Speaker Connections to PC

[rhysduck]

I have the following two options that are being unused and I'm in sure what to do with them (use or sell)

Option 1:
Monitor Audio Radius45 Speakers

Option2:
Edifier Studio 980T 2.0 Speakers 24W

I'll be getting a desk soon so toying with the idea of what to do. I predominantly use my Arctis 7 headphones for sound as I usually game in the night but wondering if I should hookup either of these to give me better sound during the day when I'm occasionally playing music.

I'm not looking for studio reference audio quality just something better than the terrible sound of my Acer Predator monitor speakers.

I think I'd need a sound card for the Radius45 speakers as they're the usual wired screw terminals.

Advice please?

Edit: Current MB is a Gigabyte AX370 - Gaming 5 with a 1060 6GB GPU

 

[Marsman]

The Monitor Audio speakers are passive, so you will need an amplifier; just a sound card cannot supply enough power for passive speakers.

The 45's will undoubtedly offer better sound quality of the two choices. Edifier make some good speakers, but the 980T's are certainly their lowest budget stereo bookshelf speakers.

980T's are the easiest to use, as you just connect them to the motherboard's audio and the mains power, so depends whether you just want the simplest solution, or whether you want to spend money on an amplifier for the better sounding 45's.

 

[rhysduck]

Thanks for the reply @Marsman.

I think I'd prefer the MA speakers as a solution as I want to keep space to a premium and as you say they are a better speaker in general.

Is there any particular amp I shoukd be looking at? I'm assuming I don't need a full of 5.1 home cinema amp to power them?

 

[EsaT]

From sound cards Sound Blaster X7 is about only one with amplifier for driving such speakers.

 

[Marsman]

Is there any particular amp I shoukd be looking at? I'm assuming I don't need a full of 5.1 home cinema amp to power them?

No, stereo is what you want. You'd only be looking at something like an AV receiver if you had the intention of eventually adding speakers, such as a centre speaker, and/or if you needed features not found on a stereo amp. From what you've described a stereo amp is all you need.

Creative X7, mentioned by esat, is an option. Really depends what would be looking to spend though. Unless you can get a used one, then they are £250. Just for speaker use, there are other cheaper small options; such as SMSL AD18 or Q5 Pro.

The X7 is sound card, headphone amp and stereo speaker amp combined into one unit, so is a good choice for someone who wants the extra features. If you just want something to power stereo speakers, it's somewhat overkill, as you can spend half that on one of the above.

I've got a Q5 Pro, which I use downstairs with some floor standing speakers. Admittedly, I don't use the system that much, but the Q5 Pro does a good job. Both Q5 Pro and AD18 have a subwoofer out, should you want to add a subwoofer to use with the MA speakers.

 

[JasonM]

I would look at a DAC / Amp.

The NAD D 3020 V2 would be good, then drive it from either the toslink or SPDIF from the motherboard. This should give better sound quality then the Creative option, also it will be immune to sound card drivers, as it's being powered by the motherboard audio.

Edit!

I just looked at information on the Radius45 speakers, from a quality perspective there better then the Edifiers, however there to small to provide any amount of full range sound, they look more like wall mounted satellite speakers for a surround system. If you were to buy that NAD D 3020 I mentioned above it would be totally wasted on those small speakers.

I personally would be eBaying (selling) the Radius45 and the Edifiers, and the money raised purchase some better active speakers with a DAC built in them.

So cut your losses on all your existing speakers, then buy something like this.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/edif...dio-certified-powered-speakers-sp-05a-er.html

Then power the above from your motherboards toslink or spdif out.

 

[rhysduck]

Spoiler

No, stereo is what you want. You'd only be looking at something like an AV receiver if you had the intention of eventually adding speakers, such as a centre speaker, and/or if you needed features not found on a stereo amp. From what you've described a stereo amp is all you need.

Creative X7, mentioned by esat, is an option. Really depends what would be looking to spend though. Unless you can get a used one, then they are £250. Just for speaker use, there are other cheaper small options; such as SMSL AD18 or Q5 Pro.

The X7 is sound card, headphone amp and stereo speaker amp combined into one unit, so is a good choice for someone who wants the extra features. If you just want something to power stereo speakers, it's somewhat overkill, as you can spend half that on one of the above.

