Originally posted by: aCynic2
I do not intend to have it as a receiver for XFM or anything like that. I have my MP4s and iPod music and that's as far as I've considered it, so far.
Why headphones? Aren't they one speaker audio systems? I always figured you wanted some separation, the kind you get some a tweeter, mid-range, woofer, sub woofer type system.
Also, in the long run, I'd have to rule headphones out. I want to listen while I work around the house. I don't want to be tied to the computer, but I'll still consider headphones for those times I do not mind.
I would still like a surround system, even though much of the music I like is older, 60s to 80s.
By receiver I pretty much just meant to power some passive speakers. I don't use the tuners on my own equipment at all. I go digital from my computer to my electronics which do their crazy little job I have them set up to do and then off to my speaker system.
My office system pictured above is a lot simpler and just consists of a sonic t-amp connected to a pair of AV123 X-LS bookshelf speakers. The reason I suggested a receiver rather than a little amp like that is mainly that you'd have a much easier upgrade path for getting a surround sound set going.
Headphones have a much easier time doing a full frequency range and you'll easily be able to get the whole range of human hearing going with a pair of headphones rather than speakers. To get the last octave in the 20hz-40hz range ( or lower :evil: ) at decent output in a small-medium room, you'd end up spending pretty much your whole budget on a sub. Not really a huge part of most music though
It sure if fun feeling the walls vibrate though and not hearing anything audible when it goes below the range I can hear
I'm more of a movie guy that happened to get more into listening to music since I had this equipment around and feel like I should be getting my money's worth out of it.
My relatively inexpensive Sennheiser HD580s sound great and have as much bass extension as the speaker system I've spent ~27 times as much on :laugh:
I enjoy listening to my speakers a lot more but for times like this (4am literally), it's nice to have some good headphones.
So you're looking for an alternative sound system for $400?
Klipsch Promedia Ultras if you can find them would be a well known alternative to the Logitechs.
I would also recommend looking at a HTIB set from a manufacturer like Onkyo. If you got a system like that, you'd have a lot more flexibility later on for adding to it and replacing things. You could start with the stock system and then upgrade the front stereo speakers eventually (and then whatever else you wanted to).