suggest better speakers for video editing?

[sdsumike619]

I currently have these speakers and small subwoofer from Altec Lansing:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836113016&FM=1
obviously, I am NOT doing any kind of surround sound editing. I like these speakers, except they get a buzz which I guess is some kind of interference. Can anyone recommend a better set of speakers? I know that is kind of a broad question and that there is super high end audio equipment available for video editors, but I am not that mission critical, just need decent audio reproduction to hear the sound..

[hech54]

I am NOT doing any kind of surround sound editing.

Then get headphones.

[sdsumike619]

I don't want headphones

[newpball]

If you want budget you could consider M-AUDIO with a SBX 10 subwoofer with two BX 8 (or if you are sub budget two BX5) monitor speakers. Obviously you also need a good quality D/A converter.

The Altec Lansing set is totally not suitable for any kind of sound editing.

[LMotlow]

I don't want headphones

You must be accustomed to the usual Walmart (crummy lousy horrible nasty) headphones. If the pros use studio headphones (but not from crummy lousy horrible nasty Walmart), there must be reasons. And there are reasons, lots of 'em. If you want great monitor speakers, you'll have to spend tons of cash for studio monitors, besides rebuilding your editing environment acoustically. And you'll have to sell your Harley for the cash to buy amps to run them.

Or you can get away with under a hundred clams for audiophile-qualkity phones made specifically for the kind of low-output amps in PC work. http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=GRSR80E

Otherwise put up with whatever you can find from the typical big box outlet. They're all pretty much alike, just some are bigger than others. Or try these popular smaller ones, the M_Audio AV40's http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051WAM64?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=as2 . Other M-AUDIO stuff is also pretty good.

Or if you just want loud and don't mind throwing away your heard-earned money for overpriced mediocrity, try Bose.

[sdsumike619]

The M-AUDIO AV 40 speakers don't look too bad for $149, seem to be the best seller at B&H so I'll probably go for those. What would be the best way to connect them to my sound card? Sound card just has a regular mini stereo plug. I see they have TRS and RCA, and I guess I have to use speaker wire to connect one speaker to the other?

I just saw that there's an AV 30 as well, with a 3" Woofer.. How do you know if you need a 3" or 4" woofer?

[turk690]

I don't want headphones

Better quality headphones and external monitors both help to make accurate judgements of your audio edits. Anyway, that you don't want headphones at least doesn't predispose you to getting any of that overrated, over-hyped, very expensive, poor frequency response (as in not flat) beats crap.

[Constant Gardener]

I have M-AUDIO AV30 speakers that are quite tolerable, but for editing I use Sennheiser HD439 headphones, which sound so much better than the speakers.

[sdsumike619]

After doing a lot of reading of reviews, I'm not so sure about the M-AUDIO. More than a handful of people across various sites said that the product was good "while it lasted" meaning that many people experienced failure much sooner than expected.

[Hoser Rob]

I don't necessarily read those reviews closely. Naturally most everyone who has a failure complains. Most people who are happy don't bother submit reviews. It's not exactly a scientific study.

For value Behringer is also quite good. I use one of their usb sound cards as an external dac. It was $35 and I'm flabbergasted at how good it sounds.

[sdsumike619]

I think I'm going for the Mackie CR4; I know they're a solid brand and make stuff to last and the reviews are great too.

[sdsumike619]

Mackie speakers arrived today, so far I think they sound great, definitely a major upgrade from the old Altec Lansing system.