new here, need help putting together a system

[cgibsong002]

hey guys, new member here, don't really know a whole lot about audio. but i love my music and i've decided i might as well spend some money and put together a decent quality system. i'm looking for a system to hook up to my laptop. right now i have a $50 set of logitech speakers + sub that came with my computer. its not terrible, but its not all that loud and the sub is quite embarrassing. i'm not sure quite which direction to go right now. i'm currently at college and at home my dad has some older polk audio speakers cabinets which are missing the speakers. I'm not sure on which model, he'll get back to me on that. He says they have crossovers and the tweeters should still be fine, they're just missing the speakers. so one option would be to buy new speakers for those and then buy a subwoofer to go along with them. I found a sony saw2500 while searching online and that seems to be decent quality in a price range that i'm looking for. Now, will that sub power the speakers, or will i need another amp to power the speakers?
another option would obviously be to just buy a better set of computer speakers. which option would be best for me? realistically i'm not looking to spend over $200. being at college, space is a bit of a concern, but really i shouldn't have any problems fitting speakers somewhere. i just don't have room for a huge subwoofer.

thanks for any/all help.

[blackraven]

Buy a good sound card for your computer with an optical or coax digital out along with a multichannel receiver and a pair of decent speakers and a sub. Or you could get a usb DAC which connect to your computer and then the analog inputs of your receiver.
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MFVDAC

Without knowing your budget, here are some broad recommendations for a smaller budget under $1000.

Any one of these receivers should do. http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/category/desc/21/1/1.53_46_49_32_72_111_109_101_32_84_104_101_97_116_ 101_114/5-1-home-theater-receivers/

here are some subs to check out http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/category/desc/27/0/1.83_117_98_119_111_111_102_101_114/subwoofer-speakers/

here are some speakers http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ENC100

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ENC200

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ATLS50

[Mr Peabody]

I'd suggest looking at the Audio Engine amplified speakers. They have a set at $199.00. These do decent bass, the sound quality is excellent. However, it's a small 2-way speaker with a hefty 10 watt amp and probably not going to do well playing Rap at a high level. The step up version that last check was about $349.00 offers a 6 1/2 woofer, a 45 watt amp and a USB input for charging mp3 or power while play. This may be over your budget but they will take you from computer speakers that may sound as good as a boom box to real high fidelity sound. The power rating is true watts to conservative. They also will need several hours of break in before sounding right. I bought the little ones for my daughter and out of the box they didn't impress. After about 20 hours or so of constant play I walked in and my jaw dropped. And, as far as space, all you have is two speakers, the controls are on the back and the amp is built in, you never see it.

[cgibsong002]

blackraven, i mentioned my budget was about $200 or so.

mr peabody, i checked out the audio engine site. if they had a full system (speakers and sub) for $350, i'd consider that. but unless i missed something, all i saw was a set of speakers for $200, and then the bass was sold separate at $350, which is much too far over my budget. i'm not looking for something incredible, i'd just like an upgrade. to be honest, i'm fairly happy with how my $50 speakers perform. I'd imagine i could get something good enough for $200.

oh, and if it makes a difference, i don't need insane bass as i don't listen to rap music. i listen to metal/rock. i don't need huge booming bass but i would like quality bass.

[Ajani]

For $200, I'd get M-audio Studiophile AV 40 Powered Monitors (and forget about the sub - you don't need it).

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/StudiophileAV40.html

[poppachubby]

If you are a really poor student, you could have somethiing respectable to get going that will slaughter your current set up.

You will need a decent USB dac to run from your laptop.

Find a super solid vintage amp for under $100

Find a decent set of bookshelf speakers used/new

OK, now make sure your digital music files are up to snuff at 320kbps minimum and you're ready to rock. This set up will cost you 300 - 400, maybe less if you're really savvy. From there you can add a CD player too.

This would be a minimal arrangement but will blow your current set up out of the water. I'm also assuming you have little to no cash as you are a student. If you are able to rebuild the Polks yourself, you would be looking at about $150 -200 for woofers and foam. Not worth it at this point, just put them aside for a time when you have some more cash.

[audio amateur]

I you just want to head bang and want something immediately, and space is an issue, then this is my suggestion:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Z-2300-THX-Certified-200-Watt-Speaker/dp/B0002SQ2P2

They're under your budget and should sound better than what you have, and play a lot louder.
(side note, i've never seen so many reviews for a product)

However, Poppachubby's suggestion is even better, that is, going used and getting some older gear. But that requires a little knowledge and is time consuming.

[blackraven]

If you can spend a little more money you can get a decent little system for under $300.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=sony+receivers&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=7070636275220195024&ei=KD34SrbHJpP8MOHdoegF&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CCMQ8wIwBQ#ps-sellers

Pair this with these athena speakers and you should have pretty good sound with the ability to upgrade to 5.1 later or get better speakers.
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ATLS50

Otherwise go with this logitech 2.1 system http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836121122

These sound pretty good for computer speakers. The limitation will be the sound card in your laptop. Most laptop sound cards are pretty bad. But you could buy a decent external sound card and markedly improve the sound quality.

[cgibsong002]

ok, well that's a **** load of info. so let me try to sort things out.

1) the info i got on the polks are that they are series 4-5020. i googled and didn't find anything. but i also got the info on the speakers and tweeters, they are 6.5" woofers. http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?srchExt=CAT&srchCat=488 on this page there are a whole lot of options for replacements speakers with a wide range of prices and lots of good reviews. it seems like i can get a decent set of replacement speakers for around $100. additionally, i found out one tweeter is bad. but those are additionally fairly cheap. so unless i'm mistaken i can rebuild these speakers from anywhere from about $70 and up. but i also need an amp. can that sony sub i linked to power the speakers? if not, i have a sony receiver i can get my hands on. i'm not sure if this is useful or not, but i'd imagine i could use the receiver to power the speakers and then i could run my laptop output to the receivers input. so unless i'm mistaken again, i could rebuild these speakers for $200 with quality speakers, i've got the receiver to power everything. i'd imagine the polks would put out decent sound without a sub, and then if/when i want to upgrade i can add a sub.

so i'm not trying to ignore all of your advice, i'm just curious if this is an ok option or if not why it isn't.

2) what is a DAC and why do i need it?

3) i'm kind of hesitant to go for a regular computer speaker system. they seem to be fairly limited in upgradeability and if they break you're kinda out of luck.

4) those audio engine speakers look good, i don't need an amp (correct?) and i can always add the sub later. but for around the same price i can rebuild my polks. will the polks be better quality or is it just a better idea to get the audio engines?

as far as money and space, its more of a limit i'm putting on myself. i've get much more than my $200 budget, but i'd rather start with something that will be better than i have with the option of upgradeability. space is a minor concern for now, but next year i'll have my own room in a house, and either way i doubt i'll be getting a sub so big i can't fit it in my dorm anyway.

and again i'm not trying to disregard all of your opinions. that was just a ****load of info and i'm just trying to understand everything and make sure i'm making the right choice.

also, i'm typically an ebay/craigslist scavenger so i have no problem going used, i just don't know where to start.

