Help with bookshelf speakers for office

OpenToSuggestions · 20 Feb 2012 at 10:16

Hey all.

We have a new office at work.
The previous owner had a projector screen installed and has a phono socket on the wall, with speaker mounts on the wall at either side of the projector screen quite high up. (the mounts have a flat plate with 4 holes on - AFAIK this is like floor mounted speakers). There is some trunking from the phono socket on the wall up to each speaker stand and one side has a red phono and one side has a white phono.

I am after a pair of bookshelf speakers but I only have around £60 budgeted. I really want to re-use the current speaker mounts.

Do I get some bookshelf speakers that have 4 holes to mount them or do I just glue on normal bookshelf speakers?
I can't find any speakers that have a single phono in each one?
What do I do if the speakers just have the 2 regular speaker cables in each one?

All I need is a laptop to work with the speakers so I would get a phono-to-headphone-socket cable and plug that into the wall.

Thanks in advance for any help/pointers

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lucid · 20 Feb 2012 at 11:21

The speakers need something to provide power (an amplifier) because there won't be enough juice from the headphone jack to create any volume. The amp could be separate or built in. If built-in then you'll need a power socket accessible for whichever speaker has the built-in amp.

As for the phono connections, that could simply be a matter of convenience, or the previous owner might have used a home cinema kit or some desktop sub-sat PC speakers. Have a look at the PC speakers that Overclockers sells. Theres a special on the Creative T3130 kit and also some other models under £60 too.

The brackets; and trying to get something to fit on this 4-hole mounting will be a bit of a wild goose chase IMO. With such a miniscule budget you're better off just concentrating on finding some speakers with brackets and fitting those instead.

OpenToSuggestions · 20 Feb 2012 at 19:02

Thanks for that.

I have a budget of £150 for a webcam, conference microphone and speakers.
This pretty much means I have £30 for speakers so anything even remotely difference can go down the toilet.

lucid · 20 Feb 2012 at 19:25

You're just taking the mickey now. Go get a sensible budget.

OpenToSuggestions · 20 Feb 2012 at 21:14

lucid said:
You're just taking the mickey now. Go get a sensible budget.

The budget is nothing to do with me. You are shooting the messenger, so to speak.

lucid · 20 Feb 2012 at 22:51

OpenToSuggestions said:
The budget is nothing to do with me. You are shooting the messenger, so to speak.

I understand, but every project also needs at least a realistic budget.

You've got to go back and be honest and say that the money they're thinking of spending will only buy the very lowest domestic cheap and awful tatt. In effect they'll be throwing good money down the drain. £30 for some PC speakers that will sit on a desk about a foot from a listener is still scraping the bottom of the barrel, but at least they won't need to go that loud. The same speakers up on brackets trying to give enough volume clearly enough to fill a room with sound so that you can have a web chat....come on.

It's up to them and you. If you're the guy tasked with sorting this out and you buy rubbish that doesn't work then you'll look an idiot. But if you do your job right and make some recommendations that they then choose to ignore; well no one can hold you to account for their short-sightedness.

You've been sensible enough to come and ask for advice, so I'm going to presume you'll listen to a reasoned argument. Every item in your list has a price range, and I think you'll appreciate that the lowest priced of anything won't perform as well as something in the midrange.

PZM mic - £60~£300 Audio Technica are good without going overboard. Their mics are around £95-£130.

Web-cam - £5~£200 If you want decent light capture, focus, resolution and frame and frame rate then £60-£70 is an appropriate budget. If all you need is just to see faces and you can live with lower resolution and slower frame rate then £25 is an acceptable compromise.

Speakers / speakers & amp - £40~£500 For voice use then the small domestic sub-sat system will suffice. Sound quality gets significantly better though as the budget increases.

You'll need some budget to for cabling and plugs etc

OpenToSuggestions · 21 Feb 2012 at 15:19

Thanks for the input lucid

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I have tested my personal webcam out in the office. It is a Logitech C310 and is remarkedly good for a cheap webcam. i will have to tape it onto the trunking up the side of the room to get a good view. I know I could do better with a more pricey camera, but I am really amazed at how good webcams are now!

As for the microphone and speakers, well I certianly agree with you here. I am going for a 'speakerphone', which is from Amazon (think I can mention this as OCUk don't sell them). It is about £70 and is a speaker with a microphone built in - Just like a conference phone but this one is USB.

These 2 items allow for a few people to make calls and be on camera on web based conferences.
For now, I intend to bin the idea on getting some bookshelf speakers. I need new brackets, speakers and most likely an amp - I would be pushed to get all this £150 alone.

My opinion on IT stuff usually holds up well in the office. Everyone else tries to add their 2p but tbh they have no idea on IT stuff and always stick their oar in but have no intention of helping.

Thanks again

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