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Help - my hat is in my hand.

B

bcoots

New Member
Hello everyone,
First of all my hat is in my hand. I am newish to audio projects, so please approach me in that way. Assuming I really that don't know what is going on here! HA!

I am need recommendations for a new project that I am going to be doing soon and you guys have helped me in the past. I honestly get so confused reading all the reviews and specs of all the equipment, what's compatible, what isn't... I just need some help.

PROJECT SCOPE: Office speaker system. This literally will be going in my office at work. So the bookshelf speakers will be on my desk, while it's a rather large desk (6ft wide at the back by the monitor by 7.5 feet deep), it is shaped like a U that I sit in the center of. So the speakers will be ~2-3 feet away from me at most, while the sub, sits right at my feet under the desk in the center.

So I'm looking for a 2.1 system. I was going to go and just buy something like the Harmon Kardon Soudsticks 3 or Logitech z623 or etc... reading forums and other places I quickly realized I could get better sound for my money if I put something together.

BUDDGET: $225 (Speakers, amp and Sub)

My initial research had led me to look at some of the following equipment, I just don't understand things like, the Polk Audio T15 are 8ohm, this guy I read recommended the Dayton DTA-1 Class T Digital AMP, but from my understanding that's 4ohm... is that compatible?

Alright so, enough with the rambling before I hurt my brain further. Here is a setup I was recommended, but have since read there may be better speakers for the money. Thank you in advance. Also, any help with ideas in regards to actually terminating the setup would be GREATLY beneficial. My understanding is with the below Dayton setup, it would go something like

PC 3.5mm -> amp -> speaker wire -> SUB -> speaker wire -> speakers.

SETUP #1
Dayton B652
Dayton Audio Sub 1000
Dayton DTA-1 Class T Digital AC/DC AMP

That's the only complete setup I've read about online, however, I've read that the
Polk Audio T15's
Infinity P153's
Micca MB42
Micca MB42x
JBL Loft

Thank you guys for any help in advance. I can't wait to hear from you.
 
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Well, I'll throw this out there - Klipsch ProMedia 2.1. Should run about $130n and are well liked.

Now, they are not as flexible as a full on system, and I did not care for them myself, but I am throwing it out there to maybe broaden your search.
 
Thank you for the reply Drew.

What if I swapped the Dayton B652's for the Polk T15's?
Does that setup/system still work properly and is compatible?

SETUP #2
Polk Audio T15's
Dayton Sub 1000
Dayton DTA-1

I am lost when it comes to setting up sound system in terms of Ohms and frying an amp etc.
The Dayton B652's are 6ohms and the Polk's are 8ohms... I'm not sure how to calculate how this is going to work or not work.

Especially considering I'm throwing the sub in there somewhere.

So it'd go something like:
___________ POLK AUDIO
PC 3.5mm -> AMP (speadker wire) -> SUB |
----------------- POLK AUDIO
 
SiliconTi said:
Well, I'll throw this out there - Klipsch ProMedia 2.1. Should run about $130n and are well liked.

Now, they are not as flexible as a full on system, and I did not care for them myself, but I am throwing it out there to maybe broaden your search.
Click to expand...

I own a pair and I don't care for them either; that's why they've been in my closet for years. Most of them end up with EXTREMELY noisy controls that DeOxit won't fix. I don't want to offend, but I don't understand why anyone would recommend a setup that they "don't care for myself." They do play extremely loud for a small system, but sound painfully bad at high levels. Either #1 or #2 look fine to me. I haven't heard the B652's but T15's (or 25s) are awesome little speakers.
 
Thank you guys, I'm leaning toward the Polk 15s. I hate to be a newb but can anyone please confirm that everything is compatible with the Polk setup? Impedance wise and all that? I don't want to burn anything up.
 
I tend to approach projects like this in a more "opportunistic" sorta manner,ie: I go looking for deals and see what pops up that I can work with.
So I'd probably go looking for a vintage integrated amp & some vintage speakers.

My budget speaker choices,well I've bought JBL 52t/LX-22/LXE-330/MR25 for $50.00 +/- and all those sound real nice.
Also have Advent (3002) Canton (GL-260) Celestion (Ditton 110) Klipsch (KSB1.1) Polk (RT3 & R15) among others,and again all sound really nice to me & all were < $100.00.

Previous budget minded integrated amp purcahses inlcude NAD 3140,Sansui AU-217 & Teac A-1D,and again all those were very reasonably priced and SQ is excellent.

Most of those speakers do ok on the bottom end,so a sub would'nt be mandatory,but deals can be found for those too.
As an example here I bought a surplus stock NIB ~ factory sealed Canton AC85-SC sub for a VERY good price.
Really nice compact sub too,150wpc max and it's rated down to 25Hz which is pretty low for such a compact package.

Also,seeing that were using a computer as a source then a nice budget minded (possibly used) DAC may be a wise purchase as well.
Precisely which one depends on what's available on the computer for outputs.

Something like this would sound real nice IMO:
Computer as source > budget DAC > Sansui AU-217 > budget powered/active subwoofer (using speaker/high level ins & outs) > JBL LXE-330.

Now if space is a major concern then a full size integrated amp could easily be replaced by a smaller unit of some sort.

Just some food for thought...

FWIW

Bret P.
 
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I just mentioned them because, even though I do not care for them, many do and it may have helped point you in a new direction. No biggie.
 
First I'd like to point out the OP isn't the one questioning the suggestion of the mentioned speakers. I appreciate it and actually looked them up and read about them.

Secondly, unless someone swings in and suggest something otherwise, I'm going to snag the Polks and the Dayton Sub / AMP, IF I can confirm that all of those components play nice with each other and I'm not going to burn something up in the process.

So, I'm just waiting on confirmation of that before I order them.
 
It should work.

That amp is rated for 4ohm minimum speakers,and the Polk T15 speakers are 8ohm (nominal),so no major problems there,and while the Polk's are'nt the most efficient small speakers out there,89db aint all that bad either,the Dayton sub 1000 has speaker level inputs,and going that route wont affect the impedence the amp "sees',so there's no reason I can see that it would'nt work.

All tone adjustments would be done within the computer,so that's NBD.

Good luck here.

Bret P.
 
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