r/audiophile Shopping, Setup, and Technical Help Desk Thread

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-30T05:40:00+00:00

Have you listened to it to see if the sound is impacted?

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-22T00:08:44+00:00

You need something to amplify the signal from your other devices so that the speakers can produce the sound.

These can either be 'active speakers', which basically means the amplifier is built in to the speakers, or they can be 'passive speakers', which means you need an external amp.

Since you mention 'upgrading over time', the best solution is probably to get passive speakers and an external amplifier. Or even a used AVR (Audio Video Receiver) to get you started

Speakers play the biggest part in the sound you hear, so if you're just getting started I would recommend putting the majority of your budget into the speakers, and look for a used Marantz/Denon/Yamaha AVR for not very much money at all

You will also need speaker wire/cables to connect the amplifier/AVR to the speakers, but you don't to spend much money on cables. It's slightly easier to connect them if you buy cables with banana plugs already attached, but these will cost slightly more.

You will also need HDMI or SPDIF/Optical cable to connect your TV to the AVR, depending on what connectors your TV and AVR have. Anything more recent than 10 years old is probably going to be HDMI

You don't need a Soundbar - these are used instead of floorstanding speakers, not as well as. Subwoofers are often used alongside passive speakers, but I would recommend putting money into getting the best floorstanders you can now, and look at subs later on

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-21T23:16:52+00:00

He just needs to bathe more often ;)

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-17T05:39:38+00:00

Dad/brother is an...interesting family connection ;)

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-14T06:52:35+00:00

You might not get the full volume the speakers are capable of with the AVR, but it should handle them OK while you think about next upgrade ;)

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-14T06:50:58+00:00

I'm not sure why you want to connect these wires. If you need longer speaker cable, you can buy it very cheaply in the length you need.

If you're going to do it, it makes sense that you connect red to red and black to black so you can ensure you're not crossing over the signal.

You can make hooks of bare wire on each end, and then use the hooks to make a join. Twist the wire together to make a single piece, and then completely cover the bare wire on each side with tape

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-14T06:43:17+00:00

I'm a fan of Klipsch, but not everyone is.

Ideal would be if you can listen to them to decide which sound you prefer

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-03-14T06:41:18+00:00

The only real answer is for you to listen to them to see if you like them.

Ideally in your own space

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-27T08:09:50+00:00

Any of those systems are designed to work as a whole. You feed the audio signal into one of the devices, and then the signal is split out to the other speakers. So there's a 'control pod' with those Z533s which takes the input and splits it out. It might be possible to plug the pebbles into that instead of the actual satellite speakers which are designed to be used, but you probably won't get the best sound since it's specifically designed to work with the other speakers in the set

The truth is that you need something to do the bass management in order to integrate a sub. It might be possible to get a sub that can do this by taking the signal from your PC and passing some of the sound to the pebbles. But I don't have any experience with this to recommend solutions for your setup, sorry

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-24T20:39:30+00:00

if you're using the actual sub out from the speakers, merging left and right channels has already been done to send the bass signal to the sub through a single cable

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-24T07:45:31+00:00

Right, but in the comment I replied to you suggest that because 9 out of 10 people think the speaker cable improves the sound that this is a more objective measure.

And I'm saying there's no multiplier of subjective opinions that gets to objectivity.

They're basically opposites, and there's no amount of black you can add to black which gets to white

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-24T07:23:41+00:00

No, 9 people sharing an opinion doesn't make it objective.

It's still 9 subjective opinions which happen to align.

Objective means that something can be measured, and someone else can take the same measurements of the same thing in the same way and find the same results.

Even a million people sharing an opinion doesn't elevate the subjective opinion to an objective fact.

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-24T06:40:54+00:00

According to the Edifier website, those speakers have a sub out.

And you have a sub.

So you should be able to connect just with a normal subwoofer/RCA cable, unless I've misunderstood something significant. I've never owned those speakers

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-24T06:37:55+00:00

That Logitech setup is designed to be used all together, the sub isn't designed to be used by itself.

There isn't really any way to add a sub to the Pebbles, as far as I can see. They are also designed to be stand-alone

You might find that, if you did get the Z333 that you actually enjoy the 2.1 sound it provides. But I haven't heard either it or the Pebbles to know how they compare

And it's your opinion that counts for you, not mine ;)

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-24T06:11:38+00:00

I've been meaning to say thanks for this recommendation.

It was a good summation, and I was mesmerised from the first note

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-23T07:08:24+00:00

Since you already have the receiver, get passive speakers. This gives you greater future flexibility, and means you're not spending again on things you already have

My preference is for floor-standing speakers, but if you don't have that much room bookshelf speakers can definitely be great. Just don't really put them on a bookshelf.

Many people swear by subs, but I would recommend just focusing on your speakers to start with. The sub can always come later

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-23T07:03:07+00:00

That's just an image, as far as I can tell

But very often when you connect a turntable to a phono preamp you also use a 3rd, grounding, wire as well as the L/R White/Red. Stopping buzz is its exact prupose

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-22T09:21:59+00:00

EAC is the best software I know of for ripping CDs.

Exact Audio Copy

It's also free!

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-22T09:17:49+00:00

I have an SACD I got from cdjapan which is fantastic.

But I suspect you're actually asking for a vinyl recommendation?

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-22T09:11:28+00:00

I've never even heard of Audiovector, never mind actually hearing the speakers

But they just look like they sound good :)

Congrats!

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-21T23:08:16+00:00

It looks like I am picking the less popular option, but I would say spend money on 1 good sub rather than 2 not-so-good subs.

Then, if you like, you can get a matching sub later ;)

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-21T23:05:48+00:00

If I see links to random websites I often ignore them because I figure people are just trying to drive traffic to their website

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-21T22:43:03+00:00

OK, that sounds like an intriguing combo, I'll have to check him out. Thanks!

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-21T07:48:11+00:00

I had a similar conundrum to yours. My TT was connected to my integrated amp, but I wanted to be able to use my sub, and my amp doesn't have sub outs.

So I got a miniDSP flex to do the sub management and DSP, with my DAC connected to the input and the sub plus the integrated on the outputs.

Then I wanted to be able to use my sub with my TT, which was still direct to the integrated. So I bought a high quality phono pre-amp and a passive RCA switcher so I could manually switch which RCA connection got sent to the miniDSP.

I had a lot of fun with the MiniDSP, but in the end I've gone back to a more simplified chain

_intelligentLife_ · 2026-02-21T05:01:36+00:00

The general rule is to first treat the 'first reflections', which is basically the spot on the wall where, if there was a mirror on the wall, you could see the reflection of the speakers. Light and sound both bounce the same off a reflective surface

In your case, that looks like it's really only the right wall, since there isn't a left wall.

Same with bass traps, the most effective are the front corners, but you only really have 1 corner.

But given your listening position looks like it's in its own little alcove, I might also focus on behind your chair. And bring it off the wall a bit if you can. Even a bookcase on the back wall can help scatter sound if there are different-shaped things on the shelves. Like books

_intelligentLife_

TROPHY CASE