New Speakers for Mac & PS3

Chimerical · 1 Dec 2009 at 10:02

Bit of a dilemma here. Basically, I'm looking to buy some better quality 2.1 or 2.0 PC speakers that I can hook up to my Mac and a PS3 (buying soon).

Incidentally I would rather not have to resort to using splitter cables or anything like that but I'm wondering if that's an option with my current speakers?

This is my setup currently:

Basically I can't fit an amp and big speakers in or anything like that (well it'd look messy at least). The Aego M 2.1's would be ideal except for the fact that they don't have a headphone socket which is essential.

So my choices seem to be limited to the Bose Companion 3, Audioengine A2 or the Logitech Z-2300. The problem is the Bose speakers are really expensive, the A2's don't seem to have a headphone socket either and I'm worried the Logitech's aren't good enough quality for the price.

If someone can justify the Logitechs or point me to another set similarily priced but better speakers, (or even just show me how I'd wire up my current speakers to a Mac & PS3) that'd be great. Uses will mainly be for watching movies and listening to music of course.

Marsman · 1 Dec 2009 at 11:56

You could look at Logitech Z Cinema. They are USB 2.1 speakers, but they do have a line in to connect an MP3 player, or in this case a sound device from a computer. They come with a wireless remote control too, and from what someone told me, people thought they sounded better than the Z 2300.

If you wanted 2.0 speakers, what about M-Audio's AV40 at about £90. Similar to the AE A2, but they do have headphone socket.

bigredshark · 1 Dec 2009 at 12:12

You could look at a pair of Teufel Concept B200s, really really impressive sound, USB connection for the PC, multiple inputs, headphone out and real, quality power amps. Only downside is they're not cheap, but you won't buy better 2.0 or 2.1 speakers...

Chimerical · 1 Dec 2009 at 17:35

Thanks for the replies. Those Teufel Concepts look really good, any reason for the USB connection to PC? (I'm assuming there's no downside). I don't really mind the price so long as the sound quality is good (as you've already said).

The MV-40's look interesting and a really good price. I'm guessing I can hook them up to a PS3 and Mac simultaneously? They seem to have plenty of inputs.

Both those recommendations look really good actually. Gonna be tough deciding...

Marsman · 1 Dec 2009 at 21:06

The Teufels do look good. Reason for USB, well great speakers for someone with a crap onboard sound or sound card. Probably has superior DAC compared to a lot of cheaper cards, can't say that for sure though.

If you wanted 2.1, but wanted a headphone socket at hand, Creative's T3 would be a good choice, I say would be, cause it's harder to find than a pot of gold at the bottom of your bed.

For the size of the speaker footprint, the amp size and the audio quality, the Teufel's should eat anything else up and spit it out at that price point. Sure for the same amount of cash, one can buy a good amp and some decent bookshelf speakers that will proably best the Teufel's, but one, they are a lot larger, and two, a separate amp is going to be a huge slab of metal. Not exactly desk friendly.

Looking at a review of the Teufel's, they should easily sound better than the AV40's, even if the monitors do have larger woofers. The Teufel's dedicated larger amp will laugh at the amp in the AV40's, if it could.

The Cakewalk MA-15D might be worth looking at, again they are monitor speakers, but they offer 2 digital inputs optical and coaxial, aswell as line in and phono in. The Teufel's though offer much more oomph in the volume department though compared to the monitors, and probably sound better too.

Marsman · 1 Dec 2009 at 21:11

Love the clean and tidy desk you have. You don't want to see mine, your jaw would hit the floor.

Amazingly it is actually tidy from time to time, but it's not long before I find things to pile up on it.

Chimerical · 2 Dec 2009 at 12:42

Marsman said:
The Teufels do look good. Reason for USB, well great speakers for someone with a crap onboard sound or sound card. Probably has superior DAC compared to a lot of cheaper cards, can't say that for sure though.

If you wanted 2.1, but wanted a headphone socket at hand, Creative's T3 would be a good choice, I say would be, cause it's harder to find than a pot of gold at the bottom of your bed.

For the size of the speaker footprint, the amp size and the audio quality, the Teufel's should eat anything else up and spit it out at that price point. Sure for the same amount of cash, one can buy a good amp and some decent bookshelf speakers that will proably best the Teufel's, but one, they are a lot larger, and two, a separate amp is going to be a huge slab of metal. Not exactly desk friendly.

Looking at a review of the Teufel's, they should easily sound better than the AV40's, even if the monitors do have larger woofers. The Teufel's dedicated larger amp will laugh at the amp in the AV40's, if it could.

The Cakewalk MA-15D might be worth looking at, again they are monitor speakers, but they offer 2 digital inputs optical and coaxial, aswell as line in and phono in. The Teufel's though offer much more oomph in the volume department though compared to the monitors, and probably sound better too.

I think you may have just sold me on the Teufels. The USB makes sense because my Mac has crude on-board audio anyway.

One last final question, because I'm such a sound noob and its a lot of money in this picture (which is the back of the Teufel B200 Amp)...

...obviously the USB ports are for the Mac and the red & white Aux ports are for the PS3? (or whatever generic games console, Blu-Ray player). As said, its noobish but I might as well double check.

Also, I'm guessing no drivers are needed or anything seeing as this is basically an external soundcard sort of thing.

