Does this speaker exist?

[George Lentini]

I can afford to pay about $50 on a speaker (I know it's really low, but i have to pay for college). I'm looking for 4 specific things:
1. I want one small speaker (not much space on my desk)
2. I want it to have a frequency response of 20-20k hz or close to it (so I don't need a subwoofer)
3. I don't want to have to use an amp
4. I don't expect fantastic sound, but I want it to sound reasonable

I have a set of Fidelio X2 headphones that I use 90% of the time. I just need to have the option to use speakers when other people are around.
Does a speaker in my price range that can do all of this even exist? Is there something that comes close?

 

[TLS Guy]

I can afford to pay about $50 on a speaker (I know it's really low, but i have to pay for college). I'm looking for 4 specific things:
1. I want one small speaker (not much space on my desk)
2. I want it to have a frequency response of 20-20k hz or close to it (so I don't need a subwoofer)
3. I don't want to have to use an amp
4. I don't expect fantastic sound, but I want it to sound reasonable

I have a set of Fidelio X2 headphones that I use 90% of the time. I just need to have the option to use speakers when other people are around.
Does a speaker in my price range that can do all of this even exist? Is there something that comes close?

I sincerely hope you are an arts student.

That does not exist at any price and by the laws of physics is absolutely impossible!

Anything is that price range of those dimensions will be poor and worse.

 

[shadyJ]

You can get cheap small speakers, but they will not have a realistic 20 Hz - 20 kHz range. Probably more like 150 Hz - 10 kHz if you are lucky. You are basically stuck with desktop PC speakers. I would just look at craigslist for PC speakers if I were you.

 

[George Lentini]

Ok...I clearly don't have much audio knowledge (hence why I asked if it existed) so could you explain why it's "absolutely impossible"?

 

[shadyJ]

In order to get audible 20 Hz output, you need a large enclosure, so the speaker you want will not fit on your desktop. In order to get non-excrutiating output up to 20 kHz, you need a high quality (pricey) tweeter, not gonna happen on a $50 budget.

I would look for used audioengine or alesis small powered monitors on ebay or craigslist, you may get lucky with something like that.

 

[markw]

Ok...I clearly don't have much audio knowledge (hence why I asked if it existed) so could you explain why it's "absolutely impossible"?

The laws of physics.

Basically, you can have:

1) small size

2) good bass

3) efficiency

You can have two, but not all three.

 

[George Lentini]

Headphones seem to have no problem hitting those frequencies, so is the problem the increased volume that speakers put out?

 

[KEW]

Headphones seem to have no problem hitting those frequencies, so is the problem the increased volume that speakers put out?

Headphones only have to travel the length of your ear canal, and more importantly are mostly sending the signal down the diameter of your ear canal.

Two things:
Put your headphones on the desk and listen for that bass from 2' away. I don't think you will find it.
Consider a stethoscope. The bass of a heartbeat sounds pretty good, but if you take it off your ears, it disappears quickly.

 

[Seth=L]

I would look at getting a Logitech 2.1 PC speaker system. It won't get 20Hz extension (maybe 50 or 60) and will probably get you up to 15kHz or so. It would be fine for background music. Output won't be overly prodigious, but it should be enough for watching movies or enjoying music.

This one appears to get pretty decent reviews for $40-45 it doesn't seem like a bad deal.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1531466432711694179?sclient=psy-ab&biw=1366&bih=653&q=logitech+2.1&oq=logitech+2.1&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.&bvm=bv.108194040,d.cGU&tch=1&ech=1&psi=UN5XVqLqIYjeoAT_96f4AQ.1448599118070.7&prds=paur:ClkAsKraXyOXMPl7pruPUvSgrsFvDlhduHcSJdi23W5kPwayCRl76_v9nQsgR3DHef0wDUo8c5Rad3x1EcCacfyq3jies6I3_ESMPwY75hbpe_0dQbEGvw51MxIZAFPVH72sfpzRzQoNFJWxBGz75oEWuhZy8g

Here's another if you can stretch the budget to $60 that comes with a slightly larger woofer and reaches down to 48hz according to the specs (might be a bit optimistic though).

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/4856931763636137653?sclient=psy-ab&biw=1366&bih=653&q=logitech+2.1&oq=logitech+2.1&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.&bvm=bv.108194040,d.cGU&tch=1&ech=1&psi=UN5XVqLqIYjeoAT_96f4AQ.1448599118070.7&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX5CMb9V7qYuQoOvGGxhvIR3djgvsQ9zsuJYdeFTzdaYaCIQdonPksEh46-ItBjkQR7SViJ0KwJ2KLhR9LrnHjU77tdZunli_BhMODAUhARuTv-ttrBIZAFPVH72B1Iw2P_DAzJrx6LhK6N607JxSKw

I had an Altec Lansing 2.1 system of lower quality/price when I was in college and I got a lot of use out of it. I still have the little speakers that came with it (use them as testers), not sure whatever happened to the woofer part.