[kwlug-disc] (hardware) PC speaker brand

[Jason]

I personally ditched my computer speakers and exclusively use headphones
now on PC.
I have one of these as my DAC/Amp that connects to my PC over USB, and I
can connect in a microphone and whatever headphones I want to use:
https://www.schiit.com/products/gunnr

If you want to stay with computer speakers, it's going to depend on your
motherboard connectors.
Most older motherboards would have an optical connector 5.1 DTS, but that
requires a separate sound controller to connect the speakers and subwoofers.
If you want a sub, it would need to have the 3.5mm aux to connect directly
to your motherboard, or be able to connect to an Amp/DAC controller.

The old Sound Blaster cards had a connector for digital coax, or 3.5mm
connectors - which can vary based on motherboard:
Connectors:
https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/what-audio-jacks-are-which.3098416/

Sticking with basic computer speakers, anything used that's in good
condition and a known brand would probably be fine.  For example:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BNYFNhBXY/
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Nir2L6dFG/
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AmpuXD8i2/

You could use any decent bookshelf monitor speakers, but you'd need a way
to connect them to your PC.
Probably through a small Amp/DAC to power them that can connect to your PC
over USB or Optical.
Fiio and Topping make some decent stuff - just make sure it can power the
speakers (check Amp/Ohms), and has the connectors for speaker wire.
Something like this could work:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AwVrNihHV/

For bookshelf speakers - Klipsh, Polk Audio, Sony, or Harmon Kardon would
all be decent from an audiophile level. These look really nice:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1CcaWePbTJ/

You could also consider getting a used sound bar - I've seen a number of
those that should connect via USB.  I have no experience with them, so
someone else will have to recommend.

Cheers,
Jason


On Sun, Jul 27, 2025 at 12:01 PM Ron Singh <ronsingh149 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've always been terribly dissapointed with "basic" PC speakers.
>
> Aeons back, perhaps in 2012/2013, I got a couple of sets of this --
> https://ca.creative.com/p/speakers/gigaworks-t40-series-ii
>
> Very happy with them for use at my home offices, in one case, tethered to
> a laptop via a dock and the other, on a bigly yellowed some beige
> tower(anti-theft measure).
> I like the fact that it has  separate bass/treble/volume controls, very
> heavy base(stand) and looks gnarly.
>
> Amazingly, it's still on offer!
> Super-spendy now, back in the day, I am pretty sure I only paid $65-$75.
>
> I see this:
>
> https://www.kijiji.ca/v-speakers/kitchener-waterloo/creative-gigaworks-t40-series-ii-speakers/1721027226
>
> As long as it does not smell and controls are good, seems like a deal at
> 50 Cdn pesos.
>
> Ron S.
>
>
>
> On Sun, Jul 27, 2025 at 1:46 AM William Park via kwlug-disc <
> kwlug-disc at kwlug.org> wrote:
>
>> I'm looking to replace my 30-year old PC speakers.  I just need basic,
>> nothing fancy.  I know of Logitech and Creative brand, at the low end.
>> Are there other brands that have come along in the last 30 years?
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> kwlug-disc mailing list
>> To unsubscribe, send an email to kwlug-disc-leave at kwlug.org
>> with the subject "unsubscribe", or email
>> kwlug-disc-owner at kwlug.org to contact a human being.
>>
> _______________________________________________
> kwlug-disc mailing list
> To unsubscribe, send an email to kwlug-disc-leave at kwlug.org
> with the subject "unsubscribe", or email
> kwlug-disc-owner at kwlug.org to contact a human being.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.kwlug.org/pipermail/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org/attachments/20250727/f286c2e4/attachment.htm>