Greetings all!

I've been shopping around recently for a 2.1 speaker setup to supplement the internal speakers of my Roland FP-7F and was considering the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers, but have been hesitant to buy them given that my local Best Buy staff can't be bothered with connecting the display model so that one can demo them in the store despite several complaints to the management from yours truly. So I've been looking around for other affordable options and came across the Corsair SP2500 2.1 speaker system, which has gotten rave reviews from the gaming community and costs only $50.00 more than the Klipsch setup (street price). The specs for the Corsair setup are much better than the Klipsch speakers with more connection options and a better build quality, not to mention more powerful built-in amps (six of them total), several EQ settings for different types of applications and musical tastes, and a much larger sub-woofer. However, none of my local retailers have them on display or in stock, and I've been unable to find a single instance or review online of this speaker setup being used with a DP or a synthesizer, which also gives me pause to purchase them sight/sound unseen from an online retailer as I don't want to be hassled with having to ship them back if they don't work for my needs. Here's a direct link to the Corsair speakers:

http://www.corsair.com/pc-computer-audio...ker-system.html

Have any forum members tried these out with a DP or a synth? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

K.

This may not be exactly on point:

. . . If you Google "corsair speakers crackling", you'll find
. . . several hits about a factory-build problem in the Corsair
. . . SP2200 model.

Looking at the XP2500 specs, and the price (they make Behringer look expensive!), I'm as suspicious as you:

. . . it looks too good to be true.

With specs as they are, they should be flying off the shelves at music stores and audiophile shops.

. Charles

I think corsair is good at making cpu coolers & rams than speakers

I still cannot understand the use of computer speakers with a piano.

With the Klipsch setup, for $200 you get this:


Here's what I got for $210, locally on the used market:

MacMacMac, I understand what you mean. But, I rather have the best sound in the smallest package as possible. Just a matter of space and maybe aesthetics

Well, I could have gone small by simply skipping the floor-standing speakers, and using just the two bookshelf units. Had I gone that route it would be just $110.

One step further ... skip the stands and it's down to $85. And still much better than computer speakers.

I'd be interested in anyone's experience of the corsairs vs klipsch too... just about to go for one or the other...

Don't buy PC 'gaming' speakers - it will disappoint you. I don't even see how this would be better than the build-in speakers. I would suggest buying a decent set of monitor speakers - perhaps for the price even the latest Behringer like the new NEKKST K5 /K8 . They are obviously build after the FOCAL loudspeaker series and if properly 'copied' , they could be good ;-) At least they MUST be better than all these PC speaker toy plastic crap that is flooding the market.

I use the Klipsch Promedia speakers to enhance my onboard speakers and it works great. I don't have a place for a receiver or amp; it does the job with a small footprint.

One of the tricks to getting a 2.1 system's bass balanced is to start with the sub turned all the way down and then little by little turn it up until you get a nice rounded bottom end. I will also turn up too loud to establish a frame of reference sound-wise and then back it down again as well. Typically with a system like the Corsair, a little bit of bass is enough.

A problem with computer 2.1 systems playing back a demanding instrument like a virtual piano is the bass response is never really linear. The sub adds warmth but not really fidelity. If you have lower expectations they can work really well. If your goal is the natural reproduction of an acoustic, 2.1's could become a limiting factor.

Just say no! 2.1 is for television or computer, not for piano.

Ordinarily I'd say "if you buy cheap, you get cheap". But in this case, you can still buy cheap and get good equipment. For the price of a 2.1 setup you can get good quality equipment. I posted an example above about two months ago.

Does anyone know how much the Behringer NEKKST K5 go for?

We should probably start a new thread. Im curious about price too.

I remember when the Logitech Z2000 (or something) was being used by people for similar things. They were $200 and the users, who were drinking the kool-aid, were extremely enthusiastic.

I tried the Logitech Z(something or other)a couple of years ago. While they worked okay for piano sounds, they couldn't handle many of the other sounds like organs. The speakers would distort and crackle.

With substandard products like the computer 2.1 speakers, how they work is really tied to how loud you want them to play. It's always surprising to me when in my studio I want to play my acoustic piano along with recorded tracks. I have to turn the recorded tracks up much louder than I usually do to hear them with the acoustic piano.

If you look at the Corsair page.
The amplifiers are class D.
The lineup of the tweeters and midrange are not. They should be in a straight line one above the other for good imaging. This is a basic bozo no no.

MacMacMac, could you give the Modells You are using, would be interested in the specs. (I think also the Genelec Monitors are not ideal for DPs, but at most perhaps as complementary boxes to a CA65, if I manage the rest of the output of SW-Pianos to route back to the DP).