It looks like a great piece of kit overall.

bigredshark · 2 Dec 2009 at 12:42

Marsman said:
The Teufels do look good. Reason for USB, well great speakers for someone with a crap onboard sound or sound card. Probably has superior DAC compared to a lot of cheaper cards, can't say that for sure though.

Exactly that really, the DAC is of much higher quality than an inbuilt sound card will ever have (having seen reviews the whole insides of the teufel's looks high end, even the power supply looks properly audio grade as compared to the competition...).

bigredshark · 2 Dec 2009 at 12:48

Chimerical said:
I think you may have just sold me on the Teufels. The USB makes sense because my Mac has crude on-board audio anyway.

One last final question, because I'm such a sound noob and its a lot of money in this picture (which is the back of the Teufel B200 Amp)...

...obviously the USB ports are for the Mac and the red & white Aux ports are for the PS3? (or whatever generic games console, Blu-Ray player). As said, its noobish but I might as well double check.

Also, I'm guessing no drivers are needed or anything seeing as this is basically an external soundcard sort of thing.

It looks like a great piece of kit overall.

yeah, USB for the Mac (you actually get a three port hub for your trouble as well), aux ports for your console. There's a third input on the front with the headphone port (nice for an ipod I guess).

It'll be recognized as a sound card, they say both PC and Mac support and I suspect it'll have drivers under OSX without having to install anything...

Chimerical · 2 Dec 2009 at 13:02

bigredshark said:
yeah, USB for the Mac (you actually get a three port hub for your trouble as well), aux ports for your console. There's a third input on the front with the headphone port (nice for an ipod I guess).

It'll be recognized as a sound card, they say both PC and Mac support and I suspect it'll have drivers under OSX without having to install anything...

Awesome. Cheers.

alexx · 2 Dec 2009 at 13:15

hey mate ive got aegos and a xonar card and they are amazing, if the headphone things a major deal then no worries but there are ways around it

Chimerical · 2 Dec 2009 at 13:21

alexx said:
hey mate ive got aegos and a xonar card and they are amazing, if the headphone things a major deal then no worries but there are ways around it

I'm thinking of getting them or the Cakewalks that have been recommended for my Windows PC because that has a Xonar. Seems best to USB it for the Mac though, I'll get better sound through my headphones via the Teufel Amp as well I can imagine.

alexx · 2 Dec 2009 at 13:29

yeah thats true macs onboard is pap, deffo get the aegos with the xonar it is really good

i havnt ventured deep enough into external soundcards so cant say but they do look nice^

bigredshark · 2 Dec 2009 at 13:41

One note of caution about the teufel's - the speakers are actually quite big according to the spec's, they look thin in photos but they are quite tall and quite deep - 10.00 x 31.10 x 22.00 cm - that's a full foot high and 22cm deep! I'm guessing they'll look fine if that's a 24" monitor though...

Let us know how you get on if you do go for them, I've been tempted for a while but I should actually get my NAD amp out of storage and set it up with my tv so I'm holding off.

Marsman · 2 Dec 2009 at 13:43

That's a very good point Alexx, I did forget that the Mac does not have good audio. Bypassing the audio and using USB reinforces the Teufel's appeal.

nickrose · 2 Dec 2009 at 14:03

The Bose Companion 3 are 1st rate.

Sound quality is fantastic, and the little jog wheel volume control is so useful and has seperate headphone output and input connections aswell.

Price is the only, repeat only drawback.
But the little wife bought them for my xmas pressie.

alexx · 2 Dec 2009 at 14:18

I cant help but feel Bose are given a bit too much credit in the audio world before people dive in and really find out more first hand, no doubt there good but there price tags never seem that in fitting to the product for me.

Marsman, ironic isnt it that mac sell themselves to the "creative sector" I guess they'd rather use profit margin over performance for there customers model!

Hackingtosh underway

bigredshark · 2 Dec 2009 at 14:34

alexx said:
I cant help but feel Bose are given a bit too much credit in the audio world before people dive in and really find out more first hand, no doubt there good but there price tags never seem that in fitting to the product for me.

Marsman, ironic isnt it that mac sell themselves to the "creative sector" I guess they'd rather use profit margin over performance for there customers model!

Hackingtosh underway

Absolutely, Bose are, in my opinion, rubbish. Sound quality is average at best, bass is overwhelming and there's no detail. You can get better sound for half the price.

I've always found apple built in sound good enough, certainly if your source is mp3 files. But the creative thing is misplaced, any serious creative user has an external firewire card and is never going to touch the built in sound no matter how good it is...

Chimerical · 2 Dec 2009 at 15:08

bigredshark said:
One note of caution about the teufel's - the speakers are actually quite big according to the spec's, they look thin in photos but they are quite tall and quite deep - 10.00 x 31.10 x 22.00 cm - that's a full foot high and 22cm deep! I'm guessing they'll look fine if that's a 24" monitor though...

Let us know how you get on if you do go for them, I've been tempted for a while but I should actually get my NAD amp out of storage and set it up with my tv so I'm holding off.

Yeah, I'll post pictures and stuff after Christmas time when I get them with the PS3 if all is well. That's a 24" monitor, probably better that the speakers are tall and thin then fat/wide. Can't wait to hear some Blu-Ray lossless audio being played through them.

86JR · 8 Dec 2009 at 02:18

Aego M's have a headphone socket, its on the front of the subwoofer