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[Drama Zed Nod]

I have a KEF "Egg" 5.1 system for my console set up (with the kube 2 Sub)

I have the Eggs on weighted stands that were designed for them. They are quite low profile and give fantastic sound.

On my PC i Have Audio Engine A5+ (on their Audioengine stands)

I have those connected to the Audioengine D1 DAC:

and for when don't want to use the speakers i have a pair of Philips Fidellio X2 cans (i plug them in the headphone jack on the DAC and the sound will automatically switch from speakers to cans)

LOVE those speakers and Cans.

 

[Iztok Mravlja]

I'm sorry to say I use built in TV speakers for my console gaming and the barely satisfactory Logitech Z-4 on my PC.

I realize I'm missing out and I can hear the difference, but I game on 3 separate screens and can't really justify making a big investment in sound on only one of these.

Someday. Some good ideas in this thread.

 

[tokkun]

I see a lot of people recommending monitors. OP please ensure that the monitors you buy are not flat response. These are for music producers that require the sound to come out with no type of filter or booster.

For example, I have a pair of KRK Rokit 6s for music production, they're excellent but they're nowhere near as good as home speakers when it comes to a gaming experience.

I feel like this common argument that flat-response speakers are less enjoyable is just a popular myth. As far as I'm aware, the research that has been done on this topic shows that the average person prefers a flat response in blind testing.

You can argue that games are a different application from music and that sfx mean that lower frequencies are more important, but to me that just means you need a speaker that has good bass extension (or a subwoofer), and that applies whether or not you are using studio monitors.

And a lot of monitors do have some degree of bass eq available anyway for room correction purposes.

 

[boredandlazy]

My surround setup is the Energy Take Classic 5.1 speaker system hooked up to a Denon AC2313 Receiver.

 

[Jenks]

Not audiophile and really old but as i live in a terrace there no need for anything fancier.

Acoustic Energy Aego 2.1 had these about 10 years and for there size they sound great.

HD555 used these so much ive got them held together using duct tape

For TV and console i use a budget Samsung HT 5.1 no idea how old it is but it supports Dolby Digital.

 

[Hypron]

At the moment I'm using some $20 Logitech z150 on my desktop:

Decent for the price, but still rubbish.

When I get my next paycheck I'll upgrade to two Focal Alpha 50s:

I'll connect those to my O2/ODAC. I might also get a Schiit Sys to have a potentiometer for volume control but I'll first check how well software volume control works.

 

[AppleSeason]

At the moment I'm using some $20 Logitech z150 on my desktop:



Decent for the price, but still rubbish.

I'm using the same ones, although mostly for small stuff. Putting a bit of music while cleaning the room, watching a video... Whenever I want to do anything serious I will put on the HyperX Cloud II.

For the Living Room:

Yamaha RX-V465 + NS-P285

I bought them in 2010 or 2011, no plans to replace it in a future. Still loving them.

Edit: Wrong model of speakers. I'm using those back speakers, but the front ones are much bigger and powerful than the ones in the photo

 

[Auctopus]

I feel like this common argument that flat-response speakers are less enjoyable is just a popular myth. As far as I'm aware, the research that has been done on this topic shows that the average person prefers a flat response in blind testing.

You can argue that games are a different application from music and that sfx mean that lower frequencies are more important, but to me that just means you need a speaker that has good bass extension (or a subwoofer), and that applies whether or not you are using studio monitors.

And a lot of monitors do have some degree of bass eq available anyway for room correction purposes.

I'm also trying to make the point that flat response are usually more expensive; money OP doesn't need to spend.

 

[hollams]

I have a 9.2 surround setup with Pinnacle speakers and SVS subs connected to a Denon 4520CI and it rocks. I've read that having height speakers doesn't make that much of a difference, but I'm glad that I tried it as it does make the sound fuller.

I also use DFX software and that really enhances the sound as well especially music it makes a huge difference.

 

[CollectedDust]

I have a 7.2 setup. Speakers are all Klipsch reference, with 3 in wall, 4 in ceiling, and 2 R12SW 12" 400W subs. I'm using a Sony 7.2 reliever currently, but want to get an Atmos receiver. Pics in another thread here.

I've been happy with this setup, but feel my receiver may be holding me back.

 

[CollectedDust]

My surround setup is the Energy Take Classic 5.1 speaker system hooked up to a Denon AC2313 Receiver.

My prior setup was the Energy Take Classic. Super impressed at the sound quality relative to the price of this setup. I'm not sure that a better price for quality exists.

 

[SinSilla]

I prefer my sound as neutral/close to master as possible as well and chose my gear accordingly. Still have enough room for improvement, but I really enjoy what I'm currently running.

I primarily game at my desk where I use my AKG Q701.(no Speakers at all there)

These are open back headphones with a huge soundstage and a nice relatively flat frequency response. Being relatively light is a plus as well. I plan to pair them with a IFI iCan Micro soon, should be a perfect match.

For comfy couch gaming i'm running Stereo as well.

These are my Epos Epic 2 on my custom DiY Stands (call these the "Arctic Edition"). Speakers got a new paintjob (actually two) and Terminal as well.

