Eo Laprte hates that. I've seen it happen.

-----Original Message-----
From: Pc-audio [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of John Gurd
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2016 11:32 AM
To: 'PC Audio Discussion List' <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Subject: RE: Desktop computer speakers

Hi Andy
You're right. It still annoys me that I can't connect all the equipment I want 
without a lot of rigmarole. Sonos will let me play music from the built-in 
iPhone app but not other apps such as NatureSpace which has really nice 
nature/relaxation tracks. A lot of Apple and Microsoft products don't integrate 
well - deliberately so in order to force you to stay with one company. And what 
a carry-on it can be getting music onto an iPhone from a PC these days! As for 
HDMI, it's great when it works, but it has a little thing built in called 
High-bandwidth Digital Copyright Protection (HDCP) which you will find will 
stop you doing some of the things you mentioned: like you can listen, but you 
certainly can't record and definitely not copy. And because of that, it refuses 
to play certain media such as Blu-ray if it detects you are using equipment not 
certified for HDCP. So frankly, life could be a lot simpler if it wasn't for 
the jealousy and rivalry of some big corporations.

John


-----Original Message-----
From: Pc-audio [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Andy
Sent: 21 August 2016 21:15
To: PC Audio Discussion List
Subject: Re: Desktop computer speakers

Hi again John.

God, it's getting even more complicated eh?

I'd just love, like yourself, to keep it simple, but it simply isn't going to 
happen is it?

Good quality audio from computers, TV's and interfacing that with AV units or 
amps has historically resulted in multiple complexities and it's only people 
like us who may know a little about these things that gain the benefits.

One day you will with no understanding whatsoever  about technology , be able 
to play audio from any device through your home system, without even thinking 
about it.

I really couldn't tell you what was the best method of drawing all these 
threads together and with every year, it's getting even more complicated.

Wouldn't it be nice to buy a good computer with high quality sound and you 
could simply download audio from Itunes or otherwise, listen to it and edit it 
and post it again without any effort whatsoever!




----- Original Message -----
From: "John Gurd" <j.g...@ntlworld.com>
To: "'PC Audio Discussion List'" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2016 4:08 PM
Subject: RE: Desktop computer speakers


Hi Andy,
That's a thought which I'll have to ponder some more. I know desktop speakers 
for PC are nearly always rubbish but the ones Dane linked to are an exception. 
But a separate amp or receiver for my PC is a possibility.

My PC is in a den too as my wife banned PCs from the living room so instead 
I've got a high end set up in the Livingroom similar to yours minus the PC.

Believe it or not in my PC room/den I used to have 2 PCs with 2 sound cards 
each going through a sound mixer and then output through an amplifier and 
stereo speakers. That was in the days when I used to broadcast on internet 
radio. The 2nd PC was a backup for when things went wrong with my main machine 
which sometimes happened. Anyway, I've simplified things since then getting rid 
of redundant equipment. I now have one of the few self-amplified
5.1 systems that can plug into a sound card without an amplifier. I also use a 
splitter to a little transmitter that lets me use the old-style wireless 
headphones and portable speakers so I can have audio from my PC in other rooms. 
The Logitec Z5500 5.1 speakers sound reasonable for their price and age but as 
they're quite elderly I want something better.

I was hoping to keep it simple but if I wanted to keep a 5.1 set up in my PC 
den you are probably right and I would have to think about an amp or receiver. 
It would also allow me to get the best out of my small collection of PC-based 
HD recordings. To be honest though although it's nice having the ability of 
outputting music in a 5.1 virtual mix like Dolby PL2 I spend less time than I 
used to doing that and I usually go to the living room for movies in surround 
sound, so maybe a good stereo speaker set up would do.

I've used the external Sound Blaster USB X-Fi in the past. I've always liked 
the Creative Sound Blaster range and their latest top card is an internal one 
called the ZX. I use it and it's great! The reason I gave up the external card 
was it could only handle 5.1 if it was compressed to a lower bitrate. I think 
when USB3 becomes standard with HDMI out this will no longer be an issue for 
external cards. Optical toslink connections inherently can't handle 5.1 
channels without reducing the sound quality. 
They are fine for stereo though.

Anyway, I'll definitely consider the configuration you suggest. I'm even 
thinking of testing a Sonos Connect (which lives in the Livingroom system) as 
an experiment and connecting it to my PC. It has a line in as well as out and 
therefore could carry audio from my PC simultaneously to my room speakers and 
to the Sonos speakers in my bedroom. If it was successful I could add Sonos 
speakers elsewhere in the house. It has the added bonus of letting me use Apple 
Music and Amazon Prime music and controlling it from an iPhone app. I haven't 
thought this through properly so I'm going to experiment to see if there are 
any snags.

