TubeNet

I'd like to get some 110 volt-powered, plug-into-the-headphones-jack speakers for my laptop, which has the expected tinny awful sound out of its tiny widdle speakers. It seems everything out there is being used by people who have some kind of fancy multi-speaker "blow me out of the water with the bass" speaker system, and I can't find any reviews I trust. So here I am asking TNFJ what can I get that is <= $100 that just gives me a way better sound than what I'm getting? I don't want USB powered and I don't want blue tooth/wifi. I've been assuming that by plugging into the wall they will have a pre-amp in them. I can't imagine what wattage the computer puts out, but it surely isn't much.

I'm not usually the biggest Bose fan, but I once had a set of Bose computer speakers which were pretty decent. I think these are like an updated version of that. Haha, one of the usual complaints about Bose is that there are "no lows", so I guess blowing you out of the water with bass isn't going to be an issue there.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/bose-compa ... Id=8864513" target="_blank

Even plugged in bookshelf stuff is going to be low current.

If you pick up a set of Logitech speakers with the separate woofer, you’ll get decent sound. Expect to pay $50-80.

Something like:

https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/ ... 13?crid=47" target="_blank

Fascinating in the Amazon reviews: apparently with every Win10 upgrade, they quit working and major fiddling has to be done with drivers or whatever.
"UPDATE (Wednesday January 22nd, 2020)
I needed to write an update after the [positive] one I left above to let the future buyers know a very important detail about the speaker system, I wasn't aware of myself at time of purchase: they do NOT work with windows 10."

Is Win10 the problem or Win10 IT?

At home, my Win10 machines update and the drivers update accordingly. I have little to no issues with the current method of release being used (versioning and not service packs). However, who I work for does a terrible job of configuration and control of Win10 updates. They continue to update the OS without updating drivers, sound drivers being included (video are even worse).

I don't understand... aren't we just talking about things that plug into the headphone jack of your computer?

bort wrote:I don't understand... aren't we just talking about things that plug into the headphone jack of your computer?

Yes. But if a Win10 machine isn’t configured to accept driver updates properly, chaos ensues.

Win10 has a lot of flexibility for IT/IA management. Too much.

Since 1997, I've been using a pair of Altec Lansing computer speakers that have successfully worked with five different computers since then. Just plug them into AC power and into the headphone input of the computer. These have produced killer sound, not noisy and obnoxious, but very balanced over a wide frequency range. I doubt these speakers are still available today, but I suspect Bort's link above would produce similar results.

Ace

bort wrote:I don't understand... aren't we just talking about things that plug into the headphone jack of your computer?

yes, and since I doubt there is much wattage available that way, into the wall also for power.

Ace wrote:Since 1997, I've been using a pair of Altec Lansing computer speakers that have successfully worked with five different computers since then. Just plug them into AC power and into the headphone input of the computer. These have produced killer sound, not noisy and obnoxious, but very balanced over a wide frequency range. I doubt these speakers are still available today, but I suspect Bort's link above would produce similar results.

Ace

That's a lot of the problem now....things are definitely not what they were in 1997 or ten years ago because now the "Walmart effect" of cheapest possible that will sell, and quality means nothing. I replaced my Sony tuner with what appeared to be an identical one just a year ago, and even though the new one was a higher wattage, the sound quality was just dismal and I find I can't even stand to listen to it. Not the same quality....they've all gone "Walmart cheapo."

I got some Edifier powered speakers from Amazon last year. I have it hooked up with RCA cables but you may be able to set it up with an adapter/splitter cable.

Less than $100, good and loud!!

I had been looking at the Edifier 1280T as a possibility. I don't need to blow myself across the room, just get more quality and more volume than this otherwise great Vaio puts out.

MaryAnn wrote:I had been looking at the Edifier 1280T as a possibility. I don't need to blow myself across the room, just get more quality and more volume than this otherwise great Vaio puts out.

That’s what I got. You don’t have to crank them up to 11, but it’s nice to know you can!!

At low volume there is very good clarity and low noise. Much better than the price would indicate.

nworbekim wrote:If you can find one of these at your price, i recommend it highly. it's the BEST i've found yet. it can be used with the same type plug as earbuds or wife. if you have an apple phone, it's a dock... you can set it up to play from itunes from the pc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bowers-Wilkins ... SwghpezHN9" target="_blank" target="_blank

Thanks but that is wireless. No wifi allowed in my house.

I ordered the Edifiers and will let you know what I think. They have to lie down in the cabinets above where I have the laptop in order to not be clawed to smithereens by the resident felines. I can just shut the doors until of course I forget to do that.

They are ok. Not wonderful, but what do you want for $100. I had to turn down the treble....seems the "average" for hearing now has lost a lot of treble so the "norm" seems to have the treble boosted.
I also had to put them on the back porch for a week because of the very high level of China Stink. But in our 100+ temperatures they off gassed reasonably quickly.
So it's nice to be able to turn up the volume on the many things I listen to where I'm trying to do something to the directions and headphones really get in the way.

“China Stink”

I went through the same process a few years ago. I went through about a dozen different sets of computer speakers. The only set that I found to be worthwhile were Klipsch Pro Media. However, they are $150. Now, since I have my computer in the same room as my good stereo system (tube amp) I just use a long wire and plug my computer into my stereo system. I get great sound that way.

KorKoro

Those are probably notably better. However.....not since 2010 have I had any kind of speakers set up (the mold story) and I'm just damn happy to be listening to Beethoven 7 on Youtube right now, at a volume other than squawk-ppp.