Hi,
Plain n simple. Thinking about buying a good speaker system.
Budget approx 2.5k.
Requirements: music/movies and games. Games lower in priority cos i can always use headphones 
Me no audiophile 
n even if i was, that budgets worthless 
So just suggest something that would sound good…
Altec Lansing ATP 3… rules all!
yeah..Altec Lansing ATP 3 not sure if its still avaiable ..but i think u can get it from PRIME if u r in mumbai ..for 2.7k ..
till now i had just heard ppl recommending ATP 3..all da time..
and now i got it from memories_dv i really think its damn good..sounds perfect !
why are you even asking this question… you know what the answer is , and that it costs 2.7~2.8k 
i think we at TE need to put up a AN ABSOLUTE NOOBIE’S QnA Section…
no offense intended to the poster here..
yeah totally worth the money..and i got it for just 1k ..he heh e..
they even look good on the desktop..go for it.
**OT-**hope you dont mind techie_007
err greenhorn just wanted to ask you..would there be much difference in SQ and boost in volume while using the ATP3 if i shift from Soundmax onboard(865gbf mobo) to some other soundcard like SB Live 5.1 ..?
cause sometimes i feel that high volume theres a bit distortion but that maybe due to the source of the music..not sure..
but i am still not able to setup the ATP3 to its best..
(the volume\treble and bass knobs) and the master and wave volume in volume control.
Is there much difference between the ATP 3 and the Logitech X-230 ?
^ Yes, there is a lot of difference..believe me.. Logitech low end speakers are not worth it at all..they sound pretty much like the creative lower end models…the ATP3 sounds great.. especially the lows which are deep for an 18w sub, and the crispy high range..the midrange is slightly muffled due to the downfiring driver design and depends a lot on the type of surface you place the satellites..but nothing tht becomes glaringly noticeable..
I think ATP3 are better than those logitechs. I am using ATP3 myself and i know its worth 2.5k(i bought @ 2.7k 2 months ago) 
EDIT : YAY, the above guy ryan is a speaker specialist :P, i would agree with him blindfolded.
^Lol..thanks yaar.. But I stand no chance against the likes of the real gurus..Chaos, rio, Sangram etc…
soundmax are relatively good compared to the realtek crap. not as good as a good soundcard , but better than realtek
sb live 5.1’s are kinda old , and have the resampling issue. should be better with KX drivers , but not worth the hassle.
if you plan to use a sb live 24 bit ,then its great
if you feel a slight distortion or even compression of the sound ( ie the difference between the peak is less this happens because the volume is reduced by the onboard automatically during peaks to prevent distortion ) then get a 'card
PS : dont use the eq of the windows mixer. there are better SW eq’s out there
sb live 24 bit 7.1 <Sigmatel HD onboard < Soundmax HD onboard,< sb live5.1<Soundmax AC 97 onboard << realtek HD < realtek AC’97
I’ll write an extended article on onboard soon . I’ve been busy for two weeks and trying foobar on the various office PC’s with different onboard … sigmatel quality pwns! pity it has neither ASIO/ Kernel streaming support.
hey thanx for the reply..err my board doesnt have a soundmax HD its soundmax ac 97 i guess..
and are 24 bit SB lives still avaiable in the market ?
and what do you mean by :
[B] PS : dont use the eq of the windows mixer. there are better SW eq’s out there??
[/B]i didnt get this part..should i keep volume in the speaker knob high or from the soundmax control panel(default volume control)
sorrry for acting a bit nooby..
..the midrange is slightly muffled due to the downfiring driver design and depends a lot on the type of surface you place the satellites..but nothing tht becomes glaringly noticeable..
err can u please explain ..this part in a bit detail ?
ive placed the two satellites on the table..made of plywood (not MDF-board)
and i feel that i cant hear the sound produces by the midrange downfirers in the satellites properly..
i feel as if i should keep hang or wall mount the satellites
even the woofer is downfiring one naah ..and sometimes ..i feel that the bass is low..but again in some tracks..the bass good enough.
lolz..i am so confused setting up to the optimum level..
