I recommend the Creative Gigaworks T3 2.1 system.

Am using it currently - I replaced my Acoustic Energy Aego system with the Creative and the improvement is very noticeable esp in the Bass dept. The SLAM sub module is awesome - to say the least.

Have a read at this reviews:
http://vr-zone.com/articles/creative-gigaw...1.html?doc=6251

http://www.trustedreviews.com/multimedia/r...nel-Speakers/p1

Of course the Edifier S330 is a good buy too, but the Creative betters the Edifier in the bass dept. In terms of mid/highs, I'd say the Creative is very close - some songs sound better on the Creative.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 11 2009, 01:47 AM

Well, I agree there is a significant price difference between the Creative Gigaworks T3 and the Edifier S330/S2.1M, but if you are looking for a more 'compact' size and better bass definition, the T3 would be a better buy.

I have all three - the AE Aego, Edifier S330/S2.1M and the T3s. I use them for different setups: The Aegos were previously hooked up to my notebook, which I have now replaced with the T3s. The Edifiers are connected to my desktop.

I am not saying the Aegos are short on definition, but where they lack (seriously), is in the bass dept. The T3's SLAM sub is far more compact and although my desk where my notebook resides on isn't near a wall, the bass from the T3 sub makes a whole lot of difference. I find the bass from the T3's sub tighter than the Edifier's and certainly the integration between the sub and sats are seemless. A couple of friends kept thinking the T3s Sats were producing such prodigious bass when they heard the system! The T3's bass is punchy without being overblown, and the system is capable of some serious volume without going into distortion. This obviously shows the quality of the components used. I like the bass to be forceful and sufficiently deep, with minimal boominess (to some extent, zero boominess isn't entirely possible on such systems), and the T3s shine in this regard.

And the full range driver is as Creative claims, of audiophile quality, indeed. The angle of the T3's Sats is just right to my ear height whereas the Edifier would need to be slightly angled to produce the best soundstage. The Aego's angle is too much on my table. With the T3's Sats, I am able to hear ample detail and vocals are reproduced pretty accurately. Imaging is very good (surprisingly), detail is excellent, mid range clear and forward, when you sit further away from the setup. Going a bit closer (near field), it's coherent, not overblown, and unfatiguing.

To my judgement, it can go pretty high on the frequency spectrum. There is no high freq "washout". Impressive. The Edifiers sound a little "brighter" with certain kinds of music. With the T3s, I can listen for a long time without ear fatigue.

The T3s shine with various jazz, vocal and piano tracks from Eric Marienthal, Dave Koz, Sissel and Jim Brickman (which were used in my test setup). Movies were handled with aplomb, with clear dialogue and excellent dynamics. The SLAM sub clearly revealed its presence when called for. Outstanding.

Please don't compare the T3s to a separate hi-fi system, and that is not the purpose. However, compared to a similiar product, the Bose Companion 3, the Bose sounds compressed, weak, highly processed sound, overblown and shallow bass, to say the least. This was an actual demo by Creative, not made up by me.

I like the volume knob - silky smooth and when you switch it off, a nice soft relay clicks the sub off without any harsh speaker feedback - the Edifier is good in this respect too, but the silky smooth turn action (which permits fine adjustment) of the T3s knob wins.

I think the reviews speak for themselves. I auditioned the T3s for quite a while before deciding on it. It's worth the price. I used to dislike creative and vowed never to buy their product(s) but this changed my mind (on some of their products). Bottom line, I'd place my money where it's worth.

Audition the T3s next to the Edifiers or the Aego M and you will find a new winner...

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 11 2009, 08:39 PM

Personally I find the Klipsch GMX a little overly too bright. There isn't sufficient spatial imaging from it.

Also the design might be difficult to match, unless you really don't mind the sats design at all.

Try the Creative Gigaworks T3 2.1, you won't regret it (if your budget permits), else for RM400, get the Edifier S330/S2.1M, my Edifiers have a Digital Input (Optical) so it feeds directly from my motherboard's Digital Output.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 17 2009, 06:58 AM

Edifier S2.1M/S330 selling for RM295 now (from Singapore S$125) this version WITHOUT the Digital IN. Only ANALOG RCA inputs.

