computer speakers for 150usd?

[WaitWhaaaaat]

I want to spend around 150 usd on speakers for my pc. I was thinking about edifier r1280dbs. Any suggestion will be appreciate.

[Dedayog]

Are those powered monitors?  Edifier makes good stuff. Basicaly any powered studio monitor in the $150-250 range is a sweet spot for PC speakers, IMO. 5" will even have enough bass response to not need a separate sub.

[OddOod]

I've been using the previous gen of these for 12 years and they've been pretty servicable.
https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-BX3-Production-Streaming-Podcasting/dp/B08KXVYGSF

[TylerD321]

I use Mackie CR-X 3 inch speakers for gaming and listening to music and they are phenomenal. Very loud and clear sound. It sounds better than really any other speaker I have heard for PC. I got the version without bluetooth because I didn't want to have to worry about it defaulting to a device and not connecting to my pc, that is up to you. They have several different sizes and I believe you can even get a subwoofer if you are in to that.

 

Amazon.com: Mackie CR-X Series, 3-Inch Multimedia Monitors with Professional Studio-Quality Sound and Bluetooth - Pair (CR3-XBT) : Everything Else

[Dedayog]

21 minutes ago, TylerD321 said:

I use Mackie CR-X 3 inch speakers for gaming and listening to music and they are phenomenal. Very loud and clear sound. It sounds better than really any other speaker I have heard for PC. I got the version without bluetooth because I didn't want to have to worry about it defaulting to a device and not connecting to my pc, that is up to you. They have several different sizes and I believe you can even get a subwoofer if you are in to that.

 

Amazon.com: Mackie CR-X Series, 3-Inch Multimedia Monitors with Professional Studio-Quality Sound and Bluetooth - Pair (CR3-XBT) : Everything Else

That's a good price too.  I may pick those up for the office PC, cuz I love my CR5BT's a lot.

[Psittac]

I could say look into the micca pb-42x as one option.  I have the RB-42 passive and they're amazing, but I have them hooked up to a 1500w power amplifier.  It's amazing what they do with a tiny speaker so I would at least look into them.

[cmndr]

If you can get it on sale -  BS41-BK can be had for as low as $68 on sale. Slap on an Aiyima A07 and some speaker wire and you're at around $150.
Another option if it's on sale is the Sony SS-CS5. Not bad when it's around $70-80. Not worth it at $150.
https://slickdeals.net/f/15607429-elac-bs41-bookshelf-speakers-amazon-69-77

 

Otherwise you're looking at Edifier and Micca... which are OK but not great.

[Dedayog]

3 hours ago, Psittac said:

I could say look into the micca pb-42x as one option.  I have the RB-42 passive and they're amazing, but I have them hooked up to a 1500w power amplifier.  It's amazing what they do with a tiny speaker so I would at least look into them.

1500w amp isn't doing anything, it doesn't qualify the speakers at all.   Hopefully you're pushing at least clean proper power.

 

For a PC I'd go powered/active all day long.  For home theatre, use an amp sure.  

[Psittac]

15 minutes ago, Dedayog said:

1500w amp isn't doing anything, it doesn't qualify the speakers at all.   Hopefully you're pushing at least clean proper power.

 

For a PC I'd go powered/active all day long.  For home theatre, use an amp sure.  

Yes, I know this, I don't turn it up all the way I just didn't feel like explaining that.  But they do require a large amount of power

[cmndr]

2 hours ago, Psittac said:

Yes, I know this, I don't turn it up all the way I just didn't feel like explaining that.  But they do require a large amount of power

Pretty much any modern speaker is drawing 2W if you're playing them at sane volumes and you're 2-4' from them.

[WaitWhaaaaat]

13 hours ago, OddOod said:

I've been using the previous gen of these for 12 years and they've been pretty servicable.
https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-BX3-Production-Streaming-Podcasting/dp/B08KXVYGSF

In my country single one of those is in the same price as a set of two edifier. So thanks but a bit too expensive.

[WaitWhaaaaat]

13 hours ago, TylerD321 said:

I use Mackie CR-X 3 inch speakers for gaming and listening to music and they are phenomenal. Very loud and clear sound. It sounds better than really any other speaker I have heard for PC. I got the version without bluetooth because I didn't want to have to worry about it defaulting to a device and not connecting to my pc, that is up to you. They have several different sizes and I believe you can even get a subwoofer if you are in to that.

 

Amazon.com: Mackie CR-X Series, 3-Inch Multimedia Monitors with Professional Studio-Quality Sound and Bluetooth - Pair (CR3-XBT) : Everything Else

That looks good. I will definitely consider buying those. Thanks mate!

[WaitWhaaaaat]

9 hours ago, Psittac said:

I could say look into the micca pb-42x as one option.  I have the RB-42 passive and they're amazing, but I have them hooked up to a 1500w power amplifier.  It's amazing what they do with a tiny speaker so I would at least look into them.

