What's everyone using for speakers?

[rackoon]

Hello, I was wondering what you all are using for speakers ( good loud speakers)


I was originally going with a 300 watt car stereo and a PC power supply. Does anyone do this anymore? I have a cocktail and almost done and I'm ready for speakers.

Goal: I want things to shake and rumble when I play Asteroids. 

[Ginsu Victim]

I'm just using a $50 Philips 2.1 PC setup. Works great, but rattles the cab if too loud (any subwoofer would do that to mine, though).

[Octo]

I'm just using a $50 Philips 2.1 PC setup. Works great, but rattles the cab if too loud (any subwoofer would do that to mine, though).

Same here, but bought mine for $10 on clearance (I also discounted it since I worked at the store )

[Beretta]

same here although no that particular set of speakers im using a set of 2.1 pc speakers.

[Endaar]

I think I went overboard. I have a Yamaha RXV-992 receiver driving two Infinity Minuette satellites, plus a powered Yamaha sub which is outside of the cabinet. There's certainly no lack of volume.

This was all stuff I had sitting around from an older home theater setup, so it just made sense.

Endaar

[drventure]

I'd agree. A decent set of PC speakers (I've got some Altec Lansings 2.1 set that I picked up for around 40$) will be plenty loud for any typical cab. On mine, there's no way I could crank it all the way up.

I would recommend a set with a powered sub though. Those PC speakers that are just 2 speakers never seem to have enough low end for me.

But heck, if you've got a spare amp and some home speakers/sub, go for it! There's plenty of jukeboxes on this site that have been done that way.

Actually, you can probably find older equipment like that on CL for +cheap+

I picked up an older technics amp (with remote) for 10$ at one point, Could pick up full size speakers for not much more.

But that's all big stuff....

[Epyx]

Bartop and main cab use the Cyber Accoustics CA-3001 2.1 ($25) sounds great though.  Only difference is that in the cab I include the sub.

[severdhed]

i used a cambridge soundworks 4.1 system in my first cabinet.  the amp is in the subwoofer, so i mounted the sub in the cabinet, and powered two 4" pioneer car speakers with it...it works great.

for my donkey kong cabinet, i used the amp from a set of harman kardon pc speakers, to power the original cabinet speaker, running in mono.

[GaryMcT]

I haven't gotten to this part yet, but I'm definitely reading.  I fall into the "it has to sound like an arcade machine" camp.

[Kman-Sweden]

Logitech Z4 2.1...


....oh yeah, and a pair of 2.0 noname crap speakers for ambiance sounds.

[Expressline99]

I've got a small car amp, 2 speakers with it running off of an extra computer power supply. As well, a
commercial type volume control that I have mounted just inside of the coin door. Wasn't very expensive
to setup... I was given the speakers though.
The only problem I seem to have is some games put too much bass out for the small speakers I'm
using. So I'm considering putting in a couple of woofers and a filter for the first two speakers.

(I still need to complete my pictures for my project of course otherwise I would show you the pictures.)

[njay]

some old pc speakers for the cab

[eaconner]

I'm using the Logitech S220 2.1 only $24.99 on Amazon.com. The sound quality is great, I love them.


http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-S220-Speaker-System-Black/dp/B000RQSGYO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1254495648&sr=8-1

[JayB]

My cab was a KI2 which had the original speakers already, figured it would be better to keep that as is if they weren't blown. To drive them I picked up a set of these  http://direct.tesco.com/product/images/?R=203-2747

I took the control panel section from the one on the right, cut it down and that sits below the cabs CP. Worked out well and volume is wise is more than enough.   

[vidmouse]

Bartop and main cab use the Cyber Accoustics CA-3001 2.1 ($25) sounds great though.  Only difference is that in the cab I include the sub.

^^ This, in my racing cab. (w/ the sub)

[bungy]

I used a logitech 2.1 system and used some pioneer car audio speakers instead of the logitech satellites.  My neighbor's house shakes and rumbles when I play Asteroids.

Logitech Z 2300:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SQ2P2/ref=asc_df_B0002SQ2P2924825?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=googlecom09c9-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B0002SQ2P2

Pioneer TS-A1372R:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-DEGMU0cqv7h/p_130TSA1372/Pioneer-TS-A1372R.html

[rackoon]

I'm starting to think I should give up the 6x9 300 watt car speakers and go with a computer speaker set up.

For my kids cab, I ordered the logitech 240 2.1 system its a standard a stand up cab. One reason I bought it was because I had room to stick the sub woofer through the bottom and put the satalights up top.

But, my cocktail cab is mine and I wont spare any cost. And it must thump hard!
Problem is I dont have much room for a subwoofer. The 27" takes up a lot of room and I dont know how to let the sound of the sub out of the cab.   