With that price, the Edifier dethrones the Logitech for that price range.

This Edifier same specs is unchanged, 6 1/2" woofer etc.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 17 2009, 10:16 PM

Yeah I do belive some M'sia distro will bring in the newly priced Edifier.

I saw it with my own eyes when I was in SIN last week.

In fact, I bought the Edifier MP300 Plus 2.1 portable system for S$110 (RM 259) but this includes the super carrying case. I read in the Edifier forums that RM259 RRP but doesn't include the carrying case (USD 10). Since th Edifier forum locked out, I decided to take the opportunity to buy the speaker when I was there instead of LYP.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 17 2009, 10:15 PM

Upgrade from Aego 2 -> I went Creative Gigaworks T3

For budget RM250, try to up it to RM300 from the CNY ang-pow (RM295 to be exact) and buy the S330/S2.1M (updated price). It's S$125 from SLS - I was there 2 weeks ago. It will be soon to hit our shores at that price.

As for the T3, unsure where to get it from M'sia (LYP?) - I bought mine from SLS when I went to SG. S$288 or approx RM660.

If you're a basshead, T3 is the way to go. The mids and highs actually BETTER the Edifier S330. Nuff said.

Proclaimer, I totally agree with you - the T3 outclasses the Altec Lansings and the Logitechs hands down. I have heard it and totally zero regret buying the T3s. Then again, as you have put it, it's RM600+ so price may be a factor here.

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Added on January 24, 2009, 12:40 amYes, I agree the Bose Companion 3 is good, for lesser price, the Creative Gigaworks T3 is BETTER!

If anyone is considering the Bose Companion 2, go for the Edifier MP300 Plus. Comparing the C2 to the MP300+ is like night & day... I paid RM259 for the MP300+ inclusive of the portable carrying case!


This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 24 2009, 12:42 AM

SLS -> Sim Lim Square; LYP of Singapore.

Would be great if some forumer can do a bulk buy for the new S330/S2.1M

The price of S$125 (RM295) is confirmed for the S330/S2.1M - I saw it with my own eyes when I was there on holiday; available from Best Price #05 SLS (i.e. Level 5).

Remember this version is with ANALOG RCA inputs only.

My S330D has DIGITAL Inputs (Coaxial/Optical) that's why I paid RM430 for it.

I find it odd that the T3 is not avail in M'sia. I've not been down to LYP for a while, so I'm not sure of its availability there (now).

But since a few shops at LYP sells Creative speakers, they might bring in the T3. Ask to find out.

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Added on January 27, 2009, 12:15 amYou definitely won't regret buying the T3s over the similar Logitechs. The T3 is musically more inclined. Beats the AE Aego M hands down too.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 27 2009, 12:15 AM

Yes I have all three: Edifier S330/S2.1D (Digital), AE Aego, Creative T3, I have compared all three side by side. Muscially the T3s are just exemplary, with detailed highs and forward mids. And a sub that can be literally felt! and heard... Impressive.

You can also refer to this review from Trusted Reviews:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/multimedia/r...nel-Speakers/p1

I have already written a "mini" review on Pg 79:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=22898735

Here is it again:

I own the other two most pominent 2.1 audiophile grade pc speaker grade systems - the Acoustic Energy Aego, and the Edifier S330/S2.1M. I use them for different setups: The Aegos were previously hooked up to my notebook, which I have now replaced with the T3s. The Edifiers are connected to my desktop.

I am not saying the Aegos are short on definition, but where they lack (seriously), is in the bass dept. The T3's SLAM sub is far more compact and although my desk where my notebook resides on isn't near a wall, the bass from the T3 sub makes a whole lot of difference. I find the bass from the T3's sub tighter than the Edifier's and certainly the integration between the sub and sats are seemless. A couple of friends kept thinking the T3s sats were producing such prodigious bass when they heard the system! The sub's SLAM (Symmetrically Loaded Acoustic Module) construction provides sufficient attack and speed without the port noise associated with a ported design. And goes surprisingly deep despite its compact dimensions. The bass is punchy without being overblown, and the system as a whole, is capable of some serious volume levels without going into distortion.

