CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Speakers => Topic started by: ultrabike on July 08, 2013, 10:09:04 AM
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Would like to start this thread to share some computer/desktop speaker impressions and experiences. Among the best known and highly regarded are the Mackie HR824 and HR624... But I don't have them, so I'll start it off with my discontinued, el-cheapo, and bought at bargain price:
Boston Acoustics MM220s
(http://images.highspeedbackbone.net/skuimages/large/B65-1008-main.jpg)
Bought these some time ago to enhance my bedroom TV movie experience. Sound quality needed to be better than my Vizio TV... which kind of narrows it down to almost everything. Form factor and foot print was a priority and had to be a 2.0 system though.
Before buying I gave it a listen at Fry's and liked what I heard. Bought them from Amazon at ~$44.97 (including shipping).
Sound
I was surprised at how well these sound. The highs are very crisp. The lows are very surprising for such a small set of speakers. The soundstage was very good as well. There is a particular song with drums that my Mirage Crapo Sats are unable to reproduce and these do it effortlessly and clearly! TV and movie gun fire is fairly "Oh Shit!" realistic with these.
The downside of things is that FR low end extension, surprisingly good as it may be, does not dig into the subwoofer territory, and they can distort on certain FR ranges. Note however that we are talking two 2" woofers with a small passive radiator covering roughly the same area + 1/2" tweeter. The cabinet is as cheap as they come and rattles quite a bit. It is also possible that these may be somewhat inefficient (considering the size of the amp that comes with it). Some people complained about hum or interference, but I had no problems with that.
Looking at the 2" woofers reminds me a lot of the Aurasound drivers though these seem made out of paper. I know Donald North worked for Boston Acoustics and I wonder if he was involved in the design of these little guys. I really like these. IMO they destroy some of the few home-theater mini satellites that I've heard.
Features
The have an aux input that bypasses the main input should one wish to plug in a player. The right speaker comes with a headphone output. I haven't tried it that much but from memory I think it works well with easy to drive cans... It doesn't come with a remote either, but I didn't mind that given the price.
Measurements
Below are some measurements I took of these also in my bedroom in their current spot a little less than 1 meter away @ ~84 dB, ~78 dB and ~68 dB (not anechoic). As seen in the FR/distortion plots, at higher volumes ~450 Hz starts to show considerable distortion. However, the FR is relatively flat from 100 Hz to 20 kHz, and there is still something there at around 90 Hz.
~ 68 dB
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1043.0;attach=3474;image)
~78 dB
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1043.0;attach=3472;image)
~ 84 dB
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1043.0;attach=3470;image)
Conclusion:
These really surprised me given their size and price... may need a sub, which is why there used to be an mm226 package (with monitors similar to the mm220s minus the passive radiator). Possible that these would be comparable to the Audyssey Lower East Sides reviewed HERE (http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/audyssey-lower-east-side-media-speakers). No crapy "power safe" mode in this one though.
It also got me interested in what could come out of an Aurasound and Dayton Audio ND90/91 full range drivers for home theater applications.
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What do you use for this measurement? Looks spiffy, aside from too little magnification. (I prefer to see 18 dB range vertically.)
Is that expensive and can it do CSDs?
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I used REW which can do CSDs and it's free. I'll magnify the plots later today :)p5.
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I really like Microlab Solo series of desktop speakers. I think they are the cheapest non-plastic speakers you can get.
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I'm curious about these guys. Active wide-banders with built in filtering to compensate for the driver, so they are accurate to +/- 3dB throughout their useful range, very unusual for a single driver without external correction. Expensive, but interesting.
(http://www.ancient.com.pl/Image87.jpg)
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So....
Comparison plots attached (HD558/blue and KSC75/red - normalized to align at 1kHz). Obviously, the mm220 does not have anywhere near the extension of an average headphone, but IMO very good considering the size.
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1043.0;attach=3476;image)
The mm220 could use some eq in the upper mids and lower tremble. Note this is not an anechoic measurement. It's an "in-my-bedroom" measurement. It is not an authoritative measurement by any means either. The measurement however correlates well with what I heard, which is surprisingly good balance in the 100 Hz to 20 kHz range considering the price and form factor.
I have not measured my Mirage nanosats or the Anthony Gallo/Orbs, but these sound better to my ears.
