Looking for a reasonable 2.1 speaker system

eyeguy616 · Nov 23, 2003, 06:43 PM

Yeah, I think it's time I get a better system than my 7-year old 2speaker CD shelf system. For some reason it's picking up a shortwave/HAM radio channel and I can't get it to stop.... it's damn annoying as it comes in loud and muffled (cannot make out what's being said, but it's clearly audible). What kind of 2.1 or possibly 4.1 system should I get? I'm using SoundStorm and would like to take advantage of the digital out, but I really don't know what to look for.... I have about 30-40 bucks to spend (which I know will probably not get me anything truly digital like coax). Also, I really don't use the speakers all that much since headphones w/mic help me out more in games and my current ones do the job well, but they do get their use at other times like when I'm listening to music or watching a movie.

BTW, I found this while doing a search a few days ago. It might do it but I'd at least like to know some other choices if there are any.
~eyeguy616

Necrosis · Nov 24, 2003, 03:22 AM

Hmm...I don't know much about budget 2.1 speaker setups. However, I know Creative, Altec Lansing, and some of the Cyber Accoustics speakers are not too bad. I do know the brand you've picked out often make great speakers. Speaking of this hum. Is your computer connected to a real grounded outlet? If this started recently it sounds like to me something has been plugged in line with your stereo, and/or something has been moved around to effect it. How long is the cable you are running to and from your PC to this stereo?

eyeguy616 · Nov 24, 2003, 04:07 AM

It's not that long, maybe 2-3 feet. The big old stereo is actually sitting on my desk touching my monitor and the speakers are also very close, but far enough away as to not make distortions in the monitor's color (back when I had a CRT. The speaker location just hasn't changed in the past few years, even after i got the LCD panel.) I have everything on a standard 330VA UPS: monitor, PC, and a low wattage lamp (uses one of those 13w flourescent bulbs) on the battery side and everything else on the normal surge protected side. I did have to add a simple power strip to the UPS's surge protected side since it didn't have enough outlets for all my devices, which currently include the stereo, cable modem, network hub, printer (usually not plugged in until needed), scanner (same way), and a USB2.0 24x CD-RW drive. Oh yeah, the UPS does let me run the system for at least 4 minutes (never needed more) and can run the lamp a good ten minutes afterward. If the system isn't on and power goes out, the lamp can stay on in upwards of half an hour to an hour, but i've never actually been in a position where it needed to go that long.
For some reason we can get basic (and a little premium

) cable TV on this broadband cable connection, so it was split up for the rooms in the house with TV, so with the use of a 3 foot cable and 3-port splitter, split where one goes to the modem, another goes into the attic to be split into another three for different rooms in the house for TV (all used), and the last one is not being used, but could be as an additional connection for a TV (TV card more likely since the room the computer is in does not have a TV). This could probably be what's picking up the shortwave/HAM broadcasts since it basically acts like a huge antenna and my nieghbor has like four or five large antennas on his house and in his yard (he's probably the one doing all the transmitting and stuff....lousy

).

~eyeguy616
oh yeah, the weird noises would come in even if the stereo had something going on like tapes or line in, or even if it was off!! I guess this old thing's version of off just isn't what I though it was (ie., it's practically still on and enough power still seeps to the speakers to make the noise, get this, louder!!).

Nov 23, 2003, 06:43 PM	#1
eyeguy616 ZZzzzzzzzzzz........... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 324 Rep Power: 0	Looking for a reasonable 2.1 speaker system Yeah, I think it's time I get a better system than my 7-year old 2speaker CD shelf system. For some reason it's picking up a shortwave/HAM radio channel and I can't get it to stop.... it's damn annoying as it comes in loud and muffled (cannot make out what's being said, but it's clearly audible). What kind of 2.1 or possibly 4.1 system should I get? I'm using SoundStorm and would like to take advantage of the digital out, but I really don't know what to look for.... I have about 30-40 bucks to spend (which I know will probably not get me anything truly digital like coax). Also, I really don't use the speakers all that much since headphones w/mic help me out more in games and my current ones do the job well, but they do get their use at other times like when I'm listening to music or watching a movie. BTW, I found this while doing a search a few days ago. It might do it but I'd at least like to know some other choices if there are any. ~eyeguy616

Nov 24, 2003, 04:07 AM	Thread Starter #3
eyeguy616 ZZzzzzzzzzzz........... Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 324 Rep Power: 0	It's not that long, maybe 2-3 feet. The big old stereo is actually sitting on my desk touching my monitor and the speakers are also very close, but far enough away as to not make distortions in the monitor's color (back when I had a CRT. The speaker location just hasn't changed in the past few years, even after i got the LCD panel.) I have everything on a standard 330VA UPS: monitor, PC, and a low wattage lamp (uses one of those 13w flourescent bulbs) on the battery side and everything else on the normal surge protected side. I did have to add a simple power strip to the UPS's surge protected side since it didn't have enough outlets for all my devices, which currently include the stereo, cable modem, network hub, printer (usually not plugged in until needed), scanner (same way), and a USB2.0 24x CD-RW drive. Oh yeah, the UPS does let me run the system for at least 4 minutes (never needed more) and can run the lamp a good ten minutes afterward. If the system isn't on and power goes out, the lamp can stay on in upwards of half an hour to an hour, but i've never actually been in a position where it needed to go that long. For some reason we can get basic (and a little premium ) cable TV on this broadband cable connection, so it was split up for the rooms in the house with TV, so with the use of a 3 foot cable and 3-port splitter, split where one goes to the modem, another goes into the attic to be split into another three for different rooms in the house for TV (all used), and the last one is not being used, but could be as an additional connection for a TV (TV card more likely since the room the computer is in does not have a TV). This could probably be what's picking up the shortwave/HAM broadcasts since it basically acts like a huge antenna and my nieghbor has like four or five large antennas on his house and in his yard (he's probably the one doing all the transmitting and stuff....lousy ). ~eyeguy616 oh yeah, the weird noises would come in even if the stereo had something going on like tapes or line in, or even if it was off!! I guess this old thing's version of off just isn't what I though it was (ie., it's practically still on and enough power still seeps to the speakers to make the noise, get this, louder!!). Last edited by eyeguy616; Nov 24, 2003 at 04:13 AM.

Nov 24, 2003, 03:22 AM	#2
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Hmm...I don't know much about budget 2.1 speaker setups. However, I know Creative, Altec Lansing, and some of the Cyber Accoustics speakers are not too bad. I do know the brand you've picked out often make great speakers. Speaking of this hum. Is your computer connected to a real grounded outlet? If this started recently it sounds like to me something has been plugged in line with your stereo, and/or something has been moved around to effect it. How long is the cable you are running to and from your PC to this stereo?