PC Playback system

[colinw]

I am looking to buy a decent pair of desktop computer speakers. I have all of my music on the PC, most of it in FLAC format.

After reading around I am seeing a couple of good options which get solid reviews:
M Audio AV 40 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/797785-REG/M_Audio_9900_65139_00_AV_40_Active_2_Way.html)

And AudioEngine A2 (http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-A2)
I am leaning toward these AudioEngine's due to the review on the web and. Amazon for example (http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-Premium-Powered-Desktop-Speakers/dp/B000VKEFN2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top).

Also, do you think I would need a DAC? This little number (http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-D1) looks like it would provide better conversion than a regular computer soundcard, and would also be a headphone amplifier. This would bypass the shitty onboard sound now, and be a good portable system as well (just pick up the speakers and DAC/amplifier, grab an ipod and you're set).

For headphone listening I assume I would plug into the DAC/headphone amp and not the headphone jack of the speakers?

Am I missing anything that I would need to get a reasonably low cost listening experience from the PC? The setup listed is about $400 which is reasonable for the quality of what everyone is saying about it.

Any other options for speakers of this size/price point? Also, what about other options for DACs? I see a bunch online cheaper than the Audioengine D1 above, but not sure if they are better/worse.

Thanks for any help

[bryonsos]

I can't comment on the A2s, but I love my A5+s! I also have the D1 DAC/headphone amp. Highly recommend Audioengine products!

[jbou]

I recently got some KRK Rokit 5s for my desktop setup and run them with a FiiO E10 DAC. I have really enjoyed KRK monitors so far. I havn't done any extreme critical listening, but they sure beat what I was using before.

[Simp-Dawg]

skip the maudio av40s...i bought a pair refurbished and they quit on me within a year...sound quality was pretty crap too.

[Craig T]

Another happy KRK Rokit 5 G2 user here.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

I have the A2's. They are pretty good.

I'd go with the A5's if that will be your only playback system. I have a nicer regular stereo so I just use the A2's when I'm surfing the interwebs.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

skip the maudio av40s...i bought a pair refurbished and they quit on me within a year...sound quality was pretty crap too.

Agreed.  I have an old pair of the discontinued DX4's that are great so I suggested the AV40's to a friend of mine who was putting together a PC system.  Pretty disappointing sound compared to the DX4's and he was having issues with one of them in about 6 months.  M-Audio still makes some decent monitors but you have to go up to at least the BX series and at that point there are other contenders to consider.

As far as an outboard DAC, I think that's a very good idea as most of the ones built into soundcards aren't very good.  In addition to the Audioengine D1, I'd take a hard look at the FiiO E17.  I got one a few months ago to replace a NuForce uDAC-2 (ugh, what a piece of crap) I was using with my laptop and found it to be a great DAC/headphone amp.  Doesn't have the RCA output like the D1 but it does accept a S/PDIF input in addition to USB and LINE.  It can also be used as a portable headphone amp with its built-in battery.

[colinw]

skip the maudio av40s...i bought a pair refurbished and they quit on me within a year...sound quality was pretty crap too.

Agreed.  I have an old pair of the discontinued DX4's that are great so I suggested the AV40's to a friend of mine who was putting together a PC system.  Pretty disappointing sound compared to the DX4's and he was having issues with one of them in about 6 months.  M-Audio still makes some decent monitors but you have to go up to at least the BX series and at that point there are other contenders to consider.

As far as an outboard DAC, I think that's a very good idea as most of the ones built into soundcards aren't very good.  In addition to the Audioengine D1, I'd take a hard look at the FiiO E17.  I got one a few months ago to replace a NuForce uDAC-2 (ugh, what a piece of crap) I was using with my laptop and found it to be a great DAC/headphone amp.  Doesn't have the RCA output like the D1 but it does accept a S/PDIF input in addition to USB and LINE.  It can also be used as a portable headphone amp with its built-in battery.

I was looking at the Fiio e17, but the lack of RCA outs bothered me. How would I drive the  AudioEngine A2s from the DAC/headphone amp - with a miniplug? Is the quality worse or better than using RCAs? The big plus for that machine seems that I could use it portably as you mentioned while I can't really do that with the Audioengine DAC> For the Fiios I wonder if you can use it while it is charging, or if you only run it off the battery. I was settled on Auioengine D1 and A2s, but am open to ther suggestions. Anyone else??

[jlykos]

skip the maudio av40s...i bought a pair refurbished and they quit on me within a year...sound quality was pretty crap too.

Agreed.  I have an old pair of the discontinued DX4's that are great so I suggested the AV40's to a friend of mine who was putting together a PC system.  Pretty disappointing sound compared to the DX4's and he was having issues with one of them in about 6 months.  M-Audio still makes some decent monitors but you have to go up to at least the BX series and at that point there are other contenders to consider.

As far as an outboard DAC, I think that's a very good idea as most of the ones built into soundcards aren't very good.  In addition to the Audioengine D1, I'd take a hard look at the FiiO E17.  I got one a few months ago to replace a NuForce uDAC-2 (ugh, what a piece of crap) I was using with my laptop and found it to be a great DAC/headphone amp.  Doesn't have the RCA output like the D1 but it does accept a S/PDIF input in addition to USB and LINE.  It can also be used as a portable headphone amp with its built-in battery.

I was looking at the Fiio e17, but the lack of RCA outs bothered me. How would I drive the  AudioEngine A2s from the DAC/headphone amp - with a miniplug? Is the quality worse or better than using RCAs? The big plus for that machine seems that I could use it portably as you mentioned while I can't really do that with the Audioengine DAC> For the Fiios I wonder if you can use it while it is charging, or if you only run it off the battery. I was settled on Auioengine D1 and A2s, but am open to ther suggestions. Anyone else??

Funny you mention all of this; I just received a pair of the Audioengine 2 speakers yesterday.  They sound really nice!  Much, much better than I expected.

If you want to run a D/A into them, there are both miniplug and RCA inputs to the speakers.  I would run source > D2 > RCA inputs to the 2 speakers.

I have a Pure i-20 iPod dock (which has an internal A/D - not a good one, however), so I'm planning on running the Audioengine 2 speakers with two inputs: using the RCA inputs for the Pure and using the miniplug input for my computer.  While the RCA may theoretically have a better sound quality than the miniplug, there is a good chance that you would not really notice the difference when using the Audioengine 2 speakers.  They are good speakers, but probably not THAT good to pick up differences in input type.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

I was looking at the Fiio e17, but the lack of RCA outs bothered me. How would I drive the  AudioEngine A2s from the DAC/headphone amp - with a miniplug? Is the quality worse or better than using RCAs? The big plus for that machine seems that I could use it portably as you mentioned while I can't really do that with the Audioengine DAC> For the Fiios I wonder if you can use it while it is charging, or if you only run it off the battery. I was settled on Auioengine D1 and A2s, but am open to ther suggestions. Anyone else??

As long as you're using quality plugs and cable, a 3.5mm miniplug will give you the same s.q. as RCAs.  As far as using the E17 while charging, the answer is yes.  I regularly use it as a DAC plugged into my laptop via USB and charge it at the same time.

[Pinky Herman]

Reveal 501As get my vote
Don't forget to consider room treatments.
Curtains, wall hung rugs and blankets, and sonic traps can bring out the best in a speaker
I have a Hawaiian quilt over a foamboard covered with eggcrates.  It took the "ringing" out of the wallboard.