Interesting topic 😀

Well for my really old DOS Games (like Monkey Island) it has to be basic 2.0 speakers for me. No sub as the idea of a sub didn't exist back in the day. I think BOSE came up with the whole sub + satellite thing.

For newer XP games that support EAX I highly highly recommend:

1. Get a X-Fi card
2. Activate CMSS-3D
3. Play with decent Hi-Fi headphones or get a 5.1 surround system

Games like Fear, Doom3, Farcy or Splinter Cell Chaos Theory sound so AWESOME with surround sound.

For my new machines I have Logitech z623 (THX) for my main desktop and z906 for my TV / Media PC setup. With Logitech speakers you now really have to spend the money to get the top models because they totally gimped the sub woofer on the basic models.

I have two sets of the entry level 5.1 kit (z506) and the sub has this tiny speaker inside that gets overwhelmed at the slightest hint of bass. The previous speaker kit (X-530 or something like that) was such good value with a pretty decent sub.

I'm using these guys for now:

http://www.logitech.com/en-au/speakers-audio/ … c-speakers/4251

And I've got all my systems going through this mixer:

Eventually, I want a decent set of speakers to go with this amp I'm keeping aside:

Lately I've just been plugging my retro system into my TV and home stereo setup (Yamaha amp + 35-year-old Hitachi monsters). On my main machine I use M-Audio StudioPro 4s.

SquallStrife wrote:

And I've got all my systems going through this mixer: […]
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And I've got all my systems going through this mixer:

Does that mixer preserve left/right signals in the mix?

Sure does, there are 4 stereo inputs, and two mono inputs that I use together as an extra stereo input (by twiddling with the faders). There are also two stereo outputs, so I could have headphones connected to one, and my laptop connected to the other.

Picked it up on Gumtree (similar to craigslist) for $65.

Im also using a 4 track mixer and an old school stereo sound system on my retro station. I have an amp from early 90s and those big wooden 3-ways speakers, got them as give away and they look home made but very well built.

I'm using 2.0 5Wt USB-powered Sven speakers. They're perfect since they provide the volume level and the quality I need, while they are the most compact speaker system I've seen. And they don't require extra power aside from 5V via USB.

Currently I use them on 233MMX, but later I'm planning on finding a USB port on some broken mobo and combine it with a molex-type plug to use the speakers on older PCs.

I have always used headphones 😜

I have my retro system plugged into a Belkin Soho KVM, so it shares the same audio, monitor, keyboard as the rest of my more modern systems (4 PCs in total).

The audio setup I am using are Logitch Z-640 70 watt 5.1 surround speakers. I had them for 5 years or so now, and they still sound good. I did have to modify them a bit, I cut the cords so I could fit them though some Ikea speaker stands. The center channel sits right by my 27.5 Hanns-G monitor.

Since the KVM was DVI, I had to buy a VGA to Digital Scaler. It works very well, and my Win98 desktop is running at widescreen resolution.

Pair of Goldring DR150 headphones for me 😀

When just playing a game at moderate volume I use a set of simple Philips PC speakers or a pair of Philips SHP-5401 headphones. These headphones sound really, and I mean really good, but you have to be very careful with them as the thin chinese plastic breaks easily. Fortunately these things only cost €20 🤣

When there's nobody home, I use this:

I run an audio line output cable from the rig to my X-Fi card on my gaming rig and listen to simulated 5.1 on my Cambridge Soundworks speaker system.

I use my old Logitech Z560 speakers. Old but very good.

All my external MIDI stuff (Roland CM-64, Yamaha MU10, Miditemp DoXInTheBoX, AVM Summit) goes to Midiman Thru 3x8 MIDI controller, then along with all soundcards (Live 5.1, AWE64 Gold, GUS Ace, SCC-1) i route it to Edirol M-10MX 10ch mixer and summary sound output (each separate volume input of it i can regulate independently) goes to Casio GZ-70SP powered 2.0 speakers. These speakers have it's own built-in General MIDI module by Casio which are also connected to MIDI controller.

I use a pair of Logitech X-140's:

They are compact, have quite clear sound and have decent bass. No mixers or other stuff used, since I don't have any room nor money for them.

For now a super cheap LS-21 2.1 system [same as pictured in a previous post]. Run them through a 2-port IOgear KVM w/audio to share between 2 retro rigs. At low/moderate volume they aren't that bad - no great shakes, but I'll probably step up a bit when the retro "building" phase settles down [haha..]

I use the same little Logitech 2.1 speakers setup I use for my modern desktop. I have a mixer that I run both computers through and use those speakers as the output. Small, but decent sound, strangely enough. When I get some actual studio sound monitors for my music production that will all change, though. But everything will still run through the same setup, probably. If the little speakers don't fail, I may continue to use them solely for my old computer.

*Barry Burton voice* "I have THIS!" 😁

Cyber Acoustics cheapo 2.1 system

My PC's (both 'modern' desktop, and all of the retro ones) go through a set of Creative T40 desktop monitors:

The machines with midi interfaces and multiple soundcards have external mixers for all their outputs:

The sequence of connectivity (when I have everything set up!) is:

Modern PC -> KVM (USB/PS2/stereo)
P4 PC -> KVM
SGI or Amiga -> KVM
286 or 486 PC -> external mixer -> KVM

Then it's KVM -> Speakers. Something like 10 audio sources ultimately end up being possible inputs to the speakers.

megatron-uk wrote:

Then it's KVM -> Speakers. Something like 10 audio sources ultimately end up being possible inputs to the speakers.

10 Audio sources? How do you switch between them?

Does your KVM switch audio as well? What KVM is it?

I'm also now looking at getting one because I want to add a few boxes over the next months.

/