Sony HT-CT180 OR some pc speakers for PC audio solution

[cragger89]

OP: it'll be fine.

[spwath]

OP: Buy a sound bar.

Even if a sound bar is fine for a pc, it still has the problems that most sound bars have.

Not good price/sound quality.

Speakers for the same price would be better (though not the Logitech ones)

[cragger89]

Even if a sound bar is fine for a pc, it still has the problems that most sound bars have.

Not good price/sound quality.

Speakers for the same price would be better (though not the Logitech ones)

 

I agree, but the OP clearly is interested in one and if he buys one, it will work and be an improvement over what he currently has.

 

The only "PC" designated speakers I would be interested in myself are the HK soundsticks, but I'd prefer active monitors or a stereo amplifier and pair of hifi speakers (I have mine positioned at the back of the room because they aren't near field monitors, even though up close they still sounded alright.

 

Taking advantage of the second hand market is even cheaper still, but not everyone wants to do that.

[spwath]

I agree, but the OP clearly is interested in one and if he buys one, it will work and be an improvement over what he currently has.

The only "PC" designated speakers I would be interested in myself are the HK soundsticks, but I'd prefer active monitors or a stereo amplifier and pair of hifi speakers (I have mine positioned at the back of the room because they aren't near field monitors, even though up close they still sounded alright.

Taking advantage of the second hand market is even cheaper still, but not everyone wants to do that.

Yeah, I used second hand.

Onkyo tx-sr606 for 15$, 4 Polk r15 for 90$, I got great deals (especially on the receiver)

Yeah, PC speakers are generally not good.

My school has a bunch of pairs of sound sticks.

Makes me mad, they treat them bad and don't use them.

[cragger89]

Yeah, I used second hand.

Onkyo tx-sr606 for 15$, 4 Polk r15 for 90$, I got great deals (especially on the receiver)

Yeah, PC speakers are generally not good.

My school has a bunch of pairs of sound sticks.

Makes me mad, they treat them bad and don't use them.

 

Nice. The most important thing is that you choose gear that you like and are pleased with.

 

I work in the IT team at a College and I am in control of the AV side of the class rooms - it disappoints me to no end every time an install I have to do is to remove a pair of hifi speakers (nothing high end, just something along the lines of my Mission 700s or Wharfedale Diamond) and amp, replacing them with a cheap pair of "active monitors" which don't sound as good, but the lecturers enjoy them because they natively have a 3.5mm stereo jack hardwired to them and they prefer the thought of that over using an RCA - 3.5mm jack cable on a superior amplifier when connecting a laptop or tablet.

 

I didn't mean to sound like I was undermining @SSL in anyway - but sometimes when trying to help people, the only thing you do can do is let them have what they want and see if they learn what works better in audio. A soundbar on a PC is NOT optimal, but it may be adequate for what someone wants. Setting one up on most desks would be a problem because of their shape and size. My brother used one with the sound bar laid on his desk, NEXT to the edge of his screen, with the subwoofer balanced on top of the cable management metalwork so that it rattled.

 

Urgh. Urgh. Urgh.

[spwath]

Nice. The most important thing is that you choose gear that you like and are pleased with.

I work in the IT team at a College and I am in control of the AV side of the class rooms - it disappoints me to no end every time an install I have to do is to remove a pair of hifi speakers (nothing high end, just something along the lines of my Mission 700s or Wharfedale Diamond) and amp, replacing them with a cheap pair of "active monitors" which don't sound as good, but the lecturers enjoy them because they natively have a 3.5mm stereo jack hardwired to them and they prefer the thought of that over using an RCA - 3.5mm jack cable on a superior amplifier when connecting a laptop or tablet.

I didn't mean to sound like I was undermining @SSL in anyway - but sometimes when trying to help people, the only thing you do can do is let them have what they want and see if they learn what works better in audio. A soundbar on a PC is NOT optimal, but it may be adequate for what someone wants. Setting one up on most desks would be a problem because of their shape and size. My brother used one with the sound bar laid on his desk, NEXT to the edge of his screen, with the subwoofer balanced on top of the cable management metalwork so that it rattled.

Urgh. Urgh. Urgh.

Luckily it looks like my school has at least one sound educated teacher. They teach history of rock and roll and brought klipsch kg4 speakers and a receiver into his class room.

But I'm not taking that class, I just have orchestra in the same room

[cragger89]

Luckily it looks like my school has at least one sound educated teacher. They teach history of rock and roll and brought klipsch kg4 speakers and a receiver into his class room.

But I'm not taking that class, I just have orchestra in the same room

 

We have the odd few members of staff who have a decent idea, most unfortunately just aren't.

 

Never mind.