[poppachubby]

2) what is a DAC and why do i need it?

Digital to Analog Convertor, does just what it says. Will take your computers digital signal and convert it to something your stereo can understand.

3) i'm kind of hesitant to go for a regular computer speaker system. they seem to be fairly limited in upgradeability and if they break you're kinda out of luck.

Yep, I think a computer speaker system is a horrible idea.

4) those audio engine speakers look good, i don't need an amp (correct?) and i can always add the sub later. but for around the same price i can rebuild my polks. will the polks be better quality or is it just a better idea to get the audio engines?

Listen, are you experienced at re-building speakers? To make them sound good it'll take some work. They need to be refoamed as well. I bet for $100 you could get a serious pair of used bookshelfs that could easily contend with the Polks.

as far as money and space, its more of a limit i'm putting on myself. i've get much more than my $200 budget, but i'd rather start with something that will be better than i have with the option of upgradeability. space is a minor concern for now, but next year i'll have my own room in a house, and either way i doubt i'll be getting a sub so big i can't fit it in my dorm anyway.

Right, space shouldn't be an issue. It can be done for cheap.

and again i'm not trying to disregard all of your opinions. that was just a ****load of info and i'm just trying to understand everything and make sure i'm making the right choice.
also, i'm typically an ebay/craigslist scavenger so i have no problem going used, i just don't know where to start.

Start with one source/component and have the good people of Audio review help you. You will learn as you go and be better off for it. If it's an amp you want to start with, go to the amp section and post away.


Don't stress man, you have lots of help here!

[cgibsong002]

Don't stress man, you have lots of help here!


ok, thanks a lot for the help man. so your advice sounds reasonable, start off with a decent pair of used bookshelves. what brand should i look for? if i'm going used i obviously want a brand that is known for its reliability as well as something that can be had for a decent used price.

next, what else do i need? an amp? do they make subs similar to my logitech system where the amp is housed in the sub? basically, once i find a pair of bookshelves, what else do i need to get everything working? or should i go with something like the audio engines and get powered bookshelves?

[LeRoy]

Is the source of your music always going to be via the PC or will you be using an IPOD or MP3?

I am not trying to divert you away from the PC but simply trying to meet your budget expectations for decent music playback and this may or may not be an option for you.

Dayton DTA-1 Class T Digital Amplifier 15 WPC
List Price: $59.99 EA
http://www.parts-express.com/

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO S30
$199.99
http://www.digitalcraze.com/

or

MORDAUNT SHORT Avant 902i Bookshelf Speakers
$225.00
http://www.accessories4less.com/

Good luck with your research and selections.

[cgibsong002]

Is the source of your music always going to be via the PC or will you be using an IPOD or MP3?

I am not trying to divert you away from the PC but simply trying to meet your budget expectations for decent music playback and this may or may not be an option for you.

Dayton DTA-1 Class T Digital Amplifier 15 WPC
List Price: $59.99 EA
http://www.parts-express.com/

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO S30
$199.99
http://www.digitalcraze.com/

or

MORDAUNT SHORT Avant 902i Bookshelf Speakers
$225.00
http://www.accessories4less.com/

Good luck with your research and selections.

unless i can figure something else out, yes i'd prefer to play the music from my PC. i have a cheap mp3 player but its only 4gb and my pc puts out superior sound quality from what i can tell. and i'm not quite sure i understand your comment, do i need something besides an amp and speakers if i want to use my pc? or were you saying an ipod would be better quality?

and that amp paired with one of those bookshelf speakers is certainly a possible option. though i've still got some questions. i figure i'd be best off looking for at least something used. would i be better off getting a used amp or used speakers, or both?

and i've now seen countless amounts of bookshelf speakers all in the $200 category. what separates them for each other? is it all really brand name, or do different speakers have different specs/qualities in them? as i said, i'm into metal. so i'd like these speakers to be able to deliver some heavy, but tight and defined bass. with metal comes the double bass, so i guess that also falls into the category of needing very tight and defined bass. midrange is also key.

and lastly, with that amp that you linked, if i wanted to later add a subwoofer, how would i do that? there are only speaker outputs on the amp. would i buy a powered subwoofer and split my audio output to 1. the sub. and 2. the amp ?

thanks again guys, i think i'm getting somewhere. :)

[blackraven]

All speakers sound different regardless of specs. Speakers are very subjective, we can make recommendations for a place to start. But ultimately it will be up to you to decide if you like them. I recommended those Energy speakers. They are a lot of bang for the buck and have good sound at that price point,

As far as adding a sub to a receiver, all you need is a receiver with a sub out like the Sony DH-500 I recommended. Some 2 ch receivers also have sub out. In addition, some subs can be hooked up directly to the speaker out terminals of the receiver. But you have more control of the sub if it has some type of bass management like a hometheater receiver-5.1ch or greater.

[cgibsong002]

All speakers sound different regardless of specs. Speakers are very subjective, we can make recommendations for a place to start. But ultimately it will be up to you to decide if you like them. I recommended those Energy speakers. They are a lot of bang for the buck and have good sound at that price point,

As far as adding a sub to a receiver, all you need is a receiver with a sub out like the Sony DH-500 I recommended. Some 2 ch receivers also have sub out. In addition, some subs can be hooked up directly to the speaker out terminals of the receiver. But you have more control of the sub if it has some type of bass management like a hometheater receiver-5.1ch or greater.

ok, so i think what you're saying is that the Dayton amp that was linked does not have the option of adding a sub, correct?

what are the general differences between an amp and receiver? a receiver is an amp, correct? basically i'm wondering why i need a full receiver rather than just a simple amp.

and ok, those energy speakers do look good. $150 seems like the best price i've seen so far on decent bookshelves, and from the research i've done so far Energy seems to be a quality brand.

ok, so lets say i'll go with these Energy speakers. that's $150. with decent woofers, i'm going to assume i can get decent sound without a sub for now, correct? now, it sounds like i'll be better off getting a receiver rather than an amp? going that route, would i simply plug my computer's output into a line in on the receiver? and then the speakers connect right to the receiver?

also, worth mentioning i suppose. before i came to college my grandfather gave me a huge vintage speaker. its an electro-voice aristocrat corner speakers. i can't really find much info on it, but he said they were near top of the line speakers long ago. its in perfect condition and hasn't been used in years. anyone heard of these?


thanks again, i know i'm asking a lot of questions. i appreciate all the help.