This obviously shows the quality of the components used. I like the bass to be forceful and sufficiently deep, with minimal boominess (to some extent, zero boominess isn't entirely possible on such systems), and the T3s shine in this regard.

And the full range driver is as Creative claims, of audiophile quality, indeed. The angle of the T3's Sats is just right to my ear height whereas the Edifier would need to be slightly angled to produce the best soundstage. The Aego's angle is too much on my table. With the T3's Sats, I am able to hear ample detail and vocals are reproduced pretty accurately. Imaging is very good (surprisingly), detail is excellent, mid range clear and forward, with good dynamics when you sit at a suitable distance. Going a bit closer (near field), it's coherent, not overblown, and unfatiguing.

The T3s shine with various jazz, vocal and piano tracks from Eric Marienthal, Dave Koz, Sissel and Jim Brickman (which were used in my test setup). Vocals are clear and distinct. The sats reveal bags of detail and the little drivers produced some solid imaging. I was outright impressed. Movies were handled with aplomb, with clear dialogue and excellent dynamics. Playing Transformers, the SLAM sub clearly revealed its presence when called for. Outstanding.

To my judgement, it can go pretty high on the frequency spectrum. There is no high freq "washout". Impressive. The Edifiers sound a little "brighter" with certain kinds of music. With the T3s, I can listen for extended periods without ear fatigue.

Please don't compare the T3s to a separate hi-fi system, and that is not the purpose. However, compared to a similiar product, the Bose Companion 3, the Bose sounds compressed, weak, highly processed sound, overblown and shallow bass, to say the least. This was an actual demo by Creative, not made up by me. Not only do I agree that the Bose is overrated (as with other Boses' products), they're way overpriced compared to the T3s.

I like the volume/on/off control knob - a not too glaring blue on LED graces the front, and it has a super silky smooth action, and when you switch it off, a nice soft relay clicks the sub off without any harsh speaker feedback - the Edifier is good in this respect too, but the silky smooth turn action (which permits fine adjustment) of the T3's volume knob wins.

I think the reviews speak for themselves. I auditioned the T3s for quite a while before deciding on it. It's worth the price. I used to dislike creative and vowed never to buy their product(s) but this changed my mind (on some of their products). Bottom line, I'd place my money where it's worth. (I bought them from Sim Lim Singapore Fuwell for S$288 or RM660)

Audition the T3s next to the Edifiers or the Aego M and you will find a new winner...

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 30 2009, 01:53 AM

The T3s at RM598 it's a no brainer - buy it!

Well, there is simply no comparison between the T3 and the Aego. My only concern is if you buy the Aego, you'll live to regret it, once you've compared it to the T3.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 29 2009, 08:19 PM

I think it's important to keep an open mind about brands. Don't be stereotype just because of some bad reputation.

If Creative had produced the T3s and AE bought it and labelled it Aego X, I'm sure many will buy that without hesitation.

Bottom line, buy it if it's good - yes looks may matter, but not all good looking products sound good! But when it's good in terms of performance/value, more than half the battle's won already.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Jan 30 2009, 12:14 AM

What is the price of the 530D?

Agreed that the bass on the 530D may be "louder" but that does not mean it's deeper. The principle of bass reflex (or ported) designs show a dramatic roll off below the port tuned frequency.

As we are all aware, sealed or acoustic suspension designs produce tighter & deeper bass at the expense of volume.

You be the judge of that.

I have heard the 530D, yes agreed that the power can be felt, and the sub is indeed awesome, but I think musically the T3s would sound better. Get the 530D for gaming and everything else.

Personally I prefer tight bass, I'd go for the T3 over the 530D. Of course, if you must have 5.1, then by all means buy the 530D.

It's not true the T3 isn't suited for gaming/movies.

