PC Speakers suggestion for 2021

Off-Topic Games, Gaming and Hardware
1

Hello,

I’m looking to buy new PC speakers (2.0 or 2.1 system, if the sub is worth it) but I’m having trouble deciding which model to go for. I mistrust Amazon reviews and all the other review websites I’ve visited seem to be copypastas of each other. And with the current situation, it’s not easy to go to a store and listen to different models. So I thought about asking here about any suggestions/do’s and dont’s, etc.

Models I’ve seen that caught my attention:

  • Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers (2.0)
  • Logitech G560 (2.1)
  • Logitech Z333 (2.1)
  • Logitech Z313 (2.1)
  • Logitech Z200 (2.0)
  • Creative Pebble 2.0 USB-Powered Speakers

(I was told brands whose name I’ve never heard of are probably bad, so feel free to enlighten me).

I am also unsure if I should go for USB or 3.5 mm audio jack.

I mainly play WoW (and other games), watch YouTube and Netflix and listen to music. Not looking to throw parties or have very loud sound, just want good sound quality for these activities.

Budget is not an issue, but I don’t want to overspend on something I don’t need or for some feature that only slightly increases sound quality. RGB lighting and aesthetics are not a priority.

I’m currently using headsets only and I’m very happy with them, except for the fact that I have to wear them A LOT (all of the above + work). Having regular speakers would just be a nice addition to my setup for when I feel like taking them off.

So any advice would be great. If you do the same kind of activities as me and are using a model you are happy with, I’m also interested about it!

Thanks in advance!

2

I recently bought the creative pebble. I personally like it. Honestly it just sounds like stock speakers that come with your tv. Nothing crazy about it but it’s good enough where most people are content.

PS
The pebble uses a 3.5jack and is powered literally by usb.

3

Try either one of these

Edifier S1280DB
Edifier C3X
Audioengine A2+ (most expensive)

4

I have a pair of Audioengine speakers & I really like them. I went with separate components (P22 speakers and the N22 amp) instead of all-in-ones. I don’t remember now why I chose that route at the time, but since I later mounted the speakers on the wall above the monitors it’s convenient to have the volume control on the desk rather than the back of the speaker.

5

In recent years some of these chinese companies like Edifier have come out to the NA market with some good stuff…shockingly

even their A1 are pretty good for the price

I will also add the klipsch pro media 2.1, Costco had them on sale last week (maybe even this week as well) for $89 and they can go for as high as $149.

For speaker I stick to companies that actually make speakers rather than ones that sell speakers, keyboards, mice, etc., even if their have very good keyboards & mice.

6

Edifier is great for the budget.

I know there are other brands but I don’t keep track much with audiophiles.

7

It’s important to mention how much desk space you have, because that will change some of the recommendations.

In terms of the stuff you mentioned(based on what I’ve seen) -
Bose Companion 2 - They seem ok, a little hollow shouty sounding in the mid-range however, probably from the enclosure. If you saw these, you probably also saw the more expensive 20s, however they aren’t really worth it compared to the other options in their price range, as the 20s tend to have quite a lot of bass(almost like you have a mini subwoofer) with some slight distortion, and is a sort of scooped sound, which sounds kind of dry and empty.
G560 - They don’t seem to sound very good, even Logitech’s other offerings would likely be better
Z333 - Can’t comment on this one, it’s probably average, but it’s not the 2.1 I’d choose from Logitech(the one I’d buy is not for sale right now anyway for some reason)
Z313 - Don’t buy this one, it’s one of the worst 2.1s that Logitech sells.
Z200 - Very basic, high bass rolloff with muddiness, but overall it has a passable tone, especially for the price. If you only had maybe $20 to spend, I’d buy it, but not if your budget is much higher.
Creative Pebbles - Don’t do anything particularly well from what I’ve seen compared to the Z200 at the same price. Creative also has other options that are much better for their price points(such as the T40 and T10).

If you need a small 2.0 speaker and like you say - budget is no issue, you can get either the iLoud Micro Monitors or the Vanatoo Transparent Zero depending on your sound tastes. If these two are out of what you can spend, I can suggest cheaper options. You may prefer the Vanatoos, and those are what I would get if I had no budget and needed a smaller speaker. These two wipe the floor against any other compact 2.0 speaker, but compact speakers usually are limited in their ability to an extent. Compact speakers tend to lack bass frequency extension, and tend to have a big bass boost in the upper bass frequencies making things sound muffled, exaggerated by the room, the two speakers I linked above are one of the few that don’t have a big hump(to cover up their lack of extension) and have decent extension.