[blackraven]

Those Energy speakers will give you good mid bass. The Enegy 200's will give you better bass than the 100's, but with either one you can get by with out a sub till you can add one later.

A Receiver is an amplifier, tuner or radio, preamplifier that does the processing of the input signal from your CD player, computer or other source of music.

Then there are integrated amps which consists of an amplifier and preamplifier but no tuner.

Then the are separates where you buy a separate amplifier, preamplifier and tuner if you like radio. It gives you more flexibility and better and higher quality components and sound, But it is the most expensive way to go. For your budget, stick with a receiver and put more money into the speakers.

[poppachubby]

also, worth mentioning i suppose. before i came to college my grandfather gave me a huge vintage speaker. its an electro-voice aristocrat corner speakers. i can't really find much info on it, but he said they were near top of the line speakers long ago. its in perfect condition and hasn't been used in years. anyone heard of these?


thanks again, i know i'm asking a lot of questions. i appreciate all the help.

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=10498&page=11

Check that link and scroll down a bit. Are those what yours look like? PM badtothebone and ask him about them, he would be happy to help you if he has knowledge.

Asking questions is why this forum exists. It's evident you appreciate the help. Don't sweat it, everyone on here needs help from time to time.

Unless your into hip/hop and electronica. a decent pair of speakers should handle most of your bass needs. At least enough to get you going.

What you need to do is this, pick a budget amount for each purchase, take some of the names you've learned here and start looking. Look at comparable items in terms of price/performance. You can come back to the thread to ask about them. Research my man...

[cgibsong002]

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=10498&page=11

Check that link and scroll down a bit. Are those what yours look like? PM badtothebone and ask him about them, he would be happy to help you if he has knowledge.

Asking questions is why this forum exists. It's evident you appreciate the help. Don't sweat it, everyone on here needs help from time to time.

Unless your into hip/hop and electronica. a decent pair of speakers should handle most of your bass needs. At least enough to get you going.

What you need to do is this, pick a budget amount for each purchase, take some of the names you've learned here and start looking. Look at comparable items in terms of price/performance. You can come back to the thread to ask about them. Research my man...

this is the speaker: http://www.hifilit.com/hifilit/Electro-Voice/117-6.jpg although it was a DIY so there were various options. i even have all the original paperwork so i can find out the specs if i need to.

and no i'm not into hip/hop or electronica so for now i'm not worried about a sub for now, i just want to make sure i have the option of adding one later on.

ok, so i'm fairly set on the Energy 200 speakers. so now i just need a receiver. i'd like to do my own research and find a good used one on ebay or craigslist. but before i do that, would you guys just give me some insight as to exactly what to look for in a receiver? all i really need is the ability to hook my computer up to it, hook up 2 speakers, and eventually add on a sub. from everything i've seen all receivers have more than enough power so i suppose that shouldn't be a concern.

[blackraven]

As far as connecting your computer to the receiver goes, you will need to check what audio output you have on your laptop. Your probably have a mini rca out put, if so, you will need one of these cables- BJC MSA-1 to connect to the analog inputs of the receiver. http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/index.htm

It would be better if you have a coax digital or optical digital out to connect to the digital input or your Mutichannel receiver so that it can do the processing of the signal instead of the sound card.

If you use the analog outs then all you need is a 2.1 receiver like this one which is a great buy at this price.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554380-REG/Harman_Kardon_HK_3390_HK_3390_Stereo_Receiver.html

But if your on that tight of a budget, get that Sony I mentioned earlier.

[Mr Peabody]

The Audio Engine are very good quality and a sub wouldn't be needed especially if you got the set with the 6 1/2" woofer and 45 watt amp. Since you are only into Rock the $199.00 pair would get you by. Don't let the size fool you they are very good. The $199.00 pair will play lower, cleaner and louder than any computer speaker with a sub I know of. You might also look at speaker from M Audio which may be cheaper, not sure how they sound.

That Electro-Voice speaker would Rock. It also would sound good. Electro-Voice makes Pro sound speakers. In the 80's brochures bands like Def Leppard and Aerosmith were shown as using them. I wanted to buy a 15" 2-way for my home system way back when but the wife just didn't seem to think road carpet went with the living room decor :) If you will have room in the dorm for that speaker you are set. It will be very efficient which means it will play loud with not much input power. You could pick up something like the Trends digital amp and have a killer system. The Trends was selling for around $150.00. If you see any used who knows what you could get it for.

[cgibsong002]

ok, well what do you guys think of this idea for now?

i think i'll get those Energy 200 speakers. For now i'm going to get the receiver from my grandfather. i found a bit more info on it from my dad. its a pioneer (i think) and was (again i think) 30 watts per channel. i did an ebay search on vintage pioneer receivers and almost all of them were up at good prices, so it appears they made quality receivers. i figure this is a good place to start rather than spend money on another receiver that i may not need.

now all i need for now is a cable to hook them up, which i probably have at home anyway. and then this setup should leave me with the options of hooking up a subwoofer later as well as possibly that aristocrat and more speakers. and for better sound quality i can also upgrade my sound card later.

does this sound like a decent start at least? anything i'm missing?

thanks guys.

[Mr Peabody]

Also, I don't know where my friend bought this from but he picked up new a Chinese tube amp for $150.00 rated at 25 watts per channel. I laughed and thought, "this will sound like hell". He used some Wharfdale speakers and surprisingly the amp wasn't bad. So if you have the speaker a cheap amp could be found. Take a look at an Audio Source.

[cgibsong002]

As far as connecting your computer to the receiver goes, you will need to check what audio output you have on your laptop. Your probably have a mini rca out put, if so, you will need one of these cables- BJC MSA-1 to connect to the analog inputs of the receiver. http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/index.htm

It would be better if you have a coax digital or optical digital out to connect to the digital input or your Mutichannel receiver so that it can do the processing of the signal instead of the sound card.

If you use the analog outs then all you need is a 2.1 receiver like this one which is a great buy at this price.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554380-REG/Harman_Kardon_HK_3390_HK_3390_Stereo_Receiver.html

But if your on that tight of a budget, get that Sony I mentioned earlier.

yeah my grandfather just kept telling me how great the aristocrat speaker was. i've got it at home so i'll certainly test it out once i can. for now though it can't come to college with me, that thing is huge! i'll use it in my room at home until next year when i have a house at college.

also, additionally i just talked to my dad and he said besides the pioneer receiver my grandpa has, he has another pioneer receiver not being used. so with having two (most likely) good quality receivers to choose from, i'm definitely going with the receiver/bookshelf speaker combo for now. i'm just going to do a bit more research and make sure i'm picking the right speakers, although i'm pretty set on those Energy 200's.

