Satellite Type Speakers for 2ch System


Hi All,

Familiar story - trying to help a friend who wants a diminutive sound system. Source will be MacBook pro streaming to Airport Express going into a vintage receiver (read whatever decent receiver I can get my hands on). Thinking about a sub-sat system. Very budget limited but we'll see. The NHT Super Zero 2.1 with Super 8 powered sub would probably make her happy, but for her, it's expensive at around $650 for the speakers and the sub. I think she'd like to spend no more than $400, but I may be able to get her to budge a bit if necessary (hopefully not). For only $213, monoprice has a full 5.1 system with powered sub that people on that website seem to like (we could ditch the center channel and hold onto the other satellites as replacements!). Anyone know that system? Any recommendations within the $200-$450 range?

Thanks, Peter
peter_s
phasecorrect might have the right idea with the a2 for your space--it might be less boomy (though i'd be inclined to try both the a2 and a5 and avail yourself of the retrun policy). you can connect a sub to the a2 by plugging your unused "input" from the a2 into the input of your sub. i think you can also connect the airport express to the sub, let us know how it works out.
Going powered speakers is awesome idea. However, no speaker is going to sound its best with little space around it. I would opt for the cheaper A2 in this application. ANybody know it if has a sub out feature?
Good suggestion. I like the simplicity, as we could just connect an airport express to the A5+ speakers. The A5's are rear ported, so that is an issue for mounting near a wall. But she may have the perfect situation... I was going to mount the speakers in the framing to a window seat alcove, about 8 feet wide. Perhaps the A5 speakers could go in the top left and right corners of the entry to the alcove, thus leaving 2+ feet of space behind them to accommodate the bass backwave. There is glass behind them ("window seat"), but if it's just the base going back there, perhaps it's no problem.... Thoughts?
i'd ditch the receiver and go with some powered speakers like audioengine a5 ($350)or swans m200 (same).