Playing Transformers on the T3 shows extremely detailed mid-range, and clear dialogue. Bass is actually FELT when it's required to do so. I much prefer the T3 playing movies to my S330D or Aego (as the Aego lacks bass).

Normally, if a speaker excels at music, it should do pretty well playing movies too. Generally, not always true.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 1 2009, 11:48 PM

I have heard the MX5021 before, but not in direct comparison to the T3 or the S330/S2.1M.

I do admit the MX5021 sounds good, but fails to deliver as a audiophile speaker. It's more suited as a general PC replacement speaker. The bass while impressive, isn't tight. It feels a little missing in delivering a forward midrange. Treble while present, isn't focused, and at times, sound overly too bright.

It does not come close to the T3 in overall music quality. In fact, the Edifier S330 fares much better musically than the MX5021. For that kind of money, I'd buy the Edifiers anytime for RM295. Save the extra $$$ over the MX5021 & upgrade your sound card.

As you are aware, the MX5021 has poor signal-to-noise ratio approx S/N of 80db. You can almost certainly hear the "hiss" when nothing is playing & in quiet surroundings.

The T3s exhibit excellent S/N. You cannot hear any form of hiss even when you place your ear next to the driver & in quiet surroundings.

At the end, have a listen before making your decision.

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Added on February 2, 2009, 11:18 pm

The Edifier S730 while awesome, have a recessed mid-range. Yes, its bass is awesome & can definitely be felt. Power is there. But power & bass isn't everything. The bass has to be tight & controlled, with sufficient attack & slam. Mids have to be clear, and forward, painting a 3D soundstage when you listen to your favorite tracks. Highs have to be present & clear, while not harsh, and extended.

I'm not saying the Edifier S730 isn't good. It is. But ask yourself this, why would excellent audiophile grade speakers provide separate bass & treble controls?

To answer your RM1,000+ budget, I'd get the Edifier S2000 and a dedicated separate subwoofer. Musically, it would be unmatched....

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 2 2009, 11:31 PM

Budget a bit more, I'd go for the Edifier E3350 but that's 2.1. Or settle for the lower E series Edifiers.

Less than RM100, personally I won't bother to spend any $$$.

For RM250, buy the Edifier MP300 Plus which is also portable.

For RM300, buy the Edifier S330/S2.1M (revised price)

For RM600+, get the Creative Gigaworks T3.

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Added on February 3, 2009, 9:07 amAgreed that the Z2300's bass a tad overblown. And yes, agreed it's lacking in the upper frequencies, despite being THX certified.

Makes a great boom-box for games though.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 3 2009, 09:10 AM

I have the Edifier S330D/S2.1D version which comes with Optical/Coaxial Inputs in addition to the RCA Analog inputs.

The normal S330/S2.1M usually just comes with RCA Analog inputs.

I find the GMX's treble a little harsh - it's not refined. That is my personal opinion.

Personally I think you can just buy the Edifier S330 without listening to it. I did just that.

So much has been said & reviewed on these Edifiers. Just go out and buy it & you won't be disappointed.

There are so many factors affecting sound quality. Having top grade speakers but poor placement will make your thousand dollar purchase sound like crap. Having sound insulating materials in your listening room (e.g. carpets, heavy curtains) affects the resonances, bass & brightness.

Bottom line, the asking price of RM300 (or RM390) for the S330 is more than justified. Let your ears be rewarded...

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Added on February 3, 2009, 3:02 pm

Audiophiles will agree with me, good systems do not require treble & bass adjustments. If there are such adjustments (e.g. Audyssey Dynamic Volume, Audyssey Dynamic EQ or Calibration on the new Denon receivers), the primary purpose for equalization is to cater/compensate for room anomalies, and not to "enhance" the bass & treble.

Having more drivers do not necessarily guarantee 'better' sound. It is better to have ONE good driver than many mediocre drivers.

