Need some help upgrading speaker setup please.

pastymuncher · 8 Jun 2020 at 15:39

Hi all, I would very much appreciate some help from you guys who know their way around speaker setups. I currently have a set of Logitech X540 5.1 speakers albeit running in 2.1 mode. They are running off my Soundblaster Z sound card. I would like to upgrade the speakers to a decent set of proper speakers but not having a lot of knowledge on the subject I have been blindly going around in circles for the past couple of weeks. As my uses will be mainly gaming and listening to music with a bit of Netflix thrown in for good measure I would like to stick with a 2.1 setup. I have no interest in a headset.

With a budget of £250-300 I have been very tempted by the Edifier S350DB as they seem to get excellent reviews but can't help wondering if there is anything better for similar money. The speakers are going to sit on my desktop so I would prefer them to be compact, the sub will sit under the desk. I am not against going for seperate speakers and subs or even a DAC if necessary although I haven't seen any with a sub out in them as of yet. So just to recap:-

1. Will be plugged into my Soundblaster Z unless you think I need a DAC or similar.
2. Ideally want to retain a 2.1 setup.
3. Uses - Mainly gaming so need to retain directional audio, quite a bit of music with some Netflix as well.
4. Budget - £250-300 (possibly £50 extra if I would need a DAC).
5. Speaker size to be pretty compact as they will sit on my desktop. Sub will sit on the floor so size not a problem.

If you need any further info please let me know and thank you for taking the time to have a read and give me some assistance.

pastymuncher · 9 Jun 2020 at 14:05

Many thanks for all of that. I have found the SW150 for sale and the Diamond 9.1's but they are much larger than I would like. My desk is only 550mm deep so the Diamond 9.1's take up half that depth and the sub is huge. I was hoping there would be a more compact solution but I guess my budget just isn't big enough. I am off to do some research based on your suggestions.

pastymuncher · 9 Jun 2020 at 19:30

Ok then, had a bit of a rethink. Let's just say for now I skip the sub but still have the ability to be able to add one in the future if needed and money allows for it. I have no problems with playing music through stereo speakers and have been doing that for decades through my early 80's JVC hifi (not particularly good but has 3 way speakers and never let me down). The sub was mainly for gaming but I usually end up turning the sub down anyway as I don't like a booming in your face bass that drowns everything else out. Must be enough bass for gaming though (explosions etc). So with that in mind how about a £300 budget for a decent set of speakers with a good range and a amp/DAC thingy? Front ported speakers such as the Wharfdales would be a bonus as I won't be able to get them away from the wall which seems to be required for rear ported speakers. If we can keep speaker depth below 180mm then that would be good as well. Also with the DAC/Amp being fed from my Soundblaster Z will I still have directional audio in games? I know I need other stuff like decent cables (Audioquest Rocket 11 seems to be well thought of) and stands (Fluid Audio FA-DS5 maybe) or isolating foam but that can left out of the budget.

I passed up the Edifier SB351DB which was on offer for a very keen price because of some of the points you have raised. Namely their use of non standard cables being the main one as it crops up several times in reviews and places such as AV forums meaning that they can't be upgraded and like you say if something goes wrong the whole lot has to be replaced.

pastymuncher · 10 Jun 2020 at 09:43

Thank you both for more suggestions and the Dali's look very good. Unfortunately we have nowhere anywhere near us that specialises in HiFi gear so listening to speakers before buying is impossible. I am building up a list of components now so please keep the suggestions coming.

I would connect the amp to my soundblaster Z by optical lead. Nobody has answered the question of if I would still have directional audio in games by going through a amp though. This is important to me.

pastymuncher · 10 Jun 2020 at 11:35

What about the Steljes Audio NS3's? They seem pretty good, are active so won't need a amp, they have optical in and subwoofer out so I could add a sub later on.

pastymuncher · 10 Jun 2020 at 13:14

I did look at the reviews and saw that I would be sacrificing some sound fullness/quality. I guess I was just looking for a easy all in one fix again.

Right then, the Dali Spektor 1's looks like the best speakers for my budget and reviews seem to love them.

I have seen quite a few times in reviews and user forums about burning in/running in speakers and amps, is there any truth to this?

pastymuncher · 10 Jun 2020 at 19:28

More good info, many thanks guys.

The speakers will be 1.3m apart. I prefer a wider sound stage than just either side of the monitor.

As I said in my opening post I have no interest in headphones. I have never really liked headphones and I am here by myself for most of the day so with headphones on I wouldn't hear the phone or anybody at the door plus the cats will creep up on me and give me a heart attack. There's also the fact that I had a big operation on my left ear in the mid 90's which has left me with large scars in and behind my ear which are quite painful with any pressure on them. I have a hearing aid in the left ear as well which is the main reason I want speakers.

Yes the aim is still to add a sub as and when I can afford one.

pastymuncher · 11 Jun 2020 at 14:13

I am leaning towards the Nobsound NS-14G Pro amp now. It's quite a bit cheaper (cheaper still on Ebay) than the SMSL options and it seems to be well thought of plus it has seperate knobs for bass, treble and sub.