[Level42]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=42798.0

[Avinitlarge]

Im using Logitech Z-340 2.1 Speakers, They cost me £10 from eblag.

[Beretta]

one thing to remember about a woofer in a cocktail is most are not shielded so you MIGHT have to put a metal plate between the monitor and the woofer if you're going with a CRT.

[Ginsu Victim]

Back in the day, I would always catch my friend setting floppy disks on top of his unshielded speakers. Needless to say he learned to listen to me after losing data a few (too many) times.

[mvsfan]

I kept it simple. I made a cable to go from the 3.5 MM jack on my sound card to a keystone plate on the back of the cabinet with two rca jacks. Then it goes into my old surround sound head ive had forever then into 4 big yamaha speakers mounted on the wall, front and rear. I also have a subwoofer. no center speaker i felt i didnt need it.

Cost : Almost free since this system has more than paid for itself over the years.

[Drakin]

Using a free set of 2.1 computer speakers...wired 2 5-1/4 inch power bass speakers.

[KissMyWookie]

I've been looking for a decent pair of marine co-axial speakers. The ones made for boats are usually well shielded (magnetically), to avoid interfering with any compasses or other sensitive equipment.

Co-axial speakers are ones that have a 5" or so sub/mid-range driver, with a tweeter mounted in front of it. ie: in the same axis. They generally have a good frequency response and will be ideal to place close to a CRT.

Steve

[rackoon]

Well I have been doing some research and man it sure would be nice to slap some sheilded speakes and a fat sub in my cabinet. the logitech z 2300 has got some good reviews online. yet I just dont think I got the space

With that said I think I may be back to some nice car 6x9's
Of course a pc power supply and a 300 watt car amp takes up space as well.

I just dont know that I will get the rumble I want

[bradx]

i have a pair of 6x9s powered by an old stereo receiver.  computer speakers are wimpy, ya need some wattage!

[KapnKerfuffle]

I'm using Logitech x-230 2.1 stereo speakers that I had for my computer a while ago.  They rock the house.  The cords from the speakers to the sub and computer juuuuuuust make it in my upright cab.

[Endaar]

computer speakers are wimpy, ya need some wattage!

Hey, I've got a set of Klipsch 5.1 THX computer speakers that might disagree.

[KissMyWookie]

I have a set of the Klipsch 4.1 THX speakers - they're astounding and very loud! Would love to have the 5.1's, but they weren't out when I got mine.

6x9 co-axial speakers (the type with a tweeter embedded into the front of the speaker) would be perfect for a cabinet, but I haven't seen any that are shielded for a reasonable price.

I have looked at shielding speakers my self, with products from lessemf.com - they have a guide at: http://www.lessemf.com/faq-shie.html#speakers

A thought though - are we overdoing it with the sound? I expect that the old arcade machines only had the sub-$10 speakers like the ones from Happ. Thoughts?

Steve

[sherbert]

Logitech Z 2300

[Avenger257]

I notice that a lot of people are recommending the Logitech z-2300 and I was wondering... does any one know how to extend the controller for these?  I would like to buy them but it looks like I would be stuck at 6' and I am trying to build a showcase cabinet so it really wouldn't work... any help would be appreciated...

[Blanka]

Biggest pro for car speakers is the nice mounting. It's easy to screw the speakers into the cab, very nice covers are available and you get a decent frequency range at earlevel (50-20000Hz). For best sound it is nice to make a stiff closed box of MDF behind the mounting hole.
Problem with 2.1 sets:
They are hard to mount. If you decase the sattelites, you have some flimsy speakers that are tougher to mount in a nice way than car speakers. And you loose the sound chamber of the case. So you need to make a new box around them to keep the good sound. Other option is too mount them unaltered, but then you have the chance that the complete speaker will rattle if not mounted very solid.
Last problem with 2.1 sets is the woofer. First I don't like to make another hole in a cab at the bottom. Second is that a 2.1 woofer is not a sub-woofer as with home-cinema sets, but a normal woofer, thus responsible for a very important part of the frequency range which is localizable by your ears (sub-woofer frequencies are less dependant on the location of speakers producing them). So if you play a cab, you hear the basses come from the bottom.

[Ond]

Pair of MB Quart 6.5" Splits matched with 190W MB Quart amp and 200W PS modded to power cabs sound system only.

