Best Speakers for FLAC, Computer Speakers to appreciate FLAC Options

[Jp4ragon]

Hey everyone,

I have been wanting to appreciate the quality of FLAC files over mp3 while listening to them on my PC and have been looking into getting a new sound system. My wife surprised me for Christmas and got me a Logitech z-5500, but after doing some research, I am under the impression that this is not a good system for being able to appreciate FLAC (lack of clarity on z5500, made for gaming, etc). Is this true?

If so and if I return the logitech, my budget is between 300-600 dollars and i'm looking for a good recommendation on speakers I can hook up to my PC to listen to FLAC; 2.1 is preferred because the room I have isn't best for surround sound. Anyone have any good recommendations? I'd really appreciate any input here.

[DVDdoug]

I've never heard those speakers...

I always recommend that people go to a hi-fi or home theater store and LISTEN to some speakers. You don't have to go in and buy speakers on your 1st visit, but it's a good idea to listen to several different speakers in different price ranges to get a feel for what you like.

If you are mostly interested in listening to music, you may not need surround sound. However, I use a Dolby Pro Logic II "soundfiled" setting to send a little artificial reverb to the rear channels when I'm listening to 2-channel stereo.

Every speaker (and every headphone) sounds different, and you need to find a speaker you like. The specifications can tell you something, but they don't tell you that much useful about the sound. The "best" speakers cost thousands of dollars and most of us can't afford them, or just don't want to spend that kind of money. Speakers are not like electronics (CD players,amplifiers, etc.), where you can get equipment that's better than human hearing at relativly low prices. I wouldn't make a choice based entirely on price, but to a large extent, "You get what you pay for."

[Andavari]

I always chuckle when people want "the best" without realising there's often some very inexpensive ways to have good sounding speakers, etc., without spending an absolute fortune.

My thoughts on "best speakers for FLAC" which would be to switch this question to an audio in general question, and it would be to buy what you can afford and like without relying upon b.s. reviews from so-called "audiophile" magazines, websites, etc. How speakers sounds can be subjective - for instance I've always liked a certain set of Sony headphones for the past 20 years which have always cost under $12 USD, whereas other people may be so biased to call them cheap crap, etc., based solely upon their price alone without having ever listened with them.

I always recommend that people go to a hi-fi or home theater store and LISTEN to some speakers.

The problem with that is they won't necessarily sound like they did in the store as they'll sound in someones apartment or house. I've been there and done that back in the early 1990s when getting a new speaker system and won't fall for some store sound ever again since the rooms they have them in may have acoustic advantages which my house will never have.

[2tec]

I always recommend that people go to a hi-fi or home theater store and LISTEN to some speakers.

The problem with that is they won't necessarily sound like they did in the store as they'll sound in someones apartment or house. I've been there and done that back in the early 1990s when getting a new speaker system and won't fall for some store sound ever again since the rooms they have them in may have acoustic advantages which my house will never have.

Yes, of course, the room will affect the sound, somewhat, however I believe that's irrelevant in regards to DVDdoug's comment. When I audition speakers, I'm not expecting the speaker to sound exactly the same as it would in my listening room, what I'm doing is comparing two different speakers to each other, in order to determine which of the two I prefer. I assume the speakers I prefer in the store would be the same I prefer at home.