Advice on new speakers

[scratchin' beggar]

Hi all, looking for some advice.

Basically, I want to invest in some new desktop speakers but I'm totally unsure of what to get because I've got next to no experience with audio. I've only ever bought myself one set of speakers in the past and all I did was go to my local computer store and get the speakers I thought looked cool.

My budget is anywhere up to £400 and having had a scour through this website and the rest of the net (not all of it, obviously) I've managed to narrow it down to the Ruark MR1's or the Q Acoustics BT3's, but again, I have no idea how to choose between the two!

My question is, for music quality and overall experience which speakers are the better purchase?

Any other recommendations are also welcomed, although I would still like to stick to a bluetooth option if possible and at the very least they do need to easily connect to my PC and mobile phone.

Thanks!

 

[gasolin]

Include the system audio saxo 1 active if you can get them where you live

They costs 425£ or in denmark (system audio made in denmark) costs the same as the Q acoustics bt3

 

[Ketan Bharadia]

Hello, we like both the Ruarks and Q Acoustics. The Ruarks are smaller and have a more enthusiastic balance while the Qs are a smoother, easier-going listen. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

 

[davedotco]

Hello, we like both the Ruarks and Q Acoustics. The Ruarks are smaller and have a more enthusiastic balance while the Qs are a smoother, easier-going listen. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

These are nice enough and offer a complete solution for your needs, as does the more potent but less functional Audioengine A5+ (You will need a bluetooth adaptor).

In these cases the functionality and ease of use are what you are paying for, performance wise these products are somewhat limited in scale and punch, the modern equivilent of a decent 'dock'.

If tou are prepared to push to the limits and improvise a bit on connectivity and functionality, you can do much better. For example a pair or quite serious pro-style active monitors can be had for less than £250, I'm thinking Presonus Eris 5 or Yamaha HS5, combined with a simple dac/preamp, such as the Audioengine D1 at about £130-140.

The D1 will conect to your PC via usb and give you volume control of the speakers, a clean, simple setup that will outperform most entry level separates systems and give room filling sound way beyond the capabilities of the models mentioned in your post. The D1 has an optical input too, meaning a decent Bluetooth receiver can be connected too.

As I said, it depends what you want, take a look beyond the usual suspects, there are far more options than you think.

 

[scratchin' beggar]

Hello, we like both the Ruarks and Q Acoustics. The Ruarks are smaller and have a more enthusiastic balance while the Qs are a smoother, easier-going listen. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

These are nice enough and offer a complete solution for your needs, as does the more potent but less functional Audioengine A5+ (You will need a bluetooth adaptor).

In these cases the functionality and ease of use are what you are paying for, performance wise these products are somewhat limited in scale and punch, the modern equivilent of a decent 'dock'.

If tou are prepared to push to the limits and improvise a bit on connectivity and functionality, you can do much better. For example a pair or quite serious pro-style active monitors can be had for less than £250, I'm thinking Presonus Eris 5 or Yamaha HS5, combined with a simple dac/preamp, such as the Audioengine D1 at about £130-140.

The D1 will conect to your PC via usb and give you volume control of the speakers, a clean, simple setup that will outperform most entry level separates systems and give room filling sound way beyond the capabilities of the models mentioned in your post. The D1 has an optical input too, meaning a decent Bluetooth receiver can be connected too.

As I said, it depends what you want, take a look beyond the usual suspects, there are far more options than you think.

Cheers for the input, I appreciate the advice and will give it some thought.

However, I mainly just want to get the best possible speakers I can that will simply plug into my PC. I'm not an audiophile and don't imagine I will be (at least for the forseeable future), I'd just like to get the best 'bang' for my buck.

You seem knowledgable so can I ask you a question? If you yourself had £400 to spend and your sole intent was to get the best possible sounding speakers to plug straight into your PC and/or mobile/tablet without need of an amp or special connection, which would it be?

@Ketan Bharadia - Thanks for the post too, dude. Helped me narrow down between the two!

 

[davedotco]

You need to ensure that the output from your pc is good, otherwise you are wasting your time. A Behringer UCA202 is a usb soundcard and will do what you need for less than £25.

It is fit and forget so adds no complexity, just gives you music out on rca plugs, control volume and anything else on your pc.

Connect to a pair of active monitors such as Yamaha HS5 or HS7 and you are ready to go. There is probably enough left from you budget (depending on what you can get the HS7s for) for a pair of speaker stands and a couple of longish phono leads.

Performance will be way beyond any separates a this sort of price and much, much better than the lifstyle/computer type of speakers you initially looked at.

 

[steve_1979]

+1 for the Behringer UCA202 DAC and Yamaha HS5 / HS7 active speakers.

It's a pretty much unbeatable system for the money IMO.

 

[rainsoothe]

+1 for Yamaha HS5. They're legit.

 

[davedotco]

+1 for Yamaha HS5. They're legit.

The HS7s are better, but too big (and too powerful) for desktop or shelf mounting. Mounted on proper 20-22 inch stands they are superb. Currently available under £300 if you look around. Fantastic value.