Computer Speakers - wutchyagot?

I guess it goes without saying that many of us spend considerable cycles stationed in front of our, uh, stations. As a shameless self-proclaimed audiophile (of questionable merit), I decided some time ago that a moderate investment in quality computer speakers was paramount to perpetuating my audio-snobbery. I've had these Audioengine A2s for a few years now and have been quite pleased with their performance. Browsing, as I've done recently, through the Audiogon THE and CES room-by-room coverage - the A2s have provided me with an excellent near-field monitor like representation of various audio clips. They work wonders with Amazon and other music websites as well.

But like any demented individual who calls audio his/her hobby, I may have to look into the A5s as an upgrade... and this then begs the question, what have y'all installed as your audio windows to the virtual world? I bet at least a few of you have some pretty special setups.

Cheers,

-Todd

I have a $25.99 or thereabouts Best Buy special that came WITH a sub (no sllouch here). It reproduces sound. Now my HP laptop came with inbuilt speakers made by no less than Altec-Lansing, they of the Voice of the Theatre speaker fame.

I use a pair of Purities as my computer speakers. Even though the set up is FAR less than ideal because of the room configuration, and the sound is coming straight out of my computer with no extra DAC or anything, I think it sounds really good.

Bernard said:

I have a $25.99 or thereabouts Best Buy special that came WITH a sub (no sllouch here). It reproduces sound. Now my HP laptop came with inbuilt speakers made by no less than Altec-Lansing, they of the Voice of the Theatre speaker fame.

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Perfect

Feltran said:

I use a pair of Purities as my computer speakers. Even though the set up is FAR less than ideal because of the room configuration, and the sound is coming straight out of my computer with no extra DAC or anything, I think it sounds really good.

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Very cool! I was waiting to see who was using stats. I don't use an external DAC either and I'm surprised at how good the sound is from my HP Pavilion Elite 9237.

Cheers

Todd running a HP elite book thru a HRT music streamer II to a Grant Fidelity tube buffer to a Denon AVR-3600 to a couple of Mirage towers

repman said:

Todd running a HP elite book thru a HRT music streamer II to a Grant Fidelity tube buffer to a Denon AVR-3600 to a couple of Mirage towers

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Sweet, sweet valves Hey, I have that same can of Febreeze on my book-case as well. The wife made chili.

Both sides of the room I sit in the crossfire of the Mirages kind of a headphone effect

I just use a Squeezebox Boom in my home office, but it's suprisingly good! I have it sync'd to the Squeezebox Touch in my main Summit setup, (streaming from my NAS or internet radio), and control both with the Squeeze Control app on my Palm Pre.

repman said:

Both sides of the room I sit in the crossfire of the Mirages kind of a headphone effect

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Nice... speaking of virtual headphones, I'll never forget back when I was maybe 14 or so I was visiting a neighborhood pal and for whatever reason we had to go in his brother's room to get something. His brother had arranged two KLH speakers (model 24 I think) on his bed stands, aimed directly at the head while lying down on the bed. I thought that was pretty cool - then I saw a Pioneer amp, but without a radio??? It was the first time i'd ever seen an "integrated amplifier". This was one of those seminal pre-audiophile moments... and the memory remains clear - which is saying something given my memory lately. Oh yes, now I remember as well, we were pilfering his brother's girly magazines. His brother was Awesome!

46 inch X series Sony TV, custom built PC with some Asus audiophile soundcard in it, an HDMI graphics card feeding the telly, Luxman L-435 245W into 4 Ohms mid-80s tranny amp, Mark & Daniel Sapphires.

Or a laptop connected into my main system's DAC.

User211 said:

46 inch X series Sony TV, custom built PC with some Asus audiophile soundcard in it, an HDMI graphics card feeding the telly, Luxman L-435 245W into 4 Ohms mid-80s tranny amp, Mark & Daniel Sapphires.

Or a laptop connected into my main system's DAC.

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Pictures lad, pictures!

BTW, "tranny" is certainly multi-tasking slang - I can think of at least two other uses for the word.

sleepysurf said:

I just use a Squeezebox Boom in my home office, but it's suprisingly good! I have it sync'd to the Squeezebox Touch in my main Summit setup, (streaming from my NAS or internet radio), and control both with the Squeeze Control app on my Palm Pre.

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I love the variety!

tsv_1 said:

Sweet, sweet valves Hey, I have that same can of Febreeze on my book-case as well. The wife made chili.

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With cornbread?? Chili is the reason Febreeze is in business

I use a pair of vintage LX4 speakers driven by a Winsome Labs Mouse amp. Here is a pic with my other tool for enjoying music and intellectual debate on my computer.

Wardsweb said:

I use a pair of vintage LX4 speakers driven by a Winsome Labs Mouse amp. Here is a pic with my other tool for enjoying music and intellectual debate on my computer.

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Yummy !!!!!

tsv_1 said:

Pictures lad, pictures!

BTW, "tranny" is certainly multi-tasking slang - I can think of at least two other uses for the word.

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The slang bit - yeah, I always think about the "ambiguousness" of tranny. So I use it

Anyway, amp here: Luxman L-435

Speaks here: M&Ds. Excuse it. They made a mess when they imported an old DB into a new one, I think.

Alright laddie? Apart from the low light piccy, I guess. Feelin' subdued tonight. BTW: M&Ds are worth checking out for good computer speaks. They need Watts, though.

User211 said:

The slang bit - yeah, I always think about the "ambiguousness" of tranny. So I use it

Anyway, amp here: Luxman L-435

Speaks here: M&Ds. Excuse it. They made a mess when they imported an old DB into a new one, I think.

Alright laddie? Apart from the low light piccy, I guess. Feelin' subdued tonight.

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It's actually quite a calming picture.

Is that a shot-filled glass (or poly) tube acting as the speaker-stand upright? If so, that's a new one on me. And speaking of "tranny", I won't ask what your intentions are for those batteries on your glass table. That's entirely your business.

Many years ago there was a guy at work who had a pair of very small electrostats that he got from some place like WalMart. They were cheap too. I have no clue whom they were made by.

tsv_1 said:

I won't ask what your intentions are for those batteries on your glass table. That's entirely your business.

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You need glasses, Todd. It's nail varnish. And what's more - it isn't mine! Surprise, surprise...

BTW: actually read the M&D review. Then get some