If you can fit a bigger speaker, the Edifier R1700BT would be a decent choice. There are better choices, but I’d consider the other options too large for a desk setup, and may not suit vocal content.

I’m not too familiar with what 2.1 sets are decent. So I cannot make a good recommendation in that regard.

If you want a speaker with a specific feature(volume knob on front) that’s also worth mentioning.

If you just want clear dialogue for YouTube/Netflix and don’t mind your house not shaking from explosions, you may want to skip a 2.1 setup, because a number of 2.1 computer speakers have subs that are poorly integrated, which would reduce overall sound clarity. And speaking of 2.1s, Logitech recently introduced a new 2.1 system, but it’s still fairly new and there hasn’t been enough reviews or anything on it to come to a conclusion just yet.

You can purchase all 3 options I mentioned above on Amazon.

I also missed your USB vs 3.5 question originally when writing. If you have terrible on-board audio, you may want to use USB, however USB usually only comes with not so great speakers, and if you have a terrible motherboard it can introduce noise to USB audio devices. I find HP computers tend to have pretty garbage on-board audio. Can’t comment on Dell(since I’ve only had 1, but based on my experience and things I’ve seen online, they’re not very good either), but Lenovo is usually more acceptable on average. But, even if you have bad on-board audio, there are plenty very affordable options out there now for under $20 or so that you can use to hook up your speakers to for passable sound output, I’d have no problem guiding you in that direction as well, because while there’s a lot of cheap junk to sift through, there are a few decent cheap adapters.

If you just want the TLDR -

  1. Vanatoo Transparent Zero if you have the budget and want something small(I can suggest cheaper options if you want a small speaker, since while you did say no-budget, the options you linked are a lot cheaper lol)
    https://www.amazon.com/Vanatoo-Transparent-Powered-Speakers-Black/dp/B01N33WUJ9/
  2. Alternative option to above for small compact speaker iLoud Micro Monitor
    https://www.amazon.com/IK-Multimedia-Monitors-ultra-compact-bluetooth/dp/B01C5RZWCQ/
  3. Edifier R1700BT if you have the space or don’t want to spend as much
    https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-R1700BT-Bluetooth-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B016PATXSI/
    Note: While I didn’t mention it above, the JBL 305P MKII(you’d have to buy two for a pair) is a decent choice if you have the space, but they do come with a bit of standby background hiss if that doesn’t phase you, then they may be the better choice in this larger category.
8

I have Logitech Z623s, and I concur with 2.1 setups being kinda just meh.

I would rather have a solid pair of stereo bookshelf speakers that have a proper range of frequency and power, instead of weak satellites and everything resting on a sub that may or may not even be audible if the material you’re listening to isn’t presenting the range it’s sensitive to.

1 Like
9

Thanks everyone for all the comments, especially @Darknesself for the detailed explanations.

Main takeaways for me are that I might not really need 2.1; a good 2.0 should be enough. I also understand why 2.0 can be more limited (which is fine).

I should clarify that desk space is not an issue, so the Edifier R1700BT would fit for instance. Volume knob on front the speaker or other ways to adjust volume (like a controller or a separate hub) would be necessary.

Also, budget-wise, I see that the options I listed are cheaper than what you suggest. Main issue is I don’t want to throw a few more hundred bucks on better-sounding speakers if the sound quality difference is barely noticeable. I guess I’m kind of looking for a ‘sweet spot’ deal in terms of quality/dollar. I would probably be content with ‘cheaper’ 2.0’s if you have any more suggestions.

Right now, I would go with the Edifier R1700BT (it was also a brand I considered while shopping, but forgot to mention it), but if you have anything cheaper that sounds almost as good, I’m interested.

Thanks again for the posts!

10

Oh there is definitely a difference lol, especially in terms of compact speakers. Like I tried to write above aside from better mid-range and treble linarity, most compact speakers do not have much bass response below 100 Hz, and have a large boost higher up that makes things more muffled than they should be, only a few small speakers go low enough(not exactly like a subwoofer however) without having a large bump elsewhere to make them not sound anemic. You’re also paying for linearity in the treble and mid-range, and better treble dispersion as well. There is a point where you hit the point where you get diminishing returns, and not everything more expensive is better however.

