Good sound system for music and movies, ~150€ (200$) Options

[sollniss]

So yea, I'm looking for a sound system in the 150€ price range.
I mainly listen to music, but it should be at least OK for watching movies too.
I don't want headphones because I want to listen music with other people too from time to time.

Are there any best choices (like the AKG K601 would be, if I was looking for a headphone)?

[Porcus]

So yea, I'm looking for a sound system in the 150€ price range.
I mainly listen to music, but it should be at least OK for watching movies too.
I don't want headphones

You have already sorted away headphones, but you also need to decide on surround or not. I'd recommend not, since budget is so tight. And source? Can you hook it up to your computer, then you don't need a CD player?

So ... first you probably want to clarify for yourself whether a pair of powered loudspeakers is just what you need.


Two options in that case
1) Check the 2nd hand market for a small amplifier and bookshelf speakers. Dunno where you live (Deutschland?), but you might get something pretty decent for cheap.
2) People have recommended (although I can afford more, so I haven't checked out) Roland DM-2100 (seems to be discontinued), Fostex PM-0.4, Behringer MS40, M-Audio AV40 -- just googling whether the latter was still around, I found a B-stock offer for this more expensive model: http://www.thomann.de/de/m_audio_studiophile_cx5_b_stock.htm . But again, don't take my word for it, I only buy headphones in that price range.

This post has been edited by Porcus: Mar 27 2012, 15:52

[sollniss]

Yea I'm from germany and the set would be connected to a computer. Surround is overkill since I want to listen to music most of the time, my room isn't that big either.
From what you recommended the Behringer MS40 looks pretty decent, how are they compared to the others?

[sollniss]

I have done some research and found a few other options, for instance, how would a pair of Heco Victa 200 with a Mivoc Hype 10 work? Its 200€ but it's the best I could find for a entry level system.

[icstm]

acoustic energy aego m used to be picked up for less than £100 new every now and then, not sure now.
They are very good at their price point.
Do you want active speakers or amp, speakers, sub?

[sollniss]

I have absolutely no idea when it comes to hifi. I thought of two speakers and an amp, is that good?

[icstm]

@sollniss
Yes two speakers and an amp is the classic setup and can offer great music results.
Some issues with 2 speaker setups include leaving space behind the speaker (if they rear port - that is have a hole at the back).
You do get front ported speakers that may not require the rear clearance.

Small speakers may benefit from a seperate sub (which might push you over the budget).

How are you feeding the amp, the phono jacks at the back of your PC? Anologue outputs from motherboard vary greatly. Someone else here can probably walk through the pros and cons of current boards.

At your pricepoint though it may be difficult to find an amp that supports a digital input, though I hope they are becoming more common.

I think the key thing you will personally find at that budget is actually to do with placement of the speakers in your particular room, rather than the component choices themselves.

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Someone mentioned the M-Audio AV40.

I owned a pair as my first desktop multimedia speakers. They exceeded my expectations and I was delighted with them. At first. They broke down alarmingly quickly. When I checked the website for help I discovered it was a common occurrence. So I cut my losses and moved up market. This might not be an option for you or you could be mpre fortunate. Certainly worth a punt so long as you don't need them to last for a long time. I'd probably try the Fostex if I was in the same position again.

Alternatively I have heard good things about complete 2.1 systems from the likes of computer parts specialists such as Corsair and Logitech. You could just about squeeze in a little system with a sub for close to the money you have to spend. Good value. A sub if handy to flesh out the sound and if the booming isn't convenient, ie. late at night, you can turn it off.

[LordWarlock]

Yes, M-Audio is fine only if you are a DIY fan. The build quality of the electronic is pretty low and especially the ultra low quality capacitors do blow up rather quickly. And the new D2 versions of their speakers have a design flaw - short-circuited grounding (4th and 6th pin) on the amplifier chip, causing noticeable hum. So avoid them, unless you are ready to fix the electronic yourself.

[sollniss]

I'd like to start with something that can be extended, rather than replacing it every few years if possible. The feeding is another problem since I only have an onboard soundcard with the standard 6 colors. I'd probably need a soundcard too, and even then I would probably need a lot of googling to connect the setup properly.

This post has been edited by sollniss: Mar 28 2012, 22:08

[Porcus]

I only have an onboard soundcard with the standard 6 colors.

You really only need the light blue, which is line out, or the lime green (headphone). Maybe if you get an amp with RCA inputs, you will need one of these cables (€1 at eBay or dealextreme.com): http://www.buyincoins.com/gallery/pc/3.5mm...-male-cable.jpg

Sound quality may vary. If it is really bad, then try a cheap USB sound card.