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Best Speakers for Macbook Pro

If you want something that goes boom for movies and games, look at Logitech systems in that price range.

If you want something more accurate for enjoying music with, those M-Audio speakers wouldn't be a bad choice.

KRK's low end RokitG2 monitors aren't bad for the price (I've got their midrange VXT4...perfect for the size of my room, I love them.) The lowest of the range, the RP-5 you can find for 140 each.

I've also heard good things about the Audio Engine A2 and A5. I think you can find the A2 for 200 a pair, or under if you look around.

There's always an improvement as the price goes up, especially with speakers. 900 dollars for a pair of VXT6 speakers from KRK would rock the house...9000 dollars for a pair of B&W or ProAc would rock it even more, but then you need a ****-hot amp to run them.

Spending money on audio gear once you've heard the good stuff is a never-ending upwards spiral...
 
You most definitely get a huge leap in sound once you get to around $600 or therabouts IMO - for which money you can buy yourself a good hifi. Anything below that is closer to a multimedia system.

In the UK, a good amp and speakers can be had for £350 for the lot.
 
If you just want a decent 2.1 Multimedia system, I'd go for a pair of Logitech Z-2300's.

It's not top quality stuff, but they're reasonably priced for general gaming and boom boom video.
 
Pjr17 said:
After 4 years of using JBL duet speakers, I'd like to buy some new better-sounding speakers. I'm wary of BOSE products because of their lack of fidelity and clarity. I am considering the m-audio AV-40's because they seem to have good range. Any suggestions?
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You are likely thinking about powered speakers but I have a pair of older Infinity bookshelf speakers that were sold (20 years ago) as "monitors". To those I add a Audio Source "Amp100". I bring this up just to point up that there are other options then powered speakers. My system cost about $300. As that amp is only about $100. If you have some stereo speakers gathering dust, buy an amp

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=302-601
 
Are Bose speakers really *that* bad or is it just they're not as good as most people would assume they are? Overpriced perhaps.
Seriously, could Logictech be that much better or rather is it better value for the money?
 
MowingDevil said:
Are Bose speakers really *that* bad or is it just they're not as good as most people would assume they are? Overpriced perhaps.
Seriously, could Logictech be that much better or rather is it better value for the money?
Click to expand...

You can always do better than Bose for the money. They use cheap materials, and just plainly sound bad.

There's a fantastic article somewhere where some Bose speakers are physically taken apart and analysed, and it's absolutely laughable.

A friend of mine has one of their Companion® 3 systems costing $250. I couldn't believe how bad it sounded. Harsh, harsh terrible, undefined-flabby-yet-incredibly-loud bass...it just sounded like noise, just about the furthest from music you can get for that price. A JVC Mini system I bought in 1999 for $200 (even has some solid wood speakers) sounds better than that useless Companion set.

Ah! Found the article. Check this out for proof on why Bose is absolute bollocks. http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html
 
MowingDevil said:
Are Bose speakers really *that* bad or is it just they're not as good as most people would assume they are? Overpriced perhaps.
Seriously, could Logictech be that much better or rather is it better value for the money?
Click to expand...

More that their kit really underperforms for it's price. I could understand if it had some other redeeming features but to me it doesn't. I can find other kit which looks nicer, is built better, more flexible and sounds heck of a lot better often for less than the price of the Bose kit.

Having said that, their 'hifi' speakers (301, 901 etc...) are absolutely shocking. They sound (to my ears) goddam awful, they look even worse and build quality is like something you'd find in Comet. I would never in a million years spend any money on Bose's hifi speakers. Their PA speakers are pretty useless too.
 
Teej guy said:
You can always do better than Bose for the money. They use cheap materials, and just plainly sound bad.

There's a fantastic article somewhere where some Bose speakers are physically taken apart and analysed, and it's absolutely laughable.

A friend of mine has one of their Companion® 3 systems costing $250. I couldn't believe how bad it sounded. Harsh, harsh terrible, undefined-flabby-yet-incredibly-loud bass...it just sounded like noise, just about the furthest from music you can get for that price. A JVC Mini system I bought in 1999 for $200 (even has some solid wood speakers) sounds better than that useless Companion set.

Ah! Found the article. Check this out for proof on why Bose is absolute bollocks. http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html
Click to expand...


Bose is way overpriced. I have compared their systems to comparable Logitech ones and the Logitech wins hands down - and is cheaper.

If you are looking for a budget 2.1 I second the Z-2300s. Very good sound for the price...
 
I have been looking for a nice speaker set for my MBP and came across these.

Logitech 2.1 Audio Hub Notebook PC Speakers

They are only $25 and seem to be of a decent build quality. Also would fit nicely on any desk without taking up extra space. My Apple Store has then in for $50, which is the cheapest I can find them in brick-and-mortar stores.
 
Bose Computer Music Monitors....

Best speaker for the money you can buy. I know, lots of flack or bose bashing is already found here, but if you like apple, then you may like bose computer music monitor speakers. I have looked endlessly through all the other options out there and finally settled on the 399.00 pair of speakers. Simply no other speaker of its size or larger (computer monitors that is) for that matter does what they do.
If you add SRS iWow, they become monster speakers (with some adjustment in the SRS iWow program). With SRS iWow you can really crank up the bass if you like. But I like them best with no SRS iWow and still plenty of bass.