Dali Spektor 1's just ordered from Richer Sounds. Free 6 year warranty too!!

pastymuncher · 11 Jun 2020 at 20:03

I have ordered the speaker wire and plugs you suggested previously. I have a dirty great Yamaha amp sat in a cupboard doing nothing but it's so damn big there is no where to place it for use with the pc so it looks like one of the SMSL's recommended above or the Nobsound NS-14G Pro. The wife is going to kill me!! :eek:

pastymuncher · 12 Jun 2020 at 19:40

fobose said:
Excellent! Could you put it under your monitor for now, just to get you up and running? I've got my full size amp on my desk but I have a big desk. I had toyed with the idea of building a little stand so it can sit under my under desk mounted draw unit!

Sadly no because if I put it under my monitor I won't have enough room left for my keyboard. The amp (Panasonic not Yamaha as I previously thought it was) is massive. It's 352mm deep and that's without any cables in the rear!!

Marsman said:
The nobsound amp has binding post output for subwoofer, meaning it is designed for use with a passive subwoofer. Active/powered subwoofers are far more common, and you can use one, but it would need to have speaker level input, such as the Wharfedale SW150. Some subwoofers have speaker level input, some don't.

Please forgive my noobishness but speaker level input means that it has binding posts just like that amp does yes? I ask because I see that the SW150 does indeed have them and that wa one of the subs I was looking at. A normal active sub just has the single wire connection to a amp but I could use a active amp (or a passive one) with the Nobsound if it has the same connectors as a normal speaker, ie binding posts/speaker terminals?

Sorry for all the questions guys but I want to get this right the first time and not end up chasing the rabbit down the hole in the quest to put things right that I should have done in the first place. I really do appreciate all of the excellent help and advice you have given me so far.

Got a dispatch email from Richer Sounds earlier and my Dali Spektor 1's will be here on Tuesday.

pastymuncher · 14 Jun 2020 at 20:56

That's everything ordered now.

Dali Spektor 1 speakers from Richer Sounds will be here on Tuesday.
15m of 2x 2.5mm Kabledirect speaker cable from Amazon should be here on Wednesday.
12x Fisual Easy Fix Banana Plugs 24K Gold Plated from Amazon should be here on Wednesday.
Nobsound NS-14G Pro amp from Ebay (cheaper than Amazon due to a voucher) should be here on Wednesday.

I have been watching some speaker isolation foam/stand reviews and the Fluid Audio FA-DS5 that I was going for is pretty poor and doesn't really do the job it's supposed to do. I then watched a video comparing a proper acoustic isolation foam kit (Aurolex Mopad) against a ISO Acoustics L8R155 stand set and what a difference in sound. While the Mopads sounded muted the L8R155 set made the sound really crisp and clear. I am now considering a ISO Accoustics L8R130 although it's quite a jump in price.

Sub wise I have been doing some research and am seriously considering making my own. I am handy with woodworking and it doesn't look very complicated at all. The only thing I seem to be stuck on is that all of the guides are done in America so the links to components used are over there as well. Does anybody know any UK based component places please?

pastymuncher · 15 Jun 2020 at 19:45

@Kei Thanks for that, some good info there and many thanks for the links to the parts places. That bottom sub looks great.

pastymuncher · 19 Jun 2020 at 15:02

@fobose @Marsman @Demon

Thank you for all of your help and advice. I am up and running now and my music has never sounded better. The Dali Spektor 1's sound fantastic straight out of the box and I am hearing things I never heard before. I have just listened to Tribute (Album) by Yanni (Greek sort of modern classical composer) and the difference is night and day. It sounded ok with the Logitechs but the Dali's are so crisp and clear and the strings really come through. I have a wide ranging taste in music from semi classical like Yanni through 60's/70's/80's pop to rock music ranging from soft rock to the likes of ACDC and Iron Maiden so I will give them a proper listening to over the next week or so which will help the speakers bed in as well.

I also never realised how much difference isolating your speakers from the desk made. For the time being I have a pair of New Jersey Sound Acoustic Isolation Monitor Speaker Pads which are similar to the AccouFoam 5M Studio Monitor Isolation Pad by Gear4music but almost half the price. They seem ok to me and are a big step up from having the speakers on the desk. When I have more money in the upgrade fund I will get a proper set of desktop stands.

Fobose, that Kabeldirect speaker wire and the Fisual Easy Fix Banana plugs are some serious quality. They turned up yesterday in a very heavy package. I thought what the hell is this now and opened it to see the speaker cable and plugs. That cable is, I am ashamed to say, at least 3x as thick as any I have used before. I have always used whatever has come with whatever I am setting up and didn't buy into thicker cable being better. I am now well and truly converted!! The plugs are so easy to use and grip the cable solidly. It's so simple to make your own leads with them and the Kabeldirect cable and I think I will convert everything over in the house to this combination now.

I will put up some pics when I have time and have tidied up my desk. Once again, many thanks guys. I am listening to my music like this at the moment.