Computer-based Surround Sound System

[Icarium]

So my director asked me to like get something for his office for music/demos/whatever with a budget of ~500 in total.

I would have some suggestions 2 channel or 2.1, but any more than that is kind of beyond my experience outside of computer speakers.. any recs?

[Hopstretch]

It's not clear to me what he's after. Can you elaborate a bit?

[Duggeh]

I don't suppose he'd be interested in the Surrounder?

[Icarium]

It's not particularly clear to me either.. I think it's basically for video conferencing/videos (In his position he watches a lot of videos put together by other teams)/music/youtube (One of his teams works on Google webmaster communication videos)/movies whatever.

So it's not for really audiophile purposes.. I think video without ultra high fidelity audio (Mostly streamed) is the primary use case.

The audience primarily would not just be for him as it'd be for demos for his colleagues/reportees and superiors as well so that's why it needs be speakers.

We have a facilities team to help us with mounting things to walls and crap. I think mostly he just has an office, a company budget and wants to put in a decent sound system.. something that is a slight notch up on a normal logitech system.

[Hopstretch]

OK, the thing is that unless he's using material actually encoded for surround (movies, SACD etc.) there's not much point in going that way and paying for the three extra speakers. If he's using the usual office flat-panel monitor as a display you could either get a couple of decent, unobtrusive speakers to mount on either side of it or one of those sound bars that throws the illusion of surround sound. I can dig a couple of decent examples of both up for you if you like.

[grawk]

ProMedia Ultra 5.1

I've heard good things about those

[Dusty Chalk]

Need to know what he has first -- what does he have in the way of soundcard? If it only has digital out, then he's going to need a receiver/speaker package. If it has multichannel analog outs, well...then he's still going to need a receiver/speaker package. Just get the best you can get for $500. Something like two pairs of the Insignia NS-B2111 and a cheap receiver and a cheap sub (this last will be the hardest part), set it in phantom center channel mode. Or I think CostCo sells something like the Philips MCD709 with surround channels, but that was a couple years ago, I'm not sure they sell them any more.

Really those receiver/speaker packages are your best bet, the hardest part will be making sure you have connectivity, because none of them come with USB.

EDIT: Yeah, like the Promedia system that Grawk linked to.

Edited April 30, 2009 by Dusty Chalk

[Icarium]

He has nothing right now except for motherboard onboard sound and cheap company provided headphones.. hrm looks like the Klipsch ProMedia stuff is discontinued.. can always source it from ebay though, but is there anything in production that is equivalent?

[Dreadhead]

Logitech has lots though I have no idea how crap they are:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers_audio/home_pc_speakers/&cl=us,en#

[grawk]

Polk Audio - Buy Surroundbar products Direct from Polk Audio!

[Dusty Chalk]

He has nothing right now except for motherboard onboard sound ...

My question stands -- does he have digital out or 5.1 analog channels? Otherwise you're going to have to add "computer connectivity" to your list of requirements.

I don't know why people feel obliged to get computer speakers for their computers. Most of them suck.

froogle

[malldian]

I would suggest he forget surround sound and take a look at the audioengine speakers if he is looking for something unobtrusive and small.

[ingwe]

My question stands -- does he have digital out or 5.1 analog channels? Otherwise you're going to have to add "computer connectivity" to your list of requirements.

snip...

With regard to "computer connectivity," I have one of these: Turtle Beach External USB Sound Card with Surround Sound

It isn't audiophile grade (hmmm) but it provides reasonable 7.1 and 5.1 output. It also supports optical digital output (via connector similar to those on a macbook).

[Icarium]

Yes computer connectivity is something that needs to be acquired as well. I was probably going to pick up a EMU 0404 usb depending on the price of the speakers.

My initial recommendation was for the Audio Engine A5s but then he expressed that he wanted more speakers...

Surround Bar doesn't really work with the setting unfortunately.

Originally I was going to just get him the M-Audio LX4 2.1 + the extra 3 speakers for 5.1 but sadly I can't seem to source the expansion package though amazon.com has the 2.1 in stock.

That + an emu 0404 usb reasonables my old set up and should do though it'd be a bit out of the budget planned...

I don't think either of us really insist on computer speakers but it seems like the only way to achieve something like 4.1 or 5.1 within the budget.. it's really too bad neither Klipsch nor M-Audio do anything in that price range anymore.

[Asr]

Maybe one of the sets made by Cambridge SoundWorks? I don't have much personal experience with CSW myself (the only speakers I ever owned from them were the SoundWorks like 12-13 years ago, which were actually pretty good) but have read that they make good budget speakers.

[crappyjones123]

i dont know if this is something feasible but just a brain fart. how about 2 sets of audioengine a-2's (4 speakers)? should be $400 shipped from jr.com. run them from the onboard sound card (if it does more than stereo) or just buy a cheap sound card that does 5.1. there are plenty available on newegg for less than $100.

[Icarium]

Yeah I think it's looking like something like that.. I'm going to try and sell him on 2.0 or worst case 2.1 and go from there if he wants 4.1/5.1 then computer speakers it is.