Got some room equalization (Audyssey,MiniDSP and EqApo) running and some slight acoustic treatment as well. Sounds pretty amazing.

Currently have them hooked up to an entry Level Denon AVR but will Switch to a very minimalistic pre/poweramp combo "soonish".

What I'm mostly missing these days is time to actually sit and listen/game though.

 

[oxidax]

Klipsch reference II 7.1 system. I can't remember the brand of the sub.

 

[Wray]

Still rocking my Paradigm Monitor 7s from like 2003 and they still sound awesome!

 

[Hypron]

I'm using the same ones, although mostly for small stuff. Putting a bit of music while cleaning the room, watching a video... Whenever I want to do anything serious I will put on the HyperX Cloud II.

Yeah I'm using them the same way pretty much: very low volume background music while working, or just to watch youtube videos. For anything more intense I use my HD555s or my TV (which is connected to a SMSL SA-36A speaker amplifier and some 15 years old Samsung speakers - P5 555E).

.

Damn, this setup looks amazing man.

 

[Darkatomz]

I prefer my sound as neutral/close to master as possible as well and chose my gear accordingly. Still have enough room for improvement, but I really enjoy what I'm currently running.

I primarily game at my desk where I use my AKG Q701.(no Speakers at all there)

These are open back headphones with a huge soundstage and a nice relatively flat frequency response. Being relatively light is a plus as well. I plan to pair them with a IFI iCan Micro soon, should be a perfect match.

For comfy couch gaming i'm running Stereo as well.

These are my Epos Epic 2 on my custom DiY Stands (call these the "Arctic Edition"). Speakers got a new paintjob (actually two) and Terminal as well.

Got some room equalization (Audyssey,MiniDSP and EqApo) running and some slight acoustic treatment as well. Sounds pretty amazing.

Currently have them hooked up to an entry Level Denon AVR but will Switch to a very minimalistic pre/poweramp combo "soonish".

What I'm mostly missing these days is time to actually sit and listen/game though.

Your taste is really similar to mine, I try to go for reference as much as possible. Here are my computer and living room setups...

Computer
Monitor: Asus PB328
Source: Asus Xonar Essence ST, modded op-amps
Speakers: 2x Yamaha HS8
Speaker Stands: IsoAcoustics ISO-I8R155
Headphones: AKG Q701 (White)

Living Room
TV: Panasonic ZT60
2x Front: Paradigm Reference Studio 20 v5 (discontinued)
2x Surround: Paradigm Reference Studio ADP-590 v5 (discontinued)
Center: Paradigm Reference Studio CC-590 v5 (discontinued)
Sub: Rythmik E15HP
Receiver: Denon X4000 (Audyssey MultiEQ XT32)

 

[JudgmentJay]

I have an SVS Prime 5-speaker system + 2 SVS SB-2000 subs hooked into a Denon X4100W receiver. I had it professionally calibrated and it sounds pretty darn good. The neighbors don't care for it.

If I'm playing at my computer, I have a pair of HiFiMan HE-500 headphones plugged into a Centrance DACmini DAC/amp.

 

[hitgirl]

Never been much of an audio guy (using TV speakers for awhile) though i nerd out real hard on video (ISF calibration etc.). Been wanting to do a real simple 2.0 setup for my HTPC/Gaming PC for a while now. Finally pulled the trigger on a sutup, hopefully this is something I can enjoy for a long long time.

 

[REDSLATE]

Managed to snag a pair of mid-sized Bose 401s and an Onkyo SKW 100 woofer on the cheap. Spent several hours making sure the positions, angles, and settings were perfect. Dialing in the sub for a pronounced presence was a venture of its own as too much bass was undesirable. Overall, I've been quite impressed with this setup (and yes, I'm aware that many "audiophiles" disapprove of the Bose brand).

 

[badb0y]

Oops wrong thread

 

[eternalthree]

Not an audiophile, but just a gamer. I use a set of Logitech z-5500s and I've absolutely loved it since I got the set from Dell, YEARS ago. I love this set as it's nearly impossible to replace for the price. When I showed my friend, he loved it and got himself a set. Then his dad heard it and also fell in love and picked up a set. Love love love.

 

[RoninChaos]

Right now I'm waiting for Black Friday to pick up some new Klipsch floor stand reference models to replace my current Mordant Shorts. I'm rocking Sennheiser HD 800 S for music.

 

[Aurongel]

AudioEngine D1 DAC
AudioEngine A5+
Sennheiser HD598

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Not speakers, but the Sony Gold Headset has turned out to be a great buy. I use it constantly, PS4, Netflix, with the Vita too.

 

[Zoloft Sonic]

Totem Sttaf floorstanders, carver amp, Yamaha receiver w/ analog pre-outs to the carver. It's a nice warm 2-channel setup.

 

[JBwB]

I don't use speakers so for my setup I have my Sennheiser HD 558's that I can plug into my Xonar U7 which is connected via USB to my PC.
For consoles I have connected my PS4 via optical to an old Onkyo AV receiver which I can connect my headphones to.

