Advice on replacement speakers

Need some help getting some replacement speakers for my PC, if anyone's willing...

For almost 10 years I've been using the Philips FW320c, a full-size stereo, as my PC's speakers. It's been a great system and I've had no trouble with it, but I'm realizing I finally need to replace it with smaller, regular PC speakers for space reasons.

But because it's a full-size stereo, I'm worried about getting dinky little speakers that don't have the same full sound or range. The problem is that I don't know how to compare new PC speakers to the stereo. Should I compare its listed output power of 20W as the benchmark? They'd be outputting both music and games. Ideally I'd go test the speakers in a store but my luck has been that in any store I visit, the floor models don't work. :-D

If anyone has advice or suggestions for a good pair of speakers in the range of $50-$100 (preferably as affordable as possible), I'd very much appreciate it.

Thanks!
m19

 

Logitech® LS21 3-Piece Speaker System
Item # 744010

I can't seem to link here.

Check the Office Depot site. You might be able to go in and listen. The customer service folks are pretty cool at my local store. These sound really good for the price they can't be beat. IMO. I bought them after hearing them at a friend's house.

 

Greetings, Morgan19.

Agreed with sevenismagic: Logitech makes good, basic equipment. Prices are getting better, too, on higher-end stuff, such as Bose and Klipsch.

Newegg has an easy-to-navigate, informative speaker section.

It's a shame, however, that you haven't been able to listen to some samples - the best test for speakers is hearing them.

 

No joy, unfortunately... I tried both the $30 LS21 and $50 version (I forget the model number) and both sounded tinny, weak, and hollow compared to my stereo, even after fiddling with the computer's EQ. I keep running into that same outcome. I think I may just be so used to the sound quality of a regular stereo that it's going to be very hard finding speakers that can compete, and aren't hideously expensive.

m19

 

Yeah, I've got a set of BostonAcoustics MediaTheater 3.1s as my primary, and a line out to a Pioneer SX-780 feeding a pair of Cerwin Vega CV-1s - I can rock the countryside.

Depends on your budget, of course - again, pound for pound, I consider the Bose line to be the best stuff out there. Also heard good things about M-Audio.

 

I just had a thought as I'm cleaning house and listening to my Logitecs. I don't know if you've calculated the acoustics in your house. When I turned mine on, I remembered your dilemma and realized my speakers don't seem to sound as good as my friend's exact same model. Then I remembered that she has hers arranged differently, so I rearranged mine - I can't believe the difference. The key seemed to be positioning the sub-woofer in the right alignment considering the position of the little speakers and how the sound is bouncing off the surrounding walls, etc... Good luck!

 

All the advice about 3.1 says to put the sub-woofer on the floor or as close to the floor as you can get it. I say, "nay!" I just tried this genius, and it transformed my cheap-o-but-ok Logitecs into a transistor radio. Ear-level bass, IMO.