@RudeWolf: Those look fantastic! and it seems those do come with a remote! Also, on the smallish side of things their H21 looks quite intersting!
@DaveBSC: They seem to be using THESE (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=295-378) as drivers. Some here are much more knowledgeable about drivers than me, but the Fs is 80 Hz and from the spec they seem to peak a little in the tremble area. The toe in might help with that though... but honestly dunno. The finish is quite elegant.
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The real standouts from the Solo series are 4C, 6C and 7C. The first two are really good desktop speakers but 7C performs quite well in mid-field. Some make the mistake of buying the 7C for near field and it is too loud and bassy.
Just don't expect too much from them. All in all most are just blown away by how good they are compared to average plastic fantastic 7.1 system. And that it can play midbass.
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Yup, they use the Dayton drivers and a fairly simple Philips TDA8566Q chip amp. Bass and treble are adjustable via the knobs on the back, but I don't know exactly where in the FR those adjustments are made. Since there's no active crossover as on a two-way studio you're not controlling driver level, just changing the active filter. That should be able to counteract the usual full-range treble rise though.
$1200 is definitely a lot though, Neumann and Adam have some pretty strong monitors for about the same amount of money.
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And I'm just here sitting with my Audioengine A2s I picked up at a bargain...
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I'm sitting here with a 1000$ headphone system and 45$ Creative 5.1 system.
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YOU HAVE A SUBWOOFER?!
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Yes! Whenever there is some low frequency content it alerts me with a one note honk.
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On the measurements, these do pretty darn well for non-anechoic conditions.
Picked up a couple of passive A5s around 2 months a go and broke them while playing with HF test tones(smoke!). Fixing them is a pain in the ass but I want to get some measurements in eventually too! While they were playing they were nice though, a good enough substitute to the floorstanders that I can't use...
Equator Audio has some nice coax but they decided to raise their prices quite a bit this year which is a shame.
I once measured a couple of cheap ass creative 2.1s and they can sound quite flat with reasonable correction in a room though don't expect high quality but still pretty good. Edifier's studio line is pretty decent and won't break the bank as they are practically dirt cheap, for non-plastic they are as cheap as it gets. Unfortunately the line isn't available everywhere for some reason and all edifier is distributing these days are their crappy computer speaker line.
Currently my eye is on Lokis and Full range drivers for bookshelf use, probably cooking up some filters to use with the full ranges(eyeing Fostex with the recommended plans for a normal bass reflex mostly).
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I have a pair of Swan M200 MKIIs. I keep the bass and treble dials at the lowest setting, which I believe minimizes coloration as opposed to what the manufacturer recommends. I honestly I have no idea what I'm doing.
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FE126En is a bit bright around the lower treble, if that's the one you were thinking about (they're all fairly similar methinks). Good in a back-loaded horn (and a large room), but something tells me in a small bass-reflex that is near-field mounted it would not be too great. Typically you just toe-out to reduce the shoutiness, but you might not have the option if it's sitting less than a meter away from you (would lose focus). Maybe you can use a BSC circuit (or PEQ) to tame it a bit, but it's still not an ideal near-field speaker IMO. Maybe the other Fostex drivers have less of those issues.
The Seas Loki kit does look like a great option for near-field though. I'm thinking that one will be my next project. Just wish it was $310 for the pair instead of each. :)p17 I could do the cabinets meself, but those kits are always a better value.
I'm using my Overnight Sensation MT's and a Parasound Z-amp as my computer speakers. I still have my ol' Logitech Z506 sitting around here somewhere...
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I've got a set of old 2.1 Cambridge Soundworks speakers that must be going on nearly 20 years now and still going strong. Not much of a comparison, but it easily beats the likes of Logitech etc in the computer 2.1 realm. Makes me kinda curious what their newer models sound like.
I also have their "Model Twelve" which is a transportable 2.1 set that I use for house parties and used to use for small dance events.
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And I'm just here sitting with my Audioengine A2s I picked up at a bargain...
You can spend more and get less. We set the kid up with a Dragonfly and a pair of A2s in his dorm room, and the combo far exceeded expectations.
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For a reasonably sensitive desktop speakers one could try Troels Fostex FE126E + Fountek NeoCD3 project- http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/FE126E.htm
They won't play too loud but can be driven by rather low-power amps. I have this crazy idea to build a pair and mate them with "The Wire" speaker amps. Maybe the bottom can be subwoofered for additional win.
