imac speakers, optical audio question

[KevKaos]

Ok, I am no audio expert so I won't make any claims as to how good these speakers are, but I played with them in a CompUSA and they sounded pretty good to me. The looks of them is what gets me. I would love to have a 20" iMac with these guys next to it.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=310857&pfp=search&tabtype=rv#review

** NOTE ** I just read some reviews on these and it's a real mixed bag. The complaints sound valid. They still look cool though.

 

[wchong]

Ok, I am no audio expert so I won't make any claims as to how good these speakers are, but I played with them in a CompUSA and they sounded pretty good to me. The looks of them is what gets me. I would love to have a 20" iMac with these guys next to it.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=310857&pfp=search&tabtype=rv#review

** NOTE ** I just read some reviews on these and it's a real mixed bag. The complaints sound valid. They still look cool though.

proves that you can't "judge a book by its cover" they look nice, but if you are used to a 5.1 the transition would be painful since they don't offer much power.

however, judging by looks alone this one takes the cake compared to the altec lansing and logitech

 

[KevKaos]

proves that you can't "judge a book by its cover" they look nice, but if you are used to a 5.1 the transition would be painful since they don't offer much power.

however, judging by looks alone this one takes the cake compared to the altec lansing and logitech

To be fair, they didn't sound horrible, and yes, they aren't 5.1 but if someone wanted basic quality speakers that look really cool "AND" they were willing to pay the price for the cool factor alone, they might be OK. I think I will hold out for something else since I don't even have my iMac yet.

I like the idea of those Klipsch iFi's but the price looks pretty high if you aren't a member of Costco. I like the idea of the iPod docking station built in and all.

 

[Sinsinnati]

Well I finally took a photo of the Altec Lansing speakers with the iMac 24".

As you can see they match the iMac perfectly. I don't keep the speakers that close to the iMac, that was for the photo opt only. I normally have them pushed back in the corners of my desk.

 

[nose]

I can confirm that I do not know!

The tech specs say:
Headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack)
Audio line in/optical digital audio input (minijack)

I have no idea what that implies....I just have the vague sense that optical is "better" somehow. That's why I, in part, started this thread, was to find out what is better about it.

a few months behind but what the hay..

the good thing about optical output is that it get's the digital signal outside of the computer before it's converted to analog. computers are noise producing boxes and the sound that comes out of the analog ouput is not always good. when I had a couple of decent computer speakers I never noticed the noise but just as soon as I hooked up me NAD stereo to me iMac the noise was evident at low volumes. later on I purchased a headphone amp and DAC. the DAC made the biggest improvement in SQ coming from me iMac. I can feed the DAC by USB or Optical input from me iMac. one thing I have always read is that an external DAC is the best sound card you can get for your computer. many rave that it will turn your computer into a high end CD player.

Roland makes a Studio Monitor, DM-20 that would make some excellent computer speakers. 20W each with an amp and transformer in each cabinet. it has a built in DAC w/ 24-bit/96kHz digital inputs (coaxial and optical) as well as analog RCA input and headphone output. the cabinets are MDF/ wood(a plus over most computer speakers). I took me iMac down to a local music store to test them out and I really dug on them. the detail was there but me NAD/ Polk setup sounded better yet me Polks are bigger which have more bass. my little NAD is not shabby either and especially now that I have the external DAC to feed it from me iMac. plus I got more input option on me NAD with a Tuner. Roland use to make and they can probably still be found for they have made this line for awhile is the DM-10 which is a bit cheaper as well a 2.1 system the DM-2100. a setup like these will blow away any computer speaker sold at CC, BB or CUSA. last time I looked the DM-10 sold for $145, DM-20 $245 and the DM-2100 $300.

if your into headphones there are excellent options to be found there too with headphone amps and DAC's. I use a HeadRoom Micro Headphone Amp and DAC to power me Grado headphones. though I have about $900 in this set up including the Grado's and interconnects but cheaper can be found. the HR Total Bithead is one and I think it sales for $100 or $150 and it includes a built in DAC.

 

[Piepz]

Why no love for Logitech Z4i ?

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Why no love for Logitech Z4i ?

b/c the altec langsing fx6021's blow them away...

 

[zami]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Labs-MegaWorks-Speaker-System/dp/B00008GFYJ

If you want 2.1 IMHO these are very, very good.

 

[nc7r]

What you want is a 3.5mm Phono lead, an Amp of some sort and some of thee bad boys: http://www.hifisuppliers.co.uk/website/loudspeakers/mission-m33i.htm

They ACTUALLY shake my walls on half volume