common with inexpensive computer speakers.

By the way, the second speaker of the T20 pair is hard wired at one end but has an RCA connector at the other. So you could use a simple RCA extension cable. I guess they're out of your price range too though.

[Stealth3si]

Splicing into a speaker cable wire isn't hard. There are only two wires and they are usually thick enough (unlike headphone wires which are very thin) to handle easily. You don't have to solder them, just twist them together and wrap them in insulating tape.

If I could do this on the Logitech S220 speakers, is there anything I should know that could degrade the sound quality?

One of the Creative speakers I've use in the last few years are the Gigaworks T20. They have very uneven frequency response. Not just at the extremes (you expect small speakers to roll off at the low end) but a 10 decibel peak at ~3000 Hz that turns the soft breathy tones of Diana Krall into something like a full blast Shirley Bassey (think "Goldfinger"). Very uneven frequency response like this is very common with inexpensive computer speakers.

By the way, the second speaker of the T20 pair is hard wired at one end but has an RCA connector at the other.

If you're talking about the Series II, then this would be too expensive for me. But if I had enough money, I would be willing to risk my chances on it considering the reviews, despite your experiences with it.

So you could use a simple RCA extension cable. I guess they're out of your price range too though.

A comment like this makes you sound a bit condescending, don't you think?

[jagabo]

So you could use a simple RCA extension cable. I guess they're out of your price range too though.

A comment like this makes you sound a bit condescending, don't you think?

LOL, I meant the speakers were out of your price range, not the cable.

[budz]

I have Altec Lansing subwoofer with 2 speakers that are 12 years old and in good shape. I've tried logitech and creative but didn't care for them.

[Stealth3si]

So you could use a simple RCA extension cable. I guess they're out of your price range too though.

A comment like this makes you sound a bit condescending, don't you think?

LOL, I meant the speakers were out of your price range, not the cable.

Haha. I see.

[Stealth3si]

I have Altec Lansing subwoofer with 2 speakers that are 12 years old and in good shape. I've tried logitech and creative but didn't care for them.

What model is it?

[budz]

I have Altec Lansing subwoofer with 2 speakers that are 12 years old and in good shape. I've tried logitech and creative but didn't care for them.

What model is it?

I have no clue what the model number is.....I'm sure there's a newer model out since it's 12 years old...I bought it from COMPUSA for $86.00.
The color of the speakers including the subwoofer is beige off white.

[jagabo]

Regarding the splicing of speaker wires, no, there's nothing special you need to do. Just be sure not to short the two wires together. The signal level and frequencies traveling through speaker wires make them essentially immune to any type of shielding or connection issues.

If you accidentally reverse the phase of one channel it won't cause any damage to your speakers or amp. The sound will become very diffuse. Center channel voices will sound like they're coming from all around you rather than a point between the two speakers. You fix this by reversing the wires at one of the splices. The existing speaker wires are probably color coded, either on the outer shielding (often one of the pairs will have a black stripe on it) or the inner shielding (for example: the plastic shielding of one wire will be red, the other blue), or sometimes by the actual wire itself (one silver colored, one copper colored). If you use a color coded extension cable it will make it easier to keep track of which is which.

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/remotes-cables-accessories-tweaks/5808-comprehe...aker-wire.html

[somebodeez]

I have Altec Lansing subwoofer with 2 speakers that are 12 years old and in good shape. I've tried logitech and creative but didn't care for them.

What model is it?

I have no clue what the model number is.....I'm sure there's a newer model out since it's 12 years old...I bought it from COMPUSA for $86.00.
The color of the speakers including the subwoofer is beige off white.

Sounds exactly like mine, also purchased from Comp USA a long time ago. (I don't remember the price)
Mine looks like the ones pictured here:
http://www0.epinions.com/content_9503739524

Still doing very nicely for me

[Stealth3si]

Thanks for all your help!

Interestingly enough, I just found the Creative Inspire A200 speakers for under $30 at Fry's B&M, which fits my situation nicely and after I'd "hotswapped" my old speakers for the new ones I discovered the Sony speakers still actually work because it was faulty cabling that led to me to believe that they had died in the first place.

I know the Inspire A200 isn't a good system but for the sound quality I was expecting given the cheap price, it isn't bad. I am completely satisfied with them, although I wasn't impressed at all.

As for the wire splicing, I'll heed this advice if I ever decide to do this method, depending on the circumstances.

[MaxRC]

I recommend that the buyer takes the approach that you buy good and buy once. There's a reason why speakers like the Z-2300 and Pro Media 2.1 has been around for forever and a half and consistently sells at the same price year after year even as the computer landscape around them has changed. Cheap speakers come and go but these designs have stood the test of time. You may balk at spending $150 for a pair of speakers, but they are well worth it.

[wulf109]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836196007