[Mr Peabody]

Keep that EV, you'll like what you hear when you try it out. And, if the Pioneer is from grandpa it may be a vintage, you'll be the man with a retro Pioneer. Big dog with the lit up analog FM dial across the front, no IC chips all discrete circuits. You'll have to buy gramps his favorite beer or something for hooking you up like that :)

[blackraven]

Just remember, your sound will be only as good as the sound card in your computer with a vintage receiver. If its not a very good card as most laptops, you may need to buy a good external usb card.

Good luck and good choice on a very good budget speaker.

[cgibsong002]

Keep that EV, you'll like what you hear when you try it out. And, if the Pioneer is from grandpa it may be a vintage, you'll be the man with a retro Pioneer. Big dog with the lit up analog FM dial across the front, no IC chips all discrete circuits. You'll have to buy gramps his favorite beer or something for hooking you up like that :)

haha, i love vintage gear. my number one hobby consists mainly of vintage gear. i've got a Dean guitar from 79, a gibson from 82, a half stack from the late 80's, and an acoustic from probably early 70's. vintage gear is fun! its great to have stuff no one else has.

i'll send my grandpa an email and see if he doesn't mind finding out the model for me. he's moving out and giving away much of his stuff, which is the reason he gave me the aristocrat. he also gave me another set of bookshelves, but they were small 8 watters i believe and i don't think they were anything special. and the great thing is, he keeps everything in his house in PERFECT condition, so i'm confident all of this stuff will be in great working order.

i'll see what i can find out.

[cgibsong002]

Just remember, your sound will be only as good as the sound card in your computer with a vintage receiver. If its not a very good card as most laptops, you may need to buy a good external usb card.

Good luck and good choice on a very good budget speaker.

thanks man. i know about my sound card. i've also been wanting to upgrade that so i can get some better quality guitar recordings. so yeah, i am going to upgrade my sound card, just not at the moment. through windows media center in my windows vista premium i get some good sound through my headphones. its just through my speakers that the sound is quite garbage. i know it'll be limited with my current soundcard, but i believe i can still get a good sound with the current one, and then i can upgrade the sound card once i figure out what i need.

[cgibsong002]

sorry for the triple post, just wanted to update. i just went ahead and ordered the C-200's. i talked to a sales rep earlier today and he notified me the $150 price tag was only temporary while they blew out the remaining units. when i talked to him 2 hours ago there were 6 left. just talked to him and there were 3 left so i figured i might as well grab them. He said they were definitely their best quality speakers for under $400.

[blackraven]

Great choice. At that price, if you don't like them you should have no trouble selling them and getting your money back. Don't forget to order that mini RCA cable from Bluejeans cables. You will need it to convert the mini output plug of your lap top to the standard RCA plugs on your receiver.

[LeRoy]

unless i can figure something else out, yes i'd prefer to play the music from my PC. i have a cheap mp3 player but its only 4gb and my pc puts out superior sound quality from what i can tell. and i'm not quite sure i understand your comment, do i need something besides an amp and speakers if i want to use my pc? or were you saying an ipod would be better quality?

and that amp paired with one of those bookshelf speakers is certainly a possible option. though i've still got some questions. i figure i'd be best off looking for at least something used. would i be better off getting a used amp or used speakers, or both?

and i've now seen countless amounts of bookshelf speakers all in the $200 category. what separates them for each other? is it all really brand name, or do different speakers have different specs/qualities in them? as i said, i'm into metal. so i'd like these speakers to be able to deliver some heavy, but tight and defined bass. with metal comes the double bass, so i guess that also falls into the category of needing very tight and defined bass. midrange is also key.

and lastly, with that amp that you linked, if i wanted to later add a subwoofer, how would i do that? there are only speaker outputs on the amp. would i buy a powered subwoofer and split my audio output to 1. the sub. and 2. the amp ?

thanks again guys, i think i'm getting somewhere. :)

Hello, looks like you are making some headway with your selections already. I was not trying to state that an IPOD would be better than you PC at all. Only that the price of the Dayton amp and the possible paring of speakers I listed might be an alternative to meet your budget if you were unable to configure a pc based system within the budget you were tying to stay in, that's all.

As far as differentiating the sound of various speakers...well, there are a whole lot of variables that come into play..like the source, speaker wire, amplification, the speaker design and speaker materials, the room, speaker placement, etc. So, it just depends.

I would not get caught too caught up in speaker specs at the price point you are looking at. Simply, the speaker needs to mesh with your electronics and listening environment to get maximum enjoyment. Of course, the larger the woofer usually means more bass but not necessarily tight bass. You may be able to find great deals on used equipment on Audiogon or on closeout deals at popular sites like Crutchfield, Audioadvisor, musicdirect,
onecall, and wildwestelectronics

No, the Dayton amp does not have a sub-woofer connection.

Good luck and have fun shopping.

LeRoy

[cgibsong002]

thanks for the help leroy, i think i've got everything figured out for now. i've ordered my speakers, and i should have possibly up to 3 available options for a receiver, so i'll see what works best.

raven, i already have one of those cables lying around at home. i'm going to assume quality isn't a huge deal here, so i figure i might as well at least try the one i have now and see how it works.

oh, a couple other general questions. would there be any use in attaching my logitech speaker system to my setup as well as my new setup? or will that just add bad quality noise?

can a computer's output distort? for example, i'm wondering what the best way to play audio from a computer is... max the computers output and regular the volume with the amp, or the other way around?

interesting idea i had, with everything the PS3 can do, would i get better than PC quality sound if i loaded my music onto my ps3 and then hooked the ps3 up to my receiver?

[blackraven]

cgibsong, quality of cables does make a difference. Buy some decent 16g or better speaker wire. Use good RCA Interconnects. A poor quality RCA IC will affect sound quality for sure. Just check the cable section of this forum. Bluejeans cables are a good place to buy cables and wire. Their speaker wire is cheap if you buy the unterminated wire which you will probably need for the vintage receiver as most have those spring clip speaker terminals. You can get the grey 12g wire from BJC's for 0.52 cents a foot.

One thing that you will begin to appreciate as you get more into audio that every piece along the line makes some difference in sound even if it is slight. It all adds up. Your system is only as strong as its weakest link!

[cgibsong002]

cgibsong, quality of cables does make a difference. Buy some decent 16g or better speaker wire. Use good RCA Interconnects. A poor quality RCA IC will affect sound quality for sure. Just check the cable section of this forum. Bluejeans cables are a good place to buy cables and wire. Their speaker wire is cheap if you buy the unterminated wire which you will probably need for the vintage receiver as most has those spring clip speaker terminals. You can get the grey 12g wire from BJC's for 0.52 cents a foot.