[spwath]

We have the odd few members of staff who have a decent idea, most unfortunately just aren't.

 

Never mind.

Most of my speakers dont know the difference between the smartboard/projector/speakers built into projector

 

"Why am I not getting sound?"

me- its not plugged in

"The smartboard is plugged in *motions to USB cable connecting smartboard*"

me- thats just the smartboard, you need to plug in the audio cable

"  *cant figure it out/plugs it into mic jack* "

me- *plugs in cable* *sigh*

[SSL]

Nice. The most important thing is that you choose gear that you like and are pleased with.

 

I work in the IT team at a College and I am in control of the AV side of the class rooms - it disappoints me to no end every time an install I have to do is to remove a pair of hifi speakers (nothing high end, just something along the lines of my Mission 700s or Wharfedale Diamond) and amp, replacing them with a cheap pair of "active monitors" which don't sound as good, but the lecturers enjoy them because they natively have a 3.5mm stereo jack hardwired to them and they prefer the thought of that over using an RCA - 3.5mm jack cable on a superior amplifier when connecting a laptop or tablet.

 

I didn't mean to sound like I was undermining @SSL in anyway - but sometimes when trying to help people, the only thing you do can do is let them have what they want and see if they learn what works better in audio. A soundbar on a PC is NOT optimal, but it may be adequate for what someone wants. Setting one up on most desks would be a problem because of their shape and size. My brother used one with the sound bar laid on his desk, NEXT to the edge of his screen, with the subwoofer balanced on top of the cable management metalwork so that it rattled.

 

Urgh. Urgh. Urgh.

 

You can undermine all you want, but I prefer to save people from themeselves.

[cragger89]

You can undermine all you want, but I prefer to save people from themeselves.

 

I prefer to, also.

[roogac]

http://www.wharfedale.co.uk/product.php?pid=74

What do you guys think of this solution? I am a bit worried about only 14wat but they have everything i need and are somewhat of hybrid betwen monitor and pc speakers.

They have exactly the same price as Z623(much more than a soundbar, but i can get them here) . Amazon UK for some reason Earlier this year stopped shipping to Croatia(don't know the reason) and still isn't shipping some product but they Are improving their lineup. So Amazon isn't an option i must buy something here in Croatia, and we have limits on audio equipement. I really think that 14w of hifi is on par with soundbar, because Yesterday i was at the store listening at Samsung budget soundbar (180wat) and it sounds like they have 10 wats because sound starts distorting after you turn the volume half way. But that unit has bad reviews. I am really worried, but i've been told that budget Samsung soundbars Are complete crap. Sony i've only listened to high-end soundbars, (more than 5x times my budget) and they sound like miracle but for that price you can get mid level hi-fi which is then a Real thing. I can't listen to Sony HT-CT180 because they are on sale and have limited supplies( no presentation unit in store like Samsung and Sony-high End).

So my option and only consideration towards HT-CT180 is the fact i am getting them for exactly half the price it is normaly. The studio/hybrid speakers i posted Are double the price of the soundbar, my question is: Are they worth it?.

[roogac]

Sory this was duplicate post, my iPhone is doing crap on forums.

[cragger89]

http://www.wharfedale.co.uk/product.php?pid=74

What do you guys think of this solution? I am a bit worried about only 14wat but they have everything i need and are somewhat of hybrid betwen monitor and pc speakers.

They have exactly the same price as Z623(much more than a soundbar, but i can get them here) . Amazon UK for some reason Earlier this year stopped shipping to Croatia(don't know the reason) and still isn't shipping some product but they Are improving their lineup. So Amazon isn't an option i must buy something here in Croatia, and we have limits on audio equipement. I really think that 14w of hifi is on par with soundbar, because Yesterday i was at the store listening at Samsung budget soundbar (180wat) and it sounds like they have 10 wats because sound starts distorting after you turn the volume half way. But that unit has bad reviews. I am really worried, but i've been told that budget Samsung soundbars Are complete crap. Sony i've only listened to high-end soundbars, (more than 5x times my budget) and they sound like miracle but for that price you can get mid level hi-fi which is then a Real thing. I can't listen to Sony HT-CT180 because they are on sale and have limited supplies( no presentation unit in store like Samsung and Sony-high End).

So my option and only consideration towards HT-CT180 is the fact i am getting them for exactly half the price it is normaly. The studio/hybrid speakers i posted Are double the price of the soundbar, my question is: Are they worth it?.

 

The monitors ARE better and are worth it if you wanted something which performs better.

 

I struggle to reply to these sorts of questions because it is difficult to quantify whether something will perform twice as good because it is twice as expensive as another product. For some people, it absolutely is. If you are like my brother who just wants a step up from in built TV speakers or a really cheap set of PC speakers that do not have a subwoofer, it absolutely will be a big upgrade and you'll be pleased with it. He would listen to a set of monitors double the price of his soundbar and not see the point in spending double.

