Headset/Speakers?

King Damager · 15 Mar 2011 at 16:10

Ok, well I've got a Xonar D2 on it's way to me soon

However considering I have some crappy £40 Advent 5.1 speakers at the moment I figured I should do the sound card some justice and get something better to listen through it too.

Budget I guess is about £100. Been looking around and asking a couple of people, and it seems that I could get much better quality sound for that money from a headphone/amp combo than through speakers.

Another benefit of speakers is that living at Uni, I can turn the music/games up and not annoy everyone....

So I've been looking around asking, best option seems to be an e5 and NS1000's?

Anyone can think of any better recommendations?

Main uses are probably music with some light gaming, when I have time, films will probably go through the speakers that I've got at the moment just because it means not having to sit there with headphones on xD

kd

Marsman · 15 Mar 2011 at 18:29

PC 5.1 speakers are pretty crap for music TBH, unless you go for separates. Even Logitech's Z5500's aren't that good for music, unless it's bass heavy stuff. For gaming and film use though, they are really good.

OcUK now has some Edifer R1600T 2.0 speakers, which look pretty good for what they cost. You wont get anything better for that kind of money, unless you buy something 2nd hand. Stereo is a far better choice for music. I'd dare say, you would have to spend more than £100 to get better stereo active speakers. M-Audio AV40's spring to mind. They are £120-£130 though.

A 2nd hand stereo amplifier and passive bookshelf speakers, is another option. For £100, you could get something like a Cambridge Audio A1 for £40-£50, and some decent speakers. Amplifiers are pretty big though, so you would need desk space for what is a large slab of metal and electronics.

If you are at university, then headphones will certainly allow you to have decent amount of volume, without ******* anyone off, which speakers possibly would do, if loud enough. A £60 pair of headphones will sound better than a £60 pair of speakers that's for sure, and you can do far worse than buy some Goldring NS1000's and an E5 headphone amp. For what they cost, it's a great combination at a superb price.

King Damager · 17 Mar 2011 at 10:04

Anyone else have any ideas etc...? Still thinking the Goldring's and e5 is best choice?

kd

sybaris · 19 Mar 2011 at 11:37

Would love a set of Tag-Mclaren F1's

Auraomega · 19 Mar 2011 at 12:40

Marsman said:
Amplifiers are pretty big though, so you would need desk space for what is a large slab of metal and electronics.

Under your monitor? Just sayin'...

King Damager said:
Anyone else have any ideas etc...? Still thinking the Goldring's and e5 is best choice?

For £85 the Goldring NS1000s + FiiO E5 + Fisual 3m extension is a bargain, we probably sound like a broken record on here recommending them all the time but they really are great value.

el Kuarlos · 19 Mar 2011 at 13:48

we probably sound like a broken record

Thats ok because I can assure you that the combo does not. No point of reference and the first set of ns1000s I got was duff but second set is bob on, e5 is a must too.