 

[thebigmanjosh]

I have a 9.2 surround setup with Pinnacle speakers and SVS subs connected to a Denon 4520CI and it rocks. I've read that having height speakers doesn't make that much of a difference, but I'm glad that I tried it as it does make the sound fuller.

I also use DFX software and that really enhances the sound as well especially music it makes a huge difference.

I'm seriously debating adding some to mine once I upgrade my receiver. I'm rocking a 2012 pioneer 1021 7.2 setup that has an output/option for height/9.2 surround, but I don't care to see how good the processing is for that since it's obviously not native. Seems like it's there just to say it can do 9 channels

Also, shoutout to ND for having the best audio config settings in their games. U4 sounds amazing on my setup

 

[PrivateWHudson]

Hey speaker GAF, I need some advice. I just picked up a turntable and a Denon AVR from craigslist, and need some speakers. The guy who sold me the turntable is also selling Canton Ergo 22's and JBL L80T's (refoamed). I like the size of the Canton's, but they are 2 way vs the JBL's 3 way. Also, I'm not opposed to looking at something new in the $300 - $400 price range. I do have an old Sony sub that I can use to complement smaller bookshelf speakers, and may get a new sub down the line anyway...

What should I do?

 

[Deku Tree]

Hey speaker GAF, I need some advice. I just picked up a turntable and a Denon AVR from craigslist, and need some speakers. The guy who sold me the turntable is also selling Canton Ergo 22's and JBL L80T's (refoamed). I like the size of the Canton's, but they are 2 way vs the JBL's 3 way. Also, I'm not opposed to looking at something new in the $300 - $400 price range. I do have an old Sony sub that I can use to complement smaller bookshelf speakers, and may get a new sub down the line anyway...

What should I do?

I'm not really familiar with those speakers but in your price range you have several good options.

Buying speakers is like buying microbrew beer. There are so many options and so many different people who love a different speaker company to the max.

If you buy a newer bigger brand name company then they are easier to sell for more money later if you wanted to do that Hudson. If you buy niche then sometimes they're harder to resell. Also look at the warranty. A good speaker should have a substantial warranty.

Listen to a few different speakers and buy one that you like. Take a trip to Best Buy Magnolia in Cherry Hill if you have the time, although you'll see a lot of really expensive bookshelf speakers I think they also have some in your price range.

 

[blastprocessor]

I recently got the NAD D7050 amp optical connection to PC with Apple play/DLNA. Class D amplification means it's very small. Fabulous clear sound. No more hiss/hum l got from analogue amps.

 

[PrivateWHudson]

I'm not really familiar with those speakers but in your price range you have several good options.

Buying speakers is like buying microbrew beer. There are so many options and so many different people who love a different speaker company to the max.

If you buy a newer bigger brand name company then they are easier to sell for more money later if you wanted to do that Hudson. If you buy niche then sometimes they're harder to resell. Also look at the warranty. A good speaker should have a substantial warranty.

Listen to a few different speakers and buy one that you like. Take a trip to Best Buy Magnolia in Cherry Hill if you have the time, although you'll see a lot of really expensive bookshelf speakers I think they also have some in your price range.

Thanks Deku. Love the B&W's you ended up getting...wish they were in my price range. I actually listened to a pair of their bookshelves at the KoP Magnolia yesterday, but they were $1000! They actually only had B&W and Def Tech at that location so the guy told me to go to the Plymouth Meeting BB to hear other brands. I'll try Cherry Hill and Plymouth this week since I'm dying to get this system up and running.

I remember back in the day they had audio stores where you could listen to 100's of different speakers. Now it's hard to find a store with more then 5 brands.

 

[Deku Tree]

Thanks Deku. Love the B&W's you ended up getting...wish they were in my price range. I actually listened to a pair of their bookshelves at the KoP Magnolia yesterday, but they were $1000! They actually only had B&W and Def Tech at that location so the guy told me to go to the Plymouth Meeting BB to hear other brands. I'll try Cherry Hill and Plymouth this week since I'm dying to get this system up and running.

I remember back in the day they had audio stores where you could listen to 100's of different speakers. Now it's hard to find a store with more then 5 brands.

Yeah the B&W are great and I love them but now most of the time I use my TV at night with a headset so as not to wake anyone in the family up lol. The B&W line starts at a high price $1000 and goes up to insane prices $50,000+.

Two good brands that have more reasonable mass market prices are

Klpisch

And

Polk

Even if the store doesn't have the less expensive speaker from their line in stock, if you like the way their brand of speakers sound then you could order the one at the price you like. Best Buy lets you return if you don't like them so no big risk.

 

[DryvBy]

These B&Os are posting for $150 at checkout. Any idea if they're good?

 

[Stevey]

I have a 15 year old pair of Mission M74s for my front speakers.
Still going strong.

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

No audiophile here. Far closer to a "basshead", whatever that means. I cannot recommend the Rokit KRKs enough. I initially got the 6 inches but I've recently sprung for the 8 inches. So. Much. Bass.

 

[Splash Wave]

I was thinking about getting the KEF Q100 bookshelf speakers to accompany my upcoming receiver purchase, and I'm wondering if these will likely do a good job for games and movies as well. I listen to music, play games, and watch movies in almost equal measure.