One thing that you will begin to appreciate as you get more into audio that every piece along the line makes some difference in sound even if it is slight. It all adds up. Your system is only as strong as its weakest link!

fair enough. my dad has loads of audio equipment at home. i know he has quality speaker cable. he may even have the cable i need, so i'll just wait until i'm able to get home before i make any purchases.
thanks

[LeRoy]

You're welcome.:3:

[pixelthis]

hey guys, new member here, don't really know a whole lot about audio. but i love my music and i've decided i might as well spend some money and put together a decent quality system. i'm looking for a system to hook up to my laptop. right now i have a $50 set of logitech speakers + sub that came with my computer. its not terrible, but its not all that loud and the sub is quite embarrassing. i'm not sure quite which direction to go right now. i'm currently at college and at home my dad has some older polk audio speakers cabinets which are missing the speakers. I'm not sure on which model, he'll get back to me on that. He says they have crossovers and the tweeters should still be fine, they're just missing the speakers. so one option would be to buy new speakers for those and then buy a subwoofer to go along with them. I found a sony saw2500 while searching online and that seems to be decent quality in a price range that i'm looking for. Now, will that sub power the speakers, or will i need another amp to power the speakers?
another option would obviously be to just buy a better set of computer speakers. which option would be best for me? realistically i'm not looking to spend over $200. being at college, space is a bit of a concern, but really i shouldn't have any problems fitting speakers somewhere. i just don't have room for a huge subwoofer.

thanks for any/all help.


DESPITE being the Darth Vader of audio, Bose really makes some decent computer monitors, they call them "media" speakers.
Sound is quite decent, and one model has a Sub.:1:

[cgibsong002]

Well i just got home last night, and haven't gotten a chance to try out the energys. But after making a trip to a thrift store this afternoon, i'm slowly building myself a nice little system! I found a pair of Boston acoustics HD5's. I'd never heard of them, but i know it was a respectable company and they looked never used and for $20. i hooked them up to a radio in the store just to make sure they worked. haven't tried them out yet. reviews online appear to be good from what i can tell.

[poppachubby]

Well i just got home last night, and haven't gotten a chance to try out the energys. But after making a trip to a thrift store this afternoon, i'm slowly building myself a nice little system! I found a pair of Boston acoustics HD5's. I'd never heard of them, but i know it was a respectable company and they looked never used and for $20. i hooked them up to a radio in the store just to make sure they worked. haven't tried them out yet. reviews online appear to be good from what i can tell.

$20, nice find. Great as part of a H/T or comp. Also work well with a low power amp. Versatile with decent sound.

[cgibsong002]

$20, nice find. Great as part of a H/T or comp. Also work well with a low power amp. Versatile with decent sound.

yeah, i figured they'd definitely get use somehow for the price. if i don't use them, someone at my house will.

[cgibsong002]

The BA's sound great! I haven't opened the Energy's still, but the bostons are definitely coming back to school with me. Their much smaller than the energy's and sound really good by themselves, so for school they're going to be perfect. At this point I'm going to wait and just give myself the Energy's as a christmas present and set them up in my room.

I've also begun work on the Aristocrat. It had no speaker wire, so I had to open it up and take a look at everything. Only problem I notice is there is a slight hole in the edge of the cone. How can I seal this up to prevent it from getting worse?
Anyway, it looks like a really cool speaker. Haven't tried it yet, I'd like to take care of the rip first.
Here's the E-V:

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7585/dsc00685e.jpg
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/2871/dsc00688sn.jpg http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5950/dsc00690wc.jpg

[Mr Peabody]

If it's not large and the hole isn't gaping, you may be able to seal it with some clear fingernail polish. The cone is a paper material so if it's rot you may be looking at a replacement soon. Some woofers can be reconed but you'd have to check with E-V or online to see if kits are available to that. Or, most electronics services centers offer the service and may know if it can be done.

[cgibsong002]

If it's not large and the hole isn't gaping, you may be able to seal it with some clear fingernail polish. The cone is a paper material so if it's rot you may be looking at a replacement soon. Some woofers can be reconed but you'd have to check with E-V or online to see if kits are available to that. Or, most electronics services centers offer the service and may know if it can be done.

the last picture i posted shows the hole at the bottom of the picture. it's not large, but it's more of a hole than a tear. i believe the little piece of material that was taken out to create the hole is still hanging on... should i close it and then cover with the nail polish?

EDIT: here's another pic. Everything looks fine to me aside from the minor tear.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3581/dsc00684fl.jpg

[poppachubby]

I think if they sound ok, don't worry about it. The hole could be telling you it's time to refoam. Just be careful with them and be aware of their condition. Have you listened to them yet?

[manlystanley]

realistically i'm not looking to spend over $200. being at college, space is a bit of a concern, but really i shouldn't have any problems fitting speakers somewhere. i just don't have room for a huge subwoofer.

thanks for any/all help.


Ahhhhh.... $200 for a complete system. You are a man after my own heart. Cheapness is a virtue you know........ All my equipment is used. My best suggestion, is go to Craigslist and buy a used system for around 75-100 bucks. Then play with this and see what strikes your fancy. You'll learn form this about what you like and want to expand upon. CL also has lots of computer speakers, so you can check on those there as well.

I have my special old beat up truck that I go to pick up my: used dishwasher, Refrigerator, rototillers, etc. in. They see that old thing and figure that I need a good deal..... BTW, I'll lets you borrow it for 5 bucks..... :-)


Best Regards,
Stan

[cgibsong002]

I think if they sound ok, don't worry about it. The hole could be telling you it's time to refoam. Just be careful with them and be aware of their condition. Have you listened to them yet?

I'm not worried so much about the sound as I am about the hole getting worse. And taking off the face to be able to see the cone was actually quite the project, so I don't want to open it up one day and find a huge hole. Is the nail polish a good idea for now, and then if it still gets worse... well then it's time for an actual fix?


and Manleystanley... so far I've got myself a set of Energy C200's, a pair of Boston HD-5's, that giant EV aristocrat, and a receiver on its way. And I'm under my $200 budget. :3:

[manlystanley]

and Manleystanley... so far I've got myself a set of Energy C200's, a pair of Boston HD-5's, that giant EV aristocrat, and a receiver on its way. And I'm under my $200 budget. :3:


Sweet! Your the man!!!!!!! Hey, did you want any 78 RPM old Jazz records to go with that.........

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, put the material back in the hole as best you can and try the clear nail polish. Front and back of the cone if possible. It's not perfect but should prevent further damage for a while. I'm afraid if you didn't do anything the hole would certainly cause further damage when the woofer begins moving back and forth.

[cgibsong002]

Yeah, put the material back in the hole as best you can and try the clear nail polish. Front and back of the cone if possible. It's not perfect but should prevent further damage for a while. I'm afraid if you didn't do anything the hole would certainly cause further damage when the woofer begins moving back and forth.

yup, exactly why I didn't test it out yet. I'll try to patch it up with some nail polish and see how it goes.