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Picked up a couple of passive A5s around 2 months a go and while broke them playing with HF test tones(smoke!). Fixing them is a pain in the ass but I want to get some measurements in eventually too! While they were playing they were nice though, a good enough substitute to the floorstanders that I can't use...
What amp did you use with your passive A5s and how does it perform? Measurements would also be more than welcome when you get them up and running. As far as the Creatives, back then for me it was a close call between the mm220s and the Creative T-40s. In fact, originally I was going to get the T-40s, but they were a tad bigger and more expensive given the BAs were being phased out.
I have also seen the Lokis from Madisound, but seems a little pricy. The Overnight Sensations (http://www.diysoundgroup.com/speaker-kits/os-speaker-kit.html) that OJneg suggested look very tempting and seem very hard to beat for the price.
I have a pair of Swan M200 MKIIs. I keep the bass and treble dials at the lowest setting, which I believe minimizes coloration as opposed to what the manufacturer recommends. I honestly I have no idea what I'm doing.
Believe it or not, Fry's did carry those for a little while. They sounded very impressive, but may sound best on mid-field applications. Really nice looking and sounding speaker.
I've got a set of old 2.1 Cambridge Soundworks speakers that must be going on nearly 20 years now and still going strong.
How is their house sound...? warmi-sh, bright-ish, mid-centric... Look pretty practical.
For a reasonably sensitive desktop speakers one could try Troels Fostex FE126E + Fountek NeoCD3 project- http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/FE126E.htm
They won't play too loud but can be driven by rather low-power amps. I have this crazy idea to build a pair and mate them with "The Wire" speaker amps. Maybe the bottom can be subwoofered for additional win.
Do it! :)p6
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I've got a set of old 2.1 Cambridge Soundworks speakers that must be going on nearly 20 years now and still going strong.
How is their house sound...? warmi-sh, bright-ish, mid-centric... Look pretty practical.
Well I don't have the small set anymore as they're with the ex now and there's no way in hell I'm going near that. But going by memory, they were mid-centric-ish with a mild top end rolloff. Fairly wide dispersion so the "sweet spot" wasn't so important. Really good for filling up an apartment with a lot of sound. Bass was about as good as one could expect from the tiny drivers (I think it was maybe a 4-inch woofer in the "sub") and never distorted; I actually had it tucked away behind boxes under my desk for years and years and completely forgot how small it was, so I was really surprised when I finally dug it back out. You can easily fit the sub itself on a bookshelf and still get decent bass from it.
The Model Twelve was like a big brother. More power, lower reach, though I always used it in bigger rooms/venues so my perception of bass has always been a bit weaker. But I just love the handiness of how it all packs into a suitcase (the sub is built into the case) for transport and has a pretty rugged build quality.
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And I'm just here sitting with my Audioengine A2s I picked up at a bargain...
You can spend more and get less. We set the kid up with a Dragonfly and a pair of A2s in his dorm room, and the combo far exceeded expectations.
True that. With everything said, the A2 is actually a decent 2.0 setup, especially with quality DACs. For the price I paid, I would be stuck with a 2.1 Logitech or Altec Lansing. At least they will have more bass kick haha
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I started with JBL Duet II's, good design and nice sound for the money.
M-Audio BX5 followed, I was impressed.
Now I use a Logitech S715i connected to a Pico DAC. For casual listening it is good enough.
After finalizing the headphone set-up, bi-amped monitors...
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not really computer audio in the strict sense but i have a large office and use a vintage set of monitors with a vintage amp - Pinnacle Gold Monitors ( http://www.pinnaclespeakers.com/cgmon.html ) and Cyrus II amp ( http://www.stereophile.com/content/mission-system-mission-cyrus-two-amplifier ) . I hardly ever fire up my headphones at work.
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Was driving them with a NAD receiver which was satisfactory to me before they smoked. Good depth and smooth highs. Imaging is not pinpoint though thats to be expected. Definitely a little hyped at the bottom end <100hz. Dispersion is pretty darn wide unlike my previous Edifier Studios so no real sweet spot. I think I got these at a good price of 220 USD.
