like I said - "built in" sound, can be crap - not always, by any means.

however try a "proper" soundcard, like a soundblaster 128, for a 2:1 speaker set, for example - before you make up your mind?

For gaming I use an Audigy 2 player with Creative Megaworks 5.1 speakers, for music a Terratec DMX 6 fire and inspire 5700's and for DVD's (on a household DVD player) I still use what I guess could be classed as computer speakers with a set of Videologic digitheatre DTS.

I use the built in sound from my Dimension 4550, and a set of Harmon Kardon speakers, 695 , not the flashy ones like towny. They do have a great big box and two satalite things that sit on my desk. They sound great, and so does the inbuild sound!



http://buy.overstock.com/images/products/T932280.jpg
(only in black) :)

Am I the only one that has a decent stereo system next to the pc and just plugs into that? That's what I do for the lappy in the lounge and the desktop in the study.

That's basically what I do, except I have a Pioneer AV (Home Cinema) amp.

I use the PC as my main stereo and "media centre" with the following software/hardware:

XP Pro SP1 + DX9b
Windows Media Player 9 + mp3s, CDs, movies etc
NVidia GF4 with SVideo-out
Soundblaster Live 5.1 Digital (2 speaker mode)
Sony amp
2 x 350W RMS floorstanding speakers (18Hz - 22,000Hz, 96db sensitivity :cool: )

It does a good job of shaking the floor in my house and several doors down the road. :p

I like the "sound" of that, night, night.:)

Gaz

i saw some nice 550w ones for about £200 shame i have no room but i bet that would give the music i listen to a right oomph :p

It's a bit early to say, but if I 'ear anything, I'll let you know.

Sound Plaster 5.1 Live!
Cambridge Soundworks 5.1 with Sony active Sub (making it 5.2!)

I use the digital out on the soundcard for playing CD's, the optical link for my PS/2 and the analogue link for the video.

i use a microsoft digital sound system 80 its a 2.1 setup
the woofer really woof's :D everyone whe hears it wants one
got it 2yr ago pc world were flogin em off cheap as they were taken off the market i love it to death would never part with it
and you dont need 10 mile of cable for all them speakers being a 2.1 setup

towny - those speakers so look like the ones you can get with the desklamp mac :-D They are good but not a scratch on my setup (good friend of mine, well was :-( has said mac)

What I run, SB audigy2 platinum hooked upto a Sony K840P Digitial audio / visual control center - Digital cinema sound (HiFi like amp but surround sound and digital)

Which has 6x100w rms output which is hooked upto 4x100w position satelites, 1x100w center speaker (takes more midrange than the sats do) and 1x100w self powered subwoofer.

Its very powerfull and yet very clear in audio reproduction though listening to somthing with abit of base can make everything in the room shake at moderate volume levels (45/65 power level) and at power level 50 listening to freeview radio it can make the water in the bath shake which is in the room next door.

Rarely do i use it to high volumes as i dont want to anoy my housemates nor neighbours that much but its good to have a blast every once in a while :-D

The setup is by no means cheap but as they say you get what you pay for and its impressed everyone i've shown it to, especially when there is thud like noises it shakes the bed / chair like the noise,
for example when santa's little helper slams into the door in an old simpsons ep it felt like my room door had been run into :-D

K

PCI 512 :blush: .... feeding into Sony LBT-XB500 HiFi.

2 400w RMS speakers each with inbuilt seperate passive sub cones.

Floor standing 200w Mordaunt-short Active Sub! (really shakes the house ;) )

§talk

The external speakers you get with the new iMac are by Harmon Kardon, like my soundsticks :)

ive since bought myself what i said earlier, a set of apckard bell (no flames abuot the brand ;)) 2.1 NXT speakers, mainly cos they are nice and slim. the dinky sub puts out a nice bit of bass as well... enough for me anyway. none of this fancy 7.1 surround wired thru 6 amps and 2 pre-amps etc etc for old dave...