TV/PC 2.1 assistance

pauLAW · 6 Feb 2017 at 10:04

Morning guys.

I have been away from OCUK for a while now and I come back because I need some advice from the best

I have a small office at home and my PC speakers have just died. I need to buy some new ones but I also have a LED TV in the room which has shocking sound! I figured I would try and kill two birds with one stone and buy a 2.1 setup that I can connect to my PC and TV (Preferably at the same time but switching isn't that big of an issue).

Its been years since I needed to buy speakers, my old ones just used the standard Audio Jack - Is this still the popular way to connect?

I was hoping you might be able to suggest me some speakers? I play music and games on the PC but I am not in there enough to spend hundred on them so my budget would be around £80/100 max. Also any recommendations on how to connect these up on both devices would be a welcomed bonus!?

Thank you!

Marsman · 6 Feb 2017 at 10:35

What TV do you have, or what outputs does it have?

pauLAW · 6 Feb 2017 at 12:42

Marsman said:
What TV do you have, or what outputs does it have?

Hey, The TV is a few years old now, I would have to check that later when I get home. I know it has a headphone socket / HDMI etc but I would need to check if you are thinking about optical... Its possible it supports this.

Its a LG LED (not got the model number with me)

Marsman · 6 Feb 2017 at 16:35

You can use the headphone output, which will work fine, but you'll get better quality by using optical into a DAC. You'd either need to get a DAC as well or get speakers that have one built in. Built in is not that common among PC speakers, but I think Edifier C2XD have. Other than those, you'd have to get a separate DAC, or just use the headphone out.

As for connecting both TV and PC to the speakers, then you'll likely need a 3.5mm splitter or switch box. Some stereo speakers have two inputs, but most 2.1 speakers have just the one.

If you're after some booming bass, then 2.1 is the way to go, but if not, then stereo will be better from a sound quality point of view. Edifier's stereo speakers are very good and the R1280T is £80 and has dual RCA input.

pauLAW · 6 Feb 2017 at 21:54

Marsman said:
If you're after some booming bass, then 2.1 is the way to go, but if not, then stereo will be better from a sound quality point of view. Edifier's stereo speakers are very good and the R1280T is £80 and has dual RCA input.

These R1280t speakers do good, I'm just wondering what I would need to hook them up to the PC... can you use a headphone jack with these? I don't have a sound card on my PC, just the onboard sound.

Thanks again.

Marsman · 6 Feb 2017 at 22:10

I'm fairly sure they come with a RCA to 3.5mm cable. Connects to the green 3.5mm on the motherboard audio.

rids57 · 7 Feb 2017 at 00:47

I run both my PC (via STX sound card) and Samsung (H6400) TV into my Edifier R1600Ts.

With my previous TV I did suffer with a ground loop but this one works perfectly.

pauLAW · 9 Feb 2017 at 11:52

rids57;30477947 said:
I run both my PC (via STX sound card) and Samsung (H6400) TV into my Edifier R1600Ts.

With my previous TV I did suffer with a ground loop but this one works perfectly.

Can I still buy these R1600Ts? Searching online is confusing.. results find 2.0 stereo speakers and a 2.1 ?

Links would be great if you guys have any?

rids57 · 9 Feb 2017 at 12:33

Edifier R1600Ts are sold by OcUK so it's against the rules to post links to competing websites, however, they are available on the rain forest

Marsman · 9 Feb 2017 at 13:47

I think you'll be lucky to find anywhere still selling the R1600T Plus. They have been replaced with the R1600T III. No stock though.

R1800T III is in stock though and is very similar.

The one thing that I don't like about Edifier's newer models, is that they have started using what appears to be a proprietary cable to connect the passive speaker to the active one. They use spring clip terminals on the R1280T, just as they did with the R1600T Plus, so standard speaker cable could be used. Easy if you needed a replacement for whatever reason.

I have wondered why they made that change, but looking on their site under accessories, it's clear why they did that; they supply replacement cables now. Learning from other manufacturers I see; although that really only makes any sense if the cables are easy to buy from different places.

They say the replacement speaker cables are available from carriers, but OcUK don't stock them and I guessing the few places that have Edifier's speakers, don't either. That's a lame move to go from an easily replaceable cable to one no can get hold of.

That aside, great speakers; just don't lose the connecting cable.

pauLAW · 9 Feb 2017 at 17:39

Thanks again guys, really helpful as always.

Previously my sound has always been connected to my tv and pic via 3.5mm headphone jack.(pretty sure that's all my PC can take) so I guess these speakers wouldn't come with cables so can I easy convert the connection?

Marsman · 9 Feb 2017 at 18:54

The R1280T come with both RCA to RCA and RCA to 3.5mm cables. I assume the other models do as well, but they don't state that on the website. Would be nice if they were a little more consistent with information.