[VX4c90uu22-.01]

Hi,

I have an old G4 flat panel iMac with the external round speakers. when I buy a new iMac I'd like to have something more powerful than the internal speakers built into the screen.

if I buy external speakers, do I still control the volume with the keyboard?

any suggestions on which are the best speakers I could buy? I figure I'll spend in the hundreds if it is worth it.

thanks!

[Zeeb]

I bought some Logitech X-230 computer speakers yesterday at circuit city and they sound fantastic and I'm very happy with them. In fact, they sound better than the $349 Apple HiFi and they only cost me $50.

BTW, you can control the volume of these speakers on your keyboard.

[Sub]

A lot of people have the soundsticks, which really sound good.

But if your one of those people who likes everything to match, get the altec-lansing Fx-6021 system, a lot of people have that as well.

[imitchellg5]

Harmon Kardon Soundsticks are about the best that you can buy. JBL Creatures sound decent with movies and games and music if you tweak iTunes a bit ( I have Creature IIs for my Power Mac). I would stay away from Logitech. You can blow a Logitech subwoofer quite easily and the satellites don't have much clarity. At CompUSA we are constantly replacing Logitech display models with blown speakers. Altec Lansing's higher end units are a good choice as well. They have good subwoofers and satellites with some nice strong bass and mid range but also have the largest speakers, so they aren't a good choice if you are limited on space. Needless to say, the Soundsticks are the best choice. Although they are spendy, they also have a good resale value too.

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

Harmon Kardon Soundsticks are about the best that you can buy. JBL Creatures sound decent

Yeah right. Maybe compared to a $5 iPod speaker with no amplifier.

Do yourself a favor and go to goodwill, pick up a big old vintage receiver for $10-25, and some decent sized bookshelf speakers. They'll blow away any freaking 'computer speaker' set.

[imitchellg5]

Yeah, but he wasn't talking about buying a freaking huge reciever now was he? And Soundsticks sound better than any "$5 iPod speaker" I promise you.

[centerchannel68]

I wasn't impressed by them. They look neat though.

[Tucom]

Dude, don't even think about buying into peecee speakers man. No, get yourself some nice professional studio monitors, they will blow away everything, even home bookshelf speakers.


Peace

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

I wasn't impressed by them. They look neat though.

I should have mentioned that it depends on the setting as well. With a lot of background noise they aren't that loud and aren't very clear. But if you are in a quiet enviroment, they are very nice. Also they are very directional, so if you are away from them they don't sound that great. But right in front of your Mac in their field of sound, they sound awesome. I had a pair a few years ago (the original USB ones) that my dad won at a MacWorld conference.

[ajprice]

I still have and use USB Soundsticks on my G4, I'd agree with them being directional and sounding best when you are sat at the computer, but then they are computer speakers, not hi-fi stereo system speakers.

[brassplayersrock²]

get something off this page: M-AUDIO - Studio Monitors

alex

[Sub]

Multimedia speakers and Studio Monitors are very different, some people don't like having bookshelf sized speakers on their desktop, and have neither the money nor the space for them, I am not one of those people, though. For some people the sound isn't worth it.

[centerchannel68]

I hope you didn't get one of those jap crap tiny bookshelf speakers, Sub. Some of us still like to listen to loud huge towers that can shaek the ground and use 5000 watts. No japanese speakers are like that, japan only makes headphones!!!!!

[serphium]

I've been using Klipsch Pro Media speakers for a few years.
ProMedia 2.1 Speakers (Klipsch-PROM21) - PriceGrabber.com

I reccomend them highly. I don't think you'll get a better sound at your computer without spending a good bit more.

[P]

The Soundsticks are really good. While I agree that a real amplifier and good large speakers can produce an even better sound, especially for music in high quality recordings, the Soundsticks are very good all round speakers. The stereo width is very good, the bass response is awesome and they work equally well over a large range of amplitudes - and they don't take up the entire room, which an older high quality system tends to do.

[centerchannel68]

But they aren't all around. They're pretty vertical.

[Timetheus]

Originally Posted by Zeeb 

I bought some Logitech X-230 computer speakers yesterday at circuit city and they sound fantastic and I'm very happy with them. In fact, they sound better than the $349 Apple HiFi and they only cost me $50.

BTW, you can control the volume of these speakers on your keyboard.

I'll the second that vote if, and only if, you're on a budget. I bought mine for <$40 on eBay. They sound quite good (I'm hardly a professional, but I do have a decent concept of what does and doesn't sound accurate musically) for the price, and I, at least haven't had any issues with them over the year and a half I've owned them.

fyi, you can control the volume on either the keyboard or the front of the speaker itself for just abut any model of external speakers.

[centerchannel68]

Unless you're hooked up via optical audio. Then apple disables all that. Which is REALLY REALLY REALLY annoying.

[P]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

Unless you're hooked up via optical audio. Then apple disables all that. Which is REALLY REALLY REALLY annoying.

Yes, but technically correct as it gives the highest possible audio quality. Also consistent with how a set-top CD or DVD player works. Windows doesn't (or rather, many audio drivers for Windows don't) but that doesn't make it right.