PC speakers as Home theatre audio?

A friend of mine said that pc speakers are just as good as buying a seperate home theatre system (extremely costly when you factor in the bloody reciever) for an HDTV. What do you guys think? I really like want good BASS and clear audio

I would not listen to your friend. If you want help give us a budget, and we'll see what we can do for you.

I would not listento your friend. If you want help give us a budget, and we'll see what we can do for you.

NVIDIATI

your friend is an idiot. The only PC speakers that offer high quality audio are active monitors but they are not suited to home theatre.markop2003

+1, can I also punch your friend in the face for being sooooo wrong?

well whatever home theater set give best bang for buck. I dont want to pay too much for it, preferably less than $500 but I will consider paying more if it is really worth it. Also Im not interested in getting a reciever at this time....too rich for my blood. I don't think a reciever improves the sound quality of the speakers or am I wrong here?

to be honest I dont know a single thing about home theater sets and how they work, any info would be appreciated.

Don't you kind of need an amp to power the speakers?C_Rule

Here are some things that we need to know to get you the best home theater for your money. You should be able to get a decent setup for $500.

• What are you using the speakers for? Are you only playing games, or are you watching movies and listening to music? Just music?
• Are you always sitting in front of your PC when you are using your speakers, or are you sitting back on a couch or something to watch movies, conduct voice chat, etc.?
• If you are not sitting at your desk all the time, how far away do you sit, and how large is the room? What shape is the room?
• Is size a concern? Meaning, how big are you comfortable with the speakers being? Speakers need a certain amount of cabinet volume to sound great, and tower speakers can take up a lot of room. Do you need micro speakers? Or will bookshelf speakers suffice?
• How important to you is the appearance of the speakers?
• Would you prefer to build it yourself (meaning are you handy, or prefer to have it all just work when it arrives)?
• Where are you? Meaning, in what currency will you be purchasing speakers, and if you are in the domestic US, what is the closest major city?

Answer the above in as much detail as possible, and I should be able to make a pretty accurate recommendation in your price range. Buy a quality setup, and you'll be able to use it for decades (I still use the surround setup I bought over 15 years ago).

Good luck!

Boz

Here are some things that we need to know to get you the best home theater for your money. You should be able to get a decent setup for $500.

• What are you using the speakers for? Are you only playing games, or are you watching movies and listening to music? Just music?
• Are you always sitting in front of your PC when you are using your speakers, or are you sitting back on a couch or something to watch movies, conduct voice chat, etc.?
• If you are not sitting at your desk all the time, how far away do you sit, and how large is the room? What shape is the room?
• Is size a concern? Meaning, how big are you comfortable with the speakers being? Speakers need a certain amount of cabinet volume to sound great, and tower speakers can take up a lot of room. Do you need micro speakers? Or will bookshelf speakers suffice?
• How important to you is the appearance of the speakers?
• Would you prefer to build it yourself (meaning are you handy, or prefer to have it all just work when it arrives)?
• Where are you? Meaning, in what currency will you be purchasing speakers, and if you are in the domestic US, what is the closest major city?

Answer the above in as much detail as possible, and I should be able to make a pretty accurate recommendation in your price range. Buy a quality setup, and you'll be able to use it for decades (I still use the surround setup I bought over 15 years ago).

Good luck!

Boz

Bozanimal

1)mostly movie watching, music , tv, on rare occasions I'll hook up my console to the system

2)This is for my hdtv so I will be sitting back a fair distance, around 3-4 meters (5-6 feet)

3)This is an issue, the room is pretty small so big speakers will be inconvenient. However I won't sacrifice sound quality so if bigger is better then ill take the bigger ones

4)appearance is somewhat important.

5)I would like to build it myself, I can put together a PC pretty easily, so if its something similar then I'll definitely be able to do it myself.

6)The purchase will be made in canadian $$.

i just put together a pretty good home theater system for under 600 bucks.

a onkyo 309, polk bookshelfs, a polk center, and polk 10 powered sub.

3.1 system that sounds incredible.

i used to do 5.1 but i found i didnt really need it just for watching movies and tv. plus we have an open floorplan and the rear surrounds were always getting bumped into with people walking by.

all my cabling/wiring was purchased off of monoprice for basically pennies.

This is helpful; some follow-up questions:

• You mentioned movies and home theater, so I had assumed a surround sound setup, but the "PC speakers" made me assume a PC was involved. It does not appear that you are hooking your home theater up to a PC (or are you?). You mentioned this is to hook up to your HDTV. To what are you planning on adding speakers? In other words, if you're not using a PC as your source, what do you plan on using as a source for media (meaning DVD player, Cable Box, CD Player, Record Player, etc.)? How many things do you want to play through these speakers?

Odds are you will need a receiver. I know you are not interested, but you have to process and amplify the signal somehow; you cannot get surround sound or even basic stereo music without some sort of processing and amplification.

Even with a receiver you should have quite a few options available.

