Can you recommend a single set of speakers for my professional keyboard/synthesizer, TV & computer?

[RED]

Hi there,

I'm new to this list but I've searched for a long time for answers to this question and I haven't found any good ones.

The thing is, I really want just one set of solid speakers for all of my home entertainment and electronic sounds at a reasonable price, say under $600 or $700. I do not need to deafen the neighbors or myself. I just want to be able to play my music at reasonable volumes without blowing the speakers out with the keyboard's dynamic range.

My equipment:
Keyboard/Synthesizer is a Yamaha s90sx
TV is a Samsung LN40C630 LCD TV
Computer is a Mac-book Pro used for movies and mp3s.

Really appreciate any help.
Thanks!
-RED

 

[happyrat1]

Any home stereo speakers or system you buy over 30 Watts RMS in that price range will do a decent job of outputting comfortable listening levels.

You didn't mention what receiver or amplifier you are pumping your equipment through. If you are currently in the market for both receiver and speakers, take a look at some of the home theater packages from Yamaha or Teac or NAD that include both receiver and speakers. Audiophile electronics shops tend to put together some nice starter packages in that price range.

Here's a few such packages from a local audiophile shop in my area.

http://baybloorradio.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=36_37

One thing you should look for in a receiver is dual tape inputs with a tape monitor switch if you can still find them. The reason for this is if you wish to play your S90sx along with a CD or a song on the radio, you can patch the receiver's music out through a mixer and then mix it down with the keyboard and send it back through the second tape input.

BTW, if you are planning to hook up all that hardware into a receiver then a small studio mixer is a must for getting the keyboard levels and inputs to sane levels. I personally use an old Kenwood AR-304 stereo receiver patched through a Behringer Xenyx 1002FX 10 channel (5 Stereo) mixer to a pair of M-Audio BX5 Bbiamped Studio Monitors and a 2.1 house brand home stereo speaker system.

I have a desktop computer, two keyboards and assorted home stereo gear running into this hookup. I don't currently have my TV hooked in because my set is a very old LCD set with no audio outputs. If I were ever to upgrade my TV though, it would be a simple matter to plug it into the mixer.

If your entire $700 budget is devoted entirely to speakers, however, that's whole different animal. Then you could splurge on a set of Klipsch or Bose or Missions with whatever power handling capabilities your current amp provides.

I can't really get any more specific without knowing a few things, such as what country you are shopping in, whether or not you include a receiver in that price, whether you would prefer 2.1 stereo or 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound and any other pertinent information such as maximum wattage required and if you are looking for ultra elite audiophile sound or simply reasonably priced "prosumer" gear.

Anyway, get back to us with a few more details and maybe I can put together a suitable rig for you.

Regards,
Gary

 

[Oyst3h]

A 30 Watt home stereo for $600 won't go near to recreating the volume and power of a real piano, but it should go loud enough to be described as "comfortable", and it would certainly be loud enough for listening to TV and MP3's. It's not the only option, though.

You can get a pretty decent sound out of a set of 2.1 computer speakers, so long as you avoid the real cheap ones. For around $150-$200 dollars, there are some pretty decent setups that will far outshine anything bought as a "HiFi" for similar money.

Since you're budgeting around $600-$700 dollars (US dollars, I guess that is?), you can probably do better though... either with a "HiFi" or you could consider a pair of Studio Monitors. Something like a pair of KRK's plus a small mixer. Trouble with that suggestion is that partners seem to have a genetic defect that causes them to take offence to having a mixer in the living room. Personally, I reckon it looks cool, and all you need is a copy of Garageband or Logic, and you have a nice little home studio as well.