Mac said:
You can checkout VS4121, CS21 and 621 (if it's still available) if you want Altec lansing,
though all are 2.1 system but will blow any of the 5.1 in your budget range specially the 621 if you can get it.
If you want a 5.1, IMO logitech X-530 is a good candidate.
logitech x530 what is the wirelength of sateliites?large enuf to cover the whole room ?
hyeah:
and dont see logitech highly boasted RMS watt rating.
Remember When buying speakers dont just check the RMS/PMPO, these just indicate the loudness of the speakers, and not the clarity. Things you should check out are the low & high frequency, percentage of THD, Watts/channel, driver per satellite etc.
Well , actually , for me, altec 2.1 sound better than altec 5.1. you really need a good layout room for keeping your speakers, to get satisfaction from 5.1. Otherwise, it is more of noise and irritation bcoz of muddy bass from woofer, rather than music.
Also, bigger and more powerful sub-woofers actually creates more booming "noise". The subwoofer should be kept in a place where echos do not distort the sound. To counter the excess bass, level your equalizers to zero position for the lower frequencies. IMHO, the sound is much better.My advise > always get a demo of speakers after you buy.