Hey,
So I love my music but I can't call myself an audiophile as I don't really know anything much about the important stuff. I use my main computer as my audio center, I wouldn't have it any other way - thousands of lossless audio files under my mouse pointer. So currently, my near-$0 setup goes something along these lines:
I use the integrated audio on my motherboard (...yea). It uses the 7.1+2 channel ALC883 codec chip by Realtek (according to the product specs). I know I'll need to put a decent sound card in this rig before I can really experience any benefit on the speaker end, but I'll get to that..
From the typical stereo 3.5mm out jack in the onboard sound jack array runs a $1 male-to-male 3.5mm cable, which goes into a 3.5mm > L/R split, which goes into the Phono on my receiver, a charming AKAI, which I believe is rated at 300W. That one ran me $10 at a garage sale, of course, to replace a similarly ancient receiver which was worn out. From this receiver, I have a pair of bookshelf speakers - these things muse be thirty years old now if not more, Celestion Ditton 100's at 50W each (see a picture of sorry, remove the spaces, can't post links yet (http ://gavinsmith .ca/lj/ditton100.jpg) the speaker and (http ://gavinsmith .ca/lj/ditton100_rear.jpg) the rear). They're actually in excellent condition and I've heard of pairs selling for $200 plus on eBay, I love the things. The receiver and speakers are connected with what I think is some relatively high quality speaker wire (of equal length, I learned something!), but of course to what I'll call 'contact clamps' on either end. I'm sure you know what I mean. Those connections can be a little bit finicky at times, I'd like to get rid of them.
Disastrous? I actually have no idea, but I know it can do better.
I should mention what I do with the speakers, exactly, I suppose - music, nothing but rock (think Radiohead to Foo Fighters to Muse), movies, which I'm not too concerned about the audio quality of as I watch them on a 22" LCD at 1680x1050, meaning they look like crap so I'm even less picky about the sound, as well as some gaming. Music is by far the most important.
So I'm looking to add in a sound card, a new receiver, and a new set of bookshelf speakers. I have a budget, but it's somewhat flexible depending on how convinced I am that my ears will cry with joy once the installation is done. We're looking at an ideal max of $450 for everything - if that's really not realistic, I can get the sound card a little bit later on and that money can go to just the receiver and speakers.
So.. well, I guess I'm looking for some sort of guidance on what to look for in the price range - brands, models, types of speakers, wattage (I do like to put things on a deafening level on occasion, by the way), that sort of thing. As far as the sound card goes, I'm convinced I'm looking for an Auzentech going by what I've read (and seeing as it's Creative and them in the running alone, really) - but let me know if I've been steered wrong.
Thank you very much in advance for any help you can throw my way, you seem like a very well versed crowd in this area so I hope to learn a thing or two from you!
Gavin
