Speakers for under $200
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Bronze Member Username: TomcatAllentown, PA Post Number: 57 Registered: Jan-06 | I need to buy a pair of small speakers to connect my TV for regular viewing since my plasma does not have internal speakers. I am already building a home theater system using Martin Logans but that will be used for only music and movies. Would do you recommed for under $200 and small (8x8x8 inches max). The TV outputs 11 watts so the speakers needs to be efficient. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9007 Registered: May-04 | . I'm confused as to why you wouldn't use the HT speakers for regular TV viewing, but, none the less, try the Insignia B2111 at Best Buy for about $40 a pair. They are a coincident design driver with 90dB sensitivity and a more or less simple 8 Ohm load. The ported design has some boomy problems at extreme volumes but at typical TV viewing levels they sound much better than you would expect for several times the price. (There are also some modifications which can be made to improve the speaker for little cost. You can find these mods by using a search engine.)They have a fairly even sound with more sins of omission that commission. You might choose otherwise, but that is the direction I prefer in budget gear. Products with sins of commission tend to become tiresome after a short period of time in my rooms. I would rather a speaker downplay what it can't do exceptionally well. . |
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Bronze Member Username: TomcatAllentown, PA Post Number: 58 Registered: Jan-06 | The reason I don't want to use the HT speakers with cable/sat is so that the kids can turn on and off tv to watch cartoons, etc. To watch through the HT speakers they would not be able to turn on and off amp/pre/sub/speakers. And I would not want to leave all the equipment on all the time. What do you mean by Mods? |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9010 Registered: May-04 | . Modifications to improve the sound of the speakers. |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 9626 Registered: Dec-03 | Heck, if your plasma has provisions for an external speaker output, you can even use PC speakers. I don't think it will go with the decor, though |
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Gold Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 1212 Registered: Apr-05 | Why? there are some cool looking PC speakers around. This for example is great. You'll get a lot more out of watching star wars http://www.buy.com/retail/Product.asp?sku=10389873&SearchEngine=NexTag&SearchTer m=10389873&Type=PE&Category=Comp&Gad=0&dcaid=15894 |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 3836 Registered: Dec-04 | Cool, Stof! |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 9637 Registered: Dec-03 | Those are really cool looking...no doubt. But what what decor are you trying to go with? LOL |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9018 Registered: May-04 | . Sorry, I didn't notice the size requirements. The Insignias are probably too large for your space. Try this company's products. http://www.nsmaudio.com/brochures/clearance-sale.html The 5s is also a very decent speaker for a bit more money. You can often pick up a pair of 5s's on clearance, however. You will have a problem when you impose those dimensions upon the speaker. You will either trade off efficiency or bass extension. Or both. While loudness might not matter, you might want more bass extension than most speakers this size can muster as 100Hz is about the average for small speakers in this range. (The NSM 5s's do a very credible job sounding as if they produce more in the lower bass range than their size would have you guess possible.) Eleven watts of TV power isn't much when you begin to limit the cabinet size. . . |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9019 Registered: May-04 | . "To watch through the HT speakers they would not be able to turn on and off amp/pre/sub/speakers." Have you considered placing all the equipment on/off functions on one macro switch on your remote? Typically one switch can serve both functions and switch all the appropriate components on and off with just one button. This would make it easy for the kids and not involve additional speakers in the room. . |
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Bronze Member Username: TomcatAllentown, PA Post Number: 59 Registered: Jan-06 | Those are some great options. I did think about programming one button on remote to turn on/off the appropriate stuff. The problem is that my ML Ascent-i have a powered sub that needs to be conencted to wall power. I normally keep it disconnected as they do not have any on/off switch. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9021 Registered: May-04 | . They should have auto on-off. No switch is needed. As soon as they sense a signal, it powers up. After X number of minutes without a signal, it powers down. It would be unusual for a modern sub to not have this feature. . |
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Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 1770 Registered: Feb-04 | How old are the kids? My then 4-year-old could turn on the receiver, select the right input and turn the volume knob. |
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Gold Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 1215 Registered: Apr-05 | ditto mine. My wife still get's confused though. |
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Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 1772 Registered: Feb-04 | Funny! |
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Silver Member Username: PraetorianCanada Post Number: 369 Registered: Dec-05 | Hell, I am having trouble keeping my 18 month old son's hands OFF the eqpt... the boy is after my heart for sure... See Daddy! I like YOUR toys too! (add dimples to the smile too...) |
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