Best speakers for Imac? What about surround sound?

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imacdoyou

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I just bought a Imac G5 and wanted to know what your opinions are as far as good speakers to use with it. I was leaning towards the JBL Creature II as they are pretty popular at the Apple stores. What if I wanted surround sound? I thought the Imac supported surround sound speakers but how would they connect? Through a standard 1/8" jack? Thanks in advance for the help!
 
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I believe (I don't have one so I am not sure) that the iMacs have an optical out port for audio in which that is how the surround sound speakers would connect.
 
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You can always get a Griffin FireWave

Connects via FireWire for up to 7.1 surround sound. Also has a FireWire port on it (not sure if it's powered) to piggy-back stuff like an external harddisk, etc. on it.
 
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If you're looking for a low-cost entry to quality surround-sound, check out the Logitech z-5500 speakers. It sells for less than $300, doesn't require a receiver, has optical and analog inputs, a remote control, five speakers, and a subwoofer. My brother has the previous-generation model, the z-680s, hooked up to his home theater. They sound fantastic, especially for the price. I think the iMac G5 outputs digital audio through the headphone minijack port, so you'll probably need a mini-to-full-sized adapter if you decide to go the surround-sound route. You can also hook up a receiver and individual speakers and a sub, but that will cost you a lot more. Just depends on your budget, space, and audio requirements. So tell us more :)
 
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imacdoyou

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Thanks for your replies on this.....I'm only looking for a simple setup to play some mp3's, some home movies, and once in a while a DVD... Must be under 100.00!
(Wife approved budget).
 
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Personally I would stay away from the JBL Creature II since that is what I used to run on my G4 but have since switched over to some JBL Invaders which sound better. (They are 4.1) The Creature's sound tinny to me and to much on the highs but little to no mids. The bass is OK.

But they are pretty and they match the older mac's and the newer iMac well.
 
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imacdoyou said:
Thanks for your replies on this.....I'm only looking for a simple setup to play some mp3's, some home movies, and once in a while a DVD... Must be under 100.00!
(Wife approved budget).

Hmm, that makes it a little more difficult since you need either a system with digital inputs or a sound card with the 3-wire 5.1 output for analog surround sound. I used to have the Logitech z-640s speakers, which sounded really good for low-cost computer speakers (5.1, sells for about $60 online); I believe their successor is the Logitech X-530 system. Only downside is that the colors won't match the white iMac enclosure ;) You'll need some kind of USB or Firewire sound card with the 3-wire output to get real surround sound out of those sets, however. You might try looking for a cheap HTIB (Home Theater in a Box) that you can pass digital output to (plus you can get those in silver or white, which is a little more Mac-friendly).
 
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imacdoyou

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Yep. I'm going to buy cheap now, and maybe for christmas I can get a decent surround setup...thanks for the responses, everyone!
 
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MJGUK

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I have JBL Creature II Speakers since about a week ago, when my new iMac came.
When I ordered them, I was rather accepting of the notion that they would not be as powerful as my previous 5.1 Soundworks setup.......How wrong was I?
These speakers are amazing! I always knew JBL were a decent make, but when you consider that there are 2 TINY speakers and one subwoofer, the sound is out of this world. I mean they actually out perform my old setup and there is only two speakers excluding the subwoofer. I could not be happier.

I would also note, I'm not 'newb' to music in any way, so you can take my word that these are good.
I've been a semi-professional singer for years now and have used numerous amazing studios, I've heard great speakers of all kinds including my huuuuge, ultra powerful Keffs and Bose speakers downstairs.

These are a bargain :)
 
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I would highly recommend H/K Soundsticks II, but they're just a tad out of your budget. If you can find them used, though, go for them. They're incredible.
 
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imacdoyou

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I got a good deal on the JBL Creature IIs so that's what I went with...I checked around other mac forums as well and it has pretty decent reviews from most people. I'm not an audiophile so I guess I went for looks!!!
 
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Meyvn said:
I would highly recommend H/K Soundsticks II, but they're just a tad out of your budget. If you can find them used, though, go for them. They're incredible.

Amazon.com has them new for $110. Shoot, I think *I* need to buy them for that price lol.
 
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imacdoyou

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Those sound sticks look sweet, but I've got to save some money for that 1 gig memory module.......
 
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imacdoyou said:
Those sound sticks look sweet, but I've got to save some money for that 1 gig memory module.......

They look even better in person; if you have an Apple Store or a CompUSA near you, stop by and check them out sometime. Just you wait; when the hardware bug bites you, you can kiss your wallet goodbye :)
 
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imacdoyou

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My new 20" G5 Imac hasn't even been delivered yet, and I've already ordered speakers, am ordering RAM, and want to buy some additional software.....this is definately an expensive addiction!!
 

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