Desktop Speaker 2.1 System

Author
Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

60 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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[redacted]

sgrimshaw

7,391 posts

256 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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Have you got a Richer Sounds near you?

OutInTheShed

8,884 posts

32 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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What do you actually want from it?
Personally my office has a pair of Gale speakers, a Cambridge Audio amp and a Prozor DAC connected to the PC.
That works for me.

I was impressed by a mate's office system, a pair of Wharfedale speakers (Richer sounds £50) and a Yamaha DAB/CD/Amp thing.
The Yamaha thing is a good shape to sit on top a tower PC, whereas my Cambridge is typical HiFi form factor which is not the most convenient.
As the man said, it's nice to have the radio on while the PC's in bits.

Looking at new stuff, I'd probably want an amp, bluetooth, DAB, optical in from PC, maybe streaming.
Except DAB doesn't really work where I live.

I've not heard any 2.1 'PC accessory' stuff that I've liked above 'entry level HiFi' sound wise.

sgrimshaw

7,391 posts

256 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
They have a big range of active speakers and also soundbars for all budgets.

Eg:

https://www.richersounds.com/tibo-plus-2-1-white.h...

I've always found them to be both extremely helpful and knowledgeable


outnumbered

4,323 posts

240 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
The obvious question is what improvement are you looking for ?

FYI, I have a set of the Tibo speakers mentioned in a previous reply, and wouldn't recommend them, they have a couple of annoying features.


Harpoon

1,946 posts

220 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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What's your definition of a "whopping price"?

I went for Ruark MR1 MK2 for my desk (the just squeeze under my monitors which are mounted on an arm) but they are £279 graded from Ruark or £349 new.

https://shop.ruarkaudio.com/collections/graded-pro...

Sounds great to my ears and get excellent magazine reviews eg:

https://www.whathifi.com/ruark-audio/mr1-mk2/revie...

ArsE82

21,049 posts

193 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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HK Soundsticks 3? I have them on my PC and think they sound great. They look pretty cool too.

They aren't made any more but there's a few sets on Ebay.

sgrimshaw

7,391 posts

256 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
RS have plenty of mini systems, some close to £4k ... high end enough wink

Benni

3,532 posts

217 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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Altec Lansing "ACS 410 2.1 Dolby Surround Pro Logic" by Gateway 2000, blast from the past,

still running strong in my private "office".

If you can find them, look for ACS 451, the bigger and meaner brothers.

Bonefish Blues

28,887 posts

229 months

Monday 7th November 2022
quotequote all
ArsE82 said:
HK Soundsticks 3? I have them on my PC and think they sound great. They look pretty cool too.

They aren't made any more but there's a few sets on Ebay.
I bought these s/h a few weeks ago for next to no money and am hugely impressed.

markbigears

2,323 posts

275 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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Also have Ruark MR1 Mk2 and coming from a Bose Music Monitor speakers, you will not be disappointed.
They not only look amazing (I’ve got the walnut)
But the sound is amazing for such a small footprint.
Stop looking, buy these smile

ArsE82

21,049 posts

193 months

Monday 7th November 2022
quotequote all
Bonefish Blues said:
ArsE82 said:
HK Soundsticks 3? I have them on my PC and think they sound great. They look pretty cool too.

They aren't made any more but there's a few sets on Ebay.
I bought these s/h a few weeks ago for next to no money and am hugely impressed.
Brilliant aren't they? I think I'll get another set for my son's PC in his room.

Digger

15,106 posts

197 months

Monday 7th November 2022
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I've been happily running an iFi Zen DAC & alternating between IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors & a pair of Presonus Eris E3.5 & may upgrade these to the E5's.

I don't feel the need for a sub but do have a Paradigm Seismic 110 that I may wipe the dust off & have a play with.

8bit

4,973 posts

161 months

Monday 7th November 2022
quotequote all
ArsE82 said:
Bonefish Blues said:
ArsE82 said:
HK Soundsticks 3? I have them on my PC and think they sound great. They look pretty cool too.

They aren't made any more but there's a few sets on Ebay.
I bought these s/h a few weeks ago for next to no money and am hugely impressed.
Brilliant aren't they? I think I'll get another set for my son's PC in his room.
I've got a set of HK Soundsticks attached to my PC, no idea what generation they are but I've had them since 2005 I think so possibly even version 1. They're great though, definitely recommended.

thebraketester

14,626 posts

144 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
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Benni said:
Altec Lansing "ACS 410 2.1 Dolby Surround Pro Logic" by Gateway 2000, blast from the past,

still running strong in my private "office".

If you can find them, look for ACS 451, the bigger and meaner brothers.
We had the 340s I believe. Seems a long time ago

bcr5784

7,174 posts

151 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
quotequote all
Back in the day the Acoustic Energy Aego 2.1 system was highly regarded, but a later upgrade seemed to have fallen out of favour. I have used them for ages and find them very good. Cheap as chips on ebay (there's a set at £70) - absolute steal at that price imo. Plenty of bass from the sub and the mid/upper range speakers are small and discrete.

DE1975

454 posts

112 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
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The Ruark's seem to win or come highly recommended in every desktop speaker test I've read. I've been considering them as an update to my Focal XS Book's that I've had the last 11 years.

Whilst they don't have a sub, they do have a sub output connector so you could try them with your current sub

Bonefish Blues

28,887 posts

229 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
Probably an upgrade, and silly cheap s/h for anyone wanting good pc speakers, but not the leap you're looking for. Keep your sub and go with the Mk2s is the way to go.

David_M

410 posts

56 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
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Depends how much room you have on your desktop and/or whether the speaker are on your desk or elsewhere on the room, but I bought some Edifier 1850s not long ago and have been very impressed with them.

They are actually connected to a TV across the room, but spend most of their time playing Spotify via Bluetooth from my phone. I don't have a subwoofer attached to them, but you can.

For a desktop you could get the Edifier 1280s which are smaller, but I am not sure if they can connect to a subwoofer (if that is essential for you).

heisthegaffer

3,604 posts

204 months

Tuesday 8th November 2022
quotequote all
bcr5784 said:
Back in the day the Acoustic Energy Aego 2.1 system was highly regarded, but a later upgrade seemed to have fallen out of favour. I have used them for ages and find them very good. Cheap as chips on ebay (there's a set at £70) - absolute steal at that price imo. Plenty of bass from the sub and the mid/upper range speakers are small and discrete.
I have just bought a set of these and accidentally bought subwoofer only in addition.

I'm going to try them Vs the sub and some Cambridge audio Minx 10s to see what I prefer before selling one or the other.

Or maybe go with both subwoofers!