If you really need compact speakers without spending over $100 or so for entertainment there’s the Creative T40(skip the new T100, it doesn’t sound very good in my opinion), but it has issues like many other compact speakers in terms of having an upper bass boost with a lack of bass extension(meaning it may sound horrible in some rooms based on the walls), you could maybe play with the dials or plugging the top bass holes to make it more to your liking. The T20 sounds a little more natural, but tends to sound a little tinny in some cases by comparison(I don’t think they’re good for vocal centric content), and I think the tone of the T40 would be better suited for movies and such. Does it stand up next to the iLouds or Vanatoos in this size category? Definitely not. However, the T40s are probably ‘fine’ for most people. There’s also the JBL 104 around this price, but I don’t particularly like how those sound over the Creative T40s. I’d personally buy the Bose companion 2s at this price, but their sound isn’t really something everyone would like, as it is a bit hollow and forced. You may prefer the T40s more, however you’d want to play around with the knobs and such a bit. The T40s have plasticky hollow bass, while the Bose have plasticky hollow mid-range, choose your poison.

If you have the space and money however, the R1700BT would be better. There’s apparently a R1700BTs version as well, with an optional subwoofer out jack if you ever felt the need to add a separate subwoofer. I don’t know if they changed the sound between the two though. I can’t think of any option in the larger size category I would recommend that’s not too big for desk, but also not too small, if I think of anything, I’ll edit here. A lot of people recommend the 1280T for the lower cost option, but I personally don’t like how it sounds, which is why I haven’t mentioned it.

But in the end, placement is key, and your room will have an effect based on how high the ceiling is, plus how far back the speakers are set to the wall + how on-axis your ears are to the speakers themselves to end up with how they tend to sound in the end.

I’d also like to mention that not everyone will prefer the same sound, and what the speakers are connected to will cause some variance, as always buy with a good return policy.

Another TLDR -
Creative T40 or R1700BT depending on your needs, and such. You may be fine with the cheaper Creative T40, or may not be, which is why I suggest leaving the door open to returns, but at least these speakers come with knobs for you to adjust them more to your liking. These speakers(especially the T40) will not provide you a subwoofer experience however, and I just want to make sure you understand that. They will not rattle your walls lol(if that’s more of what you’re looking for, then the Klipsh mentioned below may be more up your alley).

11

I bought a pair of vintage 80s Polk audio speakers and a small T amp to power them. Crazy volume clarity. Old school

1 Like
12

I love my Klipsch ProMedia 2.1’s. Had them since 2004.

https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipsch-promedia-2-1-thx-certified-computer-speaker

1 Like
13

I pair of good passive bookshelf speakers with their own amp will always be your best bet for quality sound at a good price. My desk is always a mess so I just don’t have the room for them unfortunately or have the desire to run my wires than I need to.

I bought set of the T40 over a decade ago to replace a pair of klipsch 2.0 computer speakers that suffered from an internal amp that over heated (poor design). The creatives sound like they had a cheap single driver in a tin can and ended up returning them within two days. Luckily klipsch just released the promedia 2.1 and I must admit they sound the closest to real klipsch bookshelf speakers I have heard (I owned a pair of klispch synergy speakers at the time)

14

Maybe it was just your room that was affecting the sound or something else? I never heard anyone call the T40 a tin can, quite the opposite. How they sound will tend to depend on how high your ceiling is for that port on the top.

But if you’re used to Klipsch speakers, then you’re probably used to their sound by now. Klipsch tends to go for a more cinema/theater sound signature, which means dulling out vocal detail and adding a bit of warmth.

I had no idea Klipsch even made a 2.0 computer speakers at one point, too bad they still don’t sell them.

15

These were the original T40 not the second series, I have no experience with the second series. Steve Guttenberg (the audiophile writer not the actor) called them bright so I expected them to sound like the klispch speakers as they are notorious for their bright horn tweeter and both had the single tweeter dual mid range set up. The speakers sounded nothing alike and it wasn’t the room.

They were called the promedia 2.0 and well reviewed but like I said poorly designed. The amp would overheat and shut down one speaker. I had to pop the back off the speaker to help keep it cool. The promedia 2.1 are better speakers and replaced the 2.0.