Will be taking a while to do mods and repairs as I'm gonna change out a bunch of caps for slightly better ones and place in moar damping schemes which hopefully works out. Will be my 1st modding project with speakers(okay the first was building a mini boombox but that does not count).
Actually I have the same idea(amp wise at least) as Rudewolf involving the Lateral FET or UHP speaker amp version of "The Wire" for speaker(preferrably single source speakers) use as well but that be much later.
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Yeah, only the problem with low-volume speakers is that they are very insensitive. Employing high efficiency drivers in turn limits the maximum loudness you can get from them. So yeah, no free lunch.
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Anyone here personally try the Emotiva powered speakers?
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The Emotivas were demoed at T.H.E. Show. I think they had a room setup as a home theater with the larger monitors. They cranked the volume up to much IMO, and seemed bass bloated. Perhaps the room was too small, but not sure. The monitors seem to come with shelving EQ options and it could be that the monitors were not played with optimal settings. This is all from memory though.
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Looks like they have the Stealth DC-1 dac to match the monitors now. Not much for specs given, though balanced out and two headphone jacks. Interesting.
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The Emotivas were demoed at T.H.E. Show. I think they had a room setup as a home theater with the larger monitors. They cranked the volume up to much IMO, and seemed bass bloated. Perhaps the room was too small, but not sure. The monitors seem to come with shelving EQ options and it could be that the monitors were not played with optimal settings. This is all from memory though.
My exact impression from that demo. Bloated might be putting it lightly.
AudioEngines (was it the A5 or the A5+?) sounded pretty good at THE though. So did the Vanatoos.
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The Emotivas were demoed at T.H.E. Show. I think they had a room setup as a home theater with the larger monitors. They cranked the volume up to much IMO, and seemed bass bloated. Perhaps the room was too small, but not sure. The monitors seem to come with shelving EQ options and it could be that the monitors were not played with optimal settings. This is all from memory though.
I have the smallest version of the Emotiva, at bass set to -2 and treble 0 they sound quite balanced to me. not at all bass bloated. I find them to be really good for their size and price. also look really cool.
sucks that they demo'ed them that way, they aren't bad at all.
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I have the smallest version of the Emotiva, at bass set to -2 and treble 0 they sound quite balanced to me. not at all bass bloated. I find them to be really good for their size and price. also look really cool.
sucks that they demo'ed them that way, they aren't bad at all.
Possible. IMO Emotiva could have done a better job at setting up their demo room.
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My current computer/desktop speaker rig consists of the super over hyped Pioneer Andrew Jones bookshelf speakers bs22lr ($77/pr) sw8mk2 sub ($90) and a Parasound Zamp v3. Needless to say I've had a bunch of speakers and amps in this position over the past few years and the current setup I am very happy with.
Maybe it's just the right setup at the right time but the speakers and sub for that matter sound great even at low volume levels, something I had a hard time finding with my other configurations. At first I thought the cheap price, small sub, and small 4" woofers of the speakers would sound terrible but I was pleased at first listen. IMO they do deserve the praise they get. The sub btw is more like adding another speaker that can play just a bit lower than the bookshelves than a real sub. The specs say it only goes down to 38hz which is pretty sad; I think I'd hate to try to use this setup in a home theater type rig but for desktop music listening it works.
I got lucky and snagged the above pieces on sale or used at great prices and would even say they are worth it at full retail.
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My current computer/desktop speaker rig consists of the super over hyped Pioneer Andrew Jones bookshelf speakers bs22lr ($77/pr) sw8mk2 sub ($90) and a Parasound Zamp v3. Needless to say I've had a bunch of speakers and amps in this position over the past few years and the current setup I am very happy with.
:)p13 I just bought a sw8mk2 for my mini while-the-kids-grow-up home theater some few days ago! It should arrive anytime now.
The story is that my Mirage mini-sub plate amp died. The plate amp is a weird form factor and the candidate replacements were more expensive than the sub itself. Of course I opened the sub and besides finding some caps blown in the amp (woofer is in good condition) I found some Legos and toys stuffed inside...
Both subs are 8", and cover more or less the same frequencies. Bigger, more powerful and expensive subs will definitively dig down deeper and harder :-*... Good things come to those who wait... or so I keep telling my sorry self...
