Week of March 13, 2005<\/p>\n
Q: I am looking for a powered speaker system to use with my Mac for listening to music. Price is a limitation- I’m looking for the best sound I can get for my buck. I can spend from a few hundred dollars at most- what would you recommend?<\/p>\n
Billy Norton
\nWebster, NC<\/p>\n
A: You have touched on a subject near and dear to my heart- building a great-sounding audio system on a very limited budget. Getting good sound when you have a multi-thousand dollar budget is easy. Getting good sound without spending a lot of money- that’s an art. <\/p>\n
For high-fidelity sound you have to move beyond a powered computer speaker system and get a receiver and speakers. Your computer’s audio output can use an adapter with two RCA plug connections to connect it to the stereo output of a receiver. Some Macs have an optical digital audio output, which is even better.<\/p>\n
I did a little shopping on your behalf and this is what I came up with. If any readers out there have a DVD player and want to add great sound to your TV, music, video games, and movies, you can own a quality component system for under $200. Sound too good to be true? Read on!<\/p>\n
Speakers are the most important part of the system. I recently discovered a great-sounding, inexpensive speaker from Polk Audio, a respected speaker manufacturer. The Polk R15 is a two-way bookshelf speaker with a 5.25-inch woofer. The R15s sound great- accurate, detailed, natural and listenable, and they currently sell for only $99 a pair at www.crutchfield.com. <\/p>\n
The Polk R15s sound full, but do not have deep bass since it is a small speaker. You can improve the bass of any speaker by placing it closer to the rear wall. This may be enough to satisfy you if your room is not large. <\/p>\n
You can also add a powered subwoofer. Go to www.partsexpress.com and you will find the Dayton 10-inch 100-watt powered subwoofer for only $125. Owners posting on home theater websites report this sub offers accurate sound and great value.<\/p>\n
You can also buy a speaker with a bigger woofer. The Cambridge Soundworks Model Six has an 8-inch woofer and costs $149 per pair. I have not heard the Model Six, but it has garnered good reviews and I have been very pleased with other Cambridge Soundworks products. See the Model Six at www.cambridgesoundworks.com.<\/p>\n
Once you choose your speakers, you need clean power to drive them. A visit to J&R Music World at www.jr.com found a refurbished Onkyo TX-8011 stereo receiver for only $89.88. I purchase and recommend refurbs as the products look and perform like new, and you still get a warranty. <\/p>\n
If you want to add surround sound now or in the future, buy J&R’s refurbished Onkyo TX-SR502 for $149. A second pair of R15s will work as surround speakers, and if you set the receiver on “no center channel” the receiver will create a virtual center channel with the two front speakers.<\/p>\n
The stereo Polk\/Onkyo combination would come in at only $190 and sound far better than any Home Theater In-A-Box combo selling at a similar price. You would not have surround sound, but you get much better quality sound in stereo. Think of it this way- would you rather have an 18 oz. chopped steak at a bar, or a 6 oz. Filet Mignon at Ruth’s Chris? <\/p>\n
Even a four speaker Polk\/Onkyo combo is only $350, $475 with a subwoofer- and again would sound far better than any $500 home theater in-a-box.<\/p>\n
Either system can be connected to a DVD player, VCR, TV, and a TV cable box as well as video game systems. Not only will they sound great, you will hear sounds you never heard before. It’s an entirely different experience than the tiny, underpowered speakers in your TV set.<\/p>\n
Can you spare $200 from that tax refund? Invest in some quality sound- life is short!<\/p>\n