 

It is your choice - we can only give advice. If you posted asking if those JBL monitors were any good, you would have someone telling you to spend more money on a different product and telling you why you are wrong to consider them. It has to end somewhere so you can actually buy a product.

 

Hope this helps!!

[roogac]

The monitors ARE better and are worth it if you wanted something which performs better.

I struggle to reply to these sorts of questions because it is difficult to quantify whether something will perform twice as good because it is twice as expensive as another product. For some people, it absolutely is. If you are like my brother who just wants a step up from in built TV speakers or a really cheap set of PC speakers that do not have a subwoofer, it absolutely will be a big upgrade and you'll be pleased with it. He would listen to a set of monitors double the price of his soundbar and not see the point in spending double.

It is your choice - we can only give advice. If you posted asking if those JBL monitors were any good, you would have someone telling you to spend more money on a different product and telling you why you are wrong to consider them. It has to end somewhere so you can actually buy a product.

Hope this helps!!

Thank you. the point is: i have cheap 2.1 speakers that deliver to much highs that they start distorting and the sub can't produce anything below 60 HZ. My sub is always turned Down a bit because i can't stand that awfull sound it produces. Left speakers wasn't working 2 months ago for 3 days then i Fixed the wire but that was it. I Had enough. I can really see the difference in sound, but don't have enough student Pocket money to get something decent. So my only wish was to buy something that i can live with, That's why soundbar, to get something decent enough because it is so cheap, but don't want to buy something that i will feel the same as that 2.1 set. For my parents buying sound equipement is pointless, and they rather buy me new clothes and furniture that i already have plenty, trust me.

Everything is about opinion, that 2.1 system is awesome to my girlfriend and to my friends it is decent, but for me, Well i can't stand it. My mother also one day Said oh Well it is loud enough. That's my point. Price of that 80w Divoom speakers was les than 50$ so you know how they sound, don't you? Hahahaha it is just loud and that is it, nothing more.

So soundbar seems like more quality product that i can Afford on my own. For those monitors i would have to consider letting my parents know that i need some money. That was the question. I am not buying a soundbar and expect to have it ten years, no. I just want something that is decent to my ears.

Sorry for the long post but just wanted to explain because you said that there must be a price line where i need to stop. Hell i could ask my parents for Way more expensive hi-fi and after months i would probably get it somehow, but then... They would be on my ass for some time for throwing money away on shit.

College life is though pal Haha. Thanks for the time and advices. Now i know my options and will probably consider that monitors because i don't want to deal with another Shitty product that tears my ears. Everything that i want was to take a listen to that soundbar and if i can stand the sound of it, it would probably be go for option for 1.5 year or two.

I am really Tallking too much but i like is that you can understand some concerns.. There Are people that are just deaf, like my mom who thinks that iPhone 4 headphones are awesome, and we all know what piece of crap those were on such high end device.

She can't tell the difference between those and 100$ sennheiser in ear earbuds. Haha

My final question: can you Listen to your brothers soundbar and feel like it has some decency in sound, not that it is just complete shit. Cause if that low End soundbar is decent enough, then the step up from that must be better.

[cragger89]

I think my brother's sound bar sounds fine for what it is. Compared to my hifi where even 1 single part of it is worth at least 4 times more, it's crap, but that isn't even remotely a fair comparison.

 

I really think you'll be fine with a soundbar.

[roogac]

I think my brother's sound bar sounds fine for what it is. Compared to my hifi where even 1 single part of it is worth at least 4 times more, it's crap, but that isn't even remotely a fair comparison.

I really think you'll be fine with a soundbar.

Thank you very much you helped me a lot to decide, and i was never comparing soundbar to hifi, as a temporary solution i think i will be fine for the money, and as i said, planing to upgrade in less than two years so i will definetly ask all of you guys again hahaha(There's no escaping, i will be drudgery!!!! Haha ). Thanks for awesommenes and fast replies. If i make a mistake at least it won't be expensive one.

[roogac]

Just to note, i bought soundbar, and it just sounds decent, very happy for the money, although i can find very many cons when playing music, but for games and movies it is powerfull and doesn't distort at high volumes at all. I wouldn't recommend it if you are listening to a lot of music, but for anything else, just perfect. Instalation is piece of cake and wireless subwoofer syncs the moment you plug it in the wall. 

[cragger89]

Glad that you're happy with it.

 

Strongly recommend experimenting with powered monitors when you have the funds and time to do so - it's quite startling going between a sound bar and what I class as "proper" gear for music.