[cgibsong002]

Sweet! Your the man!!!!!!! Hey, did you want any 78 RPM old Jazz records to go with that.........

no thanks :wink5:

[cgibsong002]

yup, exactly why I didn't test it out yet. I'll try to patch it up with some nail polish and see how it goes.

when i went to apply a second coating of nail polish 4 hours later, simply brushing it on opened the hole back up. so that didn't work. however, i was at a hardware store today, and i figured i'd look to see what types of fabrics they had as a replacement grille cloth. all they had was some black fiberglass mesh.... huge sheet for $1. so i took it. well, i was also digging around in my cabinet at home and found some fiberglass resin. can i cut a small piece of that mesh out and use the resin to patch up that hole? unless that resin dissolves the cone material, seems like a perfect solution to me.

[Mr Peabody]

Sorry the polish didn't work out, and, I'm not sure on the resin.

[blackraven]

Try a small amount of rubber cement. Its flexible and wont crack.

[cgibsong002]

i ended up putting on a small bit of caulk. unfortunately it didn't quite dry by the time i had to leave for school again. on the bright side, i got a free receiver after all. its a sony str-v200. couldn't find any reviews on it, but it works and sounds good. I ended up taking that and the small BA's up to school with me. I tried out the energys... very good. Much more low end power than the BA's, as well as a bit more of a full spectrum overall. Although a subwoofer would still be nice, I now understand how a sub isn't completely necessary with those. Even the BA's are fine without a sub, they certainly have more defined bass than the subwoofer that came with my logitech speakers had.
so far i'm quite satisfied with everything i've got, and i'm still under that budget.

[blackraven]

Glad to hear that you like the Energy's. They are great speakers for the price. You could have done a lot worse. Now all you need is a really good budget CD player.

[Mr Peabody]

Free stuff is always good to help stay within a budget :) Sounds like you are on your way.

[cgibsong002]

Glad to hear that you like the Energy's. They are great speakers for the price. You could have done a lot worse. Now all you need is a really good budget CD player.

i suppose a cd player will have a higher quality sound output than my cpu?

[Mr Peabody]

The virtues of a CPU as a delivery system is debated but if done correctly most feel it's fine. With that being said the addition of a decent DAC is usually made. I'm not into that but there are several here that use computer as a storage and playback device.

[cgibsong002]

The virtues of a CPU as a delivery system is debated but if done correctly most feel it's fine. With that being said the addition of a decent DAC is usually made. I'm not into that but there are several here that use computer as a storage and playback device.

Yeah the whole reason I use my computer for music is because it's so simple and convenient. I'm constantly on my computer so i can easily change music and everything without having to move or change CD's. I feel that even an I-pod dock would be much more of a hassle.

[Mr Peabody]

Do you use mp3 files or the entire song (lossless)? Of course, the larger the file the better sound you will get. I don't know if this is a feature on Itunes but using WMP setting to a "variable bitrate" helps too. I'm probably telling you stuff you already know :)

[cgibsong002]

Do you use mp3 files or the entire song (lossless)? Of course, the larger the file the better sound you will get. I don't know if this is a feature on Itunes but using WMP setting to a "variable bitrate" helps too. I'm probably telling you stuff you already know :)

i use mp3s and windows media center. i've got through (what i thought) every possible feature on windows media player and center... don't see anything about variable bitrate. where is this located?

[Mr Peabody]

I'm still using XP, my WMP is version 11. I pull down the "Rip" menu, enter on "format" and you should see it as an option there. It also shows mp3, Lossless and some other options. From what I'm told "variable bitrate" more intelligently uses the space in the file, like not dedicating a bit to silence. So even though it may be a mp3 it should sound better than typical.

[cgibsong002]

Well, figured I'd stop back in to give an update. With the sony receiver, everything sounded great. Only problem was, if I wanted to hook up my Energy's, the BA, and the EV, I couldn't really get a great sound. The Energy's sounded fantastic on their own, the BA's sounded great on their own, and the EV sounds good... but all together through the Sony I couldn't get the sound I wanted. The problem is that it's a surround sound receiver and it wants to push the EV (center channel) as the main speaker. I'm not sure if it's the receiver or not, but as the main speaker, the EV doesn't sound great. It's got everything but the low end. I have a feeling it needs an amp. Also, since the receiver is surround, and music isn't really, the rear speakers don't get much sound. So I ended up taking out the EV for now and just using my four speakers with the energy's being the mains.

Anyway, I just got the go-ahead to go into my grandparents storage garage and found that receiver I was talking about. It's a Sherwood S-9180 CP. Couldn't find anything about it online. Looks cool, haven't tried it yet. I'm not quite sure how to hook it up. It only has front and rear spots. So I'm thinking maybe I should put the Energy's and EV through the higher powered Sony, and putting my BA's through the Sherwood, then splitting my cpu's output and running both receivers at once. How's this sound?

Also, is there any risk of my receiver being overpowered by the giant EV? Should I get an amp to safely run it?

and last question... I'd like to stack both receiver on top of each other with one of my BA speakers on top. About how much space should be in between each receiver to safely get it enough air?

EDIT: Got a cool little surprise when turning the receiver on. Look at that vintage glow!

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/2084/sherwoodandelectrovoice.jpg

[JoeE SP9]

Let me see if I've got this straight. You want to use two receivers to run three different sets of speakers to play two channel music. I'm guessing you mean in the same room.

The question that comes to mind is, why?

[cgibsong002]

Let me see if I've got this straight. You want to use two receivers to run three different sets of speakers to play two channel music. I'm guessing you mean in the same room.

The question that comes to mind is, why?

because I can? I don't know. I've got two sets of speakers, and a corner speaker. I've got two receivers. One receiver alone isn't setup right to be able to run a full setup, hence the thought to use both receivers. Realistically I'm most likely going to just hook one set of speakers up to my E-drum kit and have the other set for music... But since everything is right next to each other why not see what kind of possibilities I can try right?

[poppachubby]

Nice Sherwood, looks great! Usually when a vintage lights up, it's a sign that it's been cared for.

Anyhow, I think the problem is your Sony receiver just doesn't have the jam or features to do what you want. A more modern/powerful receiver will deliver proper 5.1 and will bypass for your 2-channel.

I know you're on a budget, but maybe consider some B stock/refurbished amps from a credible source.

