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PJ G4 · Mar 10, 2003, 10:59 AM

I am in the market for a set of speakers to add to my Quicksilver and 17" Studio Display. I would like a 3 piece set for listening to music.
I do not play games. The most important qualities for me are a good high end, midrange, and soundstage. Deep bass and loud volume are not important. I have searched several different forums to get an idea of what is available. Some of the speakers that have received good reviews are the following:
Monsoon Planar Media 9
Monsoon Planar Media 14
Harman Kardon Soundsticks
JBL Creature
Altec 621
Altec 2100
I have gone to several stores to hear them but in a noisy environment it is difficult to get an idea of what they will sound like at home. I would also like the speakers to cosmetically match my system which rules out a lot of other speakers such as Klipsch and Logitec. These are bulky and black and do not seem to be suitable to place to the sides of an Apple monitor. I plan to upgrade the soundcard to a M-Audio Revolution 7.1 to enhance the sound.
What have been your experiences with the above mentioned speakers or any other option under $200. Thanks

aaanorton · Mar 10, 2003, 11:14 AM

I highly recommend Monsoon. Great products (I do not own any you listed above, however) and GREAT customer service. Design is top-notch.

audvidsvs · Mar 10, 2003, 11:55 AM

I agree absolutly the Monsoon product is one of the few "Musical" systems out there for that low a price.
I have found the ones with the entire satelite unit of planar design to be much better than the models with the planer tweeter and cone woofer.
They all of course have cone sub-woofers.
They don't play as loud but sound good and the imaging and soundstage depth is surprising.

Good Luck
Ed

cms · Mar 10, 2003, 12:24 PM

I've just bought the JBL Creature, as much for its design as anything else. I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth of sound they produce. They also have to be the coolest-looking speakers on the planet! For the price, they are good value, particularly if they are specifically for your desktop environment and you are not looking for particularly hi-end sound specs.

As a rough guide, they are probably twice as satisfying to listen to as Apple's own Pro Speakers, which for me were the biggest disappointment when I got my new flat-screen iMac. Can't imagine why Apple would produce such a stunning a piece of kit that was so otherwise perfect in every respect -- and then skimp on the sound quality of the matching speakers. A great shame if you ask me......

xtal · Mar 10, 2003, 02:04 PM

Listening to potential options is an excellent idea. Hopefully you will get a chance to do so when the store is quieter.

Trying to mix excellent sound with 'Creature-like' aesthetics is difficult at best. The best sounding speakers are ones with larger cabinets, and are made out of non-resonant materials (like wood).

I would suggest you listen to the Klipsch ProMedia speakers to see if the sound can change your mind.

Have you considered using a home stereo system for computer audio? If you have a semi-decent integrated amp or receiver lying around you could hook up your computer's sound card to an auxiliary input, and spend $200 on a decent set of bookshelf speakers that can be used for a variety of audio sources (CD, TV, movies, computer, etc.).

Just a thought.

gizzard · Mar 10, 2003, 02:18 PM

You might want to check out IMG's audio section for reviews on various speaker systems. Personally, I have the Altec Lansing 621 and I think they are the best 2.1 system for the price. I would also recommend the EV SonicXS 2.1 and Klipsch ProMedia 2.1.

aaanorton · Mar 10, 2003, 02:33 PM

Originally posted by xtal:
The best sounding speakers are ones with larger cabinets, and are made out of non-resonant materials (like wood).

Unless, of course you look at the planar models from Monsoon.

PJ G4 · Mar 10, 2003, 03:34 PM

Thanks for all the good replies to my post. I want to mention that I do have a high end stereo system which consists of B&W CDM-1NT speakers and a Denon AVR 3802 receiver.
I know that I can connect my computer to the stereo but I would prefer to leave my stereo and computer seperate. I do a lot of listening to MP3's and streaming audio while I am working on my computer. The sound does not have to be audiophile quality as I have that with my stereo. I would just like a small sized speaker system that will deliver great mid and high frequencies at normal volumes. Hopefully it will match the look of my 17" Studio Display and Quicksilver. I have listened to the Apple Pro speakers and subwoofer but the sound is good but not great. Have you compared them to the JBL Creature or the Altec 621 or 2100. Thanks

xtal · Mar 10, 2003, 04:25 PM

Originally posted by aaanorton:
Unless, of course you look at the planar models from Monsoon.

True. I should have clarified my statement. I'm just a traditional (read: piston) speaker kind of guy.

G-mac · Mar 10, 2003, 05:23 PM

I'm seriously considering the JBL Creature speakers myself. The silver would go great with my PB!

A while ago, I had the opportunity to listen to them quietly at a nearby Apple Store. After playing a few tracks, my girlfriend and I were very impressed by the sound quality. I love listening to classical and jazz music while I work and thought these would do very nicely in a small room (city apt. dweller).

They sound significantly better than the Apple Pro speakers, even at very high volume settings. It's also nice that they are so small, have the touch volume controls, and cool little LEDs that light up the table beneath the satellite speakers.

I haven't had the opportunity to test other speakers, but then again, listening to them in a huge warehouse store compared to a small room will probably make testing somewhat inaccurate.

The Creatures can be had for under $100. How much do the Monsoons cost on average?

aaanorton · Mar 10, 2003, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by G-mac:
The Creatures can be had for under $100. How much do the Monsoons cost on average?

$100-300. They offer a pretty full range now. You'd have to check the specs of each and compare. For $150, though, you could definitely get a full, robust system that you'd never have to turn very far up.

audvidsvs · Mar 10, 2003, 06:39 PM

The other great thing about the monsoons that sort of took me by surprise is how good they sound in the nearfield even in a huge loud space.

Planer speakers will not really throw sound a great distance like dynamic speakers and this helps with both auditioning them in a store and keeping the soundfield near the computer at work or at home. They have an intimate sound that resolves a lot of detail and depth,like a good audio speaker should.

I sell a lot of different speakers and I am not a dealer for the Monsoon but I think for the money they can not be beat,at least not for honest,smooth sound that is close to absolute.
The Klipsh system is great for what it does best and without peer if you need loud and dynamic rock sound but they just don't sound as musical or natural as the Monsoon. I would probably buy Klipsh if I wanted them for gaming and desktop home theatre though.

Again I am referring to the planer only Monsoon Sat's not the hybrids(important distinction).