I found audio nirvana....
Being an audiophile is no longer sensible for me.
There was a time long ago…when former audiophiles (like almost everyone else in the world) could enjoy music on a pair of computer speakers. Audiophiles today would say that most people who listen to music on a less than ideal audio system could be served much better by a high-end system, however the average person would beg to differ….
I’ve found what I think is the best pair of computer speakers for simply enjoying the music. I have done some research on human attention span – we can only pay attention to 4-5 things at once. Sacrificing our attention at the alter of a high-end audio system and obsessing about how wonderful it sounds; along with over-analyzing the sound quality of sum of all parts is quite exhausting.
Enter the Logitech Z130. They look nice, clear midrange, somewhat recessed bass, slightly forward treble. And no real imaging or soundstage to speak of! They are so small! All you get is clarity in the midrange and treble, with a hint of bass like a side order of veggies. Speech, like vocals and instrumentals are intelligible enough to discern lyrics; except for those that are somewhat hidden in a track; and require a more resolving system. The Z130 give the impression that they are small speakers; except for when the volume is turned up a little more. Then they sound kind of like tiny bookshelf speakers.
I just bought these after our IT guy brought them to my office (for a Microsoft Teams call). I also tested with music on my phone and found myself singing along as the music plays! No longer do I criticize how the music sounds on the system. I am not listening to audio equipment anymore. I’m simply hearing my music and enjoying it. I am now doing what 95% plus of the population does with music…they consume it as a form of entertainment. They don’t care how close they get to the authentic performance; because they realize that such a task is taxing on the wallet, brain, and our overall sanity. Perhaps “perfection” in audio does not exist.
Crazy as this might sound – try the following experiment:
Convert your CD quality files to 320 kbps .mp3s using a high quality .mp3 convertor. If not, you can play audio files from a DAP, a smartphone, your computer etc. anything with a 3.5mm port.
Cue up your music after setting up the speakers. They should be close to ear level.
Play just 3 of your favorite songs. I’m almost certain that you will sing along or feel good after a listening session.
Don’t believe me?! Try it.
That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest. — Henry David Thoreau.
Ugh I suspect this is a troll thread that needs to move on to reddit. Every minimum wage teenager knows better sound and can afford way better. Quit being a big ol’ skinflint and move on to reddit... Trolly Midas...quit trollin the hifi forums.
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Happy for you. That is as far as I can' go. I have MANY personal objections and feelings about anything Logitech. They have terrible tech support. I have a number of their devices that downgrade or prevent me from Engaging certain security schemes on my computer. Basically the Name Logi*** is not allowed in my home. I know they had taken over the majority of peri ferial components on computers but that doesn't make them superior in quality. And just like ANY company they make some stuff well and they also make some JUNK. I would suggest you get a quality sound card. Mine is an EVGA NU Audio, which is great and connect it to your sound system via SPDIF or TOSLINK, then you can really brag about your sounds. |
They key to audio nirvana for me is to quit the critical listening mode and just forget about what the system sounds like when I want to groove on the music. When I want to work on the system and try to improve the sound I'll do that. It's a different kind of fun and rewarding in a different way. I asked myself a question recently; "Does my musical appreciation go up as a result of listening to higher fidelity gear?" The thought of that question made me laugh out loud it's so obviously NO! Maybe it does for other people, but I find that the pursuit of higher hifi and musical appreciation are activities that overlap to a degree but are distinct affairs. |
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@sgreg1 sorry to hear this - no fan of MS but our Teams implementation went really well and it works great. (we migrated from Slack) |
I took a break from high end gear during an (ahem) "divorceinducedtransitioninlife" and all I could afford was a Marantz 2325 and a pair of Bose bookshelf speakers. Then a lightening strike killed the Marantz and I was stuck with a boom box and an iPhone playing Pandora as a source. When I bought my ARC rig and borrowed a pair of Vienna Bethovens my first song was the intro off Alan Parsons iRobot. I literally had tears in my eyes. I had gotten used to my JBL boom box and thought it sounded really good- until I heard a proper rig. |
The speakers in the big Apple monitor on my desk are surprisingly good. I use them for listening to Youtube videos on things that interest me and even the occasional movie. But on the other side of the room are a pair of Klipsch Forte's fed by a DIY Firstwatt class A amp and there's nothing quite like a good recording on them. |
Not sure what all the fuss is about. I sometimes take a B&O A1 when I travel or an old AppleHiFi with a BT transceiver if traveling by car. Qobuz/SXM apps mean every tune you could want is portable. And it sounds great. When I’m back home though, we appreciate what we have even more. No one should be criticized for their audio equipment choices.
