Good, high quality, optical input speaker systems?

Kyle

I'm hoping to get some suggestions about good speaker systems. Currently looking into buying a speaker system for use in my home and dorm room. I plan to use it to play music, video games, movies, and general PC use. I would be alright with either a 2.1 or a 5.1 system. Price range anywhere from 600$ or lower (preferably lower, but not cheapo).

My PC and Xbox can both output in digital optical audio, and I would prefer to use them if at all possible. Cord management is a big deal when wiring these up in my dorm, and I'd like the added quality.


So far I have looked into the Bose Cinemate II Series:
http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/home_theater/21channel_systems/cinemate_systems/cinemate_series2/index.jsp?model=cinemate_gs_series2
I can get the lesser model for 429$ where I live.

And I have briefly looked at the Logitech z5500, but have heard bad things about the music audio quality, so I'm skeptical of the price.

Any suggestions or input would be helpful. Thanks.

Answer
Avoid the Bose, avoid Logitech as well. They're both terrible... Bose is just higher priced junk, and Logitech is lower-priced junk.

I can recommend an excellent 2.1 setup to you, but it will not utilize the optical inputs on your PC and Xbox. That said, trust me when I say it doesn't make a real difference in most cases. I have used both Optical and Analog inputs, and it only matters if you are using a very high end system. If we're talking speakers that are entry-level ($4000 and below) then you most likely will never notice a difference between optical and analog (RCA, or other).

Now that I got all of that down, I'll recommend you look into this...

Suggested system: A pair of AudioEngine A2 powered speakers along with an Energy ESW-C8 subwoofer. The AudioEngines are small but powerful speakers, made in the USA, that I personally own and enjoy myself. The Energy sub is a great entry level sub that will assist the petite AudioEngines in rocking the house. Price: AudioEngine A2: $200... Energy Sub: $300...

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_772A2B/Audioengine-2-A2-Satin-black.html?search=AudioEngine+A2

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_732ESWC8/Energy-ESW-C8.html?tp=187

The AudioEngines would be connected to your XBOX or PC via RCA inputs, then you would take a 3.5mm/RCA cable to connect from the AudioEngine's 3.5mm jack to the sub's RCA jacks. Tada, excellent 2.1 system.



There are two reasons I'm choosing AudioEngine A2s as the speakers... One, they're powered so you don't need an amp, two, they're outstanding speakers... period. In your price range, you don't have room to go for an amp and speakers and a sub... doing so would leave you with sub-par sound. (Like what Bose would give)

The AudioEngine A2s will give you outstanding detail and clarity, and the Energy sub will give nice punch to the system.

Plain and simple, AudioEngine is made in the USA, Bose is made in China. Energy is a highly respected name and makes great entry-level subs... Bose just makes junk out of paper and foam.


Good luck, hopefully I helped.

What would the best stereo system set up be for a 93 Ford Explorer?

Andrew

I am not looking for sheer volume, sound quality is my first priority. It is my understanding that a component speaker system is the best for audio imaging but ease of installation and cost are limiting factors. Taking that into consideration, what would the best set up be? High quality full-range stock replacements or lower quality component speakers? Specific speakers suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

Answer
The most important aspect of ANY audio system is speaker placement. The quality of the speakers would be a very close second. Very few vehicles lend themselves to a good imaging audio system. Mainly because of the poor factory locations. Doors are by far the worst location to put a speaker in because of the pathlength difference between the left and right speaker. The dashboard would be better but usually suffers from windshield reflection problems. The location that is most likely to produce good imaging is the kick panel location. But kick panel installs are not for every vehicle especially trucks and SUVs in which one sits up high and alot of the sound would be blocked by your legs, steering wheel, and the lower dash. Still there are some exceptions. If you can see both your kickpanels when you sit in your normal driving position in your Explorer then you should be able to hear speakers installed there. If not then you will have to resort to the doors as I don't believe you have dash locations. If I'm correct then your vehicle has 6"x8" speakers in each door. If that is all you have to work with then I suggest that you get 6 1/2" two-way speakers with adaptors to fit instead. No need to spend extra money on components. In the audio world, less is more. The simpler a speaker is, the better. As long as it covers the frequency range. In other words, the coaxial speakers cover the same range as their component counterpart. Anything more than a two-way is overkill and just a way for the manufacturers to make more money. Any shape other than round is inferior in regards to sound quality. Sure the 6"x8" would put out more bass SPL but it will exhibit higher levels of distortion because the oblong shape doesn't operate as linear as a round speaker does. A good 6 1/2" puts out plenty of bass. If you have a 4 door then I suggest you buy the same kind of speaker except go to the next smaller size which would probably be a 5 1/4". The reason being because you want to obtain that "bass up front" image so you want the bigger speakers up front. You can always upgrade later to a powered subwoofer that will handle all the low frequencies. With your main speakers crossed over just right, this will take the bass load off of the main speakers and improve clarity as well as reliability. I can't recommend any specific speakers because everyone's hearing and musical preference is different. Stick to reputable brands. Just take some CDs of music you are familiar with when you audition speakers. Don't be afraid to ask alot of questions. It's your money afterall. Your interior will affect the overall sound so take this into account when shopping around. Leather wil reflect the higher frequencies so soft dome tweeters usually sound best with that. Fabric will absorb the frequencies so a hard dome might sound better in that environment. If you use a hard dome tweeter and you have leather, it might sound too harsh. And if you have fabric and use a soft dome, it might sound too dull. Got it? Another thing I highly recommend is sound deadening with something like Dynamat Xtreme. At least the doors. This will dramatically improve your system's bass and dynamic range. I hope this helps. Good luck and happy listening.

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Title Post: Good, high quality, optical input speaker systems?
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