I was saying that you should keep the bass and treble controls in the windows mixer to flat , and use the equalizer in your player
a soundmax AC 97 is still good . Soundblaster live 24 bit is available they’re now called as the audigy value (just rebranded :P) ~1.7k
err can u please explain ..this part in a bit detail ?
ive placed the two satellites on the table..made of plywood (not MDF-board)
and i feel that i cant hear the sound produces by the midrange downfirers in the satellites properly..
i feel as if i should keep hang or wall mount the satellites
even the woofer is downfiring one naah ..and sometimes ..i feel that the bass is low..but again in some tracks..the bass good enough.
lolz..i am so confused setting up to the optimum level..
ideally, teh midrange should be aimed at the listener, but in the atp3 satellites, they aim down, so what you hear is mostly the reflection of the sound from whatever surface you’ve kept it on. so the sound quality depends a bit on the surface itself
ATP3 anyday . i m enjoying it . thanx to GreenHorn .
and whats an ideal surface ??
and yeah i keep the bass and other controls in the default settings of soundmax to flat
only the master and wave are used..
also if u can please explain me what master and wave are for ??..
is it ohk to keep the wave to 100 %
also ..when i shift the balance of master to complete left or complete right.
i can hear sound from individual satellites..
but same is not with ..wave
but wave sound is only heard from one of da speakers why so ??
An ideal surface does not exist:P any reasonably hard surface should do
and yeah i keep the bass and other controls in the default settings of soundmax to flat
only the master and wave are used..
also if u can please explain me what master and wave are for ??..
Master controls the total volume output , the output of mixing the sound from the various sources in the left side. the left side contains the various sources like cd input , aux in , etc, as well as wav and midi in. both are generated seperately , and so are considered as different sources
is it ohk to keep the wave to 100 %
esp for onboards, 80~90% is a better point, but if it doesnt distort, no probs
also ..when i shift the balance of master to complete left or complete right.
i can hear sound from individual satellites..
but same is not with ..wave
but wave sound is only heard from one of da speakers why so ??
thats not supposed tp happen. maybe the balance slider of your master is still stuck to one extreme
@ mods : me and faheem seem to have hijacked this thread signicantly OT . please move the onboard stuff into a seperate thread if required
Well.. because there is one more contender, AL VS4121,
I’ve been trying to figure out which is better of two?
Ryan
Chaos
Both cost same around 2.5k
what you say?
hi ppl,
No probs with the off topic stuff :d the more the merrier for everyone
so ATP3 i is? Will c how much here then.
I kinda knew this was gonna be it but always better to confirm.
Also, howz the AL VS4121 compared with it?
I’d say, get the VS4121…the price difference is negligible and u get a slightly better overall output due to a higher rated sub (19watts). Though thts not much of a difference, but still, if u are the types who like to listen ur music at high volumes, then the VS4121 is slightly louder at peak..
Also, they have included a headphone jack in the right satellite…so thts a good addition..
I was earlier looking at the VS4221, which had a slightly higher rated satellites @ 8 watts and came with a remote…but the price for which they are selling here(arnd 6k) doesnt really make any sense…imo, they shud have been priced arnd 4k to make it a fairly good deal…
So forget about the VS4221, i’d say get the VS4121…afaik, the ATP3 has long been discontinued and all u are getting nowadays are leftovers…
Any hardwood surface will do.. but do understand tht its the satellite design tht is at flaw here…a lot of review sites have pointed tht out…so no matter how hard the surface u keep them on, the mid range will still be slightly muffled… There isnt enuf space between the table surface and the downfiring mid driver to let the reflected sound escape thru the gaps between the stands on which the speakers rest…thts the reason for the subdued midrange performance…
Do keep in mind tht the VS4121 too has the same problem…since the satellite design is exactly the same…
hmmmm…so the VS4121 is to be preferred then? ok. thx for all the help
Will check out prices and all depends on those then