rocketsfan34

Mike - Thank you for sharing your experience with the AE5+. Nice find on the Bamboos. Based on the recommendations from other forum members I have been researching the Airmotiv 5/6. However, I think I would be very happy with the AE5+. Also, you hit the nail on the head regarding headphones and comfort. One of the reason I use IEMs. A couple years ago I purchased a pair of the Sony XBR500. They are regarded as being comfortable, but after 15 minutes they are too warm on my ears and relegate them back to shelf duty Snowmonkey - I'll check out the Lil' Birds. Thanks! Looking forward to making a decision, but at the same time trying to remember to be patient. I better hurry - I am starting to hear my wife talk about vacations and other purchases, like camps for the kids, etc... ;-)

Looks like my local BB stocks both of those items. I'll wander down there this week to try them out. Never considered a Mac. Intriguing - I'll have to look into it. I like the small form factor. Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Always respected the Jazz. They would have won a couple Championships if wasn't for MJ. Loved seeing Stockton drain that three in the playoffs in Charles Barkley's face. Stockton/Malone/Hornacek all deserved to win one. Yep, I remember Thurl Bailey - rec specs and all.

I was just again reviewing what spdif-usb wrote and that has a source of frustration for me personally - having to wait on products. If the product doesn't meet your requirements then you have to ship them back. I am here in AZ and other than BestBuy/Magnolia there is nowhere to demo and purchase high-end audio. Probably won't even be that in a few years. Guess I am whining a bit. Without the internet there wouldn't be great forums like this one and near infinite access to information.

Very gracious of you, Blake. I am a Canuck, so it's in my nature to be polite and grateful. Currently living in AZ. Never been to Houston and now you are probably wondering why I am a Rockets fan. Hakeem Olajuwon was my favorite player, so more of a fan of his than the Rockets. Maybe my handle should be "Beaverpelt" or "Hoser", eh? Oh...yeah us Canucks are self-deprecating too. Anyhow, hope to pay the advice forward in the future. You all have been extremely helpful and probably have saved me some money. I have a desk for the den arriving this week after which time I will evaluate the available space and go from there all the while keeping in mind everyone's recommendations. I'll be certain to reply back with any further questions and of course what I ultimately decide upon.

Good advice, thanks.

Thank you for the welcome, mayhem13 and thanks for keeping me grounded. Yes, I really like the Yammy and would like to use it is a viable solution. My soundcard is X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion and it does have optical. And sorry for not mentioning this, but I dragged it out a few days ago and connected it to my PC and used some old Energy surrounds to test and all was successful. My only concern was the size, but I can locate it under my desk. My initial thinking was to buy quality passive speakers and connect the Yammy to PC and also use the headphone out. Just not sure if I should go with passives or active/powered. If I go with powered then I don't need to use the Yammy, but I would need a DAC to plug in phones. However, if spending $500 on bookshelf speakers and using the Yammy would net me better sound than spending the same amount on powered speakers, then I am game. Absolutely, right. We are heavily invested int the Apple ecosystem. Multiple iPhones (I am the the only non iPhone), iPad, iTouch, 2 ATVs and plans for another iPad and/or mini. Really the kids, wife, and in-laws (they live with us) that drive the acquisition of Apple products, but I don't necessarily have any aversion to it. In regards to budget, it is self-imposed and arbitrary - just trying to strike a balance with quality and value. I can spend $1500 - $2000 if worthwhile, but trying to be sensible.

Also, is there anything inherently wrong with connecting a AVR to a PC other than possibly space constraints? There are some cheap two channel AVRs out there - even multi-channel ones. Insignia 200W 2.0 Channel Stereo Receiver NS-R2001 - Best Buy Sony 200W 2.0Ch. Stereo Receiver STRDH130 - Best Buy

Thank you for the insight and reasonable suggestions. For the last few weeks I've been agonizing over which direction to choose. Forums like this and others are excellent ways to get feedback on your own personal situation and learn something new. Anyhow, currently I do have about 10% of my music on CDs, but most of it in iTunes from years of having various iDevices. I was aware of the compression, but it didn't matter enough to me to change - convenience always was the driving factor. Guess I just start ordering CDs from Amazon? In regards to speakers and speaking in a general sense, if I spent $500 on powered or $500 on passive and used a receiver, would the there be much of a difference? I do like the fact of not having to have a AVR connected to my PC. Sometimes I'll be a few feet away and other times I'll play the music and hang out in the adjacent great room. One of the reason I was considering Sonos. Need sound out on the patio too. But, there is always that feeling and as Decodering mentioned, missing out on details in the music. Not so much worried about that on the patio though. ;-) Let's say I decide to nix replacing any of my music with lossless, is there a 2.1 computer speaker system you would recommend? What about the Focal XS 2.1? Or would I still be better off with the Airmotiv 5 and possibly a sub if necessary even with substandard music file formats? Guess if I went with the latter it would always leave me with the option to upgrade my music files.

Hi Hoping for some guidance on improving the audio for my computer. I have been doing research for the last few weeks on how to improve my computer audio and frankly, I am bit overwhelmed with the number of potential solutions. Current set up: - Altec Lansing 2.1 speakers. Nearly 8 years old and one speaker has a slight rattle. - Creative x-fi sound card. - Klipsh x10 iems - iTunes, all genre music in mp3, acc, 256kbps - 12x13 den/office open and adjacent to great room. I have a desk the extends the length of the room. Been considering the following: Sonos. Figure I could buy one Play5 to see if it was adequate for sound in the den where the computer is located and if decent enough sound to hear in great room. Wouldn't take up much room and could always move around the house and out to patio when desired. Audioengine5+. Was thinking of also getting the AE D1 to use with my Klipsh x10s. Use old Yamaha rx-v3300 (130w) w/ quality passive bookshelf speakers. Amp would need to be located under the desk. Also, tried the Klipsh x10 with the receiver and they did not sound the same as when connected to me computer speakers or ipod. I would like to upgrade my headphones to a good pair of full size phones, but I keep reading how a lot of people use lossless for their music files so I wonder if I'd be wasting my money on a pair of $400 phones (hd600/650, HE-400) GIGO. I share the den/offcie with my wife so I'd be concerned about sound leaking with open-back phones. Considering something like the ATH-A900x instead of the ones previously mentioned. However, I've never owned a pair of descent phones and BestBuy is the electronics store nearby, so I don't have the opportunity to demo. I'd be happy with a better pair of IEMs too. Had a pair of $150 Denon earbuds for a couple years that I liked better than the Klipsch, but they broke and is why I bought the Klipsch on sale on Amazon. Budget $800 -$1000. I can stretch the budget. Basically, I'd rather spend the money to get something of quality to enjoy for years without constantly upgrading. Yeah, right. ;-) Thanks Tim