What sound systems do you guys have?

My ultra low budget sound system (total cost < £20):

Sound Card: Sweex SC012 5.1 PCI Sound Card
Amplifier: Yamaha DSP-A592
Main Speakers: 2x JBL decade 16 (made in the '70s)
Subwoofer: 12 inch “LEAK Sandwich” in DIY enclosure - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LEAK_Sandwich

My non-audiophile ears think it sounds pretty good, but i'm thinking of upgrading my sound card at some point in the future. I also need to get a decent pair of headphones.

bump

Does a sound card sound that much better than no sound card?

fission wrote:

Does a sound card sound that much better than no sound card?

I can't hear the difference myself, but I can't do surround sound without a sound card…

novice27b wrote:

fission wrote:

Does a sound card sound that much better than no sound card?

I can't hear the difference myself, but I can't do surround sound without a sound card…

Modern motherboards usually have built in surround sound.

Asus Xonar DG + Sennheiser HD 448 for my decent mid-range setup. The 448's sound nice and are comfortable even wearing them for long periods of time, but I'd consider buying something a bit better at some point.

My computer has nearly no bass, so I have to use headphones to listen to music.

I'm running a laptop right now, but if I had the money to build a nice rig, I would have:

Sound Card: ASUS Essence STX
Speakers: Corsair SP2500
Headphones: Either the Audio Technica ATH-M50X or the ATH-AD700X

The Sound Card is notable for its warm sound, and Corsair is a reliable brand (I might want to go with less gaming-oriented speakers), so I think they'd go well with the ATH's.

Harakou wrote:

Asus Xonar DG + Sennheiser HD 448 for my decent mid-range setup. The 448's sound nice and are comfortable even wearing them for long periods of time, but I'd consider buying something a bit better at some point.

They look reasonably comfy. Then again, I wear glasses, so that's a first. Most headphones kill with their head squeezing, but the new Beats Executives feel nice. But the comfiness does not justify the high price/wooly, smeared sound.

terminator68 wrote:

I'm running a laptop right now, but if I had the money to build a nice rig, I would have:

Sound Card: ASUS Essence STX
Speakers: Corsair SP2500
Headphones: Either the Audio Technica ATH-M50X or the ATH-AD700X

The Sound Card is notable for its warm sound, and Corsair is a reliable brand (I might want to go with less gaming-oriented speakers), so I think they'd go well with the ATH's.

Harakou wrote:

Asus Xonar DG + Sennheiser HD 448 for my decent mid-range setup. The 448's sound nice and are comfortable even wearing them for long periods of time, but I'd consider buying something a bit better at some point.

They look reasonably comfy. Then again, I wear glasses, so that's a first. Most headphones kill with their head squeezing, but the new Beats Executives feel nice. But the comfiness does not justify the high price/wooly, smeared sound.

I wear glasses as well, but the clamping force is very light so it's not a problem for me. Nice choice of headphones in the Audio Technicas, as well.

I have a Wii U headset that cost $20 and I'm not kidding sounds just as good as Beats.

Harakou wrote:

I wear glasses as well, but the clamping force is very light so it's not a problem for me. Nice choice of headphones in the Audio Technicas, as well.

That is really comforting (no pun intended ) to hear. And yes, the AT's seem pretty sweet. The ATH-M50 supposedly has a warmer sound signature, but they actually look pretty painful, for long term use. The AD700X is definitely comfy (I've tried a similar pair on before), but they seem bigger, and thus harder to carry around. Plus, since they are open-ear, everyone would be able to listen to what I'm listening to.

Now all I need to do is finish driving school to get my license, and get a job. When I'm done fat stackin' benjis, my dreams can come true.

turkey3 wrote:

I have a Wii U headset that cost $20 and I'm not kidding sounds just as good as Beats.

Speaking from experience, Beats don't really sound good in the first place, so that's not necessarily a good comparison (unless you use them for music like the Doctor's himself). Is it the nLa? I have the xLa, and they are decent-ish, but more painful than anything. Might have to sell them along with my Xbox. It's about time I sold that Xbox, I haven't touched it in forever. Worst purchase ever.