Those are not available in my country and shipping it from US is not very cost effective

[WaitWhaaaaat]

Spoiler

14 hours ago, Dedayog said:

Are those powered monitors?  Edifier makes good stuff. Basicaly any powered studio monitor in the $150-250 range is a sweet spot for PC speakers, IMO. 5" will even have enough bass response to not need a separate sub.

14 hours ago, OddOod said:

I've been using the previous gen of these for 12 years and they've been pretty servicable.
https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-BX3-Production-Streaming-Podcasting/dp/B08KXVYGSF

14 hours ago, TylerD321 said:

I use Mackie CR-X 3 inch speakers for gaming and listening to music and they are phenomenal. Very loud and clear sound. It sounds better than really any other speaker I have heard for PC. I got the version without bluetooth because I didn't want to have to worry about it defaulting to a device and not connecting to my pc, that is up to you. They have several different sizes and I believe you can even get a subwoofer if you are in to that.

 

Amazon.com: Mackie CR-X Series, 3-Inch Multimedia Monitors with Professional Studio-Quality Sound and Bluetooth - Pair (CR3-XBT) : Everything Else

6 hours ago, Psittac said:

Yes, I know this, I don't turn it up all the way I just didn't feel like explaining that.  But they do require a large amount of power

4 hours ago, cmndr said:

Pretty much any modern speaker is drawing 2W if you're playing them at sane volumes and you're 2-4' from them.

 

So after looking what is available in my country in similar price I end up with those two. As far as I'm aware there is no place where I can listen to both of them side by side.
 
Mackie for 495 PLN around 105 USD
https://guitarcenter.pl/catalog/studio/monitory/monitory-aktywne/mackie-cr3-x?JBL+LSR305=&ceneo_cid=5b0e341d-a762-e3e9-4731-27f74f28b881

and

Edifier for 429 PLN around 93 USD.
https://sklep.hard-pc.pl/p11949,glosniki-edifier-r1280dbs-bluetooth-2-0-brown.html?ceneo_cid=78e4f2b4-ae99-34b9-858e-f49287cf9784

 

Edifier have both BT and optical input, and also are a bit cheaper. I have also feeling that those are much more mainstream so it will be easier to fix them, buy spare parts etc.

Also sound profile will be more pleasant for ordinary person which is plus if I ever decide to sell them. They also look better in my opinion.

Mackie sounds much better for guitar parts and a bit hollow but more accurate for bass part, at least as far as I can hear on youtube tests. Lack of grill is minus for me. I just like it.

Except gaming I listen mainly metal and classic music.

Also a bit of background why price is sensitive. I've helped my friend with building a few computers, and he insist on buying me some gift and I feel really uncomfortable with that. He even call my wife to put more pressure on me to pick something. And speakers are only part of my setup that is properly old, and moderate quality.

So any advice here? Thank for all your replies guys!
 

[TylerD321]

3 hours ago, WaitWhaaaaat said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

So after looking what is available in my country in similar price I end up with those two. As far as I'm aware there is no place where I can listen to both of them side by side.
 
Mackie for 495 PLN around 105 USD
https://guitarcenter.pl/catalog/studio/monitory/monitory-aktywne/mackie-cr3-x?JBL+LSR305=&ceneo_cid=5b0e341d-a762-e3e9-4731-27f74f28b881

and

Edifier for 429 PLN around 93 USD.
https://sklep.hard-pc.pl/p11949,glosniki-edifier-r1280dbs-bluetooth-2-0-brown.html?ceneo_cid=78e4f2b4-ae99-34b9-858e-f49287cf9784

 

Edifier have both BT and optical input, and also are a bit cheaper. I have also feeling that those are much more mainstream so it will be easier to fix them, buy spare parts etc.

Also sound profile will be more pleasant for ordinary person which is plus if I ever decide to sell them. They also look better in my opinion.

Mackie sounds much better for guitar parts and a bit hollow but more accurate for bass part, at least as far as I can hear on youtube tests. Lack of grill is minus for me. I just like it.

Except gaming I listen mainly metal and classic music.

Also a bit of background why price is sensitive. I've helped my friend with building a few computers, and he insist on buying me some gift and I feel really uncomfortable with that. He even call my wife to put more pressure on me to pick something. And speakers are only part of my setup that is properly old, and moderate quality.

So any advice here? Thank for all your replies guys!
 

The best advice would be to get the speaker that you prefer. If you must have a grill, the obvious choice would be the Edifier speaker. However I am going to outline a few things about why I like my Mackie speakers.

The first reason is the fact that they DON"T have bluetooth (atleast the standard edition I got). I had read on the internet that if you have connected the speakers to bluetooth to something while it is plugged into a PC for example, they can sometimes fight over control of the speaker and it ends up not sounding good. Getting wired only prevents this issue.

I had my speakers for over a year with no issues what so ever. I turned them to a volume I like and I hardly ever turn it up or down, and I don't know if I have ever turned it off.

I play video games and listen to music all of the time and I think it sounds great. I listen to really all types of music except for most modern rap. I will go between Shinedown, Taylor Swift, random piano covers on youtube, to Katy Perry, to Slipknot and I think they all sound good.