Cheers

John

-----Original Message-----
From: Pc-audio [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Andy
Sent: 20 August 2016 13:39
To: PC Audio Discussion List
Subject: Re: Desktop computer speakers

Hi John.

Sorry for butting into your conversation, but I simply must tell you about my 
own experiences regarding high quality audio from my computers, before you 
spend more money on desk-top speakers for your computer, that will most 
probably end up disapointing you.

Firstly, I buy most of my equipment from Richard Sound, in Jamaca Street, 
Glasgow.

I've got a very good friend called Rob Horn who used to work for them but is 
now self employed and he sets all of this stuff up for me, when I need him.

In my livingroom I have a Windows 7 computer, Soundblaster XFy sound card going 
into an Oncio AV Unit and there is also a 42 inch Philips plasma and Pioneer 
DVD recorder/player.  The 5.1 speaker system is provided by a Quad Light system 
and although this set up is rather expensive, it's magnificent, particularly 
because it's bloody loud and I have no local neibours to disturb by the noise.

But generally, I don't use this system when on my own with no friends  or house 
guests at home, so I have a second set-up.

in my little Den, I have a Windows 7 computer, Soundblaster XFy sound card, 
going into another Oncio AV unit, but this time the left and right channels are 
going into a splitter and send out 2 channel sterio to my study and the dining 
room.  I have a spare socket for outdoor speakers but as it's always raining up 
here, what is the point, of outdoor speakers.

I've just purchased an Imac 27 inch and my friend Rob is coming over by ferry 
next week to plug that into my Oncio unit also.

What I'm really saying I suppose John is before you buy stand alone desk-top 
speakers, consider going down the American way of including an AV unit and USB 
Sound Card.

The Yanks have been doing this for years while we continue to spend good money 
on rubbish.

Both of my systems John give me much joy and of course I use things like 
Goldwave and Tune-in radio so I can record everything going through the card.

If I wanted to, on my JAWS computers, I could pump all of my audio music 
through the AV unit and send JAWS to little shitty speakers, more or less, such 
as the ones you are considering.

This means that all of my recordings are free of sounds coming from JAWS.

I do a lot of recording on my computers and listen to 5 Live and 6 Music as 
well as Radio Scotland and these days John, the Broadcast quality is very good, 
so why would I want to listen to all of my hard work, through stand alone cheep 
speakers.

Start thinking about an AV unit, an external sound card, nice speakers, either 
sterio or 5.1 and a couple of cables.

John, you deserve it, so be nice to yourself and buy some toys.











Very best wishes and kind regards
Andy Logue.
>From Scotland with love.

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Gurd" <j.g...@ntlworld.com>
To: "'PC Audio Discussion List'" <pc-audio@pc-audio.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2016 9:38 AM
Subject: RE: Desktop computer speakers


The information on these speakers is really interesting. I've never heard of 
the egg series. It got me wondering about the 5.1 Egg set range for my PC but 
then I realised that particular range need an amplifier. At some point I'll 
have to replace my elderly Logitec Z5500 5.1 speakers and there is nothing 
comparable on the market at the moment. A good stereo PC set may be the way to 
go.

John

-----Original Message-----
From: Pc-audio [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Dane 
Trethowan
Sent: 17 August 2016 19:20
To: PC Audio Discussion List
Subject: Desktop computer speakers

Hi!

It seems the mainstream speaker manufacturers are entering the computer desktop 
speaker market in droves and its probably about time too given the low quality 
of computer speakers these days.
We've discussed the B&W M1 speakers in the past and now there's another model 
from Kef that shows us a thing or two when it comes to listening to music and 
good audio quality from your speakers, the Kef Eggs It shouldn't be too 
difficult for anyone to guess the shape of these speakers <smile>.
Like the B&W M1's the Eggs can plug directly into a computer via its USB port 
but the system also boasts an Optical In digital connection for other devices 
such as a TV, Digital radio etc and a sub-wooffer out should you need one.
I've not had a chance to listen to these speakers here but the review linked to 
below seems to suggest that a sub-woofer may not be required in most situations 
and - having heard a lot of Kef speakers myself - that's how I also imagine 
things http://www.whathifi.com/kef/egg/review








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