Take the famous Thiel CS1.6 or CS2.4 speakers. There isn't any midrange driver on the CS1.6, yet the sound emanting from it is truly remarkable. I have heard Thiels before, and by God, that will be my ultimate purchase! Truly perfection.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 3 2009, 04:18 PM

I travel to Singapore quite a bit, and coincidentally I purchased the D version from Sim Lim Square (SLS). Paid RM440 (approx) for it (after conversion). That was mid last year.

Around mid-Jan, I was at SLS (again), and that was when I chanced on the (revised) Edifier S330/S2.1M with the RCA Analog input(s) only for S$125 or RM295.

As I mentioned, computer items & parts do not incur any form of taxation when you re-enter Malaysia. The Customs Officers should not be giving any of us a hard time trying to tax such items.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 3 2009, 06:47 PM

The shop you refer to is Best Price Computers located at #05 (Level 5). When you head up the escalator, it's the first shop you come to, on Level 5. Yes the Edifier S330 is confirmed $129 (RRP), normally the boss will be kind as to discount approx $5 or so, that's why I mentione $125.

Like the MP300+, which carried a RRP of $119, but I got $105 discounted as I purchased 2 units. The S330 for $199 was the D version with Digital Input(s). Prices here are in SGD. Forex is approx 2.38 to RM.

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Added on February 4, 2009, 3:58 pmWell, not all PC speakers have treble & bass adjustments. The Edifier S330/S2.1M does not. The Creative Gigaworks T3 does not. So do the superb portable Edifier MP300+. No treble & bass controls.

Honestly, we tend to "misuse" treble & bass adjustments. As I said, the primary intent is to correct for frequency anomalies and/or deficiencies. Not to "boost" beyond what is necessary to achieve a sound that is "nice" to us. Obviously such (PC) speakers have limitations, and equalization should only be used to cater for the missing frequency spectrum (whether it be low/mid/high frequencies). Frequency response is greatly affected by enviromental factors such as speaker placement, dampening/reflective materials in the room, etc.

Listen to a Thiel CS2.4 and you will be shocked how deep is the bass from the 8" woofer - it extends down to a staggering 33Hz!! Trust me, you will NOT require a subwoofer. There is ZERO equalization on the Thiels, just one well integrated and well made (metal) tweeter/mid range and one 8" woofer and a passive radiator. The Thiels convey music as it was meant to be - pure unadulterated, sound. Means if the recording sucks, you are essentially listening to crap...

I have not compared the Bose C3 to the Creative T3 side by side, but I have listened to the Bose C3 many a time (thru friends), and though the Bose sounds "good", the sound is highly processed. Bose uses sound "correction" (i.e. equalization) to enhance the output, so the sound from the C3 isn't clean. Bass cannot compare to the T3. It's loud, but not deep or tight.

These days, any decent onboard audio will drive good speakers relatively well. Yes, it's important, but when a speaker is well made, it shines with a decent sound card. Today's HD audio on notebooks and namely desktop motherboards (Gigabyte's implementation of the Realtek HD889A Audio Codec with a superb 106dB S/N is one example of an excellent on board audio) have come of age. They are very good indeed.

Creative demoed the T3 vs the C3 recently, and to say the least, the T3 won hands down. It's a world of difference, and this from reviewers and audio critiques. You can Google it if you don't believe me.

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Added on February 4, 2009, 4:15 pmNot all manufacturers quote S/N ratio. Generally, don't playback any thing while connecting your speakers to say a MP3 player. Turn up the vol to max, if you hear "hiss" coming from the drivers, the amp's S/N is relatively poor. Normally anything above say 90dB+ is considered acceptable. Best of amps/sound cards exhibit over 100dB S/N ratio.

I hear virtually no hiss from my T3s when max vol (not playing anything) - put your ear next to the driver in a quiet room. There is no such thing as zero hiss. If it's zero, means system is off. Even the Edifier MP300+ has very minimal hiss at max vol.

I recently decided to install a car amplifier for my faithful Perdana V6. I bought the Sony XM4S (50w x 4, but it is bridgable if you need it to drive a subwoofer). I've lived with my head unit's built in 50w x 4 for a long time. Decided it was time for an upgrade.