Dakmart are a great authorized dealer of Denon factory refurbs. Something like this amp might help your problem. Have a look around, for $150 - 200 you would get a decent receiver.

http://www.dakmart.com/product_info.php?cPath=4_9_10&products_id=6502

[Mr Peabody]

The Sony is probably fine. The EV is way more efficient than the other speakers, it actually takes much less power, that's why it's louder. You need to go into the receiver's set up menu and adjust all the levels until the speakers sound like they are at the same volume. If you want to get serious go to Radio Shack and buy an SPL meter. The EV will not play as low. This may be made worse depending on whether the receiver's internal setting is "small" or "large" for the center. If no sub set it to "large". It still won't shake the ground but that is the best setting. I agree, one receiver or the other. I think your issues are with the Sony's set up. A bit of tweaking should improve things some. Also, if listening in surround the center will get the most energy. If the Sony has a "party" mode or multichannel stero mode, try that. Sometimes the multichannel stereo may be called 5 or 7 channel stereo. If only listening to stereo you may just want to use the Sherwood and forget the Sony. There is a lot to setting up an HT receiver and it may be more of a pain than it's worth for you.

[poppachubby]

Hey Peabody, this Sony doesn't even have a DVD option on it. It has "Video". It has no features to program, he needs a better amp. Aren't you a Denon guy? Perhaps you could rec an amp from Dakmart for him...

[JoeE SP9]

because I can? I don't know. I've got two sets of speakers, and a corner speaker. I've got two receivers. One receiver alone isn't setup right to be able to run a full setup, hence the thought to use both receivers. Realistically I'm most likely going to just hook one set of speakers up to my E-drum kit and have the other set for music... But since everything is right next to each other why not see what kind of possibilities I can try right?

Please excuse my not remembering you are new to this.

Although there are instances where more than one pair of speakers (stacked Advents for example) can sound better than the sum of their parts this is not the case with dissimilar pairs. You can have lot's of sound or good sound. The options you have mentioned will give lots of sound. However, if good sound is what you want get rid of the receiver you like the least. Get rid of all three(?) pairs of speakers along with the single. Buy one pair of decent speakers to build a system around. Your first upgrade from that point would be a better receiver or separates

[poppachubby]

Please excuse my not remembering you are new to this.

Although there are instances where more than one pair of speakers (stacked Advents for example) can sound better than the sum of their parts this is not the case with dissimilar pairs. You can have lot's of sound or good sound. The options you have mentioned will give lots of sound. However, if good sound is what you want get rid of the receiver you like the least. Get rid of all three(?) pairs of speakers along with the single. Buy one pair of decent speakers to build a system around. Your first upgrade from that point would be a better receiver or separates


I may as well ask you here. You get those files??!?!?!? Dude I've been PM'n and emailing you like mad tryin to find out. What gives?

Sorry about the O.T. people, resume...

[Mr Peabody]

Is the Sony a surround sound? I thought it was because he was mentioning a center channel. If it's an old Pro Logic surround he wouldn't want anything hooked to the rear as they were mono and only a narrow frequency response. You're talking amp, does either receiver have preamp outs?

The EV would be your best drum speaker.

[poppachubby]

Is the Sony a surround sound? I thought it was because he was mentioning a center channel. If it's an old Pro Logic surround he wouldn't want anything hooked to the rear as they were mono and only a narrow frequency response. You're talking amp, does either receiver have preamp outs?

The EV would be your best drum speaker.

Here's a link to the manual. Scroll down and download, it will bring another window with a pdf. I was using amp loosely...receiver.

http://www.manualshark.org/p/sony-4/sony-str-v200-4051/

[JoeE SP9]

I may as well ask you here. You get those files??!?!?!? Dude I've been PM'n and emailing you like mad tryin to find out. What gives?

Sorry about the O.T. people, resume...

See my PM to you.

[cgibsong002]

Is the Sony a surround sound? I thought it was because he was mentioning a center channel. If it's an old Pro Logic surround he wouldn't want anything hooked to the rear as they were mono and only a narrow frequency response. You're talking amp, does either receiver have preamp outs?

The EV would be your best drum speaker.

The Sony is a surround sound, and when I hook up rear's to it, as you say, only a small range of sounds come out. That was my logic for using both receivers to individually power the speaker sets. I figured two sets of speakers acting as fronts would give me a much fuller sound than my current setup. But maybe you guys are right, maybe that's just more sound and not necessarily better sound.

Again, I'm not really looking to buy too much more to get better sound... I'm way more than satisfied with the Energy's and Sony alone, but now that I've got the other stuff I was just wondering what options I had.

You mentioned the EV being good for drums... Do you think I should also have a pair of fronts to go along with that? Maybe since the Sherwood doesn't have a center channel I'll try the Sony using the BA's and EV for my drumming and just keep it simple and go Sherwood + Energy's for my music.

How's that sound?

[poppachubby]

and just keep it simple and go Sherwood + Energy's for my music.

How's that sound?

Great. Probably the best combo of everything you have. It's a shame about the Sony. Did you have a peek at Dakmart?

I think you will enjoy the output of the Sherwood for your music. I definitely see a DAC in your future. Start saving some money...the Denon that I linked you would be able to handle your H/T and 2 channel needs.

[Mr Peabody]

That sounds like a plan. It never hurts to experiment to see what works best.

[cgibsong002]

Well to simplify things further, it sounds like my dad's gonna steal his Sony back now that I've got the Sherwood. Since the Sherwood is dual stereo rather than surround, I'm gonna hook up both the sets of speakers to that for music. I'll keep an eye out on craigslist and just get an amp to run the EV for my drumset.

A DAC is in my future. I still want to get an interface for my recording needs as well as a higher quality dac... but for now I think I've got things covered. I'll give an update once I get my Sherwood hooked up.

[blackraven]

Just use one set of speaker for 2ch. Don't mix speakers.

[02audionoob]

A DAC is in my future. I still want to get an interface for my recording needs as well as a higher quality dac... but for now I think I've got things covered. I'll give an update once I get my Sherwood hooked up.

A good DAC can be pricey. What do you have in mind?

[cgibsong002]

Just use one set of speaker for 2ch. Don't mix speakers.

Why do you say so? I'd think two sets of speakers would fill in each others' gaps in whatever frequencies they'd be short in and really make things nice a full sounding. Which is what I noticed yesterday when I tested it out. I didn't try it with just the Energy's alone though... haven't had enough time to experiment.

As for the DAC, I wasn't planning on anything super fancy. Just something simple that gets the job done. Emu has a few nice ones for $200 and under. I'm not necessarily concerned about this right now though, it might be a few months.

[cgibsong002]

i tried hooking my drums up to the sherwood through the phono hookups... sounded horrible. then i found out phono is for a record player i guess? What's the difference?

Also, still curious about how i can go about stacking my stuff. how much space does this gear need to cool properly? Don't want to overheat it

[blackraven]

Mixing different speakers is bad for sound. Your mixing different tonalities. I don't think you will find a person on this forum that will advocate using different speakers in a music set up let alone home theater.

