What to Look for When Buying PC Speakers

Computer speakers are one of those PC accessories that are practically essential and you can spend anywhere from $ 10 to $ 1000 on quality PC speakers depending on your budget. In today’s post, we will look at some of the points to look out for when choosing a sound system for your computer.

I really enjoy listening to music, and since my computer is the primary source of my digital music collection, a good speaker system is essential. I went down the path of spending more on speakers than I should, I went down the too cheap path and I also bought mid-range speakers. Here are some tips and other recommendations I learned about PC speakers.

Expensive is not always the best

At one point, I spent quite a lot of money installing PC 2.1 speakers, which of course means two speakers and one subwoofer. The specific speakers I bought were Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 PC speakers with THX certification. At the time of purchase, these particular computer speakers were considered the best in the lineup and cost several hundred dollars (almost $ 300!).

I read many online reviews before purchasing these Klipsch THX speakers and they have been listed as high quality premium audio speakers on many websites. This was not the case for me. Having bought the speakers, I noticed that they are, of course, pretty good. However, the sub was not noticeably “THX” cool and the bass it produced was a little rattling at high volumes. In addition, the satellite speakers produced pretty good sound.

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It was these speakers that lasted for a while before they completely stopped working. However, I managed to exchange them for a replacement. The replacement did the same and eventually died less than a year later.

I don’t mean to say that these are not the best speakers. Many online reviews claim that these speakers do produce quality sound, but I would simply not recommend them.

By choosing cheap, you get what you pay for

When you get cheap, you get what you pay for

As mentioned in the first paragraph, I went the cheap route too. When the old Dell speakers that came with my parent computers broke down, they asked me to find new speakers. They don’t listen to music on their PC, they want simple speakers that play Windows alert sounds and sometimes YouTube audio or video.

To do this, I went very cheap and bought some Logitech S120 speakers, which are $ 10 multimedia speakers without a subwoofer.

These speakers don’t even have four or five star ratings on most websites, but again, they cost $ 10, which ended up being a great choice for what my parents use them for. At high enough volume levels, this sounds terrible; and they don’t have much bass.

The treble and mids are decent, though, and are good for playing Windows alerts and basic online audio. My parents don’t like loud music, so these speakers turned out to be a great purchase. I dropped them, they fell and hit the floor several times, but they still work fine. Plus, if they break at some point, it will cost another $ 10 to replace them. These cheap speakers proved to be a better buy and were more reliable than the Klipsch THX Audio Certified speakers listed above.

Medium price range

Average price

The speakers I currently own are also my favorite computer speakers I’ve bought to date. They were mid-priced, proved to be durable, and produced decent sound.

I bought the JBL Creature II speakers a few years ago and they still sound great.

These speakers, which I bought for about $ 120, look like they were made from a different fabric, which I liked because they looked unique.

The bass of the Creature II system is pretty decent, but it was the whole ensemble that made this great acquisition for me. The two satellite speakers seem too simple and the subwoofer is downward-facing, but in terms of sound, there is no sacrifice. I note that Klipsch speakers deliver arguably more accurate bass at low to mid volume levels, but they produce more powerful bass, and the treble and mids are in line with the much more expensive THX system.

These JBL Creature speakers are not perfect. The controls for satellite speakers are a bit odd as they use some touch / touch-sensitive volume controls. Therefore, if dirt gets on the volume controls, they sometimes fail.

However, I got angry and kicked the subwoofer, dropped the speakers and caught my foot on the cord, causing the entire speaker system to wobble. They still produce great sound to this day, and I think they are great for the price.

What are the best computer speakers?

So which are the best PC speakers? For me, the JBL Creature II speakers were a great choice. For those looking for basic PC speakers to play audio from a PC, a pair of Logitech speakers for $ 10 may be enough. The Klipsch speakers listed above are best tested by technical experts, best rated by consumers, and the most expensive, but to me they were just short-lived and not worth the price, nor was the replacement kit.

Apart from my rambling speech, you may need some simple tips when buying a PC audio system. Here are some tips

Stick to massive consumer reviews, not what tech enthusiasts tell you.

If a particular PC speaker has sold over 1,000 units in the last quarter and has received an average of 5 stars from consumers, there is a good chance it’s a great buy. Many tech review websites may be affiliates of a particular product, so they get paid to recommend that product to you.

If your budget is less than $ 50

or you just don’t want to spend more than $ 50 on computer speakers, you might consider purchasing a quality basic two-speaker system. Sure, you could probably buy a complete 5.1 sound system with four satellite speakers, center speaker and subwoofer for less than $ 50, but it will most likely be a cheap, untested brand. Your best bet is to spend your money on a quality set of speakers, consisting of a basic left and right, that will last a long time.

Here are some reputable brands of computer speakers:

• Logitech
• JBL
• Altec Lansing
• Harmon Cardon
• Bose

What to look for when choosing modern computer speakers?

• Multiple audio input interfaces (optimal for use with different devices)
• Bluetooth connection (wireless music playback from a smartphone or tablet!)
• Dedicated volume and bass controls (low frequencies can interfere with neighbors, so you can level the sound and still play loud music)
• Engineering.

These are better:

than these:

Functionality and device compatibility

You might be wondering if the speaker is not only PC compatible. For example, there are times when you want to play music from your smartphone, tablet, or even TV.

Don’t spend a lot of money on PC speakers

Unless you have a budget for it or money to burn. Speakers are less reliable for the future than most tech products, but you will still have a better or updated speaker next year.

Consider portability and adaptability

You may now be aiming to create the perfect setup for your computer room, but next year you may be moving to another location, home, etc. Sometimes, portability and adaptability need to be considered.

More speakers is not always better

While a 5-speaker PC audio system can guarantee you surround sound, it may not be the best sound. Noise coming from different angles is normal, but it also requires optimal speaker distance and placement. Think about the room you will be placing the speakers in, because a good 2.1 setup, left and right plus a subwoofer can provide the best sound for a particular room and is easier to set up.

Consider accessories

Most of the add-ons or accessories that come with your PC speakers have nothing to do with actual sound quality, but sometimes it’s convenient to have a remote control for your speakers or other accessories.

Consider using

Computers are versatile, so you can use your PC’s speakers when listening to music, watching Netflix, watching movies online, or even playing games. Thus, you may not want full surround sound when watching a YouTube clip, but you may want surround sound when watching Netflix. Choose a universal PC speaker setting suitable for different purposes.

More power doesn’t always mean more volume

This is true in many cases, but Bose has proven that engineering, design, and other factors are also important when choosing quality PC speakers.

Test Before Buying

Everyone has their own sound preferences for high, mid and low frequencies. People also have preferences in the music genre. As such, it may be wise to pre-test the speaker you are about to buy. Places like BestBuy and Frys have many popular PC speakers.

These are just a few considerations and tips for choosing quality computer computer speakers. Thank you for visiting the site for today’s posting. If I missed something or if visitors or subscribers of our site have additional tips regarding PC speakers, feel free to leave comments. Enjoy!

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