Suggestions for wall-mounted computer speakers?

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Buddabing
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Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2003 11:50 am
Location: Houston, TX
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Suggestions for wall-mounted computer speakers?

Post by Buddabing » Tue Dec 29, 2015 1:15 pm

Hello,

I'm glad this section of the forums was opened.

Last year I ran some wiring to the front and back walls of where my desk is in my office, but I didn't purchase any speakers. I'm running garbage speakers at the moment.

I'd like to have a 5.1 system set up with the following characteristics:

1) controllable with a single knob
2) speakers mounted on walls
3) doesn't need to be too loud
4) connected to computer via HDMI or SPDIF
5) cost < $1000
6) The plugs I connected to the wall are the red and white RCA ones, but I suppose I could change that.
7) I have a receiver, a Yamaha something, I will edit this post with model number if necessary.
8) At one time I had Klipsch 4.1 wall mounted speakers and loved them.
9) Usage would be mostly computer games with some movies and music sprinkled in there.

TIA

washu
Posts: 571
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:20 am
Location: Ottawa

Re: Suggestions for wall-mounted computer speakers?

Post by washu » Tue Dec 29, 2015 5:10 pm

If you already have a decent Yamaha receiver then all you need are speakers and not computer specific ones. For $1000 you can easily do a 5.1 system. There are lots of options. If you don't mind a sub for low frequencies, then the Energy take classic 5.1 would fit the bill for well under $1000, are easily wall mountable and sound very good. If you can spend a bit more there are lots of larger bookshelf speakers. I am personally partial to Cerwin Vegas such as the xls-6, but you would need hefty mounts even for their smaller models.

The only potential issue is the RCA jacks. RCA jacks are normally only used for line level signals or cheap computer speakers. You could adapt them, but it would probably be easier to replace your wall jacks with proper speaker terminals.

Abula
Posts: 3662
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: Guatemala

Re: Suggestions for wall-mounted computer speakers?

Post by Abula » Tue Dec 29, 2015 6:53 pm

If you have a receiver already that can decode DTS/DD, if your soundcard supports DTS Interactive or DD Live, you can re encode on the fly for your reciever to recieve a known format (DTS/DD) and send the signal/power to each speaker deciding the signal.

I used to run my setup like that, but there was DD Live or DTS interactive back in the day, so i depended on the decoding of the soundcard and passive in to my reciever, once my reciever died out of use, i decided to not get another reciever but a pure amp and let my internal soundcard do the decoding into analog 3.5 to RCA (not knowing by this time that DD live and DTS interactive existed), but ended pretty decent setup, im running JBL NSP1 (5 speakers) + PSA XS15 (sealed Subwofer) driven by Emotiva UPA-5 and all signals are decoded by the Omega eClaro soundcard.

If you in fact want to use the receiver and are looking for some speakers, and don't want to spend a that much, im going to second washu recommendation of the Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System (Set of Six, Black), they pretty decent speaker for $300, they have binding posts so you can use banana plugs and they already come with holes to wall mount them (you do need to buy the brackets though). Check the following videos for more info about them and how to mount them,
Part 1: Energy Take Classic 5.1 Speakers
Part 2: Energy Take Classic Speakers Set Up

Now if you liked Klipsch sound signature , you might also want to consider the following,
Klipsch HD 300 Compact 5.1 High Definition Theater System
Klipsch HDT-600 Home Theater System
Klipsch Quintet 5.0 Home Theater Speaker System (Black) + HSU Reserach STF-2 Subwoofer (on sale atm)

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