Setting up an audio system for the first time.

[William Lemay]

Hello people,

I've owned a cheap $100 Creative 2.1 set for almost 6 years now and it recently started to have some problems.

So I was there the other day looking at my options, and bought a pair of Klipsch B-20 (B-20 Bookshelf Speakers | Klipsch®) and some RCA 16 Gauge wires to go with it. I have the intention to set up a 5.1 audio system with that base.

I'll start by saying that I mainly will use this audio system for those purposes : Music -> Gaming -> Movies. I won't connect it to a TV, it will be on my computer (which has a 7.1 card by the way, so if you can make me a good 7.1 build that would work too).

First of, the AV/R. If it's really necessary, I want something that can provide good sound quality, it should come with essential features and not superfluous things like Radio, bluetooth, etc. A friend told me a Speaker amp would do that job better, can someone here confirm ?

Now, the central speaker, I thought about the Klipsch C-20 (C-20 Center Speaker | Klipsch®) as I read good reviews, but if you have something better to propose go ahead.

For the Subwoofer, I was going to go for a Klipsch as well, but I saw interesting ones sold by Rhythmik, the F-12 or the F-15 notably. What would you suggest, bang-for-buck ?

If someone could explain me what cables/plugs/etc I need to purchase separately too that would be sweet !

I have a budget of $2000-3000 (counting the parts I already purchased for around $450).

I want to live a great sound experience, show me the path !

 

[shadyJ]

I take it, as a computer system, the speakers will be relatively close to you? If that is the case, you might want to rethink Klipsch speakers. I like Klipsch, but they tend to be voiced a bit hot in the treble, and this could potentially be irritating if you were sitting close to them.

What kind of sound card do you have? What kind of connections will it be using? Analogue or digital outputs? How much desktop space do you have for speakers? Typically for these sort of setups I would recommend self-powered studio monitors.

 

[William Lemay]

I take it, as a computer system, the speakers will be relatively close to you? If that is the case, you might want to rethink Klipsch speakers. I like Klipsch, but they tend to be voiced a bit hot in the treble, and this could potentially be irritating if you were sitting close to them.

What kind of sound card do you have? What kind of connections will it be using? Analogue or digital outputs? How much desktop space do you have for speakers? Typically for these sort of setups I would recommend self-powered studio monitors.

They won't be too close to me, my desktop is relatively huge in a way that the speakers will be behind the actual monitors. The B-20 speakers are already sitting here in my room so I'm afraid I can't change them anyway (i might be too impulsive sometimes haha), but they do fit on my desktop just fine.

My motherboard itself is a MSI z87-gd65 which offers alot of sound improvements features (MSI Global Z87-GD65 GAMING) I also have a Asus Essence STX sound card (http://www.asus.com/Sound_Cards_and_DigitaltoAnalog_Converters/Xonar_Essence_STX/)

I thus have access to both digital and analog connectivity, I'm more familiar with analog though.

 

[ImcLoud]

I would look into a sealed subwoofer, they tend to be better for music reproduction than ported designs...
there are a few mention worthy units..
3 from SVS https://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/sealed-box
and my favorite the ULS15 from HSU ULS-15 Subwoofer the sub choice is going to depend on your room size the larger the room the more of the budget that needs to go towards subwoofer... Lets say its a medium sized room the svs for $500 will do very well...

I agree that the Klipsch speakers are not going to be very good sitting in front of you, I am NOT a klipsch fan at all.. But you can use them B20s, as your surrounds...
So for a decent front 3 for your desktop you can go with Ascend acoustic Sierra 1 Sierra-1 Bamboo Loudspeaker all three will cost you $1300

Next for an amplifier, since you already have a 7.1 sound card then you can go with a simple 5 ch amplifier... UPA-500 Five-Channel Power Amplifier | Emotiva Audio | High-end audio components for audiophiles and videophiles, spanning 2-channel music systems, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 home theaters. Products include multichannel amplifiers, stereo amplifiers, and

So 3 sierra 1's $1300, an SVS SB1000 $500, and an Emotiva UPA500 amplifier for $400, then a set of cables 5 channel to go to the amp Amazon.com : Mediabridge RCA Component Video Cable with Audio - (6 Feet) : Electronics, Amazon.com: Mediabridge Ultra Series Subwoofer Cable - (15 Feet, White) - Dual Shielded with RCA to RCA Gold Plated Pro Grade Connectors: Electronics, a y for the subwoofer inputs Amazon.com : Monster ILJRY-1 F Single Female RCA to Dual Male RCA Y-Adapter : Electronics, and some speaker cable Amazon.com: Mediabridge - 16 Gauge Speaker Wire -(100 Feet): Electronics, then maybe a set of bananas to make installing easier Amazon.com: 24k Gold Connector Banana Plugs, Open Screw Type 24 Pack (12 Red, 12 Black): Electronics
and you will be under budget and have a really nice system...