I've got a Q5 Pro, which I use downstairs with some floor standing speakers. Admittedly, I don't use the system that much, but the Q5 Pro does a good job. Both Q5 Pro and AD18 have a subwoofer out, should you want to add a subwoofer to use with the MA speakers.

Thanks for the suggestions. Ive been looking at the SMSL AD18 and it's a bit more than what I wanted to spend. Would the SMSL SA-50 be an option you think? It's capable of 2x50w and is more in my price range of what I was hoping for (£60).

I'm not bothered about Bluetooth connectivity as I have my yamaha sound bar plus an echo plus downstairs for such things.

Spoiler

I would look at a DAC / Amp.

The NAD D 3020 V2 would be good, then drive it from either the toslink or SPDIF from the motherboard. This should give better sound quality then the Creative option, also it will be immune to sound card drivers, as it's being powered by the motherboard audio.

Edit!

I just looked at information on the Radius45 speakers, from a quality perspective there better then the Edifiers, however there to small to provide any amount of full range sound, they look more like wall mounted satellite speakers for a surround system. If you were to buy that NAD D 3020 I mentioned above it would be totally wasted on those small speakers.

I personally would be eBaying (selling) the Radius45 and the Edifiers, and the money raised purchase some better active speakers with a DAC built in them.

So cut your losses on all your existing speakers, then buy something like this.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/edif...dio-certified-powered-speakers-sp-05a-er.html

Then power the above from your motherboards toslink or spdif out.

Thanks for the info.
I'm reading good things about the Edifier speakers. I can't seem to find anything else for cheaper around the same quality though!

Only worry is how much I can sell the R45s and Edifier 980s for to cover the cost of those S880's.

 

[Marsman]

SA50 should do the job fine.

 

[JasonM]

Only worry is how much I can sell the R45s and Edifier 980s for to cover the cost of those S880's.

You have 2 problems.

1) As mentioned those R45's are small to provide any quality sound, just wasting your time putting an amp on those.
2) You only have motherboard audio, that in my experiencing is quite poor - you could if you want connect those Edifiers up to the motherboard out first and see how you feel about the sound output.

So to solve both the above problems, sell both your existing speakers, then purchase some good 2.0 or 2.1 active speakers with a built in DAC, any of the good Edifiers are fine for this. Then use either the toslink, or spdif from your motherboard as the source. Doing the later will mean you don't need a sound card.

 

[Marsman]

Only worry is how much I can sell the R45s and Edifier 980s for to cover the cost of those S880's.

The S880DB are on sale and out of stock at OcUK. £250 elsewhere from what I can see. By the time you sell the ones you have, I think you're likely going to have to stump up £100 possibly more to get the S880BD.

R1280DB would be a better bet. At £120, you should be able to make that selling the ones you have.

 

[rhysduck]

I was looking at the R1280D and R1280T speakers as you posted that @Marsman ! Noticed the R1280T's dont have SPDIF or BT which would mean a sound card so they're out.

I can get the R1280DB for less than £100 so I think I've just found my answer! Hopefully should make that on sale of the R980's and R45's. Thank you both for the advice.

If I compare the R1280DB speakers to the S880BD then yes the S880 speakers are better but for the extra £100+ I really don't think they'll get the use for me to notice the difference to warrant the purchase

 

[Marsman]

Yeah, R1280T have just analogue input, but I didn't mention those; and there is no R1280D. Not that any of that matters though.

£100 or less for the R1280DB is a good price.

 

[JasonM]

Another one worth considering is the R1850DB, there only £10-15 more than the R1280DB.

The R1850DB has the advantage as it has sub woofer support, one issue with all these 2.0 speakers is the low frequencies, below around 60Hz are missing, it's just the nature of desktop speakers this size.

In my home office I run some Yamaha Piano crafts that have 11cm main drivers, however I have a small Edifier sub providing mild fill in for low frequencies, that sub it gives much better full range sound. So for £10-15 don't remove the future option of being able to add one later.

There is a disadvantage with the R1850DB however as the speaker tilts upwards. If your placing the speakers flat on a desk then this is fine, however if your running stands (that you should for best sound), then you don't want the speakers tilting up.

But all the above aside, if you choose the R1280DB and use motherboard toslink / spdif as source it's still quite a good option for you.