[Mr Peabody]

The "phono" input has an extra preamp stage specifically for turntables. Phono cartridges have such a low signal they need additional stepping up before entering the receiver preamp.

The receivers you have shouldn't put off much heat so you should be alright as long as there is some reasonable ventilation and the vents on the unit are not covered. Amps and receivers capable of higher current output are typically the ones who need big space for venting all that heat.

[cgibsong002]

Mixing different speakers is bad for sound. Your mixing different tonalities. I don't think you will find a person on this forum that will advocate using different speakers in a music set up let alone home theater.

ah, so its mixing different brands that's generally bad, or would you still even want to just stick with 2 speakers for just music regardless of the second set?
i kind of got what you're saying once i started A/Bing. Both sets together gave the sound more depth, but something seemed off about it. Too complicated, and sounded nice and simple.. very good with just the energy's.


The receivers you have shouldn't put off much heat so you should be alright as long as there is some reasonable ventilation and the vents on the unit are not covered. Amps and receivers capable of higher current output are typically the ones who need big space for venting all that heat.

well that's the thing both of them are vented through their top. they each have maybe 1/2" feet, so they're have a 1/2" gap only to let the bottom one vent. And then I wanted to put one of my BA speakers on top, which wouldn't cover the whole vent, but it would be nearly right on the vent.

[Mr Peabody]

I'd set it up the way you need it but keep a watch for the first few times you use it. Touch it occasionally while playing and as long as it's not so hot you can't keep your hand there it should be fine. Actually, I've heated some amps up to hot to touch and they were fine but heat, or excessive heat, is not good for electronics.

[cgibsong002]

I'd set it up the way you need it but keep a watch for the first few times you use it. Touch it occasionally while playing and as long as it's not so hot you can't keep your hand there it should be fine. Actually, I've heated some amps up to hot to touch and they were fine but heat, or excessive heat, is not good for electronics.

oh yeah, i know this. i was going to just set it up and test, but i figured you guys here were pretty knowledgeable and i might as well ask first. i wasn't sure if this older equipment used up more or less heat.

EDIT: oh, to double check... is it enough to just test the face for heat, or should i take the top receiver/speakers off and test the top where the vent is?

[Mr Peabody]

You probably aren't going to tell much from the face. If the sides are metal you can check there.

[cgibsong002]

so an update after having the Energy's for a while now. They sound amazing, but I've got one problem. My one speaker occasionally cuts in and out. Not fully cutting out, but a bit of static (not sure how to describe it) as if there's a bad connection somewhere. I don't believe it's my receiver. I'm using the Sherwood and I had the same problem through both the A channel and B channel. Is there anything that could likely be the problem? Or could this be anything? Additionally, is it possible that the speaker wire could be getting interference? My wire runs right past a whole range of equipment from audio equipment, to guitar amps, to my computer. It's just odd that sometimes it'll constantly be cutting in and out, and then there's times when I can listen to a whole album and not notice it once.

[poppachubby]

so an update after having the Energy's for a while now. They sound amazing, but I've got one problem. My one speaker occasionally cuts in and out. Not fully cutting out, but a bit of static (not sure how to describe it) as if there's a bad connection somewhere. I don't believe it's my receiver. I'm using the Sherwood and I had the same problem through both the A channel and B channel. Is there anything that could likely be the problem? Or could this be anything? Additionally, is it possible that the speaker wire could be getting interference? My wire runs right past a whole range of equipment from audio equipment, to guitar amps, to my computer. It's just odd that sometimes it'll constantly be cutting in and out, and then there's times when I can listen to a whole album and not notice it once.

Make sure that no exposed cable is touching. Both at the receiver and the speaker. Are you using termination? If your plugs are able to touch they will create a static noise and/or cut out. Cover one plug with a piece of Saran or something of the like.

[frenchmon]

so an update after having the Energy's for a while now. They sound amazing, but I've got one problem. My one speaker occasionally cuts in and out. Not fully cutting out, but a bit of static (not sure how to describe it) as if there's a bad connection somewhere. I don't believe it's my receiver. I'm using the Sherwood and I had the same problem through both the A channel and B channel. Is there anything that could likely be the problem? Or could this be anything? Additionally, is it possible that the speaker wire could be getting interference? My wire runs right past a whole range of equipment from audio equipment, to guitar amps, to my computer. It's just odd that sometimes it'll constantly be cutting in and out, and then there's times when I can listen to a whole album and not notice it once.

IF its happining with one speaker, and not the other and on both the a channel and the b channel with the same speaker...then you have pinpointed it down. If it where me, I would open the speaker if I could, to look at the wiring to make sure it all looked ok. You could very well have a loose connection inside.

[cgibsong002]

I was going to open it up.. but these speakers are fairly new and might be under warranty. But would it even be worth worrying about the warranty or should I just open it up and take a look? I'm decent with electronics and soldering.

[Mr Peabody]

Yes, worry about the warranty. If they are fairly new it shouldn't be a speaker but if it is did you buy locally? Switch speaker wires on the back of the receiver, left/right, if the problem stays with the same speaker then you know it's the speaker. If the problem switches to the other speaker then you know it's the receiver or something else upstream. Don't give the company any reason to void your warranty, if it's the speaker make them fix it not you.

Check your RCA connections to make sure they are plugged in tight and switch them around. Sometimes if using cheap RCA's they will go bad. Get a bad or broken connection.

Also, if using bare wire for speakers be sure the bare end is only a 1/3 of an inch or so to prevent any touching of the other terminal or wire. Really importent to keep the bare wire short if the receiver uses the old spring loaded type connectors opposed to a binding post.

[frenchmon]

If you got a warrenty, your problem is solved. MrP I think he has nailed it down to the one speaker.

[cgibsong002]

If you got a warrenty, your problem is solved. MrP I think he has nailed it down to the one speaker.

the only thing i can think of aside from it being the particular speaker is the speaker wire. I have not changed that, though I don't really see how that could be failing me. It's good wire. I bought the speakers online though. I wonder if I'll have to pay shipping charges back to them.. in that case, a warranty doesn't help much if I have to pay anyway. I'll look into it.

[frenchmon]

the only thing i can think of aside from it being the particular speaker is the speaker wire. I have not changed that, though I don't really see how that could be failing me. It's good wire. I bought the speakers online though. I wonder if I'll have to pay shipping charges back to them.. in that case, a warranty doesn't help much if I have to pay anyway. I'll look into it.

You may want to go ahead and check the speaker wire...switch it out. IF that's not the problem, then I would call up the seller to see if you need a RMA number so you can send them back. Have you hooked up your Boston Acoustics to the same channels to see if they have the same problem just in case it is your receiver.

[cgibsong002]

yeah.. I'll have to try out those suggestions. I'm away on vacation now, I'll have to double check when I get home.