[Beretta]

looks like a nice system..

i think the reason why most go with pc speakers is it's
1. familiar (although a amp + speakers is'nt really any more difficult to setup)
&
2. price (although not always)

you can get a decent set of pc speakers cheaper then DIY approach with a separate amp and speakers.

i went with pc speakers because of cost.. i felt i could get the best sound for the dollar from a set of pc speakers.

i personally like cyber acoustics.. although this last pair i bought (3080) is disappointing, weak power output and poor separation on the sub, their cheap end speakers use to be more powerful/better.

the amp they use can handle up to 15volts so im gonna run 12 though them off the computers PSU to boost output a little, it came with a wimpy 6watt 9v ac/dc transformer.

they use wood enclosures on their sub's which is nice a lot of cheaper setups use plastic which does'nt sound nearly as good, they do pretty good on the mid/high freqz with their satellites.

although i also recently got a pair of 3550's off ebay for 15 bucks (to my door) and they're pretty nice for the cash good sounding nice separation and power wise i'd call them "sufficient" IE: any louder would just piss people off anyway, normally they sell for like 40-50 bucks.

can't even get a decent amp for 15 bucks, dont get me wrong if i had no budget limit a DIY separate amp + speaker setup would be a preferred way to go.

[JayB]

I can only see the use of having a high end stereo unit in an arcade if it is being used as a jukebox as well. The sound quality is extremely low bit rate for retro games and is completely wasted on high end speakers. 

[bungy]

I notice that a lot of people are recommending the Logitech z-2300 and I was wondering... does any one know how to extend the controller for these?  I would like to buy them but it looks like I would be stuck at 6' and I am trying to build a showcase cabinet so it really wouldn't work... any help would be appreciated...

It should be a breeze to extend the remote cable.  All you would need is some telephone wire and some solder/heatshrink or butt connectors.  Cut the whole cable, strip the wires, and patch everything back together with the desired length of telephone wire.

Come to think of it, you might be able to use a male-to-female VGA extension cable as I think it's the same 15 pin connector for the remote.  I'll try it out later and see if that's an option.

[KissMyWookie]

I notice that a lot of people are recommending the Logitech z-2300 and I was wondering... does any one know how to extend the controller for these?  I would like to buy them but it looks like I would be stuck at 6' and I am trying to build a showcase cabinet so it really wouldn't work... any help would be appreciated...

It should be a breeze to extend the remote cable.  All you would need is some telephone wire and some solder/heatshrink or butt connectors.  Cut the whole cable, strip the wires, and patch everything back together with the desired length of telephone wire.

Come to think of it, you might be able to use a male-to-female VGA extension cable as I think it's the same 15 pin connector for the remote.  I'll try it out later and see if that's an option.

I wouldn't recommend that approach, as the remote attenuates the volume itself and has the switched headphone jack output - so the stereo pair will be going down the remote cable and back up again. 

If you just used telephone cable (CAT3 or even up to network CAT6), the stereo pairs would be unshielded and you'd have all sorts of nasty interference coming out of your speakers.

Steve

[rackoon]

HOLY C@#P Ond! 

that's real close to what I wanted to do, but yours is a lot nicer.
Infact, I have a powersupply, 300 watt amp with an EQ, and some 6x9 car speakers. In addition I cut holes to fit the 6x9's several months ago. 

I was thinking of a simple PC speaker solution, but now I'm back to car speakers with an amp.

Any advice on the PC power supply modding. 
I was hoping to run about 100 5 Watt LED's as well.

[Ond]

HOLY C@#P Ond! 

that's real close to what I wanted to do, but yours is a lot nicer.
Infact, I have a powersupply, 300 watt amp with an EQ, and some 6x9 car speakers. In addition I cut holes to fit the 6x9's several months ago. 

I was thinking of a simple PC speaker solution, but now I'm back to car speakers with an amp.

Any advice on the PC power supply modding. 
I was hoping to run about 100 5 Watt LED's as well.

Thanks,  well if you’ve already cut the holes for your speakers.....My cab has a jukebox function as well as Mame and some other Emulators and Pro –Pinball.  As mentioned a higher end sound system can be overkill unless you are running stuff that can take advantage of it.  If you’re running 6x9s with big magnets near a CRT monitor you may want to shield them to prevent interference (I’m using an LCD).
You could run a bunch of LEDS off the 5V rail on the same PS but I wouldn’t do it.  Not if you are connecting up a 300W amp to it.  As the AMP draws power you may find the LEDS brightness varying up and down (unless you want that).  If you search through the audio related threads on BYOAC you will find plenty of ‘how to’ info on modding PS’s for what you need.

[Endaar]

I can only see the use of having a high end stereo unit in an arcade if it is being used as a jukebox as well. The sound quality is extremely low bit rate for retro games and is completely wasted on high end speakers. 

No arguments here. It's not used as a jukebox - I have yet another set of speakers and amp in the same room. I just happen to have a lot of extra stereo equipment that I've accumulated. Plus, Magical Sound Shower sounds great at high volume, low bit rate or not.