Good PC speakers - purchased Ruark MR1 MarkII

[tp4tissue]

speaker reviews are notoriously bull-sh%&

Like that it has optical, but that can be done much cheaper with a breakout dac as well.

Optical is really important for PC audio, when the framerates go high the gpu electrical noise goes bzzzzzzrealllighhnnn...

[jamster]

Going to agree here- the vast, vast majority of speaker reviews are total bull****. Terribly vague, subjective rubbish that don't benchmark speakers against anything commonly known- e.g. 'these speakers are wonderfully clear, have good imaging and separation' means absolutely nothing.

For me to take a speaker review even semi seriously, the author would need to be providing measurements of frequency response at the bare, bare minimum. And not just posting the graphs from the manufacturer, but taking the measurements himself. This is a super low bar, it is something that is very easy to do, even at home.

I have not heard them, so could be completely off base here, but those Ruarks are also exactly the kind of product I have learned to shy away from. The way they are promoted, the way the emphasis is on bluetooth, lifestyle, textured fabric grilles*, then casually slipping in "75mm woofers". Are they really that small? For over $300?

If I had to get something quickly without too much research, that was not too pricey, I'd just fall back on something non-fancy like KRK Rokits.


* I like grey, textured fabric grilles, just not as a key selling point for speakers. I went and retrofitted grey textured fabric to my grille frames.

[tp4tissue]

Tried and true Ghetto box is the klipsch promedia 2.1  .

Ghetto line 2, A-Jones Pioneer BS22 Satellite + SW-8MKS Subw, or Polk PSW10 Subw


After that, you get into Shenanigans (up and down unclear)

The audio industry did it to itself when it ran out of low hanging fruits for their engineers to solve, now everyone is hauckn' koolaid spiked w/ snek oil.

[phinix]

So far is like - I find something, ask you guys, then you guys slam it and I end up stunned and indecisive. Which is GOOD!
I mean, I have no idea anything about those all speakers specs etc
All I check is the size, look, frequency (to get the lowest I can get for the size I pick) and price.

Those Ruark look amazing, have lowest Hz I can get for that size, but are for some reason very expensive - unless thats the prices you pay nowadays for speakers and I dont know that...

What I'm looking for is the small speakers, lets say max 13cm wide , 2.0 set, £300 max.

All I found so far are Kanto YU2, Audioengine A2+ and those Ruark MR1.
I'm starting to think I may not find anything to replace my HK Soundsticks...

[tp4tissue]

Draw pictar of the room and table and possible positions.

[jamster]

The Ruarks might be fine... I'm just wary of they way they are presented. Are you going to be listening to whatever you buy first, or are you ordering sight unseen?

13cm is a very tight constraint to be working with... I am not convinced that there really is anything that 'good' out there with such limited sizing. I also have very tight space constraints, so all I want is some kind of ability to hear Youtube or whatever without reaching for the headphones- I have three computers, two with a single cheap as chips Edifier connected and run as mono, one with a Dell soundbar attached to the screen. For 'good' sound I just put on the headphones.

This guy does some good reviews of small speakers. He's not a prolific reviewer, and some of the products are dated. But he's one of the few reviewers gets into proper critical breakdowns of the products. He's a bit blunt and sarcastic, but I think those are good qualities in a technical reviewer. http://noaudiophile.com/reviews.php

[Leslieann]

Going to agree here- the vast, vast majority of speaker reviews are total bull****. Terribly vague, subjective rubbish that don't benchmark speakers against anything commonly known- e.g. 'these speakers are wonderfully clear, have good imaging and separation' means absolutely nothing.

For me to take a speaker review even semi seriously, the author would need to be providing measurements of frequency response at the bare, bare minimum. And not just posting the graphs from the manufacturer, but taking the measurements himself. This is a super low bar, it is something that is very easy to do, even at home.

Charts can never tell the whole story because it IS subjective.
Everyone hears differently and has different preferences so it's always subjective and that's without even taking into consideration musical taste, expected volume, etc...

[jamster]

Going to agree here- the vast, vast majority of speaker reviews are total bull****. Terribly vague, subjective rubbish that don't benchmark speakers against anything commonly known- e.g. 'these speakers are wonderfully clear, have good imaging and separation' means absolutely nothing.