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The Z-amp is just perfect for running passives on a desktop. Got mine used for $100. So much power in such a small package. The relay on the v2 kind of annoys me though.
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I have the smallest version of the Emotiva, at bass set to -2 and treble 0 they sound quite balanced to me. not at all bass bloated. I find them to be really good for their size and price. also look really cool.
sucks that they demo'ed them that way, they aren't bad at all.
Possible. IMO Emotiva could have done a better job at setting up their demo room.
do you remember which model they were? I haven't heard the bigger ones.
and uh, dumb question but how much difference do stands make for bass? I'm debating whether I should get some yoga blocks or something to put under them.
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do you remember which model they were? I haven't heard the bigger ones.
and uh, dumb question but how much difference do stands make for bass? I'm debating whether I should get some yoga blocks or something to put under them.
I honestly don't remember. I took a picture but it came out dark (demo room was dark). From memory I think they were on stands.
Placement obviously makes a difference, but dunno about the yoga blocks. I know Audioengine sells desktop stands that change the horizontal angle and might help absorb resonances. Angling the drivers (horizontally and vertically) towards you may improve balance, but I don't know how the Emotivas will respond to this.
The mm220s seem to roll about 3.5 dB/decade when toed out 45 degrees and about 5 dB/decade when toed out 60 degrees. This roll off is not always graceful though (some peaks and valleys may develop at different angles depending on the speaker design). You could also experiment with distance to walls (Emotivas I believe are back ported).
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BTW, my Pioneer sw8mk2 arrived today. The internal tube of the port was detached (... well it was $97 after all). So while opening it to fix this smallish issue this is what I found:
- The Pioneer MDF cabinet was about half the thickness of the Mirage sub.
- Cabinet was not reinforcement (neither was the Mirage).
- The damping was better done than the Mirage (polyfill on top and sides, Mirage only does the sides).
- Pioneer woofer has a lager magnet and steel frame. The Mirage a much smaller magnet and plastic frame.
- The port on both sub is about the same diameter and length (tuned similarly perhaps).
- Pioneer box is wider and shorter.
- Pioneer has a cross over knob... Mirage does not.
To soon to tell, but so far so good with the Pioneer.
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There's also these. I don't know how much absorbing the Audioengine wedges are going to do, they're just plastic aren't they?
(http://www.keymusic.com/gfx_productcode/97748/Auralex-MoPad-Monitor-Isolation-Pads.jpg)
(http://www.americanmusical.com/ItemImages/Large/ULT%20MS80.jpg)
(http://www.wiretotheear.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Ardan_Audio_Pro_Speaker_Stands.jpg)
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Well (Edit: I should have been more clear and said cabinet resonances) , some small and sometimes cheap computer speakers tend vibrate significantly at certain volumes. Plastic/Foam feet/blocks might help in absorbing the dancing around of a lively speaker which otherwise would make noise against a table or shelf... I guess one could weight them down to.
I don't think the plastic wedges would alter much FR/IR resonances unless they change speaker orientation...
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K, I was a little wrong about the little budget Pioneer sw8mk2 sub. The thickness of the cabinet of the Pioneer is 10/16", while the Mirage is 12/16" (i.e. not that much different). I think it's sort of optical illusion. The Pioneer is a great little sub for the price (definitively better than what came with the old Nano-sat combo).
Pics:
Pioneer cabinet thickness, top/left/right damping, and port
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/9279715451_36cb91a284_z.jpg)
Mirage cabinet thickness, left afterthough damping, speaker magnet/basket(plastic) and port
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5335/9282493638_fe0c2c70c9_z.jpg)
Pioneer speaker magnet/basket(steel)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/9282499062_df00b202c4_z.jpg)
Mirage speaker cone and surround
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5458/9282492596_6df95a9c5c_z.jpg)
Pioneer speaker cone and surround
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2833/9282499758_03bea813be_z.jpg)
The two subs (not much different in terms of dimensions... seems more like an optical illusion as well)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7329/9279710591_4ab488733e_z.jpg)
Sound:
The Mirage is IMO more punchy than the Pioneer, but the Pioneer is much more accurate and fills the low end void better than the Mirage. Certain percussion sounds that were absent in the Mirage are making their way out of the Pioneer. Given the nano-sats roll off way too soon, the fact that the Pioneer has a way to dial the cross-over all the way to 150 Hz is a good reason to kick the Mirage sub in ass and out the door.
