You don’t have to be a gamer , audiophile, musician, or multimedia editor to want better sound from your computer. Computer speakers have come along way over the last decade, adding subwoofers and options for surround– but still anything providing sound beyond serviceable will cost you a lot and usually not perform as well as other options available. Here are 3 ways you can get great desktop audio without having to shell out lots of money (its all really up to you how much you spend).
- Bookshelf speakers and a small stereo amp.
Instead of buying small overpriced speakers with built in amplification designed for computers, getting a small amp and a pair of bookshelf speakers gives you more pricing options, customizability, and much greater scalability. For instance, if my budget is $150 I can spend $100 on a pair of bookshelf speakers, and $50 on an amp or $125 on better bookshelf speakers and only spend $25 on the amp. I can also pick the bookshelf speakers that fit my size needs and color preference. This choice also gives you the option to improve in the future; you can always get a better amp or preamp to improve the sound.
This is the option I chose, first acquiring the very capable Lepai LP-2020A+ 20 watt class T amplifier. This is a very good and cheap choice. It will provide plenty of power for most smaller bookshelf speakers, gives you a bass and treble nob for adjustments. It does the job without taking up space.
For my bookshelves, I did the research and then searched the internet. I find that paying for new or full priced speakers will really limit your choices. There are still some fine lower priced models out there, but despite my budget firmly being $125, my mind was still set on $300 speakers. So I searched refurbed and used for well known hifi brands. Here’s a list of brands I searched:
- Definitive Technology
- Axiom
- Bowers and Wilkins
- Paradigm
- Martin Logan
- KEF
- SVS
- Cambridge
- Emotiva
- Wharfedale
I ended up finding a like-new pair of KEF C1’s for $90 on amazon. It really was a great deal. I wanted a smaller speaker with bass reflex, so as to get buy without a dedicated sub, and these do superbly. Used is risky but it can be rewarding. If you not up for it though, Monoprice’s select series and Micca’s MB42x are two options I would consider.
The only thing you’ll need in this setup are a decently long 3.5mm cable (aux) or a 3.5mm to rca and some speaker wire. These can be picked up cheaply online at monoprice or amazon or locally at the hardware store or radioshack (though your options will be limited).
2. Studio Monitors
Studio monitors are designed for musicians who need accurate monitors and sound controls for performance and recording purposes. They generally have built in amplification but are larger and more capable than computer speakers. There are plenty of options in all sizes and price ranges, and all you’ll need should be a 3.5mm to rca cable to set them up. They are more expensive than bookshelves for the performance and don’t give you the flexibility, but if you’re looking for a simple setup, or have hopes of one day doing some recording, studio monitors can be a good option. Check out Monoprice’s studio monitors and watch Massdrop for good deals.
3. A good pair of headphones and a headphone amp/dac combo
If you want great audio, but have a very hectic household or do most of your listening at night while everyone’s asleep, it would be wise to get a good pair of headphones and possibly add a dac/amp combo (if your budget allows). A good set of over the ear headphones can provde realy good isolation from your environment, so perfect of your computer is a source of escape. I highly recommend checking out Headfi’s quarterly buying guides for an up-to-date headphone recommendations that fit your budget. You can also add a headphone or DAC to add impact and detail to make a truly hifi experience. I use a pair of Fostex Te-05 IEMs and Fiio X3 (which can be used as a desktop amp and DAC) when I want a discrete audiophile experience.
These are all great alternatives to computer speakers and will give you better sound for the money, but just be aware that often the tradeoff is size. You may look for on or in-wall speakers or mountable speakers.
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