I don't always like to use headphones, especially when playing beat 'em ups and shooters. The right speaker on my 1993 Trinitron is blown. I dealt with it by always using headphones. I needed a solution and I found this 2.0 system.

I must've got the last one, because it's out of stock. I also paid $320 over the weekend, rather than the $400.

I haven't tried any music yet, but sound effects and music are very clear in older games. I didn't know a product like this existed before I started searching. It's incredibly convenient because I don't need to buy a separate amp. I would've used my Focal 2.1 speakers, but they are strictly computer audio (USB only) and have no analog inputs.

I'm not in the market, but when I do upgrade I want to try ORB. I heard they're great, and made in the USA (pricey though).

http://www.orbaudio.com/index.aspx

I like the set of speakers I currently have that my friend recommended. They were about the $125 range so I'd say they're mid range but they fit the bill pretty well.

But really, I know I asked the whole "do people even have stereos thing" in a older thread but it is nice to have a nice pair of speakers, specially since I have that turn table and have been buying records left and right.

Still, I cannot believe the bass lines I was missing all those years. Cripes.

After Christmas and my one friend's birthday I'm going to start looking into headphones. I've been told I'll notice even more with a good pair of those than I do with the speakers,

I agree with their thoughts on HTIBs and sound bars.

You're an audiophile now! Ha!

when i got my ps1 in 1997,, i bought a samsung tv that had fully adjustable reverb/decay (not just like room, hall, or stadium settings,, this thing had a meter with like 50 bars, i think there was a similar adjustment to the ingame music player in tales of destiny). that made a huge improvement to the midi notes which would otherwise have a sudden ending to each one. it made finally fantasy tactics fricking explode in my room

Those self-powered Audioengine look very good!

I recently got something similar. It's in a different (cheaper) price range, yet it's got all you need: Behringer MS40 (2x 20W)
I got them from Amazon UK for cheaper than the actual price (around 130$).

- Self-powered with on/off button on the front panel
- Treble/bass knobs & 2 volume knobs on the front panel
- Optical/coaxial inputs. Use a switch at the back to toggle one or the other (a bit annoying if the speakers are close to a wall)
- 3.5mm stereo in jack
- L/R stereo in jacks
- Front audio jack, very useful to plug my portable CD player for OST listening

The Audioengine ones have L/R outputs, which the Behringer don't. They also have a USB power, not sure what that is for. I also see a nice replaceable fuse and they do look higher quality (price is more than double though).

Back to the Behringer, I would recommend them for oldschool consoles. I used them with NES(FC), SNES(SFC), MD and Super GameBoy add-on for the SFC. Sound is very clear and the bass is powerful. CD-based consoles sound good though, but not as crisp.

I would NOT recommend them for TV and DVD watching. Unless I'm doing something wrong or using faulty cables, human voices aren't very clear and the volume must be turned up quite a bit to enjoy a movie. Soundtrack CDs and CD music in general is somewhere in between - sounds good but very flat, some adjustment in the CD player will be needed. I've read it's because these are "monitors" and are supposed to be very flat, in order to sound as close as possible to the source. It would make sense and explain why some sound effects/voices in movies and tv programs aren't as "loud" and "clear" as we're used to with other auto-tuned and enhanced speaker systems.

Can't really complain for what I paid. The main reason why I purchased them is because of all the connections at the back. Really helps to concentrate DVD players, MP3/portable players and old videogame systems.
To make it even better, buyt a L/R multiplier so you can plug your NES/SNES/MD at the same time with the L/R jacks.

I've had bad luck buying electronics from Amazon (and ebay). Crutchfield has never sent me a defective product, so I stick with them.

The USB power on the Audioengines is just for charging cell phones. I'll never use it and it wasn't a factor when helping me decide what to buy. What was important to me was not needing space for an amplifier.

I have recently connected my Marantz cd player to these and the level of detail surpasses my Focal 2.1 system (which was $600). I think this is because my source (the Marantz) is superior to a PC with respect to audio. If I had a way to hook the Marantz to my Focals, I would've done so. The Marantz has only one purpose in life - playing CDs - while a PC has many purposes. The test CD for me was Dracula Battle, since I've listened to that more than anything else.

So far I've only been using my SNES with this system. That's because I'm going to finish Demon's Crest before I touch anything else (one must stay focused when one has a collection of EverDrives). The music in Demon's Crest sounds better than ever. It's a better gaming experience.