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Right now I'm streaming a selection of Stravinsky's orchestral music via Idagio. Andrew Davis conducting the BBC Philharmonic from the Chandos label. Yeah, just CD quality but the sound is glorious. Sweet as the proverbial nut. Image is precise yet expansive.The performance is inspired. I'm probably averaging about 75dB at the most. Seventh heaven, thanks in large part to my well-sorted, moderately priced stereo gear. Don't tell me I'm deluding myself... Don't tell me I've wasted my money. |
I agree with @edcyn . I can enjoy pop music in the car, but appreciating the subtleties of more complex music like jazz depends on good reproduction. I clearly recall that up until a little over a year ago, I loved listening to Stan Getz on my system and didn't think there was much to be desired in the way it was being reproduced. At that time, I had my DAC upgraded, and was amazed at the subtle but important shadings and details of phrasing that I had been missing that really contributed to my understanding of his playing. You can't get that from a Logitec. |
It's refreshing and somewhat grounding to see that Nirvana, the cessation of suffering, has been attained. Of course, not all audiophiles suffer, and part of the fun of being an audiophile is being quasi-obsessed with achieving the hifi experience, but it is a good reminder, at least for me, that it's very subjective, and there is a freedom in letting it go and enjoying music regardless of the source. |
I can enjoy good music on computer speakers or a cheap boombox, like a normal person, and I certainly don’t look down on anyone who finds that good enough. But for me there’s a whole other layer of immersion and enjoyment when I hear the same music on my system. My enjoyment of the music and of the sound just blends together. At this point I rarely *focus* on sound quality and what might be lacking (even though my system only cost me what some people here have spent on a single component). So I wouldn’t lump all of us audio nerds/nuts in the overly analytical or "never satisfied" group. Just sayin’. ;) |
Don't let the naysayers bring you down, @jackhifiguy. if you're happy with your simple system, that is all that counts. For you. I think a big factor to living a happy life is keeping many elements as simple as possible. That has worked well for me, although I don't apply that principle to audio. |
It’s true. Goes to show that you’ve got a revealing main system that can highlight flaws in recordings. I’m glad to report that these computer speakers I bought won’t usually make a meal of things if a recording is less than perfect. Very easy to listen to without any listening fatigue. I use media human to convert CD and .FLAC quality files to 320 kbps mp3s. It’s also true that 320 kbps mp3s sound better than 128 kbps mp3s. Even on the Logitec speakers. However, you have to listen a bit more carefully to appreciate/hear the difference.... |
I've had 2 pairs of Logitech PC speakers (both with Dell branding and a sub) and both sounded fabulous. "...and found myself singing along as the music plays! No longer do I criticize how the music sounds on the system. I am not listening to audio equipment anymore. I’m simply hearing my music and enjoying it. I am now doing what 95% plus of the population does with music…they consume it as a form of entertainment."
You've raised an important point here. On my desktop system, playing mostly 320kbps MP3 files, I have rarely been troubled with any thoughts of criticism for the sound. When I switch to my main system I'm immediately aware of sound quality issues. Every single time. Sometimes I can bask in the increased dynamics, bandwidth, imagery and separation but other times I'm finding it difficult to escape the blatantly obvious fact that some recordings are not very good. These issues don't happen with the desktop system because it is far less ambitious and far less revealing. The Logitech system doesn't pretend to sound life-like but everything upwards from 128kbps MP3 on it sounds good. Perhaps the real problem with high performance systems is that they're just too revealing for the majority of recordings out there? A bit like studying some of the old classic paintings with a magnifying glass? |
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Maybe it does! But that was not my intention here. The Logitec Z130 sound absolutely fantastic compared to every other computer speaker I’ve used at work. Like I said, obviously some colorations. But the midrange is clear, vocals sound fairly accurate (You can tell it’s a particular artist singing), they are bass-light, and have some treble that is tuned up a bit. Are they going to compete with a system like yours? Heck no. I am not trying to demean audiophiles or their appreciation for top quality sound reproduction. However, I certainly now understand why the overwhelming majority scoffs at audiophiles, doesn’t understand the hobby, and why most average people won’t spend more than a few hundred dollars on an audio system. Audio documentaries, such as Greek Audiophile highlight these points I’ve made above very well. Their Wives and children are quick to tell them... You’re crazy! Because even they listen to music...enjoy it...and don’t require a high-end audio system for it. They certainly acknowledge it "sounds nice" but cannot pinpoint what is different; aside from "the music sounded so real." So the average person is thinking: Lyrics, how the song makes me feel, appreciation for the artist or band, going to a concert just to see them etc. The audiophile is thinking: How close am I to the real performance? Do i need to upgrade etc. And when the average person looks at what an audiophile is doing, they simply don’t want that time investment or added stress.... I am glad to no longer be an audiophile. I sincerely suggest trying these computer speakers. I’ve tried many over the years. They're perfect for an office environment; and excellent for Microsoft Teams meetings etc. if you're working from home. You won’t be able to fault them much initially, other than that they sound small, don’t have sound stage, or imaging. But if you really love the songs you’re listening to...you will definitely tap your feet, sing along etc. All the best. Jack. |
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Glad you found audio nirvana. Clearly your interests lay in another direction than well reproduced music. That is why those of us that love high quality sound, for the majority of people, it just doesn’t. I knew a guy that collected and loved his 3,000 albums and he was ecstatic to hear them on a $59 portable Sears portable record player. He could care less about the sound quality… only the notes and how they were strung together. The world has thousands of things and ways of appreciating them. |
I gotta differ. Yeah, if a piece of music has genuine quality and is played with commitment & skill, it isn't difficult to overlook the ultimate quality of sound. But when you add sound quality to the ledger, things get a whole lot better. To be sure, the pursuit of recording quality & playback above all else can be considered a bit neurotic, but quality of sound is nevertheless a wonderful thing in itself. It's why so many musicians and listeners love Steinways, Strads and Fender Strats. It's why recording engineers and the designers of music venues put so much sweat into their tasks. |
