Audioengine A2s

[Shikarikato]

What sound card should I get if I'm going to get Audioengine A2's or is there anything better for speakers at $200?

[Bazingaman18]

I've heard M-Audio Speakers are really good and they are cheaper than the Audioengine's. Check them out and see if you can find any comparisons on google.

[t0wer]

I'd get a lepai amp, and passive speakers over audio engine.

[Lyons]

I got the M-Audio AV30's over the A2's soley because they were cheaper ($150) and still had great reviews. They're really good if you want a simple powered setup that won't take up a lot of room. If you want something that'll be a bit louder or have a little more bass then you can get the AV40's. I'm sure the A2's are just as good if not better, Audioengine make great stuff. I must say the AV30's did sound a hell of a lot better with my Audioengine D1 DAC rather than onboard sound. A soundcard or DAC might be something you want to look at in the future, especially if you want to use headphones as well.

However like Tower said, you can also go the passive route and pick up a Lepai amp for about $25 and something like Polk Audio Monitor 30's. It's really up to you how you if you want to go powered or active. I think in this price range passive speakers might be a little better, I'm not really sure though. Keep in mind the second hand market is extremely good for audio components and you can find some pretty killer deals on older gear that will perform just as well as current stuff.

As for a soundcard, you can't really go wrong with the Asus Xonar range, I'd really just get the best one I could afford if I were you. The best thing you can do is search for products in your price range and the find reviews on them. Research done by yourself is always good too, not just relying on other people's opinions.