For me to take a speaker review even semi seriously, the author would need to be providing measurements of frequency response at the bare, bare minimum. And not just posting the graphs from the manufacturer, but taking the measurements himself. This is a super low bar, it is something that is very easy to do, even at home.

Charts can never tell the whole story because it IS subjective.
Everyone hears differently and has different preferences so it's always subjective and that's without even taking into consideration musical taste, expected volume, etc...

Audio preferences are subjective... but if you know how to read an FR graph then you can pretty quickly figure out how your subjective preferences are going to get along with a particular driver.

Same way that people have different preferences for temperatures. I look at the thermometer outside, it's 20C and I will be warm in shorts and a t-shirt, and know to tell my wife to bring a windbreaker, because she has different preferences.

Certainly, charts do not tell the whole story. And FR charts are ludicrously simple, there is so much that they don't even try to address. But they are such a low bar to pass that they should be included in any 'professional' review where the writer gets paid for it via writing fees or affiliate links.

Personally, I am not hugely experienced in audio, but having bought/tried/made some stuff, I have a reasonable idea of what to avoid when looking at FR graphs. They won't tell me if I will like something, but they could tell me if I am going to hate something so for me they are a good fast screening tool.

[phinix]

I had few responses from guys who have those Ruark speakers and they said these are amazing, very impressed with the sound, bass etc for this size.
One suggested that these sound much better than Audioengine A2+.
So far they growing on me, I really love the look of them and hope they will sound amazing too.
I got a discount from local shop for these, £299 from £329. Still expensive, but if I sell mine, I will have funds for them.
So far, first on my list.

[phinix]

I got a nice offer for new set of Ruark MR1 Mk2 for £230 (brand new is £330).
Its a returned item by client, practically new, still has 2 years warranty.
So tomorrow ill be listening of a nice music through them

[phinix]

They are in!!!

Plugged them in, optic cable.

Wow.. I love how they play vocals and higher tones (sorry, I'm not an audiophile or music expert) - Feels like other speakers never played some tones at all.
I recently bought LG CX48 as my PC monitor and didn't use my Harman Kardon soundsticks again, just used built-in speakers. Horrible.
But now it feels like even compared to soundsticks, these play a lot more sounds.

Weird. Awesome. Weirdly awesome

I was a bit worried that they won't have enough bass for me. I don't listen to techno or bass full music, but wanted to make sure they will "draw" all levels.
I'm impressed how such small speakers have this much punch. Enough for music, movies and games.

I'm a heavy listener, heavy metal etc but lately (read - I'm getting old) started to appreciate other music - I love blues, jazz, old rock. Tomorrow is my 41st birthday and I bought these for myself. LOVE IT

Now listening Billie Holiday - All or nothing at all - amazing how you can hear all instruments.

Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells' Live at the BBC 1973 - mmm.... I would love to buy a turntable and listen to some vinyl, but don't have space for it. Some day...

OK, here you can now see how small my room is - this is why these Ruark speakers are biggest I could use.

[tp4tissue]

Optical FTW

[jamster]

They are in!!!

Plugged them in, optic cable.

Wow.. I love how they play vocals and higher tones (sorry, I'm not an audiophile or music expert) - Feels like other speakers never played some tones at all.
I recently bought LG CX48 as my PC monitor and didn't use my Harman Kardon soundsticks again, just used built-in speakers. Horrible.
But now it feels like even compared to soundsticks, these play a lot more sounds.

Weird. Awesome. Weirdly awesome

I was a bit worried that they won't have enough bass for me. I don't listen to techno or bass full music, but wanted to make sure they will "draw" all levels.
I'm impressed how such small speakers have this much punch. Enough for music, movies and games.

I'm a heavy listener, heavy metal etc but lately (read - I'm getting old) started to appreciate other music - I love blues, jazz, old rock. Tomorrow is my 41st birthday and I bought these for myself. LOVE IT

Now listening Billie Holiday - All or nothing at all - amazing how you can hear all instruments.

Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells' Live at the BBC 1973 - mmm.... I would love to buy a turntable and listen to some vinyl, but don't have space for it. Some day...