Paid RM1k thereabouts for all the wiring and the XM4S. My rear speakers are Sony 6x9"s and the front, separate 6.5" mid/woofer and a 1" tweeter.

The end result was something did not expect. I was shocked how much difference it made to the quality and clarity. Tremendous! I used to have to increase bass +6, treble +5 because my head unit's stock amp (though rated at 50w x 4) was clearly insufficient to drive the speakers well.

I now run the head unit to flat! Bass +0, Treble +0 and the output is so much cleaner, mids clear, and highs distinct. As audio fidelity in a vehicle is greatly affected by lack of bass, I had to compensate that by boosting the bass on the Sony amp only for the rear 6x9 speakers.

But I am terribly impressed... Overall I'd say 100% improvement.

I decided to buy the Sony amp though it's more than twice the cost of a conventional Brother's 4 channel amp. Money well spent. And truly, good systems can do without (necessary) equalization.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 4 2009, 04:55 PM

Sorry if I caused any confusion - speakers themsevles do not exhibit any form of S/N. The "noise" or S/N ratio is meant for the amplifier that is driving them.

Since PC speakers in general have built in amplifiers, manufacturers should quote S/N figures.

Excerpt: "Signal-to-noise ratio is measured in decibels (dB) and is the ratio of pure signal to that of the background noise. A low signal-to-noise ratio means that the player will have a lot of hiss and static, while a high rating means clear-sounding audio."

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 4 2009, 07:56 PM

I got my Aego (not M) back then from MikeChai for approx RM600+ (can't recall exactly). I suppose 2 x Aego (M or otherwise) will cost RM1.3K. It has served me well...

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Added on February 5, 2009, 12:11 amI am now auditioning my Edifier MP300+ compared to the Bose Soundock (1st Gen) which probably retails for > RM1K in the comfort of a 5-star hotel room I'm in.

On firing it up, the Edifiers immediately present a more open soundstage. The mids are forward and not recessed, flanked by sweet highs that are clear, not harsh. Vocals are clear, instruments distinct and a plesant tonal balance. There is a cohesive balance and solid integration between the sub and sats. Delivery is seamless.

Bass from the 2" aluminium tube, while present, is definitely limited in extension. However, it is sufficient, and certainly works well in unison to the sats. There is adequete bass - just don't expect booming deep bass. Overall, impressive low freq response from this 2" tube. While there is significant air emanting from the tube, port chuffing noise cannot be heard from the listening position.

Judging from the sitting distance in the hotel room (it is sufficiently damped with a thick carpet and drapes), I am pleased to report distinct and solid imaging from the Edifiers. Ramping up the volume shows the quality of components used. It reached a ludicrious level before I decided it was enough (I don't want the hotel manager knocking on my door), yet maintaning a balanced output from the bass tube and the sats. Not harsh or distorted. Impressive.

The Bose seems louder at first, on further listening to tracks from Sissel and Dave Koz, I realize there is limited high frequency extension. The imaging isn't as wide as the Edifiers, namely because the two drivers on the Bose are closer than the max spread of the sats on the MP300+. The lack of high frequency limits the Bose, tonally. Moving on to various classical, smooth jazz and pop tunes tracks, I was little surprised that the sound wasn't more appealing. Listening to pop or rock tracks wih software equalization made the music harsh and unpleasant. Adjusting the treble did help but I could find a nice balance that appeased me. Overall musical quality, while sufficiently loud, had little definition.

Bass, while seems stronger, isn't deep - there is more emphasis on the 60-100Hz band, playing tracks with deep bass yields chuffing from the ports. It is obvious, the Soundock employs sound equalization & enchancement. Imaging, while decent, cannot compare to the Edifiers. But what is severely lacking is the high freq extension. That limits the overall tonal quality of the music played. Sounds like something is amiss.

The mid range isn't as pronounced as the Edifiers. I relinquished listening to the Bose after a few tracks - much preferring the clear well portrayed mids/highs from the Edifiers to the Bose.

Not bad for a RM250 speaker.

This post has been edited by Razzd: Feb 5 2009, 01:21 PM