Neither one of these subs is the ultimate expression of hi-fi, but the Pioneer does a great job in complementing small HT satellites in situations were placement/space is severely constrained (I may be able to condition another room for some better gear... later), and where a more serious sub may be threatened by little plastic soldiers looking for cover.
Possibly much better small subs are out there commercially and for the DIYer (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-7090).
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How is the placement working out at your desktop? I can't really tell from the pics. Are they sitting right under your desk as foot massagers, or are they a bit off to the side?
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LOL!!! The Pioneer would be great for a small desktop setup, but they are currently being used in a small HT setup. In the pics they are located to the side of a small entertainment center.
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There's also these. I don't know how much absorbing the Audioengine wedges are going to do, they're just plastic aren't they?
The Internets told me they are made from silicone and should therefore be quite good for this purpose. can get them locally too, they seem like a good contender.
the emotiva tweeter drivers are very picky about angling actually, so I think this will be ideal really.
thanks, and thanks to ultrabike too!
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K, I was a little wrong about the little budget Pioneer sw8mk2 sub. The thickness of the cabinet of the Pioneer is 10/16", while the Mirage is 12/16" (i.e. not that much different). I think it's sort of optical illusion. The Pioneer is a great little sub for the price (definitively better than what came with the old Nano-sat combo).
It's been a very long time since Mirage made this guy. IMO once Paisley retired as their main designer, things went downhill pretty quickly, and then once Klipsch took over...
(http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/image.php%3Fimage%3D2879140%26is_user%3D0)
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Have used the A2's, A5's, and a paid of Energy RC-10's hooked up to a Sonic Impact Super T-amp. Get the best overall sound from the bookshelf/amp setup, but doesn't as well in near-field applications. The A2's, especially when purchased used, are a really good deal. Good size for a desk, with impressive, easy to listen to sound. Much better than anything I have owned from Logitech.
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sorry for ressurecting an old thread but I'm looking to get a small set of speakers since I miss having a set, that can easily be stored in my suitcase when moving around, and just plug into my leckerton or laptop or ipad or whatever when I'd like some music.
I can't find these MM220, probably due to being discontinued many moons ago... and I'm trying to be cheap as I'll have the Emotiva 4 when I move back again, in about 6 months. so just something temporary really.
so hmm. I'd love the A2, heard and liked, but they're about 300 bucks here in Sweden.
and most speakers discussed here are sort of either out of budget or just completely unavailable in Sweden... anyone have any quick recommendations?
thanks!
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I use Creative Giga Works T3 Speakers for my computer, they are a good deal and sound great for the price.
(http://www.landmarkpc.co.za/store/images/CTV-GIGA-T3.jpg)
(http://img-sotmarket.ru/standart/img/aksessuary_pc_notebook/kolonki/acustica_creative_gigaworks_t3.jpg)
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looks funky... 250 bucks here though :( if they came without the woofer maybe they'd be more affordable. I should look into that!
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They do sound really great, and the control pod is a nice addition to it. You can use it to control the volume without having to manually control the volume on your PC or your music application. The Pod control also has headphone input and Line-in inputs.
If you're looking for something without a sub, you can check out the Logitech Z320's they are only $59.99 (USD)
(http://www.logitech.com/assets/15189/15189.png)
Or the Logitech Multimedia Speakers Z200 ($29.99 USD) (You can choose Black or White Color)
(http://www.logitech.com/assets/49856/multimediaspeakersz200gallery1.jpg)
(http://www.logitech.com/assets/49859/multimediaspeakersz200gallery4.jpg)
Here are some from Creative:
Creative A60 2.0 Desktop Speakers ($19.99 USD)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41lYhWRUzRL.jpg)
Creative Inspire T12 2.0 Desktop Speakers (On Sale for $49.99 USD - Regular Price $79.99 USD)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51J9yuUC0cL.jpg)
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cool, lots of options there. are the z320 anything like Z623? I've tried those extensively and they were pretty good, I'd probably be happy with that. they look quite shitty with that glossy finish though but might not be my top priority... :P might look better IRL.
update: I actually found my old Harman/Kardon speakers... so I think I'll save meself the trouble.
thanks a lot for taking your time with suggestions! :)