Boz

i just put together a pretty good home theater system for under 600 bucks.

a onkyo 309, polk bookshelfs, a polk center, and polk 10 powered sub.

3.1 system that sounds incredible.

i used to do 5.1 but i found i didnt really need it just for watching movies and tv. plus we have an open floorplan and the rear surrounds were always getting bumped into with people walking by.

all my cabling/wiring was purchased off of monoprice for basically pennies.

skrillalover

just thought i would give you a visual. this is pretty much as basic as you can get besides a simple 2.0 stereo system. as the above poster mentioned, you will need some sort of receiver. i have my components, in this case my cable box and popcorn hour(a media streamer) plugged into my receiver then my receiver outputs to the tv. this way i just change inputs on the receiver and the tv stays on 'hdmi1.'

i see so I guess you need one of those recievers

i see so I guess you need one of those receivers

blaznwiipspman1

This is helpful; some follow-up questions:

• You mentioned movies and home theater, so I had assumed a surround sound setup, but the "PC speakers" made me assume a PC was involved. It does not appear that you are hooking your home theater up to a PC (or are you?). You mentioned this is to hook up to your HDTV. To what are you planning on adding speakers? In other words, if you're not using a PC as your source, what do you plan on using as a source for media (meaning DVD player, Cable Box, CD Player, Record Player, etc.)? How many things do you want to play through these speakers?

Odds are you will need a receiver. I know you are not interested, but you have to process and amplify the signal somehow; you cannot get surround sound or even basic stereo music without some sort of processing and amplification.

Even with a receiver you should have quite a few options available.

Boz

Bozanimal

Im using the speakers connected directly to the tv which would output sound from anything else connected to it such as a dvd player, blu ray etc. Am I missing something here? So to amplify the sound then I need a reciever, without which there is no amplification?

Where do you live in Canada and what is your budget?

Also to save some money you can always get some second hand speakers. One site which is very well known in Canada is Canuck Audio Mart: http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/

what's wrong with receivers? receivers are bad-a**

you can get some cheap ones too like $300-400...

i live in Toronto, of course I want a reciever but its freakin expensive. the stores id most likely use is future shop, bestbuy and or walmart.

i live in Toronto, of course I want a reciever but its freakin expensive. the stores id most likely use is future shop, bestbuy and or walmart.

blaznwiipspman1

what's wrong with receivers? receivers are bad-a**

you can get some cheap ones too like $300-400...

Mozelleple112

my budget is around $500

my budget is around $500

blaznwiipspman1

A television typically does not have the capability of powering external speakers. Though it might have "clip-on" speakers that you attached to speaker outputs on the rear of the set and hand on the sides, these are not going to provide sufficient power for a home theater system. A true home theater system has five dedicated channels of amplification typically between 80 and 100 watts or higher compared to the average of 8 to 15 watts from a television's speakers. The subwoofer itself almost always has its own dedicated amplifier. The following article explains in a clear, concise manner your options for upgrading your television audio:
http://www.crutchfield.com/Learn/learningcenter/home/ht_htib.html

The reason I keep asking you all these questions is because I need to know whether you need just a set of speakers, speakers and an amplifier, a receiver/speakers combo, or a home theater in a box (includes Blue-Ray). If you have a cable box and Blu-Ray player already it will change the recommendation. If you do not have room for surround sound speakers it will change the recommendation. If you want to plug your PC into the receiver it may change the recommendation. I want to make sure whatever you spend your hard-earned money on, you are able to actually plug all your gear into and get working. I want to make sure that all the cables you're going to need are budgeted (allocating $500 to speakers and needing $100 in cables is a downer).

I cannot get what will work for you exactly at a reasonable price unless you answer a few additional questions. If you have the exact models of your current equipment, meaning your television, HD Box (cable/sat), DVD/Blu-Ray player, I can tell you exactly what cables you will need and recommend a receiver/speaker setup to best effect. :D

Separates are always preferred, as its easy to upgrade each component, than having to deal with one unit. Though when on a budget receivers are great.NVIDIATI

At $500 separates are not going to be a consideration for this user; he's firmly in receiver territory. At that price, with cables, he'll be able to do a Dayton home theater set and receiver combo, HTIB, or receiver/speaker set, though I'm not sure about whether he has access to Dayton in Canada.Since he has limited experience, it's probably not a great idea to have him assembling the speakers in addition to wiring the receiver to his components. I know Energy is Canada-based, so that might be an option. I think Athena, Mirage, and Paradigm are up there, too, but probably out of budget. If you know any more Canadian-based manufacturers that might have a factory outlet or something, I'm all ears. I got relatives up there. ;)

Happy gaming,

Boz

Parts Express ships to Canada, I'm also in Toronto.

i live in Toronto, of course I want a reciever but its freakin expensive. the stores id most likely use is future shop, bestbuy and or walmart.

blaznwiipspman1

@Boz also there is a Canadian site for parts mostly, they have a very wide selection. Solen Electronique Inc. http://www.solen.ca/pub/

[QUOTE="blaznwiipspman1"]

my budget is around $500

NVIDIATI

Ive heard that 5.1 is the best you can do for sound, but even a 2.1 surround system should be a step up from the TV speakers. The place where I keep my tv doesn't have much space so I will have to go with the 2.1 setup.