You could go with an avr but if you don't need all the features and you are going to use your pc, then I wouldn't JUNK up the audio path with a bunch of not needed circuitry.. Keep it simple, and the emo amp is small and will last forever vs avrs are big and break more often.... I would seriously use the klipsch bookshelfs as surrounds though...

 

[William Lemay]

I would look into a sealed subwoofer, they tend to be better for music reproduction than ported designs...
there are a few mention worthy units..
3 from SVS https://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/sealed-box
and my favorite the ULS15 from HSU ULS-15 Subwoofer the sub choice is going to depend on your room size the larger the room the more of the budget that needs to go towards subwoofer... Lets say its a medium sized room the svs for $500 will do very well...

I agree that the Klipsch speakers are not going to be very good sitting in front of you, I am NOT a klipsch fan at all.. But you can use them B20s, as your surrounds...
So for a decent front 3 for your desktop you can go with Ascend acoustic Sierra 1 Sierra-1 Bamboo Loudspeaker all three will cost you $1300

Next for an amplifier, since you already have a 7.1 sound card then you can go with a simple 5 ch amplifier... UPA-500 Five-Channel Power Amplifier | Emotiva Audio | High-end audio components for audiophiles and videophiles, spanning 2-channel music systems, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 home theaters. Products include multichannel amplifiers, stereo amplifiers, and

So 3 sierra 1's $1300, an SVS SB1000 $500, and an Emotiva UPA500 amplifier for $400, then a set of cables 5 channel to go to the amp Amazon.com : Mediabridge RCA Component Video Cable with Audio - (6 Feet) : Electronics, Amazon.com: Mediabridge Ultra Series Subwoofer Cable - (15 Feet, White) - Dual Shielded with RCA to RCA Gold Plated Pro Grade Connectors: Electronics, a y for the subwoofer inputs Amazon.com : Monster ILJRY-1 F Single Female RCA to Dual Male RCA Y-Adapter : Electronics, and some speaker cable Amazon.com: Mediabridge - 16 Gauge Speaker Wire -(100 Feet): Electronics, then maybe a set of bananas to make installing easier Amazon.com: 24k Gold Connector Banana Plugs, Open Screw Type 24 Pack (12 Red, 12 Black): Electronics
and you will be under budget and have a really nice system...

You could go with an avr but if you don't need all the features and you are going to use your pc, then I wouldn't JUNK up the audio path with a bunch of not needed circuitry.. Keep it simple, and the emo amp is small and will last forever vs avrs are big and break more often.... I would seriously use the klipsch bookshelfs as surrounds though...

Thanks for the thorough answer.

If I may ask, why do you dislike Klipsch's speakers ?

Good suggestion for the Sub, and the amplifier looks neat.

I'll check later for the front speakers, I'll first check if the basic 5.1 setup works well enough.

Once again, thanks alot.

 

[ImcLoud]

Well Klipsch speakers {which I have owned a set of their more expensive sets} have this built in Brightness, that sounds really good in the store, but when you get them home, that brightness turns into listener fatigue, and if you don't have an oversized room and or distant placement options {place them far from your listening position}, their highs become abnoxious, annoying, ect... This is more present in their less expensive synergy line, I attribute it to the fact they use horns for their tweeters because most* horn loaded speakers are bright in nature...

So there is no problem using them as your surrounds, surround speakers do very little, and we often suggest people to buy very inexpensive surround speakers, because they only get a small amount of power and material to play, car doors shutting in the background, footsteps, doorbells, ect.. And they don't play when you are listening to music. Your front 3 speakers are the most important, they should be WARM sounding, neutral, and be very detailed.. The emphasis on WARm because with a desk top system you are most likely going to be sitting in front of them..

The ascend sierra speakers I linked you to are known for having these qualities and being a great value, you would have to spend much more to get as nice of a speaker. Same thing goes for the subs and the amplifier, you would need to spend much more to get that type of sound and equipment, these companies accomplish this by selling internet direct and not selling to store fronts where you would pay more for being able to walk into a brick and motor store front, these companies essentially run out of a wharehouse and ship directly to your door, they often offer a 30-60day risk free trial, if you don't like it, then send it back...

 

[shadyJ]

They won't be too close to me, my desktop is relatively huge in a way that the speakers will be behind the actual monitors. The B-20 speakers are already sitting here in my room so I'm afraid I can't change them anyway (i might be too impulsive sometimes haha), but they do fit on my desktop just fine.

My motherboard itself is a MSI z87-gd65 which offers alot of sound improvements features (MSI Global Z87-GD65 GAMING) I also have a Asus Essence STX sound card (http://www.asus.com/Sound_Cards_and_DigitaltoAnalog_Converters/Xonar_Essence_STX/)

I thus have access to both digital and analog connectivity, I'm more familiar with analog though.