OK, here you can now see how small my room is - this is why these Ruark speakers are biggest I could use.

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Very nice!

It's interesting with better audio gear you can hear totally new stuff appear in familiar music.

What is that PC case, is that the one made by some enthusiast guy in Poland or Hungary?

[phinix]

They are in!!!

Plugged them in, optic cable.

Wow.. I love how they play vocals and higher tones (sorry, I'm not an audiophile or music expert) - Feels like other speakers never played some tones at all.
I recently bought LG CX48 as my PC monitor and didn't use my Harman Kardon soundsticks again, just used built-in speakers. Horrible.
But now it feels like even compared to soundsticks, these play a lot more sounds.

Weird. Awesome. Weirdly awesome

I was a bit worried that they won't have enough bass for me. I don't listen to techno or bass full music, but wanted to make sure they will "draw" all levels.
I'm impressed how such small speakers have this much punch. Enough for music, movies and games.

I'm a heavy listener, heavy metal etc but lately (read - I'm getting old) started to appreciate other music - I love blues, jazz, old rock. Tomorrow is my 41st birthday and I bought these for myself. LOVE IT

Now listening Billie Holiday - All or nothing at all - amazing how you can hear all instruments.

Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells' Live at the BBC 1973 - mmm.... I would love to buy a turntable and listen to some vinyl, but don't have space for it. Some day...

OK, here you can now see how small my room is - this is why these Ruark speakers are biggest I could use.

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Very nice!

It's interesting with better audio gear you can hear totally new stuff appear in familiar music.

What is that PC case, is that the one made by some enthusiast guy in Poland or Hungary?

Yes, made in Poland, DR ZĄBER SENTRY 2.0

[noisyturtle]

Just replaced my very old Antec Soundscience Rockus 3D's that have been getting an increasingly loud hiss over the past year. It became so bad I had to really crank the volume because the hiss was actually overpowering the audio, and it happened so gradually I only really noticed when someone else brought it to my attention. The silence was deafening  )

I've replaced them with the much loved Klipsch THX 2.1s, and they are obviously already much better speakers. No wonder they have become a trope for go-to multimedia speaker recommendations from those who know. Plus I got 'em for under $100 brand new, which is crazy considering they are $180 speakers.

Quite pleased with these thus far 

[PadawanGeek]

I used to have a pair of KRK Rokit5 G3 back when I was using monitors, but due to space constraint, I'd had to let it go and replaced it with an LG soundbar. Back when I was looking for a pair of studio monitors, the JBL LSR305 was the 'go to' pair, I couldn't find a pair in stock at the time, so I went for the Rokit instead. IIRC, I ran my Oppo HA-1 from my PS via a USB cable, the Rokit5 G3's were hooked up to my Oppo via RCA in unbalanced mode, I could have been using Balanced mode as the Oppo does have Balanced output.....can't remember now.

[Darthbaggins]

My speakers continue to collect dust now (Kanto YU2's) since I got a pair of Phillips SHP9500's for $50 USD new.  So far loving the set.

[tp4tissue]

much loved Klipsch THX 2.1s, and they are obviously already much better speakers. No wonder they have become a trope for go-to multimedia speaker recommendations from those who know. Plus I got 'em for under $100 brand new, which is crazy considering they are $180 speakers.

Quite pleased with these thus far 

The promedia 2.1 ?

[phinix]

My Ruark are freaking amazing.
Best speakers I could pick for this size and price.

[tp4tissue]

My Ruark are freaking amazing.
Best speakers I could pick for this size and price.

ruark + 15" suboofr..  phinix needs this.

[phinix]

My Ruark are freaking amazing.
Best speakers I could pick for this size and price.

ruark + 15" suboofr..  phinix needs this.

Show Image

 nah :P

I really dont need woofer. For my desktop purposes its more than enough.

[noisyturtle]

much loved Klipsch THX 2.1s, and they are obviously already much better speakers. No wonder they have become a trope for go-to multimedia speaker recommendations from those who know. Plus I got 'em for under $100 brand new, which is crazy considering they are $180 speakers.

Quite pleased with these thus far 

The promedia 2.1 ?

Yeah, the THX versions not the remakes though. From what I've read, they sound much more neutral than the new ones.