Also to bozanimal, I already have a cable box, and a blu ray player (via ps3), my TV is a 720p LG, i'll find out the exact details later. I want to first read up on that article that you linked me and get back to you afterwards

Check classifieds and Craigslist.

I've found some really great A/V stuff for pretty cheap.

Just recently got a NAD receiver for $45. XD

Check classifieds and Craigslist.

I've found some really great A/V stuff for pretty cheap.

Just recently got a NAD receiver for $45. XD

tequilasunriser

sweet thanks for the tip

[QUOTE="NVIDIATI"]

[QUOTE="blaznwiipspman1"]

my budget is around $500

blaznwiipspman1

Ive heard that 5.1 is the best you can do for sound, but even a 2.1 surround system should be a step up from the TV speakers. The place where I keep my tv doesn't have much space so I will have to go with the 2.1 setup.

Also to bozanimal, I already have a cable box, and a blu ray player (via ps3), my TV is a 720p LG, i'll find out the exact details later. I want to first read up on that article that you linked me and get back to you afterwards

5.1 isn't 'the best.' it is an option. 5.1 will provide you with surround sound which may or may not be want you want exactly. i would at least got for a 3.1 system as the extra center channel really makes movies sound worlds better since there is basically a dedicated dialog channel.

so how about this recieverhttp://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-electronics-Yamaha-htr-5940-6-1-Channel-Digital-Home-Theater-Receiver-Used-W0QQAdIdZ269737768and then I hook up 2 speakers plus sub for now to the reciever and later if I move the TV to a bigger room hook up 3 more speakers?

Again, check Canuck Audio Mart, you will find much more selection and users will generally be more reliable.

To preface, you do not want to use multimedia speakers for a home theater any more than you would want to use a car for a boombox. You ever stand outside a car with a high-end stereo? It sounds like garbage anywhere but in the passenger seats. Multimedia speakers are made for your computer, and expect you to be sitting right there at the desk; they are not meant to fill a room with sound like home theater components. As another analogy, using multimedia speakers for home theater is like using a compact car to tow a boat.

Based on our conversations you want a home theater. You want a dedicated subwoofer with some kick, decent sound, and the ability to watch television, movies, and maybe put some music on once in awhile. You are not an audiophile and have limited knowledge of home A/V, but are willing to learn and do it yourself with a little research. You put a lot of stock in something of value, meaning you want to get a lot for your money.

This said, you do not need the highest-quality speakers. Home theater is not the same as listening to music; you want matching speakers, a decent receiver, and a beefy sub.

Tier 1 - Over budget - Your expectations will be exceeded

Onkyo HT-S9100THX - ~$1,000
Probably the best pre-made system out there, easy and convenient to set up since most of what you need will be in the box

Energy Take CIassic 5.1 ~$400 and receiver combo:
Pioneer VSX-1021-K (~$500)
Denon AVR-1911 (~$400)
Yamaha RX-V667 (~$500) You will still need to buy some wiring, but it will offer the best audio for the longest period of time.

Tier 2 - At budget - Entry-level home theater; meets expectations

Onkyo HT-S5400 - ~$500, Decent entry-level home theater system, Full 7.1 Sound, "Real" receiver, Convenient package, includes most of the equipment you will need

Dayton HTP-3 5.1 Home Theater Package (~$220, requires some additional wiring) OR Polk Audio RM6750 Black 5.1CH Home Theater Speaker System (~$200) and combo receiver:
Pioneer VSX-920-K 7.1 Home Theater Receiver (~$270, strongly preferred)
Pioneer VSX-521-K 5.1 Home Theater Receiver (~$250)

These are entry-level receivers, and may have quirks such as a non-intuitive user interface or video pass-through issues. Everyone has their brand preference, but for an entry-level receiver all you really care about is whether it will receive your audio signal, decode popular formats (Dolby Digital 5.1, for example), and power your speakers. Some might argue for an Onkyo, but the current generation of budget Onkyos run very hot and reliability issues have been reported. Still a good brand, but not in the sub-$300 category at the moment. As an alternative to Pioneer, however:
YAMAHA 5.1-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver RX-V371 (~$230)
Denon AVR-1609 (~$200)

Anything less expensive than the above combos and you are firmly in Samsung home-theater-in-a-box territory:

Tier 3 - Below budget - HTIB, subwoofer may lack punch, speaker accuracy questionable

Yamaha YHT-395 (~$349) - Convenient, includes "real" receiver, beefier sub than the Sony
Sony HT-SS380 (~$350) - Convenient, attractive, etc.

I hope that the aforementioned options are all helpful as you take a look around at what you want, and has given you something to think about. Drop me a note once you've made a purchase and gotten it all installed to let me know how you like it.

Good luck,

Boz