1. Clarity unmatched
2. hear each instrument as if it was there
3. bass is amazing for such small speakers
4. cannot appreciate in a store how good they are until you get them home
5. no I do not work for bose
6. the quality of material used for these speakers is tops (cannot say that for some other bose products, but can for these)
7. yes, they seem a tad high in the price cat., but in the end you get what you pay for
8. if a true audiophile try them for a while, think even a month and if you don't like them, bose will refund your money
9. sound is in the ear of the beholder, but after using these for a while have concluded they meet and beat the competition
10. they match my macbook pro unibody 2.53 perfectly

Apple macbook pro 2.53 unibody
Apple Tv 160 gb
ipod nano 4 gen 16 gb
iphone 3g 16gb
apple 24" macbook LED display
time capsule 1 T
airport express for extending network
Titanium G4 .500mhz (yes, it still works!)
 
good choice with the A2's but i heared they aren't that great if ur a bass junky like some of us, if u are the A5's are supposed to be the next best thing ofc.

i myself have the Aktimate Mini, ipod can plug directly into them too. specs

lower price range and more computer-type speakers are the acoustic energy aego M's which are supposed to be great for the price. aego M's
 
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Thunderbird1 said:
Best speaker for the money you can buy. I know, lots of flack or bose bashing is already found here, but if you like apple, then you may like bose computer music monitor speakers. I have looked endlessly through all the other options out there and finally settled on the 399.00 pair of speakers. Simply no other speaker of its size or larger (computer monitors that is) for that matter does what they do.
If you add SRS iWow, they become monster speakers (with some adjustment in the SRS iWow program). With SRS iWow you can really crank up the bass if you like. But I like them best with no SRS iWow and still plenty of bass.

1. Clarity unmatched
2. hear each instrument as if it was there
3. bass is amazing for such small speakers
4. cannot appreciate in a store how good they are until you get them home
6. the quality of material used for these speakers is tops (cannot say that for some other bose products, but can for these)
7. yes, they seem a tad high in the price cat., but in the end you get what you pay for
9. sound is in the ear of the beholder, but after using these for a while have concluded they meet and beat the competition
Click to expand...

I really don't make a habit of putting down a product after someone's bought it, and if they're working for you, then that's great, but as a discussion in a speaker recommendation thread, I have to completely disagree with your post.

The Bose Musicmonitors are listed on Bose's site for $500 a pair. For that kind of money, you could pick up KRK Rokit5 G2s (or Rokit6), right at $500 (at least on zZounds, although I paid more) are the KRK VXT4 which I own or Audio Engine A5s, which are under the $400 price point you found your Bose at. I'll use the latter as comparison speakers in my post.

The A5s are superior speakers in every way. I have never heard a Bose speaker with "unmatched clarity", and such a statement is incredibly misleading for reasons below. Value for money, they're still not doing well since the Bose speakers are cased in Aluminium, and the A5s denser wood. This results in a better and more accurate speaker since it reduces vibration of the speaker cabinet itself.

The A5s have 5" kevlar drivers, and a tweeter. The article I linked to further up in the thread describes why it's important to use two crossed-over drivers in a speaker, and these will be more clear than the Musicmonitors because of it. "Hearing each instrument as if it were there" implies a large sound-stage, but the A5s will do that better than the Bose. The word "monitor" should not be in the product name.

The bass the Musicmonitors produce next to the A5s is less accurate (a Bose trait across their range) and does not extend as low. You cannot expect a tiny driver as is in those Bose speakers to compete with the 5" driver in the A5s, much less when it has the job of providing all the high end of the frequency spectrum as well.

Cranking up the bass using SRSiWow just distorts original signal further from what it started life as. If you're looking for something accurate and high-fidelity as the OP seems to want, it's not such a good idea.

The entire "you get what you pay for" argument goes out the window with Bose, it just doesn't apply to their products. These are no exception. 400-500 dollars for 25w aluminium speakers with a single tiny driver is absolutely ridiculous.

I think the only thing I can agree with you on is that whatever you decide to purchase, listening to it in your own house is a good idea and is always different to the store.
 
Teej guy said:
Words of Wisdom
Click to expand...

Seconded. To spend $400 on these really troubles me. I have heard them; and while I don't normally ever recommend Bose speakers, here is an instance where I could recommend that Bose makes a product that would be a better value...

The Companion 3's for (roughly) half the price sound at least 3 times better
The Companion 5's makes them look like a mockery

I question how anyone at Bose can sell these, it's hard to say "look at this less superior product we are selling for twice the price of our superior product; oh yeah, and there are a laundry list of other speakers from nearly every country on the globe that can outperform these and save you some money..."
 
thegoldenmackid said:
Seconded. To spend $400 on these really troubles me. I have heard them; and while I don't normally ever recommend Bose speakers, here is an instance where I could recommend that Bose makes a product that would be a better value...

The Companion 3's for (roughly) half the price sound at least 3 times better
The Companion 5's makes them look like a mockery

I question how anyone at Bose can sell these, it's hard to say "look at this less superior product we are selling for twice the price of our superior product; oh yeah, and there are a laundry list of other speakers from nearly every country on the globe that can outperform these and save you some money..."
Click to expand...

I agree. I listened to the Companion 3's vs the 5's and the 3's sound much better. I acutally bought the Bose Companion 3's and like them. I've never bought any other BOSE product before, but this system sounded good to me and fit my needs.

Besides sounding good to my ear, I really like the size of the system and the control puck is great for hooking up headphones, or 2 computers.

The companion 3's are the only BOSE product I would recommend though.

Number 1 thing , you need to listen for yourself. No one can tell your ears whats sounds best.
 
Gunga Din said:
Number 1 thing , you need to listen for yourself. No one can tell your ears whats sounds best.
Click to expand...

Agreed...While it would be ideal to have the opportunity to side-by-side test every speaker there is...that is an occupation and not something most the population has the chance of doing. However, it's pretty easy to draw some conclusions and there are clearly better uses of money in terms of options.
 
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