It looks like your motherboard's analogue outputs are going to be pretty good, so I wouldn't bother getting another sound interface. I would still get a receiver with a good EQ correction program in it because often when you place speakers on your desk, the acoustic reflections from the desktop can give a big boost to certain frequencies which can end up being obnoxious. You will want to have those peaks EQ'd out. I would get something with Audyssey MultiEQ XT. Many of the Denon, Onkyo, and Marantz receivers have this feature. It also might help tame the Klipsch's highs a bit. Contrary to Imcloud, I would not get a separate amplifier unless you like your sound real loud. You just do not need it when seated so close to your speakers. It won't give you any advantage with regards to sound quality, only output.

I would take your existing B20 speakers and use them as surround speakers. On your budget I think you should do better for the front stage speakers. One I would look at are the KEF Q300. I think its coaxial driver will be a lot less adversely affected by a desktop placement. Those speakers also have excellent performance. Add to that their matching Q600 center speaker. For the sub, I wouldn't rule out ported designs. They can sound just as good as sealed subs, and they usually have much more powerful deep bass. If you have room for a big sub, I would take a look at the Hsu VTF3. It will give you very powerful deep bass but also high quality bass. The ULS-15 does have sharper sound quality in this instance, but the VTF3 has more authoritative deep bass and is less expensive. The ULS-15 is a great sub though, well worth considering. Another great choice for a larger sub would be this Dayton dual driver sub. Those drivers should have very sharp sound quality, and two of them with a 900 watt amp should get you tons of output as well. That subwoofer is pretty heavy though. The kit version of that is $150 less and would be pretty easy to assemble, I think that would be a great value.

 

[shadyJ]

One more thing I wanted to mention, I find that with many desktop setups, the bass from subwoofers is pretty localizable, and the sub can often draw attention to its position and you lose immersion from the soundstage. For this reason, I would consider a lower crossover point than normal for the front stage speakers. Most people cross their subs over to their speakers at 80 Hz. You might try 60 Hz or so and experiment with different points to see what sounds best.

 

[William Lemay]

It looks like your motherboard's analogue outputs are going to be pretty good, so I wouldn't bother getting another sound interface. I would still get a receiver with a good EQ correction program in it because often when you place speakers on your desk, the acoustic reflections from the desktop can give a big boost to certain frequencies which can end up being obnoxious. You will want to have those peaks EQ'd out. I would get something with Audyssey MultiEQ XT. Many of the Denon, Onkyo, and Marantz receivers have this feature. It also might help tame the Klipsch's highs a bit. Contrary to Imcloud, I would not get a separate amplifier unless you like your sound real loud. You just do not need it when seated so close to your speakers. It won't give you any advantage with regards to sound quality, only output.

I would take your existing B20 speakers and use them as surround speakers. On your budget I think you should do better for the front stage speakers. One I would look at are the KEF Q300. I think its coaxial driver will be a lot less adversely affected by a desktop placement. Those speakers also have excellent performance. Add to that their matching Q600 center speaker. For the sub, I wouldn't rule out ported designs. They can sound just as good as sealed subs, and they usually have much more powerful deep bass. If you have room for a big sub, I would take a look at the Hsu VTF3. It will give you very powerful deep bass but also high quality bass. The ULS-15 does have sharper sound quality in this instance, but the VTF3 has more authoritative deep bass and is less expensive. The ULS-15 is a great sub though, well worth considering. Another great choice for a larger sub would be this Dayton dual driver sub. Those drivers should have very sharp sound quality, and two of them with a 900 watt amp should get you tons of output as well. That subwoofer is pretty heavy though. The kit version of that is $150 less and would be pretty easy to assemble, I think that would be a great value.

What's the role of a center speaker ? Imcloud suggested me to get 3 front Sierra-1 speakers and didn't even talk of a center speaker. Do they have a specific job in the sound producing process in the whole audio system or are they not mandatory like Imcloud implied ?

I suppose a speaker amplifier does what it says; amplify the sound from the whole system. What is different with an AV/R ?

The KEF Q300 you mentioned looks awesome by the way.

Thanks for your input !

 

[shadyJ]

The center channel is where most of the dialogue comes from in surround soundtracks. It's meant to anchor the sound to the center of your sound stage. It exists because with a stereo setup, the sound stage can often get weighted heavily towards the left speaker or the right speaker if you weren't sitting in the sweet spot between them. With a center speaker, you can hear a better sound stage over a wider area. The ideal center is actually a speaker identical to the left and right fronts, much like ImCloud suggested. But some dedicated center speakers like the one I recommended work well too. Some dedicated center speakers aren't so great though.

In an AVR, the amplifier is already built in. Their amps are good enough for most speakers. If you have a heavy duty speaker with relatively little impedance, a separate amp can be a good idea as it will handle those tougher loads better, and they usually have better thermal handling. If you put a low impedance load on the amp in a cheap AVR, it can cause the AVR to overheat and go into shutdown. The speakers we are talking about, the KEF and Ascends, are easy loads for any AVR amplifier. You won't need a separate amp with them.