Computer Speakers on a Budget?

Angela asks: "In the spirit (and utter terror) of the upcoming holiday season, I would like to ask the opinion of the Slashdot community on speaker technology. The dilemma is this: I would like to purchase computer speakers for my audiophile husband for Christmas, but I am clueless when it comes to this particular field. I am also on a budget ($200USD or less?). What computers speakers would you suggest and why?"

Comments

The best Logitechs you can afford

[Brento]

This is actually pretty good advice no matter where you're at on the price spectrum. I picked up a $50 pair of Logitech Z-340's for my Mom for her birthday last year. This week, when I came to her house to visit, she told me she wanted to hook up the Logitechs in her kitchen because they sounded so much better than her (major brand) stereo speakers.

It depends on the audiophile...

[Zapman]

And it all depends on the ear.

If you're not an audiophile, or just don't quite know what he's looking for, give him an IOU. Something like:

"You can spend up to $200 on speakers for the computer". And let HIM agonize over it. (Audiophiles enjoy agonizing over these things)

I'm into highish end sound, and I'd trust my SO to get something like this, but that's only because she's a (self proclaimed) music snob, and has much better ears than I do. She played a large roll in my last speaker purchase.

Best speakers != computer speakers

[shoppa]

"Computer speakers" above a certain price point have expensive-looking styles, but little else to recommend them. They still sound tinny, or in the case of subwoofer systems, tinny and boomy at the same time.

On the other hand, even a low-end pair of bookshelf regular-hi-fi speakers have a naturalness and full-range quality for a fraction of the price. I use a pair of fifteen-year-old Radio Shack Minimus 7's that I'm very happy with.

The only gotcha: computer speakers, by design, have very wimpy little magnets in them. Hi-fi speakers tend to have much stronger magnets, and will require placement much further away from color monitors.

Not necessarily suitable for a gift, but...

[no_such_user]

This might not be suitable as a gift, but older, used audio components make a better computer-speaker system than just about anything I've come across from computer-speaker manufacturers.

I've got an 28-year-old Harmon-Kardon receiver (usually around $30-$40 on ebay) hooked up to Boston Acoustics HD5 bookshelf speakers (bought them years ago for under $100). It sounds FANTASTIC. If I was a gamer, I might buy bigger speakers or a sub, but I'm thrilled with the performace for playing back music (and I'm not just talking MP3's here - which sound worse as the quality of your amp/speakers increase). There's a reason why this amp weighs 20lbs., and that has to do with power handling capabilities, heat sinks, and rugged, metal construction.

My speakers aren't .5" thick, suctioned to the table, transparent, or otherwise fancy. They are, however, about 7" deep, giving them decent bass response for a bookshelf speaker. While the 5" driver won't shake the room, its output is more than sufficient, considering you sit only about a foot away from them.

Speakers designated for use with computers are typically made using very cheap components. Before this, I had a set of Altec-Lansing computer speakers, with a sub, that lasted not even a year before unexplicably falling silent. But my old HK amp has been going strong for... 28 years!

As I said above, giving an old, used stereo might not be the way you'd prefer to say "Happy Holidays" - but if there's anyone else reading this looking to buy a decent speaker setup, consider first searching your local garage sale, goodwill store, flea market, or online auctioneer. And just remember - heavier is BETTER.